Power Cleans...just a high school lift?

[nuknuk]

Does anybody still do these? I know High Schools are big on doing them, but I never wanted to do them since.

 

[CH3NO2]

To me the movement itself is a high risk movement and is totally pointless for a bodybuilder. The risk of injury is just too much.

 

[big in vegas]

To me the movement itself is a high risk movement and is totally pointless for a bodybuilder. The risk of injury is just too much.

I also agree, I'd rather do 10 exercises to target muscles than do 1 rep of these. So that's a big fuck no for me

 

[saudades]

Man, I remember doing those in high school, too. I'd say they have their place. There are parts of the exercise that does build strength and power, mainly the first part of it where you snatch the weight up. I sometimes do a variation called high pulls which is that first part of the clean, but you don't flip your hands and catch the weight. It's sort of similar looking to doing the upright trap exercise if anything. I heard long ago that it was one exercise that will build huge arms, and I've always said to those who ask me about my arms to do pulling movements like high pulls, rowing, etc. They always seem to have the look of, "okay, that's nice, but I don't believe you," as if they are expecting me to say I curl 200 lbs, lol.

 

[(N)shape]

I sometimes do hang cleans for higher reps as a shoulder finisher but I haven't done heavy hang cleans since college. The sad thing about the high schooler's I've seen do it, is their form is terrible. And with bad form they aren't even targeting the hips and legs like they need to for explosion. I saw a starting Defensive End at our school blow his knee in summer training doing heavy power cleans and after that I've been hesitant. I think there are a lot better lifts out there to develop hip strength and power without the high(er) risk of injury.