Olympic Weightlifting: Understanding the Snatch
THE SNATCH
The snatch is an Olympic weightlifting movement, and a beautiful thing to watch. It requires pulling a barbell from the ground and receiving overhead in a squat position, then rising to complete the lift. This single movement is achieved all in a matter of seconds. To achieve such speed, an athlete must be proficient in the deadlift, overhead squat, and the clean. This unique combination means the snatch covers eight of the ten general physical skills in CrossFit, strength, power, speed, agility, balance, flexibility, accuracy and coordination. Adding the WOD “Isabel” (30 snatches for time) covers the final two components; stamina and endurance.
A movement of such complexity can quickly reveal how well-balanced an athlete is across the realms of fitness. The ability to move under the bar at tremendous speed, as opposed to pulling the bar to higher heights is what separates the best lifters from the good ones. Additionally, not only does the snatch perfectly showcase an athlete’s physical prowess, it also demands a high level of mental fitness, requiring precision, aggression, and confidence in order to execute heavy loads successfully.
In June 2009 Rich Froning, three time champion of the CrossFit Games, snatched 155lbs (70kg). Since 2010, Rich has added 100lbs (45kg) to his snatch. His current record is an impressive 300lbs (136kg). At 85kg, this is almost twice his bodyweight. Mastering the snatch will allow you to be more competitive for CrossFit events. At the CrossFit Games, the snatch is one of the top five lifts alongside the burpee, thruster, pull up and jerk, and accounts for over 50% of the total points. It is safe to say that alongside muscle ups, the snatch is one of the most coveted movements in CrossFit.
BENEFITS OF THE SNATCH
Unique benefits of the snatch include greater grip strength, thanks to the wide hook grip. This carries over into other movements, especially ones which require grip such as deadlifts, pull ups and toes to bar. The shoulder stability and strength developed from holding weight overhead transfers across into any sport that requires pushing or pulling an object or person. Finally, the stabilising muscles used in the upper back to prevent the spine from buckling under the bar can help to counterbalance the postural hazards of sitting for long periods of time in today’s typical sedentary lifestyle.
THE DIFFERENT SNATCH VARIATIONS
There are a wide variety of snatch exercises, each serving its own purpose. These variations can be somewhat confusing to a new lifter. To help clarify the differences, here is a description of the main ones used at CrossFit Thames:
1) Snatch
A snatch, often referred to as a squat snatch or full snatch, is any snatch received with the hips below the knees. The bar starts from the ground and is received overhead in a deep squat. By actively pulling yourself under the bar, you don’t have to pull the bar as high. Thus, a squat snatch is the most efficient way to accommodate more weight on the bar.
2) Power snatch
A power snatch is any snatch received with the hips above parallel. The bar starts from the ground and is received overhead in a partial squat. The power snatch is an assistance movement used to develop power and strengthen the second pull. It is also used in light weight, timed workouts.
3) Hang power snatch
The word “hang” refers to the bar starting position. Instead of starting from the ground, the bar starts in front of the hips, slid down to just above the knees before receiving overhead in a partial squat. Snatching from this mid-position allows you to focus on aggressive hip extension and speed under the bar.
4) Muscle snatch
In a muscle snatch, the lower body is taken out of the equation. There is no dip at the hips or bending of the knees. The bar starts in front of the hips, arms straight and received overhead. The muscle snatch helps to develop rotational strength in the shoulders, used to pull under and turning over during the third phase of the snatch. The relatively slower speed forces you to pay attention to the path of the barbell. This drill is mainly used as part of a warmup leading up to the full snatch.
SCALING THE SNATCH
The complexity of the snatch means that it is highly likely (and rightly so) to be one of the most scaled movements in CrossFit, in terms of adjusting prescribed weights and variation. The reason why one snatch exercise is used instead of another depends on the fitness level of each individual athlete. If you possess the flexibility and mobility to get into a full snatch position, then always choose the full snatch variation when prescribed.
The power snatch and hang power snatch are great variations for new lifters. The shorter total travelling distance of the bar reduces the chances of the bar moving into space diagonally, either towards, or away from the body instead of vertically upwards. This can help you get into the correct positions and achieve more successful lifts. Both variations are also ideal for those lacking in trunk stability, thoracic spine extension (the upper back) or mobility in the hips or ankles. Lack of stability and mobility in these key areas can prevent an athlete from getting into the set-up position, resulting in the body making compensations elsewhere to get to the bar resting on the ground.
