The Power Clean Vs The Power Pull For Strength Training

The Power Clean Vs The Power Pull For Strength Training

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In a recent discussion on the Sportscience Forum contributors agreed that power cleans and power pulls are effective ways to develop power. They also agreed that the stages involved in each lift need to be taught progressively, through a full range of motion; and with due regard to the training experience of the athlete. Some trainers preferred the power pull or the other components of the power clean (hang clean and dead lift) on the grounds of sport specificity or ease of teaching.
Recently in the Sportscience Forum there was an interesting discussion on the merits of the power clean and power pull for improving athletic performance. Subsequent contributions widened the scope to Olympic lifts in general. In this article I have summarized the viewpoints , and I also question whether these traditional power lifts are the most effective means of improving power in sport.

For those readers unfamiliar with the power pull or power clean, the following descriptions may help. The power pull starts with the lifter in the position to complete a deadlift: hands are shoulder-width apart on the bar, the back is straight or slightly arched (natural spinal curve), thighs are parallel to the floor, and feet are flat on the floor. The bar is lifted as close to the body as possible until the bar is at the top of the sternum. In this position the arms are fully flexed at the elbow, the upper arm is parallel to the floor, the back is straight, and the lifter is standing on his/her toes. This movement is completed at maximal velocity and incorporates the deadlift and power shrug lifts.

The power clean incorporates the actions of the power pull but adds the action of the hang clean. When the bar has reached the top point of the power pull, the lifter rotates the arms under the bar to "catch" the weight (prevent it from falling). The lifter also flexes (bends) the knees. Having completed these actions the lifter then extends the knees to complete the lift. Again the movement is performed as quickly as possible.

A key issue in the discussion was whether the catch phase in the power clean is specific for any sport, and therefore whether the power pull is more effective for developing power in athletes. The consensus was that either lift is effective if the following points are incorporated into the teaching process.

Progressive development of the movement patterns enhances the athlete's ability to perform the lifts. For the power clean the National Strength and Conditioning Association suggests a progression from the power shrug to the power pull, hang clean, and then the power clean.
To reduce the risk of injury, all training programs should take into account the training age (years of experience) of the athlete. For the same reason athletes should perform the lifts through a full range of motion.
If an athlete has difficulty learning the power clean, any of the other lifts mentioned above would provide satisfactory options for developing power, especially if the goal is not weightlifting performance.
The person who initiated the discussion suggested that power pulls may be more sport specific than power cleans as a means of power development for sports other than weightlifting. The majority of subsequent contributors supported this viewpoint either implicitly or explicitly. Some trainers preferred the power pull or the other components of the power clean (e.g., hang clean, power shrug and dead lift) rather than the full power clean for power development on the grounds of sport specificity or ease of teaching.

In my first draft I suggested that power training that uses movement patterns of the sport ought to be more beneficial for performance than Olympic lifts. For example, lifting tackle bags may be more effective than power cleans in developing the power required for effective performance in the rugby lineout. The reviewer strongly disagreed: he stated that traditional power training is an essential component of an effective power development package. This topic might be worthy of discussion on the Forum.