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Kettlebell Snatch and C&P form check

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Oscar

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Hi all,

I would appreciate if you could take a look at my snatch and clean & press.

The snatch is filmed from 45°, but I also have videos from the side if required.

C&P, both arms:


Snatch right arm:


Snatch left arm:



Thanks!
 
Looks really goo to me, @Oscar !

This is going to sound odd, but my only advice would be to relax just a bit, particularly for the snatch. Without losing any explosiveness, try dialing down your intensity. One place to start with this is in the lockout for the snatch, find a bit of looseness and less tension for the second that you are in the motionless lockout position.
 
@Oscar
Snatch looks basically solid. One suggestion to experiment with:

You are standing straight up and ititiating the drop by casting the bell forward (snatching "over a barrel"). This is not necessarily a problem with lighter bells, but can be with heavier ones. It leaves your arm and shoulder more disconnected from your torso, and makes it hard to absorb any of the force of the drop on the way down, so it all hits at once at the bottom.

Try dropping the bell a little more straight down. To facilitate this, initiate the drop by leaning back a little to make space for the bell. As you initiate the drop, try to pull your elbow in a little quicker and get your arm more connected to your body on the way down, instead of that reaching over a barrel motion with your elbow up and out. Imagine your are trying to drop the bell between your feet -- you would have to lean back to get out of the bell's path. Think of the negative portion of a clean and press, but faster and without catching the bell in the rack (it's not exactly like this, but these are visualizations I find helpful).
 
@Oscar , looking good! What's been said I agree with but would like to add one more thing if you don't mind..

On the snatch lockout, looking in slow motion it appears that you could punch up sooner, the bell's center of mass is slightly behind you and on some snatches it's far enough to actually cause a very slight back hyper-extension, you absorb it with a tight core but I can see the pressure and a very slight back bend. Also the center of bell mass behind you pinches on the shoulder and with high volume could lead to irritation or worse.

I think you're trying to finish the snatches with the bicep next to the ear which is good but only to a point, the arm should finish slightly forward to keep the center of the bell mass in line with your own center.
I know this because I'm working on it myself, I'm finding that not long after the 'tame the arc' bell yank the punch up should follow quickly. If you play with the timing a bit you'll see what I mean, also pressing big toes and heels into the ground helps my stability in the top position.
 
@Oscar, I think I get what @Bret S. is saying, but I don't think it's a big problem in your case. The more common problem is catching the bell short (too early), while it is still out in front, and letting it swing BACK into the lockout, overshooting vertical and putting a lot of stress on the front of the shoulder to brake the momentum of the bell.

IMO, you do a good job of snatching TO the lockout point, without overshooting, and fixating the bell overhead.
 
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The snatch drop cue that sticks with me is "aim for the crotch" ROFL - this keeps the elbow close, the arm "pulling" it down (instead of it falling on it's own), and you can hinge back with it high (in the triangle above the knees) and not yanking your shoulder when it falls on it's own from above your head to your hips/thigh level (that's a lot of force to absorb suddenly).
 
Sounds like everyone covered the snatches which I think looked great.

Clean and press looked solid - but I think you could improve them by cleaning lower - to build more tension in the rack - Enter the Kettle Bell has the best instructions on this IMO.

'Catch the kettlebell as low as possible; it helps to visualize that you are cleaning to your waist rather than your shoulder.'

I also think the drop out of the rack to reclean looks a little off - I think you're initiating a bit too much with your arm and it seems to be jerking your wrist a bit as a result. Again from ETK

'Start with the kettlebell in the rack. Push your butt back, relax your arm, and turn your thumb slightly down as if you are pouring vodka. The kettlebell will roll off your forearm.'

Minor stuff - but you like you are aiming for perfection.
 
Looks really solid!
I have nothing more to add to all the great suggestions already been given.
 
catching the bell short (too early), while it is still out in front, and letting it swing BACK into the lockout
Yes this is an important distinction, I could see it causing some serious shoulder strain if done chronically.
Once the arm is straight and 'punched up' it should not drift back, the timing is critical and something I pay close attention to. I practice this on every rep, my goal is to be like a machine hitting the hard plank at precisely the same time as the punch up finish. I find it to be more important as the weight of the bell increases.
 
Thanks all for the feedback!

@Anna C I see what you mean, I could enjoy a second of relaxation at the top for sure. I think this would give a nice rhythm of tension-relaxation.

@Steve W. I think I understand the idea of leaning back in order to drop the kettlebell more vertically. I'll give it a try. About the discussion with @Bret S., the lockout is feeling pretty natural now as it is, but I haven't paid much attention to spine hyper extension. This is my 3rd session practicing snatches, so I'm still working on the timing of the punch and required power so the bell doesn't fly up and back or end up short.

@krg thanks for the comments on the clean. To be honest, of all the lifts this is the one that feels least natural. I'll work on those cues
 
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