Older lifters and Powercleans

[Mark E. Hurling]

I can't clean worth shit. My wrists are as inflexible as bricks and although I'm pretty fast even at 64 I am not explosive. So, I suck at them. But I've never been hurt by them and I enjoy struggling to try to get to 185 with them. Interestingly, my achilles has never bothered me from doing them. Probably because I am still not doing them right.

[skid]

I'm 52 and do weekly power cleans . Does the " older lifters could get injured doing power cleans" advice apply to older lifters just starting out, to older lifters who have been doing them for years and whos bodies are used to the movement, or both? I've never felt anything in my legs, just the occasional short-lived pain in the wrist when I can't fully rack a heavy clean. As other older posters have mentioned they are fun to do... I've been doing regular cleans and presses lately for cardio

[Mark Rippetoe]

Okay, old guys, listen: Not everybody who cleans and snatches will get hurt. Older connective tissues experience a change in composition that predisposes to injury. This raises the incidence of connective tissue injury as you get older. There is therefore an increased chance that explosive barbell exercises can cause injury in older lifters.

[Gene61]

Okay, old guys, listen: Not everybody who cleans and snatches will get hurt. Older connective tissues experience a change in composition that predisposes to injury. This raises the incidence of connective tissue injury as you get older. There is therefore an increased chance that explosive barbell exercises can cause injury in older lifters.

Good to know. I've been doing them, but the squats seem to be more important to my overall feeling of energy, confidence and ability to take on any activity that sounds fun. At age 64 why risk all the fun I'm having with hightened chances of injury?

[Rbenz]

Rip do you do cleans/snatches yourself still?

[Mark Rippetoe]

I do not. Every time I do I get hurt.

[Strega]

There is therefore an increased chance that explosive barbell exercises can cause injury in older lifters.

How much of the risk would you attribute to the range of motion and jumping versus the actual weight? The reason I asked is that I’ve been using them as an aerobic component using the lowest weight possible. If my risk with not increasing weight is minimal I’ll keep doing them. If the risk is primarily tied to jumping/range of motion I better getting moving on replacing my treadmill with a Concept 2 rowing machine.

[Walter Palmer]

My criteria for this decision are based on three questions:

1. Do I tend to get injured doing them? (Yes, they piss off my elbows and shoulders)
2. Can I do enough weight on power cleans that they drive my other lifts up? (No, I can SQ 465 and DL 500, so need to be power cleaning in the 175 to 225 range to help and I can't)
3. Are there other moves that I can do during my time in the gym that will be more helpful? (Absolutely yes)

It sounds like some other older lifters find them fun. Okay. And, maybe some find them productive but I'm with Rip and Andy on this one. At 52, I don't need injuries and my workouts already go 90 minutes to 2 hours, so they don't fit.

[Mark Rippetoe]

How much of the risk would you attribute to the range of motion and jumping versus the actual weight? The reason I asked is that I’ve been using them as an aerobic component using the lowest weight possible. If my risk with not increasing weight is minimal I’ll keep doing them. If the risk is primarily tied to jumping/range of motion I better getting moving on replacing my treadmill with a Concept 2 rowing machine.

The purpose of a clean is to accelerate the bar sufficiently that enough momentum is generated to make the bar continue upward after the pull has stopped. So, enough explosion against enough weight are the requirements for power improvement. Power cleans are not aerobic. If you want to train aerobics, walk, jog, row, or square dance.

[Arkansan]

Guess I'm done with them.

Thanks

There are a few of us that have put the cleans on the shelf. I liked doing them, but after I would cool down after a workout my knees would start hurting. After a few ok's from Mark.lol. I've just stop doing them.