Strength and Deconditioning 8: Clean and jerk

Today was clean and jerk day on my workout schedule, my first in a couple of weeks. I like to do different things, instead of just keeping to the three power lifts and support exercises that are "approved" by one protocol, HIT or Westside or whatever, and the Olympic lifts, clean and jerk and snatch, are two of the best overall body conditioners available. There is something raw, primal and satisfying about ripping a barbell off the floor, racking it, and then hurling it over your head. There is no room for cheating. The lift is black and white, and there is no supportive gear that you can wear, except maybe lifting straps or knee wraps or something; you will fail or you will succeed based largely on your own merits. Whenever I do the clean and jerk I can literally feel my trapezius and quadriceps growing in response to the stresses put on them; the jerk phase feels so good on my calves, shoulders (much better than military press) and my lower back and abdominal wall. The only issue with this lift is that the potential for failure is absolutely epic. If you feel yourself losing the bar, then lose it. It could cause damage to the bar, but that's better than breaking both your shin bones, eh? I suggest either having rubber bumper plates--which are insanely expensive--a padded lifting platform, which is what I use, when you do the clean and jerk. For inspiration, here is Hossein Rezazadeh (SHW, Iran) performing the heaviest clean and jerk on Olympic record. For further inspiration, her is a really cute girl doing a somewhat (heh) smaller C&J.

So go, ye children, in peace to the gym and start cleaning!