Hey James, what’s your view on a bilateral version of this exercise. I know certain coaches talk about the torso strength and stabilization value of the unilateral DB snatch, and I do incorporate both this and a Uni DB hang clean into my programme, but do you think there is a place for a two hand version. To add extra weight and develop some more power or should I really start to learn some Olympic lifting (which is something I definitely want to learn to really master eventually) and keep using this unilateral exercise for its own specific merit.

Rock on!

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bikejames Reply:
March 5th, 2010 at 12:43 pm

@ Chris – there is definitely a place for double arm lifts. I like to use a Snatch with a narrower clean grip from the hang position as it is easier to learn and implement. The regular clean and snatch are great but unless you have good coaching they can be tough to do right and minimize.

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One more data point: this exercise seems to have an almost immediate effect on some chronic shoulder issues …your results may vary.

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bikejames Reply:
March 8th, 2010 at 1:07 pm

@ Maxwell – Yeah, if you have shoulder issues then this may not be the best exercise for you…

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Chris, 2 yrs ago I was riding a trail when I pulled the front of the bike up to get over a small rise when I heard a snap in my shoulder. I ripped the tendons in my shoulder, totally seperated my supraspinitas, tore my labrum and bicep muscle. When I was training for the 2008 season I totally focused on aerobics and no weight training. I took a year off to rehab my shoulder and even after that year with a good therapist and a great surgeon I still had some discomfort in the shoulder. I did this excercise 2 times and my shoulder feels better then it has in a long time. I know that if I had done this and the other excercises before that season, I would never have had the accident I had. Keep up the good work…

Rick

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