Using High-rep Power Snatches and Power Cleans for Fat Loss

Q: What do you think about using high-rep power snatches and power cleans for fat loss?

A: There are many workouts that will help you lose fat, but doing high-rep Olympic-lifting exercises is not a good idea because it’s difficult to maintain good form on them. Even if you could maintain good form doing sets of 10 power snatches, you would have to use relatively light weights, and that means you would not get much of a hypertrophy response. If you want fat loss, aim for hypertrophy because adding muscle increases your metabolism, and a higher metabolism increases fat burning.

Although I believe that the German Body Comp program is the most effective way to lose bodyfat, a traditional Olympic lifting program with low reps and heavy weights can also help the cause. Strength researcher Dr. Mike Stone’s 1983 study looked at the results of an eight-week Olympic weightlifting program on body composition. The participants dropped their bodyfat by 6 percent and increased their lean bodyweight by 4 percent. As a bonus, they also decreased their systolic blood pressure by 4 percent and their resting heart rate by 8 percent.

 

Editor’s note: Charles Poliquin is recognized as one of the world’s most suc-cessful strength coaches, having coached Olympic med-alists in 12 different sports, including the U.S. women’s track-and-field team for the 2000 Olympics. He’s spent years researching European journals (he’s fluent in English, French and German) and speaking with other coaches and scientists in his quest to optimize training methods. For more on his books, seminars and methods, visit www.CharlesPoliquin.com. Also, see his ad on page 135.   IM