This default pattern is typically gained through flexion, i.e., rounding at the lumbar spine. Loss of neutral spine is when the cycle of back injuries can occur. Maintaining a neutral spine is the most important safety aspect when lifting weights. It is better to start from a hang position or with bar elevated off the floor until enough flexibility and/or stability is developed in order to get into the correct start position. The good news is, it is possible to improve these areas and very soon you will achieve the correct start position. Prioritise this as a major goal to improve in these areas first, before trying to snatch from the ground.
6 MOST COMMON SNATCH MISTAKES
The ultimate goal when performing a snatch (or any other movement for that matter) is efficiency. The most efficient direction for the bar to travel from the ground to overhead is in a upwards vertical direction. You, the athlete must move around the barbell to allow this to happen. Any horizontal movement results in loss of height and wasted energy in the effort to stabilise the bar overhead. There are plenty of reasons why a bar will start to deviate away from its most efficient path. Knowing the cause and effect of these can help to develop body awareness and gain a deeper understanding of the movement. Subsequently, this can allow you to work more effectively to correct any flaws in your technique, putting you on the right track to lifting much heavier loads in the future. Below are six most common mistakes that athletes often make when performing the snatch:
1) Poor start position
Positioning is key. A good start position will vary with each individual athlete depending on their biomechanics. For example, athletes with short limbs and long torsos will have a smaller starting knee angle than athletes with long limbs and a short torso. The objective is to maintain a trunk position 30 degrees above horizontal. This remains a constant whilst the angle of the shins and the thighs can vary greatly based on the height of the athlete. A good start position allows the athlete to stay balanced through the entire lift. A poor start position i.e. being too forward on your toes or too far back on your heels throws the athlete off balance right from the start, creating a domino effect that continues to the end of the lift.
2) Not enough tension in the trunk
Failing to maintain tension once the bar starts moving results in the upper back or the arms being used instead to get the weight moving. The correct sequence of force begins from the legs, transferring through the torso to the arms to the bar. As the bar is travelling, it is important to maintain tension in the trunk, and keep the upper back set (i.e., shoulder blades compact, and tension held in the shoulder blades). This allows for the legs to be fully utilised, and the correct movement pattern of knee and hip extension to be executed.
3) Lifting too rapidly in the first pull
Jerking the bar forcefully off the ground with no sense of balance or control, hoping to generate the speed required to snatch the weight overhead is a common mistake that many athletes make. Instead, the first pull must be smooth and relatively “slow” in comparison to the rest of the lift but must not be painfully slow either. The main goal is to achieve speed in the second pull – when the bar reaches hip height. If acceleration begins at the first pull, it would be impossible for the athlete to generate more force to acceleration again. If the entire lift is done at "one speed”, chances are the speed of the first pull is too fast. To establish the ideal speed of the first pull, the change in speed should simply be easy to distinguish. A good smooth first pull will lead to an explosive second pull, increasing the chances of a good lift.
4) Hips shoot up first
The torso angle in the start position is around 30 degrees above horizontal. This loads up the hips, allowing for powerful hip extension later on in the lift. The 30-degree angle must be maintained throughout the first pull. To achieve this, the hips and shoulders must rise in conjunction with the bar as soon as it leaves the ground. Hips that shoot up first alters this angle, creating a more horizontal one. This “flat back” effectively removes the quads from the pull. The knees can no longer be driven back and the back begins to overcompensate in order to bring the body upright. Hips that shoot up first also causes the bar to be too far in front, ruining all chances of making a good lift. Maintaining tension in the torso and focusing on the initial movement coming mainly from the knees and some from the hips will fix this common mistake.
5) Bending the arms too early
As mentioned earlier, if tension is not taken up in the start position, the initiation of movement during the first pull will cause the athlete to hold the weight through the upper body (i.e. arms) and the legs can no longer contribute to the movement. When this disconnection with the barbell occurs, the bar begins to travel in a diagonal direction; either away from, or towards the athlete. A bar that moves away causes a greater distance between the barbell and the athlete. This has a domino effect which affects the entire lift. Pulling the bar tight to the body in a sweeping motion as you start the lift will correct this.
A bar that moves the opposite way – towards the body and into the hips is “bumped” forwards in the second pull. This damages the speed, and also results in the bar forming a much bigger loop at the top the barbell ends up further behind during the catch. Either way, the athlete is forced to use the shoulders and arms to literally bring the barbell to the correct position in order to find the right balance overhead. Sometimes, this can result in the athlete having to jump forwards to catch the bar. If the arms are used properly to keep the bar close to the torso, the bar will tuck right into that hip notch at the top of the thigh and then the athletes can just drive their hips and extend upwards. It is worthy to note that bending the arms early can take 10-20kg off an athlete’s potential.
