Do we really have to weightlift?
Like stretching and squatting, weightlifting is a common practice in strength & conditioning. Developing explosiveness through a powerful triple extension, improving coordination by sequencing the lower and upper body together, working on mobility, stability or dynamic balance, many are the arguments put forward to justify the use of the main movements (see below) or their derivatives.
And yet, if the goal is to develop specific physical abilities in order to perform better in a given sport, they are not the only option – and may sometimes not even be the best nor the most suitable. Throughout this article, I give you my opinion on the subject.
Olympic lifts :
- Snatch
- Clean & Jerk
Of course, if you’re a weightlifter, regular practice of your sport’s movements is a must if you want to perform when the time comes. However, you’ll still find some interesting ideas to add to your training throughout the article.
Different phases of a jump
Let’s start with a presentation of the different phases of a Countermovement Jump (hands on hips), which is key to better understand what follows. This section uses the descriptions given by Daniel Bove in his book Takeoff (itself using the definitions established by McMahon & al. in 2018).
1. Unweighting Phase: when the jump is initiated, the center of gravity is lowered with a rapid flexion of the knees, hips and ankles, momentarily reducing the total force exerted on the ground (when standing, a certain amount of force is produced, which corresponds to the bodyweight).
This phase ends when the « negative » speed (because we’re lowering/descending) reaches its lowest value (= negative speed peak), at which point a force equivalent to bodyweight is re-established. The ability to « unload » is crucial: if you can create momentum with a high falling speed, you increase the next phase’s potential.
2. Braking phase: in order to stop the momentum created in the previous phase, we need to decelerate our body until the speed is equal to 0. To do so, we have to produce a braking impulse that corresponds to what was created in the unloading phase. The braking phase begins when the falling speed is at its maximum, and ends when the speed is equal to 0 (the moment where you’re at the lowest point before reversing the movement).
The total force required to overcome the downward momentum corresponds to the braking impulse, which can be produced rapidly or over a prolonged period of time. From an athletic standpoint, it’s best to keep this impulse as short as possible, thus optimizing the use of the stretch-shortening cycle (see previous article).
The faster and greater the braking impulse, the better the rate of force development (RFD – speed at which the contractile elements of the muscle can produce force, a critical aspect of performance).
3. Propulsive Phase: after the 0 velocity point, at the bottom of the countermovement, we generate force to propel our mass upwards. The propulsion phase begins when the body’s displacement speed becomes positive, just after the end of the braking phase, and ends when we leave the ground. In general, as we stand up, we produce less and less force as our speed gradually increases. The latter peaks just before the feet leave the ground.
The more force we are able to produce at the moment when speed equals 0 (at the end of braking), the greater the potential propulsive impulse; the greater the propulsive impulse, the higher we will jump. Propulsive impulse determines takeoff speed, which determines jump height.
4. Flight phase: at the end of the propulsive phase, we are no longer in contact with the ground. The flight phase begins just after the feet leave the ground and ends just before they make contact with the ground again.
5. Landing Phase: the ability to quickly control the forces experienced by the body on landing is a vital skill in order to limit the risk of injury and to prepare for explosive efforts.
After reaching the top of the jump, the body accelerates towards the ground, coming into contact with it at the same speed as it left it. This downward momentum must be decelerated again by generating force on the ground.
The landing phase can be divided into 2 sub-phases, with the initial peak (when the front of the foot makes contact with the ground at first) and the stabilization period (when the rest of the foot reaches the ground). The higher you jump, the greater the landing impulse; the latter is thus dictated by the propulsive impulse.
Among the many force characteristics presented in Daniel Bove’s book, we’ll focus on just a few (which I’m going to use to describe the benefits of alternative options to weightlifting):
– Braking RFD: speed and total magnitude of force created between unloading and propulsion. The RFD is improved either by increasing force production within the same time frame, or by producing the same force faster.
– Peak braking force: maximum force produced between unloading and propulsion.
– Braking impulse: total force produced between peak negative speed and moment at 0 velocity.
– Force at 0 velocity: force produced at the transition point between braking and propulsion.
– Eccentric duration: time spent from initiation of movement to the point of 0 velocity, or total duration of unloading and braking phases.
– Propulsive RFD: speed and total magnitude of the force created between the moment at 0 velocity (end of braking) and takeoff.
– Peak propulsive force: maximum force generated between the moment at 0 velocity (end of braking) and takeoff. This value influences the total impulse generated during the propulsion phase.
– Propulsive impulse: total force generated between the moment at 0 velocity until the force returns to body weightjust before takeoff. Propulsive impulse is responsible for takeoff speed, which determines jump height.
