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Are Olympic Lifts the Best Choice for Power Development?
by Dr. Brent Brookbush DPT, PT, MS, CPT, HMS, IMT
Regardless of whether you love Olympic lifts or hate them, you think they are safe or dangerous; you may have to admit they fall into a weird category of exercise. Olympic lifts are somewhere between power training and strength training. They obviously include the weight or resistance commonly associated with traditional strength training, but they attempt speeds normally associated with explosive strength or plyometric training. Unfortunately, Olympic lifts likely lack the ideal stimulus to ensure muscle fibers are stressed optimally for endurance, maximal strength, muscle mass gain, or athletic performance. They just don't include the ideal weight, speed, or force production necessary to optimize muscle fiber adaptation. And, although some will claim that Olympic lifts are designed for "functional strength", it is hard to label Olympic lifts as optimal for function when compared to other weight room exercises with higher transfer to sport and daily life like medicine ball exercises, multi-planar hops, sled push, etc. This article covers a topic that is long overdue in sports medicine, are Olympic Lifts the best choice for developing power?
Our Recommendation:
If you are training for an Olympic lifting competition or training with Olympic lifts because you enjoy them, continue to perform Olympic lifts. Olympic lifts are a necessary component of training for Olympic lifting competitions, and despite the availability of lower-risk exercises, we believe exercise is inherently less risky than not exercising at all. After all, heart disease and diabetes kill far more people than lumbar spine injuries or shoulder pathology. Further, it should be noted that Olympic lifts are more effective for increasing power than strength training alone.
However, if your goal is to optimize training to improve the performance of high-velocity movements there are better options than Olympic lifts. Research implies power performance (sprinting, jumping, throwing, changing directions) will improve more following a combination of max strength training and high-velocity exercises (e.g. box jumps, med ball throws, etc.) when compared to conventional Olympic lifting routines. Note, post-activation potentiation (PAP) training (e.g. max strength/power super-sets) may be ideal.
Summary:
- Defining Power: Power is the rate of work (Power = Force x Distance/Time). However, movement professionals use the term "power" to refer to speed or explosiveness (Velocity = Distance/Time).
- Note, the way the body produces, and adapts to, large external loads (strength) is different than the way it produces and adapts to, high-velocity movements (power).
- Brookbush Institute's Recommendation: Power movement performance (sprinting, jumping, throwing, changing directions) will improve more following a combination of max strength training and high-velocity exercises (e.g. box jumps, med ball throws, etc.) when compared to conventional Olympic lifting routines.
- Reasons Olympic Lifting may be Less Effective
- Messy Middle: Olympic lifts are not performed with the loads or the time-under-tension necessary to optimally improve maximum strength. And, they are performed with loads too heavy to achieve the maximum velocity necessary to optimally improve speed.
- Different Force Velocity/Curve: Adding significant external load during Olympic lifts and power exercises (more than 10% of 1-RM) changes the force/velocity curve so much, it may not match the way the body develops force when an external load is not present (e.g. during jumping, sprinting, throwing, etc..
- Early Termination of Concentric Effort: Olympic lifts are generally not performed by throwing the barbell or leaving the ground, which results in the early termination of concentric effort, a decrease in peak power, and deceleration of the bar during the second half of the concentric phase.
- Additional Considerations for Future Research: There are additional kinematic differences to consider, learning Olympic lifts may be a relatively inefficient use of training time, Olympic lifts may pose a relatively high risk of injury, etc.
Definition
Power is the rate of work. This can be expressed mathematically: Power = Force x Distance/Time. In health and human performance the term "power" is most often used to refer to speed or explosiveness. That is to say, fitness, performance, and physical rehabilitation professionals focus on the part of the equation that pertains to speed: Velocity = Distance/Time. For example, a medicine ball chest pass is performed with the intent to increase "power" (e.g. speed, velocity, vertical jump height); whereas, the bench press is performed with the intent to increase strength (e.g. maximum strength, strength endurance, or hypertrophy). We can use the physics equation for power to determine the amount of power generated during a 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) bench press, but regardless of the power generated, the velocity is likely to be relatively slow. Note, the way the body produces, and adapts to, large external loads (strength) is different than the way it produces and adapts to, high-velocity movements (power). We cannot use the power equation to determine exercises with the largest power output and assume they are ideal for increasing velocity (e.g. sprint speed, agility, vertical jump height, or throwing distance). If the intent is to improve maximum velocity, we must choose exercises that challenge velocity.
