Advice welcome here

[Meshuggah]

If consider the word shit to be profanity, you're a real Candy Ass.

[swingshiftworker]

If consider the word shit to be profanity, you're a real Candy Ass.

LOL!!! You're simply poorly mannered and disrespectful for no good reason. Have a good life. I will NOT engage you any further. [Shaking head in disbelief.]

[Meshuggah]

LOL!!! You're simply poorly mannered and disrespectful for no good reason. Have a good life. I will NOT engage you any further. [Shaking head in disbelief.]

[Marlin]

Thanks to all for the sage advice. I really want to pc, but I have decided to substitute pressing until I can either get some SS coaching or my shoulder pain is gone. I really appreciate all of you who took the time to respond!

I do snatch grip high pulls from the floor. Probably gives you about 90 odd percent of power cleans advantages.

[Gene61]

I did power cleans when I started SS at age 61 and followed the book exactly. I liked them. However, when RIP came out against using the exercise for those of us over 50, I was happy to get the gym time to focus on other lifts. I haven't missed them since I stopped.

[swingshiftworker]

I did power cleans when I started SS at age 61 and followed the book exactly. I liked them. However, when RIP came out against using the exercise for those of us over 50, I was happy to get the gym time to focus on other lifts. I haven't missed them since I stopped.

Exactly when did Rip "come out against using [power cleans] for those of us over 50?" A link would be helpful. I tried doing a Google search for such an assertion but couldn't find one.

I'm aware that he has suggested that the power clean may not be as "useful" or beneficial for "seniors" because of certain physical limitations that come w/age but have not seen any suggestion that NO one over 50 should even try them. The following is what I've read. It comes from Page 181 in "Starting Strength:"

"Older people with old-people's elbows, shoulders and wrists may elect not to perform [power cleans] at all, as may very young trainees, people with poor athletic ability, older women, or people with osteoporosis, chronic knees tendinitis or other problems that make the power clean more trouble than it is productive. But for most other people and all athletes, the power clean is the best way to increase the ability to explode -- to display power -- where this ability needs to be developed."

Now, if you decided to drop power cleans from your routine because you just don't like them or can't do them, that's fine. That's your right and privilege. But, saying that Rip "came out against using the exercise for those of us over 50" is (as far as I know) simply false. The quote in his books allows for ANYONE of ANY AGE to do power cleans IF s/he has the physical ability to do them and IF s/he needs or wants to develop the "power" that comes from doing the lift.

[Meshuggah]

Some people just aren't as smart as they think they are...

[manveer]

Exactly when did Rip "come out against using [power cleans] for those of us over 50?" A link would be helpful. I tried doing a Google search for such an assertion but couldn't find one.

I'm aware that he has suggested that the power clean may not be as "useful" or beneficial for "seniors" because of certain physical limitations that come w/age but have not seen any suggestion that NO one over 50 should even try them. The following is what I've read. It comes from Page 181 in "Starting Strength:"

"Older people with old-people's elbows, shoulders and wrists may elect not to perform [power cleans] at all, as may very young trainees, people with poor athletic ability, older women, or people with osteoporosis, chronic knees tendinitis or other problems that make the power clean more trouble than it is productive. But for most other people and all athletes, the power clean is the best way to increase the ability to explode -- to display power -- where this ability needs to be developed."

Now, if you decided to drop power cleans from your routine because you just don't like them or can't do them, that's fine. But, saying that Rip "came out against using the exercise for those of us over 50" is (as far as I know) simply false. The quote in his books allows for ANYONE of ANY AGE to do power cleans IF s/he has the physical ability to do them and IF s/he needs or wants to develop the "power" that comes from doing the lift.

Relevant thread: Older lifters and Powercleans

I don't use them at all anymore with guys over 50. I've had better success and less problems by having them just do lighter deadlifts if I feel like we need to increase pulling volume/frequency.

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.

[swingshiftworker]

Originally Posted by Rip

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.

That's a given but that's NOT the same as saying NO ONE who's 50 or older should NOT do them. It's an individual decision based on one's physical ability/disabilities and needs/interests whether to do them or not.

Relevant thread: Older lifters and Powercleans

Here is another relevant statement by Rip in the thread that I take note of in Post #8:

"You can do all of the explosive lifts, until you get hurt. If they haven't been any trouble, go ahead and be careful."

Neither of the quoted statements made by Rip suggests that older people cannot or should not do power cleans simply because they are 50 years of age or older. His advice is simply that, if you are older, you may be more susceptible to injuries and you should not do them if you have a physical impairment that prevents you from doing them properly and/or safely and, if you do them, just be careful to try to avoid injury when you do.

This is sound advice but I'd say that this "advice" applies to every lift you do, not just power cleans. The possibility of injury is arguably greater for power cleans than other lifts but I have been injured doing squats and barbell curls, so I'd say that the same advice would apply to them.

As I've said previously, I am NOT trying to be a proponent of power cleans for us older folks. My point is simply that it's ageist to suggest that older people can't or shouldn't do certain lifts solely because they've reached a certain age. If a person cannot perform a lift safely or productively, s/he should NOT be required to do it. But, this assessment has NOTHING to do w/age; it has to do w/ability and performance.

Rip, as far as I have seen, has not said otherwise.

[Meshuggah]

I bet if Rip told you to jump off a cliff you would it.