Why are we interested in these aspects? Quite simply because the ability to produce force quickly is the basis of all athletic movements in sport (jumps with and without a run-up, changes of direction, sprints…).
Limits of olympic weightlifting
Weightlifting is a sport in its own right. To fully master the movements, you need time: it takes several weeks to be able to perform the movements correctly with a certain load, and even so more to be able to execute them with a max intent and work on specific strength qualities.
Once movement skill has been acquired, time must also be devoted on a regular basis to keep it and remain capable of using relatively high loads without risk. All this time could be allocated to other simpler methods and exercises, enabling faster learning, and with – at least – equal benefits.
NOTE : movement skill involves particular intra- and inter-muscular coordination, specific activation and co-contraction timings, regulation of muscle spindles and golgi tendon organs… When this skill is not sufficiently developed, it can limit movement performance, and therefore attenuate adaptations.
In addition, even when weightlifting movements are well mastered, optimal adaptations require the use of relatively heavy loads. Indeed, when using relatively low load, the intent of the exercise is geared more towards achieving the movement than towards maximum strength & speed production: we’re just trying to move a bar « as much as necessary », not « as much as possible ».
So, even with a load that you could potentially throw into the air, you don’t, because the goal of the exercise remains to achieve a given movement.
Some weightlifting variations and other exercises bypass this limitation by offering the possibility of focusing solely on the production of maximal effort, regardless of the load used – which is useful in training various strength qualities along the strength-velocity continuum.
To take up the idea of dynamic correspondence used in the comparison between the Back Squat and various jumping tasks, there are also some differences between weightlifting and these same jumping tasks:
– The joint angles at which the body is asked to produce maximum force are not the same: the tilt of the torso differs (putting more or less emphasis on the posterior chain), and in classic weightlifting movements, we go deeper into knee and hip flexion than during jumps in sports.
Is it really necessary to train these deep ranges in such a way? Couldn’t this alter the length-tension relationship (discussed in previous articles) if we overdo it?
– The dynamics of contraction are sometimes too long in weightlifting movements to involve an optimal stretch-shortening cycle, whereas this is paramount in jumping tasks (as well as in other sporting efforts),
– Weightlifting movements require a greater contribution from the upper body in overall force production than jumps,
– The « triple extension » suggested with weightlifting is not the same as the one found in jumping – I’ll let you review the videos presenting weightlifting movements at the beginning and then look at how athletes jump in basketball or volleyball for instance,
– To come back to the arguments put forward in the introduction: given that the movements are distinct between weightlifting and athletic efforts, then the dynamic aspects of mobility, stability and balance are also distinct,
– Nor is the intention the same between a jumping task and the execution of a weightlifting movement: as mentioned earlier, in the latter, the goal is to move a bar in a certain way to reach a specific position, whereas in the former, the goal is to get the body as high as possible; different intentions lead to different adaptations.
Finally, there’s another factor, more or less important depending on the sport involved: the use of high loads in weightlifting implies a certain load on the wrists (especially during « failed » reps, which aren’t that uncommon above a certain weight on the bar), and therefore a greater potential risk of injury than with other exercises.
In a sport like basketball, where the wrists are already heavily mobilized by the shooting motion, weightlifting may consequently not be ideal. Furthermore, if some upper-body elements can become the limiting factor in a movement used to target the lower body, then that movement is probably not the most appropriate for training the lower body optimally.
The danger element that comes with heavy loads in weightlifting and the risk of ‘’failing » on certain reps can also lead to a degree of psychological blocking, with the brain setting up « safety barriers » that will limit force production capacities.
In certain circumstances, this element of danger can conversely increase motivation and neural excitation, both helping the body to unlock some « barriers ». However, it’s possible to get similar effects in other ways: by measuring efforts (jump height, speed…) or by creating competition between athletes.
Other options
Before giving you alternatives, it’s important to remember that the initial purpose is to improve athletic abilities in a sport, not necessarily to use a particular method or exercise.
With this in mind, we can bring our focus on specific strength qualities, so that we can carry out the most effective and efficient means. Thus, we’ll be looking for simple, safe movements with which we can easily produce maximum intent.
Trap Bar Variations
A first option is to perform exercises with a trap bar. These variations have numerous benefits:
- A very short learning curve, allowing you to get much more quickly to the point where you feel comfortable enough to intend to power up,
- The ability to produce maximum effort with a certain sense of security*, whatever the load used – and hence to target and develop several qualities along the strength-velocity continuum,
- Joint angles closer to those found in jumping tasks, as the load can be manipulated to be in the center of mass/gravity. Intent of movement and force sequencing are also closer (especially with Trap Bar Jumps),
- There’s also the option of performing the movements in different ways, if you want to focus on the posterior chain for instance or on some qualities linked to a specific jump phase.
