Speed Under the Bar

Mark Konen · 07-30-2008, 10:08 PM

What are the best ways to develop and optimize getting more speed under the bar on a snatch? I am getting good pulls, but seem sluggish pulling myself under the bar quickly.

Mike ODonnell · 07-30-2008, 10:16 PM

make it heavy......good motivation in not getting crushed.....

Mark Konen · 07-30-2008, 11:19 PM

Hmmm, good point, Mike. Can you suggest a progression or drill that might also help?

Jacob Rowell · 07-31-2008, 06:47 AM

I've found snatches from a dead hang/full extension to be helpful.

Start standing up with a snatch grip, bar hanging at waist height or wherever your grip lets it hang I suppose, light light weight at first (<50%). Give it a little toe/shrug action and drop under. Bar isn't coming up nearly as high as you're used to, so you've gotta drop fast or miss it. I find that a lot of times, most of my thought process is consumed by getting a good 2nd pull, that I can't keep it together for a quick 3rd pull.

Mike ODonnell · 07-31-2008, 07:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark Konen

Hmmm, good point, Mike. Can you suggest a progression or drill that might also help?

I'll defer to Greg or other experts for Oly drills.....not my forte'

My guess would be simple progression of doubles/singles......start light....work up to heavy.

Not sure if anyone does this....but might be fun to try wearing a weight vest while using lighter weights....may build up speed pulling yourself down...CNS adaptive thing most likely. Kind of like running downhill to increase foot speed.

Allen Yeh · 07-31-2008, 07:52 AM

Snatch balance and it's variations help you get comfortable here is the link with some videos:
http://www.cathletics.com/resources/...on&sectionID=2

Tall snatches.

Derek Simonds · 07-31-2008, 08:24 AM

Allen is dead on. At the Greg's seminar in Orlando he had me doing tall snatches to increase my speed under the bar. Snatch Balances are extraordinarily challenging so use light weights when you start and think about pressing yourself down under the bar. The goal is for the bar not to rise at all from where you are starting. You will have a momentary unloading of the bar but you have to focus on pressing yourself and pulling yourself into the hole.

Here is a complex that Greg programmed that happened to fall on Christmas Day (hence the hat in the video, my son and I were being goofy) Medium Weight Muscle Snatch, Overhead Squat and Snatch Balance. My form isn't perfect but I like this complex alot.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-Y46mBNhNk

Hope this helps.

Mark Konen · 07-31-2008, 12:21 PM

Good stuff, guys thanks. I have been doing some of those things but have not concentrated on the speed like I need to do.

Allen Yeh · 07-31-2008, 12:39 PM

Just to let you know I moved the thread to go under weightlifting.

Craig Snyder · 07-31-2008, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike ODonnell

I'll defer to Greg or other experts for Oly drills.....not my forte'

My guess would be simple progression of doubles/singles......start light....work up to heavy.

Not sure if anyone does this....but might be fun to try wearing a weight vest while using lighter weights....may build up speed pulling yourself down...CNS adaptive thing most likely. Kind of like running downhill to increase foot speed.

Not that oly lifting isn't hard enough already...but I tried that once and found that the vest gets in the way. I was used to the bar brushing up to my body, but the vest sticking out about an inch really bothered me. It was a good idea at the time.

Craig