High-Rep O-lifts for Metcon: Yay or Nay?

[Greg Everett]

Originally Posted by -Ross Hunt

A) They mess with your technique, but also because

B) Since you're already stronger in those exercises, they do not offer you a lot of potential for developing strength or metcon qualities; even if you let form go out the window, you still don't get a great workout.

Good points. I do think that the more well-developed your lifting technique is, the more high-rep, fatigued-state training you can get away with without damage. The real problem is those with no technique to speak of continually training more shitty technique.

As far as not having much to offer at the lower weights, this may be true to an extent. The one thing they certainly offer is variety. Beyond this, how much they offer beyond other movements in the CF pool is questionable. But I don't see anything bad about training repeated explosive hip and leg extension in metCon sessions.

[Sam Cannons]

I'm a huge fan, i have noticed big increases in my max effort form and strength from lighter weight high rep workouts.

[-Ross Hunt]

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

...the more well-developed your lifting technique is, the more high-rep, fatigued-state training you can get away with without damage.

...The one thing they certainly offer is variety. Beyond this, how much they offer beyond other movements in the CF pool is questionable. But I don't see anything bad about training repeated explosive hip and leg extension in metCon sessions.

Agreed; although the workout messed with my technique, I don't think I came close to injury at all, which I sometimes did when I worse at oly lifting.

The second point is definitely valid, too; if one of the main things you're training for is metcon ability and you don't do the full lifts very seriously, power oly variations for reps are another perfectly good way to train metcon.

[Robb Wolf]

I like them a lot. Although they may not be as big a scorcher as other WOD's, they are a nice one-stop-shop. Add pull-ups, dips or HSPU and you have a great all around WO.

[Sam Cannons]

I did one the other week were i just did 30 Deep Hang Power Cleans for time, absolutely love it, short explosive and it destroys my grip and forearms. Because efficiency is the key i do believe your tech gets better.

Robb nice site

Regards
Sam

[Robb Wolf]

Thanks Sam!

[Ken Urakawa]

Not quite in the same boat, but I was playing around last night with some boxes I built, and did multiple rounds of a HPSN and muscleup couplet. Reps were kept fairly low on each (<5), but it was kind of a fun combo and got my heart rate up.

Rest was fairly minimal, but not controlled. I'll probably try it for time at some point, and will report back on MetCon effect.

[Eric Jones]

We have found here that making our more motivated clients do very high rep KB movements tends to fix certain form issues and "burn in" proper technique, especially focusing on firing the glutes. I have seen this to be similar in the O lifts at lighter weights. Like in the video just posted to the CF main site about technique vs. intensity, I see the two as complimentary. Proper or correct movement is exactly that because it is the most biomechanically efficient movement pattern to complete the task. As you fatigue, you must rely on proper form just to move the weight.

I totally agree that a foundation in:

1) basic strength a la Starting Strength, first
2) then the Olympic lifts in proper form
3) then heavy Oly lifts in traditional strength training
4) then finally you can starting adding in higher rep O lifts to your WODs once the rest of the foundation is there

If the groundwork is laid correctly, then you will not really revert to terrible form. We recently had a 190lb client do a 5:20 Grace with 30 pretty much textbook power cleans and push jerks.

Bottom line though, high rep O lifts are great at building silly levels of functional work capacity.

[Steve Shafley]

Conclusion is quite spiffy.

Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007 Aug;39(8):1291-301.
Effect of Explosive versus Slow Contractions and Exercise Intensity on Energy Expenditure.
Mazzetti S, Douglass M, Yocum A, Harber M.

1Human Performance Center, Anderson University, Anderson, IN; and 2Human Performance Laboratory, Ball State University, Muncie, IN.

OBJECTIVE:: The primary purpose of this study was to compare the effects of explosive versus slow contractions on the rate of energy expenditure during and after resistance exercise. METHODS:: Nine men (20 +/- 2.5 yr) performed three exercise protocols using a plate-loaded squat machine, and a no-exercise (CONTROL) session in a randomly assigned, counterbalanced order. Subjects performed squats using either two second (SLOW) or explosive concentric contractions (EXPL), but identical repetitions (), sets (), and loads (60% 1RM). A secondary objective was to compare high- versus moderate-intensity exercise. Thus, a third protocol was performed that also used explosive contractions, with heavier loads (80% 1RM) and six sets of four reps (HEAVYEXPL). Eccentric reps (2 s), work (reps x sets x load), range of motion, and rest intervals between sets (90 s) were identical among all three protocols. Expired air was collected continuously for 20 min before, during, and 1 h after exercise and for about 1.5 h during CONTROL. Blood samples (25 muL) were collected before, immediately after, and 15, 30, 45, and 60 min after each protocol, and these samples were analyzed for blood lactate (mM). RESULTS:: Average rates of energy expenditure (kcal.min) were significantly greater (P </= 0.05) during (7.27 +/- 2.00 > 6.43 +/- 1.64 and 6.25 +/- 1.55, respectively) and after (2.54 +/- 1.44 > 2.38 +/- 1.31 and 2.21 +/- 1.08, respectively) EXPL compared with SLOW and HEAVYEXPL, despite significantly (P </= 0.05) greater blood lactate after SLOW. CONCLUSION:: Squat exercise using explosive contractions and moderate intensity induced a greater increase in the rate of energy expenditure than squats using slow contractions or high intensity in all subjects tested. Thus, by using explosive contractions and moderate exercise intensity, experienced recreational exercisers can increase their energy expenditure during and after resistance exercise, and this could enhance weight-loss adaptations.

[Steve Shafley]

What this means is that complexes of ballistic movements = R0XX0RZ for fat loss.