Weightlifting Pulling Derivatives: Rationale for Implementation and Application

Abstract

This review article examines previous weightlifting literature and provides a rationale for the use of weightlifting pulling derivatives that eliminate the catch phase for athletes who are not competitive weightlifters. Practitioners should emphasize the completion of the triple extension movement during the second pull phase that is characteristic of weightlifting movements as this is likely to have the greatest transference to athletic performance that is dependent on hip, knee, and ankle extension. The clean pull, snatch pull, hang high pull, jump shrug, and mid-thigh pull are weightlifting pulling derivatives that can be used in the teaching progression of the full weightlifting movements and are thus less complex with regard to exercise technique. Previous literature suggests that the clean pull, snatch pull, hang high pull, jump shrug, and mid-thigh pull may provide a training stimulus that is as good as, if not better than, weightlifting movements that include the catch phase. Weightlifting pulling derivatives can be implemented throughout the training year, but an emphasis and de-emphasis should be used in order to meet the goals of particular training phases. When implementing weightlifting pulling derivatives, athletes must make a maximum effort, understand that pulling derivatives can be used for both technique work and building strength-power characteristics, and be coached with proper exercise technique. Future research should consider examining the effect of various loads on kinetic and kinematic characteristics of weightlifting pulling derivatives, training with full weightlifting movements as compared to training with weightlifting pulling derivatives, and how kinetic and kinematic variables vary between derivatives of the snatch.

Enhancing the Force-Velocity Profile of Athletes Using Weightlifting Derivatives

“…However, the speed at which the movement is performed, and therefore the load, must be considered. The jump shrug (97) and hang high pull (96) are 2 of the most ballistic weightlifting derivatives that may be highlighted in a speed-strength training phase (95). Similar to the strength-speed phase, a combination of heavy and light loaded derivatives should be implemented to optimize RFD and power adaptations.…”

“…This is likely due to the similarities between the rate and pattern of hip, knee, and ankle triple extension that occur during weightlifting movements and sport skills such as vertical jumping (7,8,36,52,53,81), sprinting (52), and change of direction tasks (52), as well as the ability to provide an overload stimulus (95). In addition, it has been suggested that weightlifting movements may be used to train the muscular strength that is required during impact tasks, such as jump landing (68).…”

“…In addition, it has been suggested that weightlifting movements may be used to train the muscular strength that is required during impact tasks, such as jump landing (68). As a result, many practitioners implement weightlifting movements and their derivatives into resistance training programs for athletes (95). The proper implementation and progression of resistance training exercises throughout the training year facilitates the optimal development of the force-velocity profile of athletes (22,23), which has been suggested to be an important aspect regarding athletic performance (4, 69,83).…”

“…Moreover, further research has demonstrated that weightlifting pulling derivatives produce comparable (11,12) or greater (60,102,104,105) force, velocity, and power characteristics during the second pull compared with weightlifting movements that include a catch element. Although the complete removal of weightlifting catching derivatives is not being suggested, the integration of weightlifting pulling derivatives into resistance training programs should be considered for the comprehensive development of an athlete's forcevelocity profile, as elimination of the catch phase permits the use of greater loads (i.e., greater forces) (14,16,39) and potentially greater velocities (95,101). By using higher loads (i.e., .100% 1 repetition maximum [RM] clean/snatch) during the pulling derivatives, it is likely that greater increases in strength may occur (2, 88,89).…”

Power-load curves in an elite weightlifter. A case study. [Curvas de carga-potencia en un halterófilo de élite. Estudio de caso].

“…(Castillo, Valverde, Morales, Pérez-Guerra, De León, and García-Manso, 2012;Comfort, Fletcher and McMahon, 2012a;Cormie, McGuigan and Newton, 2011;Kawamori and Haff, 2004;Suchomel, Comfort and Stone, 2015;Suchomel, Wright, Kernozek and Kline, 2014). To maximize the power output during any exercise there must be an optimum relationship between force and velocity.…”