Snatch Critique

[Aaron Fondry]

I would love to hear some critiquing on my snatch from. Any and all help is welcome. My max snatch is 88kg. My biggest problem is at higher weights i'm very inconsistent with my bar recieving position which tends to make the bar fall foward.

First Video is at 61kg
http://youtu.be/VlVolm_L-bc


Second Video Video is at 70kg
http://youtu.be/U6cApOsqMWg


Third Video is a tracer on the path of my bar
http://youtu.be/U8y_fNtfTxY


Thanks for looking!

[Keith Miller]

Biggest thing I see is that your upper/middle back is rounded at the start. Chest is not up like it should be. Your bar path seems exaggerated, i.e. too much "S". It needs to be a bit narrower.

BUT, I would like to see what Greg says!!

[Aaron Fondry]

Originally Posted by Keith Miller

Biggest thing I see is that your upper/middle back is rounded at the start. Chest is not up like it should be. Your bar path seems exaggerated, i.e. too much "S". It needs to be a bit narrower.

BUT, I would like to see what Greg says!!

Rounded before the first pull? or at the start of the pull? or both?

I'm assuming you mean the top part of the "s" more than the bottom? is the bar traveling to far away from my body?

Appreciate the response.

[Keith Miller]

Originally Posted by Aaron Fondry

Rounded before the first pull? or at the start of the pull? or both?

I'm assuming you mean the top part of the "s" more than the bottom? is the bar traveling to far away from my body?

Appreciate the response.

Back is rounded as you start the pull, i.e. it never flattens out until you're getting under the bar.

Yes, the top part more than the bottom, but actually it's both. Your hips rise fast, so the bar comes in a bit too much, so to compensate, you bang the bar off your hips too hard and it loops back over the top of you. This is probably the biggest reason you are inconsistent at heavier weights. I used to do the same thing until I started working on keeping my hips down more on the first pull. It flattened out my "S" pull nicely.

[Aaron Fondry]

Originally Posted by Keith Miller

Back is rounded as you start the pull, i.e. it never flattens out until you're getting under the bar.

Yes, the top part more than the bottom, but actually it's both. Your hips rise fast, so the bar comes in a bit too much, so to compensate, you bang the bar off your hips too hard and it loops back over the top of you. This is probably the biggest reason you are inconsistent at heavier weights. I used to do the same thing until I started working on keeping my hips down more on the first pull. It flattened out my "S" pull nicely.

OK, i see what you are saying. Theres so much controversy about contact with the hips to the bar, i never know which is correct. I used to pull with zero contact from the bar to my hips, and then i begain to hang snatch more and found that with some contact the bar speed nearly doubled in the second pull.

[Greg Everett]

Sorry for the delay.

First, flexibility - you're limited getting into a good start position -bar is a bit too far forward and back needs to be arched. You won't be able to really fix that until you get a bit looser.

Next, stay over the bar a little longer, i.e. wait until the bar is higher before you initiate that final acceleration, around upper thigh.

Get your elbows up and out more as you move under the bar - they're coming back a bit too much too soon and the bar is swinging around you.

Your bottom position isn't that bad considering that you're not in lifting shoes and have pretty tight hips. Stretch so you can open up your hips at the bottom and stay flatfooted and that receiving position will be a lot stronger.

[Aaron Fondry]

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

Sorry for the delay.

First, flexibility - you're limited getting into a good start position -bar is a bit too far forward and back needs to be arched. You won't be able to really fix that until you get a bit looser.

Next, stay over the bar a little longer, i.e. wait until the bar is higher before you initiate that final acceleration, around upper thigh.

Get your elbows up and out more as you move under the bar - they're coming back a bit too much too soon and the bar is swinging around you.

Your bottom position isn't that bad considering that you're not in lifting shoes and have pretty tight hips. Stretch so you can open up your hips at the bottom and stay flatfooted and that receiving position will be a lot stronger.

No problem at all greg, i appreciate your imput. I guess i should sadly admit that i am infact wearing lifting shoes. They are nike romaleos.

My first pull has always been an issue for me, cleans and snatches alike. i have a hard time getting around my knees, and i'm always unsure when to start straightening up my back and extending my hips rather than keeping my shoulders over the bar.

[Greg Everett]

Guess I do need to finally get my glasses prescription updated.

Try doing some halting snatch deadlifts to the upper thigh to practice moving into position and getting past the knees. Push the knees out to the sides in the start and until the bar passes them to help clear the way.

Really arch the back and engage the lats to whatever extent you can currently to help push the bar back up into your hips.

You can also try doing some snatches with a really slow pull to upper thigh - this will give you plenty of time to get set and feel the proper position to start the explosion from. After practicing some of those, go back to normal speed and try to match the position/timing.

[Aaron Fondry]

Originally Posted by Greg Everett

Guess I do need to finally get my glasses prescription updated.

Try doing some halting snatch deadlifts to the upper thigh to practice moving into position and getting past the knees. Push the knees out to the sides in the start and until the bar passes them to help clear the way.

Really arch the back and engage the lats to whatever extent you can currently to help push the bar back up into your hips.

You can also try doing some snatches with a really slow pull to upper thigh - this will give you plenty of time to get set and feel the proper position to start the explosion from. After practicing some of those, go back to normal speed and try to match the position/timing.

Quick vid i just took of a few halting snatches. I seem to really have to concentrate to get past my knees. The more vertical i try to make my shins, the worse that becomes.

http://youtu.be/2C87NqrqYac

[Greg Everett]

Your shoulders are a bit too far back in the start - you're behind the bar. Hips up just a bit, arms closer to vertical - the front of your shoulders will be slightly in front of the bar.

In the pause position, you need to straighten your knees more - there you definitely want vertical shins and your shoulders will be a bit forward of the bar - you should have to actively push the bar back into yourself. Also try to get even higher on the thigh.