Snatching can be frustrating. There are many cues and things to think about during the lift. One common problem people have is missing a snatch because the weight is too far forward. They end up with their weight toward to the toes and the bar way out in front of them. Fixing this problem starts with the way we set up with our barbell. Leverage is key in starting the lift out right. Lifters can lose their leverage by transferring their knees under the bar too soon and also by the shoulders getting behind the bar too fast. If you watch good technical lifters, you will see that when the bar is at the top of their knees, their shoulders are still well in front of the bar and their shins are vertical. If you push your knees under the bar immediately after it passes the knees, then you lose your leverage and will not be able to lift as heavy a load. The longer and farther you can stay over the bar, the better your lift will be.
Once the bar leaves the ground it needs to track backwards off the ground. Otherwise it is very likely that the bar will be too far in front of you for the remainder of the lift, causing you to jump forward to get under the bar or you will lose the lift forward. Another issue with this is that the lifter may thrust their hips horizontally into the bar, causing it the arch around their body. The lifter needs to move their hips vertically and this can’t be done if the bar is too far in front of the body. Sweeping the bar back after it leaves the floor is important because it will load the hamstrings and posterior chain in order to allow you to gain bar speed at the right time. It also will help you keep the bar closer to you during the lift.
Fixing technical lifts, such as a snatch or clean and jerk, takes a lot of time and patience. Watching videos, reading articles, and of course coming to class and taking an Oly class can really help you perfect your lifts!
