[PART II] Alternatives to Olympic Lifts for Power Development
5-8 minute read
By Jason Lau
This article continues my 2020 piece on alternatives to Olympic lifts for power development. Read Part 1 here.
Over the last five years of coaching, my belief in using Olympic lift alternatives for power development—especially for athletes limited by time or physical constraints—still holds true. However, my perspective on these alternatives has evolved. Substitutes for the Clean & Jerk and Snatch don’t necessarily need to be entirely different movement patterns using alternative equipment. Instead, I recommend modifying the Olympic lifts themselves—retaining their core principles while adjusting execution to match an athlete’s movement capabilities and align with the physical demands of their sport.
What makes Olympic lifts so effective for power development? The answer lies in biomechanics—the movement mechanics of the body—and the physical demands placed on the athlete to execute the lift efficiently. Power development comes from the body's ability to generate maximal force in minimal time through the kinetic chain. In combat sports, efficiently utilizing the kinetic chain is one of the driving forces for effective power transfer in techniques such as striking and takedowns.
Key Terms to Familiarize With:
Power - The equation for power is P = W / t. Work (W) is force applied over a distance or time frame (t). Power (P) is the rate of doing work as it tells us how quickly energy (force) or work is performed.
Kinetics - Refers to the study of external and internal forces that affect an athlete’s motion such as torque, impulse, momentum and power. Kinetics are used in resistance training for movement efficiency and improving force production within athletes.
Kinematics - This is the study movement without considering the cause. Factors such as displacement, velocity, acceleration and angular motion are used to analyze and improve technique, efficiency and performance in sport.
Power Development in Combat Sports
S&C interventions play an important role in a fighter’s overall development, but their impact is often overestimated and/or oversimplified—especially with the influence of modern social media (e.g., “Do X to gain knockout power”). This oversimplification downplays other key factors that contribute to power development in sport-specific techniques. Biomechanics, tactics, and technical execution are the primary drivers behind impactful techniques.
Below is an infographic outlining the hierarchy of contributing factors to technique effectiveness in combat sports.
Tactics and Strategic Placement - Both tactics and strategic placements refers to the fighter’s ability to use feints, proper timing, placement of the strike, counters and set-ups to create an impactful strike. Defining moments within a round or a fight is rarely created through brute force alone.
Technical Execution - This is where technique and biomechanics influence the end results of the strike. Proper technical execution influences the amount of power and weight behind a strike and how much energy is expended within that strike. Fighters with higher levels of technical execution are able to efficiently execute a technique without excess energy usage.
Physical Ability - This is the current physical capabilities of the athlete. This includes abilities such as the ability to recruit motor units, the rate of force development, tendon stiffness and anaerobic energy system capabilities. These are the underlying foundational physical qualities within sport.
Level of Fatigue - Fatigue levels are affected by work-to-rest periods and the amount of work that the athlete has accumulated over the course of the session. Fatigue accumulates through high volumes or intensity of workload paired with inadequate rest periods that affect performance and skill execution.
Traditional resistance training remains an important factor in power development, but athletes must understand its place within the bigger picture. Tactics and strategic placement create impactful moments, while technical execution and physical capabilities generate power behind the technique. Ultimately, an athlete’s level of fatigue determines how much of that power can be effectively expressed.
How Resistance Training Contributes to Power Development
How do classic Olympic lifts and their alternatives benefit power development in combat sports? The answer lies in the movement demands placed on the body during these lifts. These demands provide the necessary stimulus for power adaptations, which occur through repeated exposure over time, given sufficient rest and recovery.
When performing Olympic lifts or their alternatives, I focus on two key objectives: peak velocity and double peak muscular contraction.
Peak velocity occurs near the end of the concentric phase of a lift when the weight or body is propelled upward against gravity. To develop the rate of force development (RFD)—the ability to generate maximal force in minimal time—athletes must move the weight with high velocity. Most of these exercises emphasize on the triple extension (extension of the ankle, knee, and hip joints), a fundamental movement pattern for producing force quickly. Triple extension is integral to many athletic actions, including striking, jumping, and running, whether performed bilaterally or unilaterally.
Double peak muscular contraction refers to the sequential contraction and relaxation of muscles seen in both striking techniques and Olympic lifts (for more on this, see my Instagram post here). This contraction pattern helps accelerate and decelerate a weight or limb and proper force transfer. For example, in a clean, the athlete first contracts key muscle groups to drive the weight upward. This is followed by a relaxation phase as they pull themselves under the bar, then a second contraction to stabilize and decelerate the weight at its peak. In terms of techniques within Combat Sports such as striking, a fighter contracts key muscle groups to initiate the strike followed by a relaxation phase as the striking limb is accelerated towards its target, then followed by a second contraction as the striking limb makes contact with its target.
