Moving the bar around the knees is a huge mistake in the Olympic lifts.ĭoing so cause the lifter’s center of mass to shift too far forward on the toes to complete the 2 nd pull. The deadlift pull on the other hand is ideally a straight line, but for many lifters makes a reverse S motion to pass around the knees. Gradually moving in towards the body until the completion of the 2 nd pull where the bar will move away slightly, and finally looping to completion at the top of the lift. The Olympic lift pull has a classic S pull pattern. There is no such concern in the deadlift, and therefore the paths diverge immediately upon breaking contact with the floor. Ideally the goal of the first pull of the clean will set up the 2 nd pull to be successful.
The first big difference in the two movements is the path that the bar needs to take to be successful. These are all things you know, so what are the real differences between the two lifts that have made me suck for so long at deadlifting max weights? Difference #1 -The Bar Path Deadlifts don’t get judged on their speed, cleans get made by more speed. The clean pull on the other hand should have two distinct speeds: slow in the 1 st pull, and fast in the 2 nd pull. Typically this means that the acceleration of the bar is negligible or even less than 0. Seemingly this would be a great thing for deadlifts, but at maximal weights the forward inclination of the Olympic lifting shoe (to accommodate athletes in the deep squat position of the catch) leads to a lot of problems in the deadlift.Īs a recreational deadlifter I find it best to complete the movement in bare feet. Olympic lifting shoes are the typical apparel for completing the clean because they provide an extremely stable platform that does not leak any energy. Deadlifters can set up with a very vertical torso, and while some Olympic lifters prepare the lift with a vertical torso, nearly all lifters have their torso around 30-35 degrees in relation to the floor when the bar breaks the ground. The set up on the bar is highly individualized based on the torso length, leg length, and arm length of the lifter. Using this grip is ideal for pulling big weights but cannot be used in the clean because it prevents an individual from turning the bar over to rack it at the chest level. This grip prevents rolling of the bar while lifting by pinning it between opposing forces of each hand. In the deadlift the preferred grip is the alternate grip. These are cursory when it comes to the differences between the two lifts but should be mentioned to frame the rest of the discussion.
The grip used, set up the shoes that are typically worn and the speed of the pull are all very different. On the surface there are plenty of differences between the 1 st and 2 nd pull of the clean and the deadlift. The US’s own, Kendrick Farris (187 lbs class) has deadlifted over 600 lbs raw, for instance.Ĭoming to grips and figuring out the differences has made me a much better deadlifter, and even a better Olympic weightlifter. It should be noted that lots of great Olympic lifters have tremendous deadlifts. I realized that my years and years of Olympic lifting had set me up to lift heavy weights off the ground at high speeds, but not MAXIMUM weights. There was a disconnect as wide as Subway Jared’s backside before finding the veggie delight.
Not to mention, if I had ever deadlifted in training there is no way that it could be difficult to do, right?Īs my training goals changed from track and field to general fitness, I found out the hard way that I was no good at lifting maximum weights from the ground. If I wasn’t moving it fast why did it matter if I could pick it up? Wil is a very sharp guy and knows his stuff when it comes to O-lifting and power development, and I think you’re really going to enjoy this post!)įor a long time in my life I never picked up any weight without the intent to bring it to my chest or over my head, so the magic of the deadlift escaped me. (Note from MR: This is a guest post from my good friend Wil Fleming. How Picking Stuff Up Can Be Totally Different