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Thread: Carl Raghavan SSC: Why You Should Do the Olympic Lifts

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  2. #2
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    The olympic lifts require good dorsiflexion for those of us with long femurs -- do you, or anyone else, have any suggestions for improvement? The most effective thing I've found so far is using a seated calf raise machine.

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    If the Olympic lifts require dorsiflexion, then they will provide dorsiflexion.

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    Coaches Raghaven and Rip:

    Excellent article. Although I probably have no business at my age, even reading about the olympic lifts, I do have a question.

    Background: I am 74, 5-11, 217, and religiously doing the novice program--though I am sure, due to lack of coaching, I have some form issues. My 5 RM current totals are: Squat: 100; Deadlift: 165; Bench: 90; Press: 57.5. I am getting to the point where I THINK my squat and deadlift may be close to stalling. Of course, before--or possibly when--that happens, I will try micro-increases before doing anything intermediate. But I have been thinking about what to do when my deadlift actually does stall out.

    Rip, You have pointed out that (1) as the expression of strength explosively, there is no substitute for the power clean, and (2) at my age, I have no business doing power cleans. I believe that and do not intend to do any movement that requires jumping under load--much less, a split or front squat-catch.

    That having been said, for years, I did what I considered a "clean"--which consisted of a pull off the floor, followed by acceleration--but not being at all religious about keeping arms stiff--in fact, pulling with the elbows, and doing a dip to "catch" the bar--about the same amount of dip that you use in a push-press.

    So my question is: although this is in no way a power clean as defined in the program--would this be a useful assistance pull once my deadlift starts going to hell? Or would it be better to use:

    High Pulls?
    Inverted, body-weight rows?
    Chins?

    I would be reluctant to do rack pulls and Haltings due to concerns Rip has expressed for novices about the amount of weight necessary for those movements.

    I would like both your opinions about the usefulness (or lack thereof) of what I will call my "modified cleans"--which really do incorporate some explosiveness, without being as hard on old, with osteo-arthritic knees.

    Thanks very much,

    Russ

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    Quote Originally Posted by m s View Post
    The olympic lifts require good dorsiflexion for those of us with long femurs -- do you, or anyone else, have any suggestions for improvement? The most effective thing I've found so far is using a seated calf raise machine.
    "anyone else" says:

    Yeah, sit in a squat and place the empty barbell across your knees.
    Maybe add weight after a while/couple of weeks ... like 25lb/10kg plates.
    You can do this while you are resting in between sets on your slow/strength lifts.

    Some/most people won't hit the same extreme dorsiflexion angles in the bottom of a maximal clean/snatch as they would in a backsquat ... or even a front squat.

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