starting strength gym
Results 1 to 2 of 2

Thread: subbing power snatches for power clean?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2019
    Posts
    1

    Default subbing power snatches for power clean?

    • starting strength seminar april 2024
    • starting strength seminar jume 2024
    • starting strength seminar august 2024
    I am a 41 y/o recent starter on SS. I lifted in the past, though mostly with more bodybuilding type workouts. I hadn't lifted for about 10 years. I did several years of BJJ and then went on a calesthenics kick. The good news is that I am getting stronger, and my back feels better than it has in years. I also realized just how badly I had ignored my leg and lower back strength. The bad news is that my elbows are killing me. I have always been plagued with elbow pain, with a lot of recurrences of tendinitis, particularly in my right elbow. Some stems from injuries, but a lot is from competitive handgun shooting for 20+ years.

    I have had particular issues with getting enough range of motion out of my right elbow to get any semblance of a rack position for cleans. Unfortunately, this is the lift that I most want to improve! I have been performing the stretch shown in the SS book as well as others to try to improve my range of motion. It has improved a little over the last few months, but I'm still short of a decent rack. A friend suggested subbing a power snatch for cleans. I watched Rip's youtube tutorial on this, and began alternating snatches with cleans in my programming. It has helped a little with elbow pain, but hasn't gotten me any closer to a rack position.

    My question is whether I should continue to try extending my range of motion until I can get a decent rack, or should I just switch to PS for my explosive movement?

    In case Rip sees this post... I did read the book, I promise..

    I am putting my current lifts below, these are my most recent 5 rep working set weights. 41 y/o 5' 9" 175 lb body weight. I am doing 3x a week, 3 working sets of each lift, with possibly 2 warm up sets. I am squatting 2x per week, DL 1x, BP 2x, Clean 2x, Snatch, 1x, press 2x. I am also doing pull ups and a few other assistance movements.

    Power clean: 197lb
    Power snatch: 155
    Bench: 255
    DL: 325
    Press: 155
    Squat: 225 ( I just got a rack a couple of weeks ago, so I'm just getting used to the movement again)

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2007
    Location
    North Texas
    Posts
    53,562

    Default

    A power snatch allows you to avoid the rack position of the clean, so it cannot help improve it. Widen your grip and see if that helps.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •