# Power Cleans or Deadlifts?



## JohnnyO (Oct 20, 2009)

I've been doing some power cleans recently and I'm a big fan of them. But are they enough to replace deadlifts? How effective are they in comparison to deadlifts for the hamstrings and lower back? 

Also, if I add power cleans, will they interefere with other back excercises in the same workout (pullups and rows)? 

Thanks.


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## StacyCaliman (Oct 20, 2009)

They won't "interfere", but they can help increase the intensity of your back routine. I don't like the idea of exercises replacing one another. Just continue to cycle exercise in and out for the variety. They are all good, but they lose effectiveness if left in a program for too long.


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## gtbmed (Oct 21, 2009)

If done properly, they are a great exercise for the hamstrings, hips, traps, lower back, calves, etc.

Most people don't do them properly though.

I wouldn't replace deadlifts with power cleans.  I'd replace your rows/chins with hang cleans and still do deadlifts.  That's just me though.


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## Gazhole (Oct 24, 2009)

gtbmed said:


> If done properly, they are a great exercise for the hamstrings, hips, traps, lower back, calves, etc.
> 
> Most people don't do them properly though.
> 
> I wouldn't replace deadlifts with power cleans.  I'd replace your rows/chins with hang cleans and still do deadlifts.  That's just me though.



I don't like thinking in terms of replacing exercises either (unless they are variations of the same exercise), but this is probably the best way to do it.


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## fufu (Oct 26, 2009)

You can really do them all...and I would advise so. It is just a matter of good programming.

A power clean is not a deadlift. A power clean is not a row, or a chin up. A deadlift is not a row or a chin up.

They are all very different movements.

What is your goal? Why are you replacing exercises with others that are not inherently the same movement? It is important to train all movements of the body.

A power clean is a strength exercise, but it is also a power exercise (hence power clean, but any form of the clean is a power exercise). A deadlift is a pure strength oriented exercise. You are training to move resistance. 

Power cleans, on the other hand, you are training to move resistance FAST. 

Both exercises require an element of power and strength. Both exercise can supplement each other. 

The deadlift is, in terms of pure strength, a better exercise. This is because most people can deadlift a lot more than they can clean. If you want to train your posterior chain strength efficiently and optimally, you should incorporate some form of deadlift into your program. The power clean is, in terms of pure power, a better exercise. 

My personal example - the most I ever deadlifted was 475 lbs and the most I ever cleaned (full clean) was 220 lbs. Why would I stop training deadlifts? Obviously, my posterior chain was capable of moving more than 220 lbs. 

Different exercises, different dynamics.


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## gtbmed (Oct 26, 2009)

Both deadlifts and power cleans are very much "full body" lifts as well.

I would never replace deadlifts with cleans.  If you want to progress on cleans, deadlifting will definitely help you.  The first pull of the clean is hardly what I would consider an "explosive" movement, so doing deadlifts or variations will directly carry over to that portion of the lift.

In my experience, the second pull of a clean hits the back very hard.  Watch any olympic weightlifter and you'll see the huge traps and the huge involvement of the back in the second pull.  

But you should still do rows IMO.  Unless you're on some type of olympic lifting program doing tons of cleans and snatches every time you workout, you need to stimulate your back with some other movement.


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