Snatch Form

[Timothy Plunkett]

I took everything (literally) that has been suggested and implemented it.

After rowing & joint prep + mobility (just weaknesses) I do a complex w/ the bar every day.

5 halting sn dl + 5 sn pull + 5 muscle snatch + 5 bhtn sn press + 5 OHS for 3 rds ... something like that. Changes between snatch and clean, movements change but even if I'm not snatching or cleaning, I do the complex. I don't rush the movements but focus on making each movement perfect, every time.

I've been concentrating on sweeping the bar in and have been doing halting snatch deadlifts with decent weight once or twice a week. I've also been doing pulls.

I managed to clean up the 'bang' pretty quick w/ any weight that is below 75%. I'm now at around 90% of my max consistently bang free. Still working on keeping the bar tighter as I pull under BUT it takes time.

Today went for a max and hit 210# in the snatch for a 5# pr. Best part was, no bang and was weighted evenly in the foot while in the squat making it feel really easy.

Thanks again guys!

[Greg Everett]

Nice work!

[Timothy Plunkett]

Thanks!

Now a few more questions. Bahahaha.
Watching some misses from the other night I noticed an early arm pull (in the snatch) which resulted in me looping the bar out in front of my face. Seems to put me in my toes (of course).

These misses were at 90% so I went back and checked some lighter reps (60-80) and the arm pull wasn't there, loop was greatly reduced and I wouldn't jump forward/catch in my toes.

What I've also noticed, w/ my halting snatch deadlift, is that I reach a weight (about 85% of my snatch) where my form changes. Hips and shoulders don't rise in unison and I am less able to sweep the bar into my hips.
My thought is that it is around this weight where I compensate with an early arm bend in an attempt to get the bar into my hips during the snatch? Does that sound logical?

My thought is to work 5 x 3 Halting Sn DL at the weight JUST below my breaking point and to creep that up. When I do these my lats feel like blowing off of my back (in a good way) so I figure I am lacking something in that movement.
After the 5 x 3, to work on hips & shoulders rising in unison, I was thinking some heavier singles or doubles in the snatch deadlift. Try to strengthen that movement?
I do tall snatches, to reduce the ability to bend early and to pattern the bar close to the face, but the weight there is obviously limited.

Should I keep my reps below the weight where I arm bend, to avoid making that a habit? My thought is I can push my max up from below and have perfect reps versus just ending up muscling it up w/ compromised form.

Does this seem logical? Any suggestions and if I'm way out in left field w/ my thought process, let me know!

Thanks again!

tim.

[Greg Everett]

early arm pull can definitely be the result of being out of balance forward. fix your balance problem, and that will likely resolve itself.

keeping the halting DLs to weights that you can do them perfectly or it completely defeats the purpose. if you take it past this point, you are just continuing to train the problem. if you do heavier sn DLs, same rule applies: if you can't do it right, it's too heavy.

try warming up your snatches with a halting sn DL + snatch to further ingrain that proper movement/balance. you don't have to stop snatching heavier than that point, but you do have to work to make every snatch correct, and do more volume of good reps than bad.

[Josh Hernandez]

Tim, I'm not surprised you're hitting big weights! Put up some videos when you get a chance!
And check your grip with the higher weights. Are you gripping the hell out of the bar when it gets heavy? Is that tightness running up your arm? I've had the same issue. Because of some nasty calluses, I've had to use a lighter grip than I normally would and all of a sudden.....no early arm bend, arms stay loose. It's natural reaction to use the death grip when going heavier, I'm finding it's hard to loosen it up! Just a suggestion