In this series I will be providing different tools and tricks that can help improve your snatch. Part 1 will be for beginner Olympic weightlifters, 0-1 months of training. Throughout the series we will go through the thought process into developing a lifters snatch from nothing to technically efficient.
Where do we start our assessment?
The first exercise as a coach I want to see an athlete perform would be a Barbell Overhead Squat. Here we can observe instantly any mobility deficiencies and strength inabilities. What we want to see from the lifter is around 5-10 Overhead Squats with an empty barbell. These need to be completed without any of the following misses:
Inability to hold a barbell overhead
Falling over
Failing to hold the bar in extension directly overhead
Heels/Toes popping
Different misses and how to correct:
Inability to hold a barbell overhead:
For our new lifters with no lifting experience an empty bar might not be possible to hold overhead at first. The lifter should perform simple overhead movements like seated or standing dumbbell presses to develop a stronger overhead.
Falling over in the Overhead Squat:
This may be from the movement pattern being new to the lifter and/or poor proprioception (body awareness). In situations like this doing, the movement more can fix it directly. Example: Adding in sets of Overhead Squat with an empty bar to your warm up every day. Make sure you are hitting your full range-of-motion and if needed even add a pause in the hole to each rep. Example: 3x10 with empty bar
Failing to hold the bar in extension directly overhead:
Some lifters may be pushing the bar at an angle which is inefficient. The bar should be directly over the back of the head/ear area, stacked over the shoulders. Fixing this alignment can be achieved by performing a sotts press. We will naturally want to push the bar in the most efficient way, directly overhead. I would recommend performing a sotts press and then performing overhead squats as this places the bar in a better position before squatting.
Add these to your warm up. Example: 3x10 with empty bar
Use these as a strength exercise. Example: 4x4, 4x5, 4x6 with loaded bar
Heels / Toes Popping:
If the bar is directly overhead and the heels or toes are popping we have a mobility problem. Depending on the individual, it may be a hip, knee, or ankle flexion inability. For hip and knee flexion I recommend performing some light "double bounce goblet squats". This movement can be added to your warm ups. In weightlifting we only need enough mobility to perform the movement. Sometimes the best way to gain mobility for a movement is to perform said movements under light loads. Make sure your heels stay flat during the movement and you challenge your mobility with each double bounce.
Add these to your warm up. Example: 3x10 , 3x8
Another mobility exercise I recommend is "Banded Ankle Distractions" This targets your ankle mobility by reducing stress on the joint while taking it through ranges of motion. Add this to your cool down if you have inadequate ankle mobility.
Add these to your warm up or cool down. Example: 2x 30"/30", 2x 20"/20", 3x 10/10 (move in and out of distraction)
Conclusion:
If you are able to perform an overhead squat for multiple reps in a set and hit all the mobility requirements then congratulations you are ready to start performing the Snatch movement safely. Check out the next part in the series as we go to the next step for improving our snatch!
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