- For a detailed review of how the body adapts to power training, we recommend the course Power (High-velocity) Training: Introduction
Links to Strength and Performance Articles
- Unique Hip Anatomy, Foot Placement, and Squat Form
- Squat Depth Recommendations
- Optimal Rest Between Sets is NOT Determined by Goal or Load
- Circuit Training for Hypertrophy, Strength, and Power?
- Are Olympic Lifts the Best Choice for Power Development?
- Is 3 Sets per Muscle Group the Upper Limit?
- The Ultimate Glute Bridge (Hip Thrust) and Additional Evidence-based Bridge Progressions
- Wobbly Lunges and the Evidence for Unstable Loads
Links to Power Training Courses
- Power (High-velocity) Training: Introduction
- Upper Body Power Exercises and Total Body Power Exercises
- Lower Body Power Exercises
- Lower Extremity Power Exercise Intensity: Part 1
- Lower Extremity Power Exercise Intensity: Part 2
Combining Strength and Power Training is Better than Olympic Lifting
Although a complete review of power training adaptations would be inappropriate for this article, here a few key points. Research demonstrates that stronger individuals generally perform better on power exercise assessments (e.g. vertical jump height), and stronger individuals generally improve more from high-velocity training. Further, low-load high-velocity exercises and bodyweight plyometrics generally result in larger improvements on power exercise assessments than heavier resistance training with slower velocities. For a complete review, please check out Power (High-velocity) Training: Introduction .
A factor that may contribute to Olympic lifts being less effective, is they fall in a "messy middle" category. Olympic lifts are not performed with the loads or the time-under-tension necessary to optimally improve maximum strength. And, they are performed with loads too heavy to achieve the maximum velocity necessary to optimally improve speed. This could be why research demonstrates that a program combining strength training and high-velocity exercises is likely to increase power more than conventional Olympic lifting routines (even when volume-equated).
A randomized control trial (RCT) by Helland et al. compared the performance of 39 athletes (age: <30 years; sports: ice hockey, volleyball, and badminton), stratified (sex, sport, and jump height), and randomly assigned to 3 groups: a group performing Olympic lifts, a group performing 2-leg and 1-leg exercises with free weights, and a group performing 2-leg and 1-leg exercises with an isotonic power training machine with an augmented eccentric load. All participants trained for 8 weeks, 2-3x/week, with volume-equated routines, 1-4 sets/exercise, 2-5 reps/set, and 4 exercises/session. The Olympic lifting group performed snatches, hang cleans, cleans, front squats, and power jerks from behind the neck. The free weight group and machine groups performed counter-movement jumps, single-leg CMJ, squats, and single-leg squats. The results demonstrated that the Olympic lifting group exhibited less improvement on all tests, including CMJ, squat jump (SJ), drop jump (DJ), loaded CMJ (10–80 kg), and 30-m sprint time. Both the free weight and machine training groups exhibited significantly larger improvements on all tests, with the isotonic power training machine group exhibiting the largest improvements on some tests.
- Helland, C., Hole, E., Iversen, E., Olsson, M. C., Seynnes, O. R., Solberg, P. A., & Paulsen, G. (2017). Training strategies to improve muscle power: is Olympic-style weightlifting relevant?.
A Different Force/Velocity Curve
The significant differences in force development and kinematics between functional/sports activities and Olympic lifts may lead to relatively little transfer of benefits made from any gains achieved with Olympic lifts. This issue is expressed in the often-cited "S.A.I.D. Principle (Specific Adaptations to Imposed Demands)." It is analogous to the reason why a cyclist can not rely on running to improve performance. Although running and cycling both rely on the legs to generate propulsion and running can be performed with a similar cardiovascular intensity, the movement patterns are sufficiently different to make running a poor exercise choice for cyclists.
