Starting Position

·        Stand with your feet between shoulder and hip-width apart and your toes angled slightly outward so that your knees will track directly over your toes.

·        Squat down with your hips lower than the shoulders and grasp the Olympic bar with a pronated (wrists facing backwards) grip.

·        The hand placement on the bar is wider for the snatch than other lifts like the power clean. Grip width can be estimated by measuring the distance from the edge of the knuckles of the clenched fist of your arm extended at 90 degrees - parallel to the floor, across the back of the arm and upper back, to the outside edge of your opposite shoulder. This spacing can be adjusted if necessary depending upon your arm length and shoulder flexibility.

·        The actual grip can be a closed or a hook grip. A closed grip is the traditional grip of the thumbs wrapping over the fingers.  For the hook grip, place a pronated hand on the bar and wrap your thumb around the bar FIRST, then close your four fingers over the thumb. Your first 1 or 2 fingers should cover the thumb. This grip is suited for lifting maximum or near-maximum loads, but initially can be a bit uncomfortable. Try wrapping your thumbs with athletic tape as this will help minimize friction and pressure when using the hook grip.

·        Your arms should be extended and outside the knees.

·        Your feet should be flat on the floor and your elbows rotated to point out to your sides.

·        Position your body so that the bar is approximately 1 inch in front of your shin bones and over the balls of your feet.

Before lift-off, check these seven preparatory pointers:

• your body weight is positioned between the middle and balls of the feet, but your heels remain in contact with the floor
• your back is flat or very slightly arched (low back)
• your chest is held up and out, and your shoulder blades are pinched together
• your head is in line with your spine or slightly hyperextended
• your shoulders are in line with or slightly in front of the bar
• your gaze is focused straight ahead or slightly above
• you take a breath and hold

Your own torso, hip, knee and bar position will depend on factors such as segment lengths and lower body joint flexibility. If you are inflexible, and attempting to assume the correct starting position of the power snatch, calf tightness may make it difficult to grip the bar with your elbows extended while keeping the heels on the floor.

If you find that you cannot achieve the preparatory pointers for the starting position, the hang snatch may be a better alternative, since it does not require you to begin with the bar on the floor and begins rather with the bar above the knees.  You may also try using lifting stands that hold the bar a specified distance off the floor.

From the starting position, the power snatch involves lifting the bar over your head with your arms fully extended, standing with slightly flexed knees - all in a single movement.

Although the lift consists of four separate phases, the upward movement of the bar occurs in one continuous, uninterrupted motion.

Phase 1: The First Pull

This phase of the upward movement from the lift-off position to where the bar is just above the knees and is called the “first pull.”

• Lift the bar off the floor by forcefully extending your knees and hips.  It is important that these joints extend at a similar rate to keep the back/torso angle constant relative to the floor and to allow the knees to “get out of the way” of the vertical path of the bar. Do not allow your hips to rise faster or higher than the shoulders. Slowly shifting the body weight from over the middle of your feet toward the heels while maintaining the flat back position will help retain a consistent torso angle.
• Your elbows should remain be fully extended, your head neutral in relation to the spine and your shoulders over or slightly in front of the bar.
• As the bar rises, keep it as close to the shins as possible; shifting your body weight slightly back toward your heels will help ensure the proper path of the bar.
• Continue holding your breath. This is important because the intra-abdominal pressure generated by the “fluid ball” helps support the spine internally - reducing stress on the intervertebral disks and ligaments and risk of injury.

Phase 2: The Transition or “Scoop”

This phase of the upward movement from the first pull position to where the knees and thighs move forward under the bar and is called the “transition” or “scoop”.

• As the bar rises to just above your knees, thrust the hips forward and slightly re-flex the knees to move your thighs against, and your knees under the bar.
• During the second knee bend, your body weight shifts forward toward the balls of the feet but your heels should remain in contact with the floor or lifting platform.
• Maintain a flat or slightly arched back, elbows fully extended and pointing out to the sides and your head in line with your spine.
• Your shoulders should remain in line with the bar, although they will have a tendency to move backwards as your thighs and knees are scooped under the bar. At the end of this phase the body is in what is termed the “power position”.
• Continue holding your breath to maintain intra-abdominal pressure and trunk stability.        

Phase 3:  The Second Pull (“Power Phase”)

This phase of the upward movement from the power position where the bar is at the mid thigh and close to the trunk, to a position where the joints of the lower body are fully extended and the bar has reached its maximum speed is called the “second pull” or “power phase”.

• The bar should be very close to, or in contact with the front of your thighs above the knees. Attempt a fast, upward jumping motion by quickly extending (straightening) the hips, knees and ankles (plantarflexing).
•  The bar trajectory should remain as close to the body as possible.
• Maintain your torso with your back flat or slightly arched, your elbows pointing out to the sides and your head in line with the rest of your spine.
• Ensure that your shoulders stay in line with the vertical trajectory of the bar and that your elbows remain extended for as long as possible while your hips, knees, and ankles extend.
• As the joints of the lower body reach full extension, shrug your shoulders rapidly and powerfully upward, keeping your elbows extended and pointing out to your sides.
• As your shoulders reach their highest elevation, flex your elbows to begin pulling your body underneath the bar. The movements of the upper body closely resemble those of the upright row exercise, only with a wider grip. Your elbows will move up and out to the side.
• Continue to pull vertically upward with your arms as high and as long as possible.
• The jumping action of the lower body and the pulling action of the upper body, may cause your torso to be erect or slightly hyperextended, your head tilted slightly back (hyperextended) and your feet may rise off the floor.
• Keep holding your breath as before.

Phase 4:  The Catch

The action of receiving the bar in the overhead position is termed the “catch” phase of the power snatch.

• Once the joints of your lower body have fully extended and the bar’s trajectory has reached near maximal height and momentum, pull your body under the bar by rotating the arms and hands around and under the bar and by flexing your knees and hips to a quarter-squat position.
• Typically you will regain foot contact with the floor in a stance slightly wider and with your toes pointed out slightly further than your starting position.
• Once your arms are under the bar, quickly extend your elbows to push the bar up and your body downward and under the bar.

Catch the bar in the overhead position with your:

• elbows fully extended
• torso erect/tight with a flat/slightly arched back
• head neutral
• knees and hips slightly flexed (quarter squat)
• feet flat
• body weight over the mid-foot
• head slightly in front of the bar

It is ideal that you reach the quarter-squat position with the elbows extended just as the bar reaches its maximum trajectory height.

Once you gain control and balance of the bar, stand up to a fully erect position by extending your hips and knees.  Once you have stabilized the bar, exhale and breathe normally. Keep in mind that the entire lifting movement requires the breath to be held for only about one second.

Downward Movement

If you are using rubber bumper plates, you can return the bar to the floor bar by dropping it in a controlled manner; make sure to control the bounce of the bar and plates with the hands on or near the bar.

Alternatively you can slowly lower the bar from the overhead position by gradually decreasing muscular tension in the upper body to allow a controlled descent of the bar to the thighs. Flex your hips and knees simultaneously to cushion the impact of the bar on your thighs. Lower the bar the bar down to the floor with a squatting movement.

If you are performing multiple repetitions, reposition the bar and your body in the initial starting position.

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NEXT MONTH'S EXERCISE - THE DYNAMIC WOOD CHOP AND LIFT

(Based on the NSCA's Exercise Technique Checklist Manual)

Copyright 2006, David Petersen and B.O.S.S. Fitness