“Many think Olympic lifts develop explosiveness, but they in fact do not. There’s no such thing as ‘explosive lifts'. The reference is to how the lift is performed, not the lift (Simmons, 133).

Many coaches and trainers teach their HS/College athletes to perform Olympic Lifts in the hopes of developing explosiveness. Although I do have great respect for Olympic lifters, I do not believe Olympic lifts to be an advantageous approach to athletic development. Below are reasons to support our stance.

1. Olympic Lifting Doesn’t Develop Explosiveness.

Olympic lifting is closer to developing strength-speed qualities. This is not the same thing as explosiveness (more on this in point number two). Explosiveness is developed through the implementation of jumping, bounding and depth jumps. This isn’t opinion, this comes directly from the literature of the great Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc strength and speed development experts. There is a common theme amongst the works of Verkhosansky, Starzynski, Sozanski, and Lasocki when it comes to explosiveness; none of them mention Olympic lifting. However, they all consistently mention jumps, bounds and depth jumps to be the best methods to develop explosiveness.

2. The Bar Speed Doesn’t Match Up.

Research from the likes of Mladen, Simmons and others show that Olympic lifting occurs at .6 -.8 m/sec. This would put Olympic Lifting in the realm of power development, closer towards the absolute strength side of the continuum. Again, another reason Olympic Lifting is not explosive in nature. These are great qualities for athletes to develop, but Olympic Lifting is not our preferred way to do it. The following is a breakdown of bar speeds when developing special qualities along the force velocity curve:
- Absolute Strength: .15 - .35 m/sec
- Strength-Speed: .8 – 1 m/sec
- Speed – Strength: 1 – 1.5 m/sec
- Starting Strength/Speed: > 1.5 m/sec

3. They’re too Technical and Dangerous.

With the limited amount of time most coaches have with their athletes, it’s important we give them the best bang for their buck. Additionally, most athletes aren’t gym rats like us. They are in the gym because they know it’ll improve their game; not because they love working out. Olympic Lifting is a skill (and sport) and requires a tremendous amount of practice in order to complete a lift with proper technique and safety. Olympic Lifters spend years perfecting their form, and it simply doesn’t make sense to expect a high school or college athlete to spend that kind of time perfecting that type of skill. There are many simpler ways to develop the needed areas along the force velocity continuum that don’t require the technical skill Olympic Lifting does. Good examples are: box squats, deadlifts, benching and many others. It is much safer and easier to teach technique with these lifts, while developing the strength-speed and/or speed-strength qualities with proper velocities. Then using explosive movements to develop explosiveness.

4. Save the Joints and Connective Tissues.

Athletes aren’t made of glass, but I tend to take a common-sense approach when it comes to saving their joints and connective tissues. The athlete’s joints will take enough of a beating on the field; we don’t need to add to that in the gym. With so many other effective means at developing explosiveness and other qualities along the force velocity curve, it’s just not sensible to crush their joints and connective tissues with high impact Olympic lifts. The cumulative effect of pounding on the joints in the gym will rear its ugly head eventually.

5. Random Thoughts:

99% of athletics are Speed-Strength anyways. I’d rather train my athletes for that.
Research the lack of an eccentric phase in Olympic lifts (other than the hang clean).
Force summation
Lack of stretch reflex development

John Nelson Founder/Director ELP