With a trap bar, when you jump, you have two options on landing: either with a stop (involving eccentric force production), or by leading it to the ground (to restrict the effort to the concentric part only).
*The feeling of safety comes from a lesser concern for stability during the movement, on top of the possibility of letting the bar fall to the ground if we lose balance.
Strength qualities (depending on the exercise) = stretch-shortening cycle (with a fast eccentric), braking impulse, peak braking force, braking RFD, eccentric duration, force at 0 velocity, propulsive RFD, propulsive impulse, peak propulsive force.
NOTE : According to some work by Max Schmarzo presented on the EdgeU platform (reference no. 77), it’s possible to achieve greater peak force, concentric impulse, eccentric peak force and eccentric impulse with a Trap Bar Jump than with a Hang Clean.
Jump Variations
Different types of jump develop different qualities. You can add a load to the bodyweight (dumbbell(s), kettlebell(s), Med Ball, weighted vest…) or reduce it (elastic assistance, machines without gravity acting…). For the boths options, you can start from the lowest position and do just the concentric phase, or you can perform the movement with a rapid eccentric.
When using an additional load, you can play with the way you hold it to alter muscle involvement: for example, an object held close to the chest implies a straighter torso, whereas an object held with arms stretched down alongside the body results in a more tilted one. You can also vary the range of motion, the load used, the speed of lowering… With this kind of exercise, it’s easy to focus on the intent without worrying about anything else.
Strength qualities = stretch-shortening cycle (with a fast eccentric), braking impulse, peak braking force, braking RFD, eccentric duration, force at 0 velocity, propulsive impulse, peak propulsive force.
Oscillatory Method
This method consists of a cyclic sequence of relaxation and contraction at specific joint angles, which enables to accumulate volume in these positions. First, the muscles relax, then the agonist and antagonist rapidly co-contract to slow down the « fall », then the antagonist relax to let the agonist reverse the movement, and so on.
The result is rapid force production from a relaxed state when the body is allowed to « fall ». This fall can be accelerated by using elastic resistance or an additional load.
Strength qualities = contraction-relaxation, braking RFD, force at 0 velocity.
In the same spirit, we can perform rhythmic movements with a fast eccentric and a specific range of. The rapid relaxation, the co-contraction and the abrupt reversal of movement are all present.
Strength qualities = contraction-relaxation, braking RFD, braking impulse, force at 0 velocity, eccentric duration.
Drop Catch Method
Once again, the starting point is a rapid, voluntary fall, followed by a rapid stop in a specific position. Different types of load can be used, to emphasize either the amount of force produced or the accumulation of work at a certain joint angle.
Strength qualities = braking impulse, peak braking force, braking RFD, eccentric duration.
Plyometrics
Evoked in a previous article and present in the majority of dynamic sporting efforts, plyometrics involve a rapid transition from a relaxed state, where the body produces a limited amount of force, to a state of maximum tension (in specific positions). Among others, sprinting is an excellent plyometric option for developing the posterior chain (in addition to being found in many sports).
Strength qualities (depending on exercise) = stretching-shortening cycle (with a fast eccentric), braking impulse, peak braking force, braking RFD, eccentric duration, force at 0 velocity, propulsive RFD, propulsive impulse, peak propulsive force.
Concentric Method
For this type of effort, we remove the eccentric phase of the movement to focus on concentric force production from a relaxed state or from a tensed state without using the stretch-shortening cycle.
Strength qualities = propulsive impulse, propulsive RFD, peak propulsive force.
Conclusion
For every athlete, it’s important not to lose sight of the purpose of training, which is to perform in a given sport. Strength and conditioning work serves to reduce the risk of injury and improve athletic ability on the field or on the court: to achieve this, we should focus on the most optimal tools, not necessarily the most traditional or widely used.
As a coach, do we want our athletes to be able be strong in sport-specific contexts, or to be strong in weightlifting?
Another aspect mentioned in my article on squat and vertical jump is the need to spend time directly performing the athletic tasks to develop and refine them. This means practicing various types of jumps, changes of direction and sprints if you want to become a better athlete in the sport.
In the end, like stretching, if you enjoy weightlifting, feel comfortable with the movements, can execute them well and with a good intent, then that’s one more tool you can use in your training.
But if that’s not the case, or if you feel that some of the options talked about are interesting and useful, then in my opinion it’s not mandatory to have weightlifting movements into every training program.
REFERENCES
- Takeoff, Daniel Bove (2023)
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