Cleans: Hang vs Floor - Poliquin Article

 

The problem with studies like this is that they consider stuff as a single unit, compared to another single unit as opposed to one single portion of a much greater whole. And they don't even consider, in this case, that you need to get the bar to your waist beforehand anyway. So if you're deadlifting it off the floor, you're going to get all the benefits of the first part of the power clean anyway because, guess what, it's just a deadlift to mid thigh anyway.

 

Do deadlifts and do your olifting shit from the hang. Simpler, faster, better mechanics and less learning curve.

 

Gurus do too much mental masturbation sometimes.

 

I think this is right on.  I think cleans and snatches from the floor are good as well but you will always be limited by what you can pull from the power position(hang).  The highland games is a unique sport where you have many pulling events that are relational to a hang type movement.  I do like Poliquin's articles.  I usually agree with about 95% of what he says.  He also has an article about doing plyometric type olympic lifts helping your olympic lifts, which are basically hang snatches and cleans from below the knee. 

I mostly agree with this, particularly the last paragraph, but I wanted to add one thought for consideration: if you can do deadlifts from the floor with good form (which many people cannot for reasons noted previously), you should be able to perform the first pull of a Power Clean, since that is just a relatively light deadlift.  You might still have technical issues, particularly at some point in the transition from the first to the second pull, but you should be physically able to get into the proper positions.  My point is not that everyone should be doing Power Cleans, but rather that not everyone should be doing straight-bar deadlifts from the floor.  Lots of people would benefit from doing them either with a Hex Bar or else off of 2"-6" of mats that allow them to start from the proper position.  Comments?

Specific flexibility/mobility issues.  I have seen it numerous times, although rarely with young and athletic individuals.  This is the same reason why some people cannot get into a proper squat deep squat position, which is actually quite common for those with very long legs and a short torso.  I am not saying such flexibility issues cannot be addressed, just that some people have them and, if they do, those people should not do deadlifts directly from the floor or squats below the point where they can maintain a proper position. Often these are not the same people by the way.