Why power cleans?

[FROGGBUSTER]

hey mark, i was just wondering why you suggest we incorporate power cleans in your SS model, as opposed to full cleans, full snatches, power snatches, etc.

don't all of these develop explosive power equally? the starting position to the jump is virtually the same for all of these.

so why power cleans specifically?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Because they're easier to learn, and they don't interfere with the back squat movement pattern that a novice should be learning. Snatch movements are fine if you've got a coach, but I can't even get these people to try a power clean without a babysitter; this is why you see so many people wanting to sub barbell rows for cleans in my program. The problem with full squat cleans is that the front squat part of it gets confused with the back squat a novice needs to learn, and quite often novices taught to squat clean never learn how to back squat correctly as a result. This is covered in SS:BBT.