6) Failing to reach full hip extension
Many athletes miss this step out completely. This usually occurs as the result of a mistake performed earlier down the chain. Common reasons include pulling too soon under the bar, which happens when the arms are overused. Another mistake to affect hip extension is when the athlete “bumps” their hips into the bar – the hips are moving forwards. This causes the bar to travel horizontally or diagonally. Understanding the direction of force applied by the hips can help the athlete to achieve the explosiveness needed to snatch a bar effectively. Vertical movement of the bar is a key factor in the snatch, and to drive the bar upwards, the hips need to be moving upwards, not forward.
TIPS ON DEVELOPING A MORE EFFICIENT SNATCH
Mastering the snatch requires practising the movement and drills regularly. Sometimes however, looking at the movement from another perspective can help you get those “ah ha!” moments where suddenly everything just clicks into place. Below are a few tips and ideas which may help you to achieve this for the snatch:
1) Build the foundations
It would not be possible to snatch a greater load than your deadlift, clean, or overhead squat. Subsequently, it is important to build strength in these fundamental movements, and to methodically work on weak areas such as flexibility and mobility, which are requisite in order for you to get into the right positions in these movements safely and effectively. Identify your weaknesses and start doing the appropriate exercises to get to where you want to be.
2) Develop a set up ritual
Never underestimate the power of a good set up. A poor one can severely reduce the chances of a successful lift. All experienced lifters have their own ritual. It’s a mental checklist to make sure all points of performance have been covered before the bar is pulled from the ground. Creating a ritual helps to cultivate technique and increase body awareness. It will help you find your focus when you need to get into the zone quickly (e.g. in competitions or WODs). Develop your own by starting with one or two things then as these become ingrained, add more elements. Everyone’s ritual will differ depending on what you need to work on as an individual.
3) Never be too proud to scale
There is nothing wrong with a little pride. But pride can lead to arrogance, which is why it’s listed as one of the seven deadly sins. The golden rule is, if you are unable to maintain good form during any part of the movement, then the weight is too heavy for you at that moment in time. Learn to trust your intuition and know when you should scale or when you can push it. During WODs, it is easy to go all out for want of a quick time, or to simply say you RX’d the workout. However, if you are unable to maintain good form and cannot control the movement with any real awareness, or it doesn’t feel “right” then you need to slow down and/or scale the weight.
It takes on average, 360 reps to learn a new movement and ten times more (i.e. 3600) to unlearn a bad habit movement. The body kicks into an ingrained pattern once speed is added, and performing movements with poor mechanics or technique will only reinforce bad habit movements which can affect your true lifting potential. Use a weight which allows you to maintain good form. This may mean that you lift less weight as your body adjusts to the new mechanics. In the long run however, you will achieve better gains in strength, power, and stability. There are many different ways to scale and your coach is there to guide and help you find the right level to suit you best.
4) Video analysis
For those who are not camera shy, film yourself using video analysis programmes such as Coaches Eye (www.coacheseye.com) or Kinovea (www.kinovea.org). These are powerful tools which can help to improve your technique. These programmes can produce a series of screenshots, slow down the motion and can even trace your bar path. Ask a coach or fellow athlete to record you – but please respect others and make sure you anyone else in the shot doesn’t mind being filmed first. After a few years, you will be able to compile a video like this one, which Coach Woods found.
5) Identify your learning style
Have you ever performed an exercise hundreds of times, believing that you understand it, until one day it is explained in a slightly different way and suddenly everything clicks into place? The reason could simply because you could relate those type of words better. Do you know the way you learn best? Are you an auditory learner? A visual learner? A kinaesthetic learner? Or a combination of two? Everyone learns through all three, but one style tends to be more dominant in most people. A good coach understands this and can skilfully cover all three teaching styles at the same time. They can also recognise how learn as an individual in the way you respond to their coaching cues.
By identifying the type of learner you are, you can ask more effective questions to gain an even better understanding of the movement. If you are a visual learner, ask your coach to show a section of the movement again, or use video analysis. If you are an auditory learner, ask your coach to explain it in more detail, or to recommend reading materials. If you are a kinaesthetic learner, ask them to take you through the movement. By truly understanding the movement you can improve your mechanics and technique much more quickly.
SOME FINAL WORDS
Enjoy the journey. Trust the process. Respect your body and the movement in all its glory. It takes years to master the Snatch. To think otherwise would be an insult to the Olympic weightlifters who have spent twenty years developing the technique. Have patience and stay focused. Be determined and tenacious. Be humble. Appreciate different perspectives and allow yourself to grow as an athlete. Working to develop these attributes will become a integral part your character both as an individual, and as a CrossFitter. And these are truly great characteristics to possess.
References
Olympic Weightlifting: A Complete Guide for Athletes & Coaches | Everett G
Complete Olympic Lifting | Fleming W | http://completeolympiclifting.com
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