Olympic Lift Modifications, Variations and Alternatives
I want to preface this by saying that some of these variations and alternatives are not performed to Olympic standards—nor do they need to be. These exercises incorporate the key characteristics discussed earlier and may emphasize specific training qualities, often requiring the athlete to execute them in a continuous, extensive, or plyometric-like manner—something not commonly seen in classic Olympic lifts. From a practical standpoint, these variations still provide the benefits of traditional Olympic lifts but are modified to better suit the demands of the sport or the individual athlete. These adjustments allow for a closer match to the nature of Combat Sports while fine-tuning workload and execution under the watchful eye of a coach.
Barbell High Pull, Variations and Trap Bar Alternatives
This group of exercise variations allow for a relatively low technical barrier to entry while still adhering to the nature of the original exercise variation. Although high pull variations may look similar to a conventional high pull, my focus is not on coaching the first and second pull as seen in the classic Olympic lift counterpart. Instead, I focus on having the athlete start in a strong bottom position and pull the weight up at high velocity in an effective manner.
Barbell Clean & Skip Press
Shown by Khamzat Chimaev, a UFC MMA athlete, in one of his S&C sessions, his version of a clean and press is technically not to Olympic level standards. However, if the athlete is catching the clean safely—without risk of injury (especially in the wrist)—alongside careful load management, who's to say this won't create meaningful adaptations? The fighter is moving the weight in a fast, efficient manner from point A to B.
I especially like substituting the jerk portion for a skip press-like movement, incorporating an additional plyometric element to the lift. The skip press is not new and has been frequently documented in Russian and neighboring countries' athletic programs. You could even call it the predecessor of the landmine punch. Like landmine punches, it has its time and place. No exercise variation should make up the entirety of an athlete’s training program or be overestimated in its contribution to overall athletic development.
Dumbbell Clean & Press Complex
Dumbbell cleans, jerks, and snatches have always been present in athletic training. Alternative equipment offers athletes an easier way to execute complex movement patterns while still providing valuable physical adaptations. However, in this example, the variation allows for different stances and unilateral movement patterns throughout the cycle—something not possible with a barbell. I would even argue that this variation promotes greater movement variability and flexibility, better suit individual movement needs and allows room for improvement by progressive overloading the exercise.
This complex, shown by Arter Bietrev ahead of his second bout against Dmitry Bivol, demonstrates proper extension of the lower body (ankles, knees, and hips) in coordination with the extension of the upper body (torso rotation, shoulders, and elbows), similar to the kinetic chain required in striking mechanics. Additionally, the rhythm of this complex forces the athlete to not only contract muscle groups at the right time but, more importantly, relax at the right moments—replicating double peak muscular contractions. Any athlete can tense up quickly, but great athletes possess the ability to relax at the right moments.
Side Note: I would advise against catching a dumbbell in the air for the majority of athletes.
Training Recommendations
Here are a few recommendations for athletes before looking to apply these variations into their own training.
Simple to Complex Progression - Some of these exercise variations require a certain level of training experience. I encourage athletes to separate the exercises into their separate parts to gain adequate competency in the movement prior to performing it in its whole sequence.
Order of Fatigability - Exercises that require the use of the anaerobic system offer high force and velocity output but are subjected to fatigue relatively quickly. I recommend athletes performing these exercises early on at the beginning of their training session where fatigue is at its lowest.
Rest Periods - Fatigue will mask peak power and speed. For methods that are aimed to improve anaerobic capabilities, athletes must allow the anaerobic system to recover fully between each set. I recommend anywhere from 3-5 minutes.
Weight is Just One Part of The Power Equation - Although progression of weight lifted is a great tracker for progression, we have to remember that the speed in which the weight moves is also the other half of the power equation. There comes a point where continually adding weight to the exercise will bring diminishing returns (bar moving too slow). A progression may omit adding weight and have the primary objective for the athlete to move the weight faster with more intent.
End Notes
Again, I ask—“To Olympic lift or not to Olympic lift? That is the question.” My answer—“Do they need it, and to the Olympic standard?”
I’ve worked with fighters who see Olympic lifting as a skill worth learning and others who simply don’t have the time or energy to dedicate to it between fight camps, given the demands of skill and tactical work. I encourage athletes and coaches to reframe their approach to exercise selection. Rather than rigidly adhering to a specific methodology, we should focus on understanding the principles of power development and adapting our approach to better suit the athlete and their sport.
While Olympic lifts have their place in physical development, modifying their execution—or opting for alternatives—may better align with the demands and complexity of combat sports. Ultimately, many successful fighters have never performed a full Olympic lift in their entire careers. At the end of the day, exercise is, and always will be, a means to an end. What matters most is when and how we apply training interventions to support a fighter’s overall physical development.
Whether you're a competitive fighter or a dedicated hobbyist, a well-structured strength and conditioning program can make all the difference in your performance. My coaching approach is tailored to the unique demands of combat sports, focusing on overall performance development without unnecessary complexity. If you're looking for guidance to improve your athleticism, reach out today to discuss your goals and how we can work together. Send your coaching inquiry by clicking the button below!