Swapping exercises, good or bad idea?

[BeastMode]

To keep things short, I've been a 5x5 fullbody guy forever (never any assistance or accessory work) and I am not going to be competing in powerlifting (doing rugby/grappling) for a while and was thinking about swapping some of my core lifts to accommodate my needs... (PL total =1375@175 if it matters)...

1. Box squats instead of full squats:
-To help strength my hamstrings (quad dominant squatter)
-To help fix my ATP (caused by weaker hamstrings)
-To help hip explosion (for rugby/grappling)
-To recover faster vs full squats (for rugby/grappling)

2. Hang power cleans instead of power cleans:
-To help hip explosion (for rugby/grappling)
-To build upper back muscles (under developed area)
-To recover faster vs full power cleans (for rugby/grappling)
-Easier to perform properly

3. Incline bench press instead of flat bench press:
-To help lessen chest/back imbalance (from strong flat bench/weak barbell row)
-To help develop upper chest/shoulders more (over developed lower chest)


Does this make sense, or is my logic flawed?

Thanks guys!

[Paul1]

I'm not an expert, but I think you can expect the following responses:
1) Do full squats, they are the best developers of strength and the most important exercise. Do box squats as an assistance exercise or do it on a light day in place of full squats if you're on a varied intensity program.

2) full power cleans allow you to lift more weight. More weight over the same distance for an explosive lift = more power. The first pull of the power clean is also a light assistance lift for the deadlift

3) do flat bench for absolute strength and standing press for upper chest, strength transmission f4om feet through pressing, and for training a press where your scapulae can move (which they cannot when lying on a bench). Standing press makes incline irrelevant, it's written about in some detail in the book.

[hamburgerfan]

Your questions are bad and I hope you stop asking them.

Box squats and inclines are great though.

[Brian Jones]

Disclaimer: "Any cat or depictions of cats does not indicate an affection or affinity of felines by the poster. Any posts containing cat or cat-like entities are merely in homage to my buddy, the original Alley-Cat Powelifting Gangsta - Callador"

[Kenny Crox]

To keep things short, I've been a 5x5 fullbody guy forever (never any assistance or accessory work) and I am not going to be competing in powerlifting (doing rugby/grappling) for a while and was thinking about swapping some of my core lifts to accommodate my needs... (PL total =1375@175 if it matters)...

Periodization

One of the keys to progress is to change your training program up about every 3 - 6 weeks.

How often you make changes is dependent on how quickly your system adapts to a new program.

Thus, "swapping" core lifts out is one method of changing thing up to insure progress.

Box squats instead of full squats:
-To help strength my hamstrings (quad dominant squatter)
-To help fix my ATP (caused by weaker hamstrings)
-To help hip explosion (for rugby/grappling)
-To recover faster vs full squats (for rugby/grappling)

Hamstrings: Box Squat place evoke greater involvement of the hamstrings. But if you really want to work the hamstrings preform more effective movements: Stiff Leg Deadlifts, Good Morning or Regular Deadlifts.

ATP: This acronym stands for Adenosine Triphosphate. Evidently, you use has a complete different meaning that I am unaware of. What is your definition of "ATP"?

Hip Explosion: There are more effective "Hip Explosion" movements: Heavy Kettlebell Swings, Hang Cleans/Snatches, etc.

Recovery: Recovery for full squats and Box Squats is going to virtually be the same.

Change: Again the key to improving performance to make some type of change to your program, such as full squats to Box Squats or front squats, etc.

2. Hang power cleans instead of power cleans:
-To help hip explosion (for rugby/grappling)
-To build upper back muscles (under developed area)
-To recover faster vs full power cleans (for rugby/grappling)
-Easier to perform properly

Hang Clean: The second pull (As Paul noted) is where power output is displayed and developed.

The Hang Clean also simulates the position most sports are "played in", such as rugby and grappling.

Power Output: 34.3 Watts/Kg for Entire Pull. 52.6 Watts/Kg for Second Pull.
Dr John Garhammer, "A Review of Power Output Studies of Olympic and Powerlifting: Methodology, Performance, Prediction and Evaluation Test"

Upper Back Development: Hang Pulls also place more of the workload on the upper back.

The Case Against Trap Training
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_..._trap_training

"By working from the hang, the legs are taken slightly out of the movement and the upper body work is emphasized a bit more."

Trap Overload

Another effective method that I have found for overloading the traps with Hang Cleans is to attach chains or using reverse band loading in a power rack. The momentum from hip drive is countered by the increased load of the chains or the reverse loading of the bands in the pull.

That means, the traps remain engaged throughout the pull.

Recovery: Recovery might occur a little faster but I question how much.

Easier To Preform: Yea. It is less involved and easier to learn and preform.

3. Incline bench press instead of flat bench press:
-To help lessen chest/back imbalance (from strong flat bench/weak barbell row)
-To help develop upper chest/shoulders more (over developed lower chest)

Incline Bench: It is a good movement.

Lessen Chest/Back Imbalances: The key to eliminating the back imbalance is to bring the back up to speed.

Kroc Rows 101
http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_.../kroc_rows_101

This is one of the most effective upper back movement there is. "The Case Against Trap Training" article posted earlier mentions it.

"Kroc Rows 101" explains it in depth.

Develop Upper Chest: The Reverse Grip Bench is more effective at developing the upper chest than the Incline Press.

Are You Using The Wrong Chest Exercise? Dr Jim Stoppani
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/vide...-the-chest.htm

Another benefit of The Reverse Grip Bench Press is the movement provide a greater pectoral stretch, more of the pectoral muscle is worked.


Kenny Croxdale

[Les Hahn]

Disclaimer: "Any cat or depictions of cats does not indicate an affection or affinity of felines by the poster. Any posts containing cat or cat-like entities are merely in homage to my buddy, the original Alley-Cat Powelifting Gangsta - Callador"

Heh!

[hamburgerfan]

If you're used to bill starr style, you could try rotating the main lift with variations in a heavy/light/medium format.

[madmaxaus]

Switching your lifts isn't always a terrible idea, even if its just to mix things up.

Incline for flat bench is a fine substitute, I'm not sure about box squats for hamstrings, hit them with SDL.

There's an article by Bill Starr in which he states that he thinks incline bench is a better exercise than flat bench for athletes.

[Sean Herbison]

One of the keys to progress is to change your training program up about every 3 - 6 weeks.
...
Change: Again the key to improving performance to make some type of change to your program, such as full squats to Box Squats or front squats, etc.

I can agree, to an extent, with (purposeful) change being one of the keys, as you first state, but not the key.

Another effective method that I have found for overloading the traps with Hang Cleans is to attach chains or using reverse band loading in a power rack.

Am I reading this correctly? You're doing cleans with chains?

The Hang Clean also simulates the position most sports are "played in", such as rugby and grappling.

Power Output: 34.3 Watts/Kg for Entire Pull. 52.6 Watts/Kg for Second Pull

Please, please, let's not get into the quarter squat argument again.

[Milo's Ghost]

Am I reading this correctly? You're doing cleans with chains?

I had the same thought. Please, please post a video of this.