Barbell Hang Power Snatch Technique + Question

[Stephen B.]

I went through a bunch of progressions from a video to learn the hang-power snatch, and I think I've got my technique pretty good. After a bunch of work on the empty bar, I worked up to 3,3,2 with 95lbs.

Here's the link to the video of my last set (won't embed for some reason):

5/20/2022 -- 95lbs power snatches

youtube.com

Apart from any other technique tips you guys have, should I be hip-bumping the bar during my pull, and does it necessarily matter for sports other than weightlifting?

 

[watchnerd]

I went through a bunch of progressions from a video to learn the hang-power snatch, and I think I've got my technique pretty good. After a bunch of work on the empty bar, I worked up to 3,3,2 with 95lbs.

Here's the link to the video of my last set (won't embed for some reason):

5/20/2022 -- 95lbs power snatches

youtube.com

Apart from any other technique tips you guys have, should I be hip-bumping the bar during my pull, and does it necessarily matter for sports other than weightlifting?

It looks reasonable for a beginner so far, but TBH, it's hard to judge the technique when it's so light for you that you're almost muscle snatching.

From this angle, it looks like:

1. Your bar path before the 2nd pull isn't staying tight to your body

2. Your 2nd pull is too early

3. You're jumping, instead of going into triple extension, which means you're losing out on putting more energy into the bar

4. You're not pulling high enough before the 3rd pull / turnover. Related to #3, getting into triple extension, you should be pulling up to your chest while your toes are still on the ground, and look more like this:




5. 3rd pull under is slow -- I should hear your feet going *smack* on the wood

6. Lockout looks soft

7. Your bar path is arcing more than it should -- it's controllable at light weights, but we need to add weight to force you to get that under control

In general, I think you're going way too light, which is allowing you to get away with a lot of slop in technique.

I'd want to see you add sufficient weight that you're having to pull *up* hard and move faster.

If you're doing a 95 lb power snatch, how much are you snatch pulling right now?

As for bumping vs brushing, don't worry about that just yet.

Lastly, if you're trying to do this for other sports, I think power cleans give much much better bang for the buck.

 

[Anna C]

Good start! You've got the basic idea. Dedicate to the practice, and keep working on technique every time you do it.

 

[Stephen B.]

Thank you both for the encouragement and the advice! I'll be working on it again on Tuesday, and I'll go heavier then.

Lastly, if you're trying to do this for other sports, I think power cleans give much much better bang for the buck.

I was trying to learn power cleans before, but I simply found them harder to learn, and my technique was making my elbows ache. The internet tells me that I was "reverse curling" the bar to cause me elbow pain. I wasn't sure how to fix it without having my arms entirely loose, and the elbow discomfort was messing up basically everything else I was doing.

If you're doing a 95 lb power snatch, how much are you snatch pulling right now?

I've never done snatch pulls before, but I'll try them. I've done snatches a couple times before, mostly trying technique and playing around, since my gym didn't have bumpers until recently. I believe I've squat-snatched 135lbs in the past.

 

[Achilles]

One of the best things you can do to improve your OL's is to video each one. And, get yourself eith Coach's Eye or Kinovea. I think there's a fee for Coach's Eye while Kinovea is a free download. Both allow you to view in slow motion and Kinovea allows you to track bar path.

And go to the Catalyst Athletics website, tons of information on OL's

Also, I would video from the side and have the phone, camcorder up higher for a better viewing angle.

 

[Stephen B.]

Snatched again today, I briefly went through the technique progressions again, and then added weight every set until I was at 115lbs, then I stayed there for the rest of my power snatching. I felt really slow and sluggish, but when I looked back at all my videos I see that I was still going too light and going airborne on every rep. I felt like I would be likely to fail, but I think I would have only been unable to use sloppy technique again.

Here are my last two reps, the second probably being the best one of the session. The first I caught the bar a little forward.

Here's the link to that set:


I need to pull more with my arms/shoulders to stay rooted to the ground. What are your ques for keeping the bar path tight, and when should I progress from the hang-snatch to a regular power snatch?

 

[watchnerd]

What are your ques for keeping the bar path tight, and when should I progress from the hang-snatch to a regular power snatch?

If you start doing snatch pulls, you'll learn how to pull high without jumping.

A common warm up I'll do is snatch pull, tall muscle snatch, power snatch in sequence without putting the bar down.

 

[Stephen B.]

If you start doing snatch pulls, you'll learn how to pull high without jumping.

Will do, and thank you!

 

[watchnerd]

@Stephen B. Check out this slo-mo of Lydia Valentin.

You'll see that as she starts the 2nd pull, her toes are still on the platform, and she barely becomes completely airborne (and only by a teeny amount) during the 3rd pull.





Jumping and catching will ultimately severely limit your snatch, so you want to break that habit now, before it gets ingrained.

 

[Anna C]

Agree on the jumping... I have to work on that every session.

