Few things of concern

[Jason AUS]

I really need to pick your brain again, here are a few issues which have been concerning me for a while

- the DB Snatch and DB Clean, good or bad for training? - The reason I ask is because in the deadlift, balanced loading across both sides is stressed. However, when we explode up with a DB I can imagine the spine is being rotate towards one side.

- Twisting DB Deadlift: another concern about adding a twisting motion to picking up a heavy weight

- Lunges: does it really matter if your knee goes past your toes? All my EP teachers have said never let it go in front, but my argument is when we squat our knees travel forward, and in the sporting context this movement is unavoidable

Thanks Mark,
Just ordered all your books and look forward to getting into them soon!

[Mark Rippetoe]

The DB snatch and clean are good examples of movements we use to train asymmetrically. This is intentional, is quite useful for post-novice sports conditioning, and is designed to prepare you for stabilizing the asymmetric stresses that are always a part of sports.

I'm not familiar with a twisting DB deadlift, but unless you have a really big dumbbell, I don't see it as a particularly valuable exercise, especially when DB snatches and cleans can be done instead. Heavy stuff is better done symmetrically for general strength, and asymmetrical stuff is best done light and explosively with technically challenging movements.

If your knees are not injured or prone to injury, lunges can go past the knees. I just don't tend to regard lunges as a terribly useful exercise for most trainees, when squats are so much more useful a way to spend training time. There is nothing inherently bad about them, they are useful at times for the reasons mentioned above, but I seldom use them in my programs.