Walter! Dude, your barbell only workout reminds me of when I first started in my parent’s garage w/a 300 lb Oly Set. That was amazing times and I got stronger and bigger than ever before! You’re right dude, power clean city!

Dio – snagged the anvil on craigs list! 130 lbs

When I first moved to Tucson, AZ, all I had for a while was a barbell and some plates. No rack, bench, nada. So I would load the bar and my plates into my truck, drive out in the desert and lift.

Every thing had to be pulled from the ground. So If ya wanted to press, squat, front squat, etc., ya had ta clean that puppy.

One thing I would do was load up the bar, grab one end and stand the bar upright on end. Then get close to it and lift, lever it up to one shoulder and do one side squats or push press with one hand. When ya got done, ya’d tip one end down and then slowly lower the bar to the ground to repeat the set for the other side.

Deads are great, but in some cases, man handling a bar around like this and learning to do a good clean are of great benefit to any ahtlete and develop the body in ways the dead lift can’t touch. It toughens you up.

I’ve always said if someone can’t learn to clean a barbell, they ain’t much of an athlete, so they might as well pack it up and go home.

Lottsa more where that came from…

Walter