In research, one way to mathematical and objectively compare exercises is by investigating their “force/velocity curves”. Research has demonstrated that significant external load (>20% of 1-RM) during Olympic lifts and power exercises changes the force/velocity curve so much, it may not match the way the body develops force when a load is not present.
Cormie et al. compared 12 division-1 athletes during 4 separate training sessions. Session 1 included 1-RM testing for squats and power cleans, and the following 3 sessions were performed in randomized order, investigating various loads during squats, jump squats, and power cleans. The intent was to calculate peak force, velocity, and power. The findings demonstrated that body weight resulted in larger peak power output during jumping when compared to an external load of 20, 40, 60, or 80% of 1-RM. Further, the shape of the force-, power-, and velocity-time curves was significantly altered when external loads were added, including a decrease in the rate of force development (RFD), especially early in the force/velocity curve. Author's note, improving the rate of force development early in the concentric phase may be the most highly correlated factor associated with improvements in power assessment performance.
- Cormie, P., McCaulley, G. O., Triplett, N. T., & McBride, J. M. (2007). Optimal loading for maximal power output during lower-body resistance exercises. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(2), 340-349.
Early Termination of Concentric Phase:
Another factor that may be contributing to Olympic Lifts being less effective is the lack of "follow through." Research demonstrates that the ability to leave the ground (e.g. during a box jump), or let go of an object (e.g. during a medicine ball chop), allows an individual to maximally increase velocity until the very end of the concentric phase. This has a significant effect on peak and average EMG activity, peak velocity, and velocity in the last half of the concentric phase of the repetition. Olympic lifts are generally not performed by throwing the barbell or leaving the ground, which results in early termination of concentric effort, a decrease in peak power, and deceleration of the bar during the second half of the concentric phase. The following two studies demonstrate the differences between holding onto and releasing a bar during bench press and cleans.
Newton et al. compared 17 recreationally trained males (age: 20.6 ± 1.9 years) during bench press throws, and conventional bench press performed as quickly as possible, with 45% of 1-RM loads, on 2 separate days of testing at least 4 days apart. The findings demonstrated that average force, average power, peak power, peak velocity, and electromyographic activity (EMG) (pectoralis major, anterior deltoid, triceps brachii, and biceps brachii) were significantly higher for the bench press throw, and the differences were largest during the later portion of the concentric phase (final 30 - 40%).
- Newton, R. U., Kraemer, W. J., Häkkinen, K., Humphries, B. J., & Murphy, A. J. (1996). Kinematics, kinetics, and muscle activation during explosive upper body movements. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 12(1), 31-43.
Cronin. et al. compared 27 males with resistance training experience (age: 21.9 ± 3.1 years) performing a clean with various loads. Peak power output across all loads was most influenced by the ability to release the bar. If the bar could not be released, then a faster initial acceleration was actually correlated with early termination of effort during the concentric phase and a significant decrease in peak power.
- Cronin, J., McNair, P. J., & Marshall, R. N. (2001). Developing explosive power: A comparison of technique and training. Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 4(1), 59-70.
These studies imply that holding on to the bar, rather than throwing the bar, results in a deceleration or plateau in force, power, and EMG during the later portion of the concentric phase. If the goal is to maximize power performance, movement professionals should intend to increase EMG, force, power, and velocity throughout the movement.
Additional Considerations for Future Research:
Based on the conceptual framework for improving power implied by the body of research and observations of athletic team training, some additional factors that should be considered and are worthy of additional research include the following.
- There are additional kinematic issues including significant differences in the pre-stretch and amortization phases when comparing Olympic lifts high-velocity functional/sport movements patterns.
- The large amount of time it takes to learn these techniques may be an inefficient use of time when compared to the benefits that could be gained by using other effective power training exercises that are easier and quicker to learn.
- Olympic lifts may have a relatively high risk of injury when compared to low-load or body weight high-velocity exercises.
© 2023 Brent Brookbush (B2C Fitness, LLC d.b.a. Brookbush Institute )
Comments, critiques, and questions are welcome!