I think your bar path looks pretty good, @Stephen B. !

Have you thought about getting some lifting shoes?

 

[watchnerd]

Agree on the jumping... I have to work on that every session.

For the 2nd pull, I was taught to think about pushing into your feet while you pull up.

Your feet will just naturally pop up in the heels while pulling high as your knees straighten.

 

[Stephen B.]

I think your bar path looks pretty good, @Stephen B. !

Have you thought about getting some lifting shoes?

Thanks!

I haven’t, assuming you mean Olympic Weightlifting shoes. I lift with barefoot shoes, and I like them a lot, but I don’t think the cost of good Oly shoes is worth it for me. If I warm up with goblet squats, I can go butt-to-heel in flat shoes anyways.

 

[Stephen B.]

I did a lot of snatch pulls today, focusing on not jumping so much, and I think I accomplished that. The pulls felt weird, so did the snatches when I mixed them in. They looked better on video, though. I went up to 135lbs today, and full-snatched it, though I think I could easily power-snatch it with better pulling technique.

135lbs snatch pulls: 135lbs snatch pulls, 5/24/22
135lbs snatch: 135lbs snatch, 5/24/22

I decided to record a couple snatch pulls from the front. My grip width requires me to shrug during the second pull for the bar to hit my hips high enough, but I've been messing it up a lot and I have a sore pelvic bone now. I should try to use a wider grip next time. Edit: Just realized I jumped in this one. Dangit.

115lbs snatch pulls, front view, 5/24/22

youtube.com

 

[watchnerd]

I did a lot of snatch pulls today, focusing on not jumping so much, and I think I accomplished that. The pulls felt weird, so did the snatches when I mixed them in. They looked better on video, though. I went up to 135lbs today, and full-snatched it, though I think I could easily power-snatch it with better pulling technique.

135lbs snatch pulls: 135lbs snatch pulls, 5/24/22
135lbs snatch: 135lbs snatch, 5/24/22

I decided to record a couple snatch pulls from the front. My grip width requires me to shrug during the second pull for the bar to hit my hips high enough, but I've been messing it up a lot and I have a sore pelvic bone now. I should try to use a wider grip next time. Edit: Just realized I jumped in this one. Dangit.

115lbs snatch pulls, front view, 5/24/22

youtube.com

Elbows high on the snatch pull.

As Klokov says, "elbows up, no shrug, 2nd biggest mistake."

The bar should be almost brushing your torso / chest.

 

[watchnerd]

I have a sore pelvic bone now.

This can be a sign that you're banging your hips into the bar, using it to kick the bar up, which is a big no-no because it imparts forward momentum into the bar, which you don't want to happen.

 

[Anna C]

Elbows high on the snatch pull.

As Klokov says, "elbows up, no shrug, 2nd biggest mistake."

The bar should be almost brushing your torso / chest.

I've never seen or done that version of a snatch high pull.

135lbs snatch pulls: 135lbs snatch pulls, 5/24/22
135lbs snatch: 135lbs snatch, 5/24/22

The snatch looks good!

The snatch pulls.... need a method to follow. I suppose the example above is one.

 

[Anna C]

My grip width requires me to shrug during the second pull for the bar to hit my hips high enough, but I've been messing it up a lot and I have a sore pelvic bone now. I should try to use a wider grip next time.

The same issue I'm working on in this thread...

I don’t think the cost of good Oly shoes is worth it for me.

I'll suggest that it is definitely worth it! But don't let it be a show stopper.

 

[Stephen B.]

Okay, I mostly focused on snatch pulls today, I did all my snatch pulls and snatches without any hip bumping.
My bar path is basically perfect this way, but I feel much less powerful without being able to hip-bump the bar.
I'm thinking that I might be best off continuing to snatch this way.

115lbs snatch—No hip contact

youtube.com

155lbs snatch pulls, 5/27/22

youtube.com

I feel like I need to develop the power to throw the bar overhead without the hip-bump. And on the snatch I notice I was jumping.

 

[Anna C]

On the snatch, you're doing a good job pulling under as the bar is going up!

Are you following any particular program and do you have any in-person coaching available?

 

[watchnerd]

Okay, I mostly focused on snatch pulls today, I did all my snatch pulls and snatches without any hip bumping.
My bar path is basically perfect this way, but I feel much less powerful without being able to hip-bump the bar.
I'm thinking that I might be best off continuing to snatch this way.

115lbs snatch—No hip contact

youtube.com

155lbs snatch pulls, 5/27/22

youtube.com

I feel like I need to develop the power to throw the bar overhead without the hip-bump. And on the snatch I notice I was jumping.

Much better snatch!

For the snatch pull, you want to get it to chest height -- which might mean going a little lighter until you get stronger.

You might want to also try doing them straight from the floor, rather than pausing at the hang.

You should be able to do more weight if doing a snatch pull from the floor -- one of the benefits of the snatch pull is that it teaches you to be speedy on the 1st pull.