If you had not followed along with this series you can follow along with:
Blog #3
Blog #2
Blog #1
I write this after presenting at and MC'ing the NSCA Iowa State event this past weekend where I presented on the Power Complex. During the event and after my presentation coaches were asking about how to implement different drills in the power complex - one coach even wanted to use the Power Complex to teach the clean. He was thinking instead of doing only the RDL (for the hang clean version of the power complex) that he would do this over 3 days:
Day 1: hang clean pull
Day 2: RDL
Day 3: high pull - to catch drill
In this way he can over load the hip with the RDL and clean pull - and then teach the transition into the front squat catch on day 3. This makes a ton of sense to me, and I told him to go for it. He will keep the weighted jump and the altitude landing from the power complex and will pair it with the above movements.
That right there is how the power complex should work - it complements the clean, not competes. I have been very vocal at my presentations about this. I was wrong before when I said get rid of the clean. That was too far - they work together, and like that coach showed me, it can be a great teaching tool
But Why Would You Still Say Clean?
This was another question I got from a coach. My answer was straight forward in a few ways:
1. When the athletes can do it properly
2. If the sport coach wants them to do it
3. The athletes want to do it
You do not want it to "become a thing" that you do not clean. That is a distraction. You do not want a distraction. One day can be power complex - the next can be cleans. You can get sport coach and athlete buy in by doing that. The clean (bar starts on the floor, and you receive the bar below 90 degrees in the squat) is a great mobility drill too. So adding it in for that reason makes a ton of sense to me.
All in all - if I had to pick I would still take the power complex.
Why?
We still work with team sport athletes.
No one cares how much Mahomes cleans. Same with Wemby, Messi, Judge, or McDavid - they are the best in their sport because of what they do on the field, court, or rink. So, keep the main thing the main thing and develop their general qualities in the weight room.
Other Qualities to Develop for Athletes
I have taken onto the saying from Coach Bobby Stroupe about most "traditional" training work as the cupcake and the "other" stuff as the sprinkles. This is similar to what I said in this blog calling the "other" stuff the frosting on the cake. No one likes to eat just cake without frosting - and in the same vein no one likes to eat just frosting without cake.
I was lucky to learn about how to use these "other" movements from Coach Mike Chatman at Towson in 2018 and since them have been using them in my practice. You should too. Why? Because if you are baking a cake, you want frosting on it. Or to use a carpentry example, if you are building a house you want to have a nail gun, saw, power drill, screwdriver, etc...
Rather than spending all your time on teaching cleans and perfecting them (with a population that does not have to clean in their competition) you can get great training adaptation with the Power Complex.
**Side Note - I know some people say it is not rocket science to teach a clean - and they are not wrong, but lets also admit those coaches aren't showing their worst "cleaner" when they show videos on social media. They only show their best athlete**
With all the extra time you can use more warm up and working sets on the main strength block. You can also use the time on the field/court during the warm up/movement prep - or add into conditioning and accessory work. Either way - spending more time on any of those situations will yield better ROI for your athletes than by more time cleaning. This is my 2 cents and I am biased, but that does not mean I am wrong.
So what are these movements I should be doing you are asking?
That is what this blog dove into.
Since then, I have learned a few more and have messed around with some (as should you - keep learning, we are never finished products).
