Why Powerlifters SUCK at Weightlifting

[aclouti]

i teach guitar for a living, and this reminds me of when my intermediate/advanced electric guitar students want to try classical guitar. you have to pretend like you've never touched a guitar before in your life, and build from the beginning.

cool video.

[paoloh]

I've always found it pretty ironic that powerlifting doesn't rely on power at all while power is everything in weightlifting. Honestly powerlifting and weightlifting should switch names.

[terryconjugateiron]

I've been powerlifting for 13 years. I've always found Olympic lifting super fascinating. I enjoy implementing snatch grip deadlifts and power snatches. I think they're great on developing power. Never had an ego issue since I am a coach and technique freak. I do empty bar up to 50-60 kg and have a great time using them as accessories in my training

[RedSkyWhisper]

As someone who focused on powerlifting before eventually making the complete switch, here are my learnings:
- being too strong meant on most movements my strength became a crutch that did not transfer when upping the weights
- being used to lock out all joints means I have to untrain my body reflex and stay mobile and elastic during the first pull
- not really needing to have mobility means I have to stretch all the time to make up for the time I was not

[rdog]

I think the most fun part about implementing WL into my PL program is starting at step 1. Years into powerlifting, you sometimes get tired of doing the same heavy work on the same movements/variations. Being able to just take a bar and learn the snatch is oddly enjoyable

[fignewton]

You and Dimitry are my favorite weightlifters, I am almost 60 and just started weightlifting. Don’t mind if I ever CJ 100 K I love the process and will do until my passing…..wished I had known this as a kid

[marcelluswallace]

Man this video came right on time Clarence. Just transitioned from Powerlifting to Weightlifting a month ago and oh boy. Just everything you have mentioned is 100% true from A-Z. Thanks man.

[mattpen]

Tricker and former powerlifter here. You inspired me to move to olympic lifts, and way more squatting as a result. It really helps my knees when training tricks and feels like i could progress at oly lifts for years to come. Thanks!

[KodieJames]

I can never miss a Clarence upload. Love this guy

[freakied]

Poster child checking in here. 700lbs + squat and deadlift, 500lbs+ bench, 550lbs front squat, 350lbs strict OHP (which is als0 15lbs more than my best push press because I never really did those)... couldn't power clean 300lbs to save my life.

[budgetlifter]

As someone with a more bodybuilding-based training background, this video really spoke a lot to me. I've been learning the snatch technique for the past few months (first with an old 10 kg practice bar, then with a proper olympic bar) and I'm getting more and more confident, stable and stronger in the positions. My current Snatch PR is 37.5 Kg for a triple with arguably decent technique. (if I can say so myself, been talking to a few people in olympic weightlifting gyms and they say it looks good, i just need to become faster in the turnover). Of course, that isn't much at all but once I nail the technique even more I'm sure it's gonna go up. You are a great inspiration Clarence, never change dude.

[CM-]

Never thought I'd see Blahino in a Clarence video.

[jeungbou]

Very convincing and interesting analysis. I wouldn’t say you are to hard on powerlifters. Both are barbell sports, but completely different and attract different people. I know from weightlifters who entered a powerlifting meet and were so exhausted that they sweared to never do it again while others loved it and switched because they couldn’t stand the stress anymore of putting huge weights over head in a movement where so much could go wrong.

[danielamon]

Spot on. I’ve been weightlifting almost 4 years now after almost 20 powerlifting, and you’ve nailed every major problem I continue to face. My overhead position and ability to get there with a snatch is still terrible, and the deadlifting mechanics took forever to unlearn. This is the first year I haven’t felt majorly limited, so patience is huge. That said, weightlifting is wayyyy cooler 😂

[castlebilliards]

Nice to see the fake merc/fake coach get a mention. He was unable to make weight for "worlds" so he blamed it on black mold in his section 8 rental lol that's our boi hemmingway

[theycallme_tanner]

As a powerlifter who went into weightlifting, Clarence made a very accurate video on this subject. Almost every topic he brought up I experienced to some degree. I really appreciate how objective he was about this.

[drdnj]

Clarence I'm soo happy you're posting more than you usually do, really happy to see your content.

[Andreastheduck]

glad u included hemingways OHP. he's a world class elite lifter

[robertarnold]

I don’t think you’re being too hard on us powerlifters. It’s a totally different art form, and I appreciate your frank assessment. As someone who might soon experiment with weightlifting, it’s a welcome admonition.

[robertkamb]

Ex powerlifter that converted to weightlifting in the last 9 months, went through a lot of these issues at first but now I'm starting to get around the 140kg C&J and the 110kg snatch, it's been a fun process, I have stopped doing deadlifts and besides one 12 week block with high bar squats, have focused on front squats only and it's actually very fun working on the technique and mobility now.