Snatch Critique

[Charlie Stone]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IJKIFYc1VM

I've been lifting for just under a year, my max snatch is 92kg. I recently attended a oly seminar where the instructor said I needed to work on arching my lower back and tilting my hips back in both my starting positions and my squats.
I was previously squatting low bar and sitting back, going pretty deep but letting my hips round under/loosing tightness. I've since started practicing high bar squats.

Any advice would be much appreciated, thanks!

[Troy Kerr]

Your legs are straightening out during the first pull, this is causing the hips to rise to high too soon. In your set up, push your knees out into your elbows to create more room, also focus squeezing your chest up by pulling into the bar. This will help to keep the back tight for the set up. For the first pull your goal is to improve your positioning for the second pull, you need to only pull your knees back for the first pull. The bar should easily end up on top of your knees. Practice keeping a tight back during this. Do it after your warm-up until you can easily get the bar on top of your knee.

If your freeze your video a few seconds in, you can see that your almost in a straight leg deadlift, and your back is slightly rounded. The rest of your lift looks quite well despite the set-up.

[Charlie Stone]

Thanks for the quick reply. So I should have more bend in my legs when the bar has just past my knee and the bar should be over my actual knee joint?

Here is an 80kg from about a month ago, I was starting with the bar closer to me and more on my heels.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HmpYIYN0hU

[Troy Kerr]

Now from this angle it looks as though you have long legs and a shorter torso. Which can make the initial set-up akward. One of my first clients had this similar issue. Def. emphasize pulling yourself into the bar to keep the upper back tight in the set up. See how that helps.

[Bee Brian]

Originally Posted by Charlie Stone

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IJKIFYc1VM

I've been lifting for just under a year, my max snatch is 92kg. I recently attended a oly seminar where the instructor said I needed to work on arching my lower back and tilting my hips back in both my starting positions and my squats.
I was previously squatting low bar and sitting back, going pretty deep but letting my hips round under/loosing tightness. I've since started practicing high bar squats.

Any advice would be much appreciated, thanks!

I think you're simply exploding too early. This is the main reason why you are further forward when you catch the weight at the bottom position.

Remember, first pull, second pull, and before the third pull, torso must be vertical while knees are slightly bent. From that position, you extend explosively.

[Charlie Stone]

Thanks will work on those points. I tend to rush the 3rd pull when the weight gets heavy.

Having trouble getting under the bar in cleans, it's almost as if I power clean then front squat. Can't seem to shrug myself under the bar when its below chest level, any tips on this one?

[Bee Brian]

Originally Posted by Charlie Stone

Thanks will work on those points. I tend to rush the 3rd pull when the weight gets heavy.

Having trouble getting under the bar in cleans, it's almost as if I power clean then front squat. Can't seem to shrug myself under the bar when its below chest level, any tips on this one?

HAH! The funny thing about this is I am the opposite. I find it easy to be agile with cleans and very tough to be agile with snatches.

I believe this is one of those cases where we should focus more on regular cleans/snatches as opposed to their power variations. The power variations are a great tool to build up speed, but nothing teaches you to catch the weight other than TRYING to catch the weight, either starting from the hang or starting from the floor.

[Charlie Stone]

That makes sense. The my current program has power cleans, I will swap for full cleans.

Cheers

[Charlie Stone]

That makes sense. The my current program has power cleans, I will swap for full cleans.

Cheers