Hi all, this is my first post here, but I've been following the forum and site for a while. I don't have any formal oly training/coaching and I was introduced to them through CF. I have read Greg's book and I'm trying to improve my classic lifts. I have been following the recent 5 week front squat cycle the past few weeks. I've noticed a big improvement just from what I've read, but I really would appreciate any and all coaching anyone could provide. Thanks in advance for viewing. I'm including a couple camera images (albeit at different weights) for both lifts.
Need more ankle and hip flexibility definitely. That will help your comfort and stability in the bottom position.
Be more patient in your pull - stay back over the heels all the way through the pull and move the back toward yourself instead of moving yourself into the bar.
Keep your arms relaxed through the pull but engage your back/lats to push the bar back into yourself.
When you pull under, keep the bar in close as possible by pulling the elbows high and to the sides before you turn the bar over.
Clean -
Quit looking at the floor; it's not going anywhere. Find focal point in front of you and keep it throughout the lift.
Same thing as the snatch in the pull - be patient. Keep your weight back, move the bar back toward yourself, and keep your shoulders over it until it's high on your thigh. You're trying to extend the hips too soon and the bar is getting pushed out by your legs. Wait longer and it will both improve your balance and your speed.
Looking at the second clean video, you get your knees too straight too soon - if you straighten your knees completely by the time the bar is in front of them, you can't wait longer to open the hips. Keep your chest up a bit more during that early pull - think about waiting until the bar is at about mid-thigh to explode - at that point, shins should be vertical, knees just a bit bent, and shoulders slightly in front of the bar.
Thank you both for taking the time to watch the videos and give me advice. I'll work on the things suggested and post again when things click. I think the flexibility work will make a big difference as the bottom position of the snatch is not a very comfortable position for me.
If either of you (or anyone else) have specific advice for which drills to implement to make the suggested improvements it'd be much appreciated. Based on other threads I've read and some of the advice from the book, I'm guessing hang snatches/cleans from mid-upper thigh, 3-position lifts, etc. will be beneficial for learning to be more patient and stay back over my heels longer?
Lifts from the high hang will be good to get confident in that position. Also halting deadlifts to practice and strengthen the proper movement from the floor to that position, pause/segment snatch/clean with the pause at mid to upper thigh.
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