o-lifts for sports conditioning

[jamieb]

Hey Rip,

I'm interested to hear your thoughts on the usefulness of o-lifts for sports conditioning. There appears to be much debate over this on the net. I saw a previous post where you indicated you may write about the subject one day.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The controversy seems to be over whether form can hold together the length of a long, light set of snatches or C&J, right? The fact that the set is very long means that it is done with a weight which by definition is not hard in terms of the lifter's 1RM. The set is being done for the conditioning effect provided by explosive multi-joint long ROM movement, not to improve 1RM strength. So the question is actually whether or not a very low% 20-rep set has the potential to adversely affect the technical ability of a lifter capable of a much higher 1RM, and the answer is that if it can the lifter is not very experienced. The ability to separate the two types of work -- technically correct heavy weight low reps from technically unimportant very light weight high reps -- is an ability any decent lifter possesses, or can develop this afternoon. So yes, I am in favor of using snatches and C&Js for CrossFit conditioning work.