Interesting Q&A re: Olympic lifts & arm size

[mbinda]

From the June issue of Ironman Magazine, this Q&A was part of Charles Poliquins 'Smart Training' column.....

"Q: Do olympic lifting exercises have any value to a bodybuilder in increasing arm size?

A: Yes, strange as that may sound. In fact, I've found that power snatches are one way to help overcome a slump in biceps training. There are 2 reasons for that: First, lowering the bar from doing power snatches or power cleans provides rapid eccentric stretch for the elbow flexors. It recruits them in a manner they are not accustomed to and helps break a plateau. Second, power snatches help develop better thoracic and cervical alignment, which provides better neural drive for the elbow flexors."

[ThickAsABrick]

brb doing olympic lifts for hyoooooooge gunz

[Bostongeorge617]

"An extraordinary ergonomical haft from titanium carbon fiber polymer insulates against variances in incalescence....yeah the pan handle..."

I see the point, but the language makes me laugh. I read it enough, but, we are still talking about the gym, right?

[brudman]

I bet about 0 pro natural bodybuilders do olympic lifts as part of their bicep routines. Especially an exercise where there is no elbow flexion.

Polquin making ludicrous claims about what he's seen is par for the course. Everything he says requires verification, and is therefore about as useful as never hearing anything at all.

[matjusm]

From the June issue of Ironman Magazine, this Q&A was part of Charles Poliquins 'Smart Training' column.....

"Q: Do olympic lifting exercises have any value to a bodybuilder in increasing arm size?

A: Yes, strange as that may sound. In fact, I've found that power snatches are one way to help overcome a slump in biceps training. There are 2 reasons for that: First, lowering the bar from doing power snatches or power cleans provides rapid eccentric stretch for the elbow flexors. It recruits them in a manner they are not accustomed to and helps break a plateau. Second, power snatches help develop better thoracic and cervical alignment, which provides better neural drive for the elbow flexors."

Although I am a massive fan of the Olympic lifts and think that they're quite under appreciated and underutilized, I just don't think they do much for the biceps. Forearms yes but biceps hardly. Plus one generally drops the bar from overhead when doing a snatch so there isn't an eccentric portion to the Olympic lifts.

Though then again, Olympic lifters to exhibit pretty good physique though that could also be partially thanks to the assistance lifts they do:


But if you want to be a bodybuilder, train like one.

[mbinda]

I bet about 0 pro natural bodybuilders do olympic lifts as part of their bicep routines. Especially an exercise where there is no elbow flexion.

Polquin making ludicrous claims about what he's seen is par for the course. Everything he says requires verification, and is therefore about as useful as never hearing anything at all.

Don't shoot the messenger I just thought it was interesting.

[gomez26]

poliquin is a respected authority, but this one may be a bit far fetched or perhaps simply out of context. those benefits he listed are probably true but would have to be weighed against the energy/recovery cost of doing these moves with adequate intensity. the point being that energy could be better spent on using other bb'ing techniques.

wow at that indonesian lifter, probably the best developed one i have ever seen.
but of course caution has to be used when using this for interpretation, out of all the elite gifted lifters he is the odd one out, the others dont look anything special while in a line up of elite gifted bb'ers (lets compare with top natty contests) the average difference is clear. u have to cancel out the common factors to see the underlying trend.