Weightlifting is a difficult sport, but competitive movements must be performed correctly. Learn the snatch and clean and jerk technique now! Anyone who has been involved in weightlifting or watching the competition will confirm that this is a very difficult sport from a technical point of view. It is thanks to the precise technique of performing the movements that you can achieve great results. At the same time, many amateurs do not use snatch and clean and jerk in their workouts precisely because of their high technical complexity.
But these are very effective exercises that use a lot of muscles. Today we are going to share with you 5 tips for snatch and clean and jerk techniques shared by Glenn Pendlay. This is perhaps the best weightlifting coach in the United States. For this reason, his advice will be useful to you.
How to do snatch and clean and jerk in weightlifting?
All these movements begin with the removal of a sports equipment from the platform. For some, it may seem that there is nothing difficult in this, but it is at this phase that many already have problems. These problems are especially pronounced in the deadlift.
A feature of this exercise is the high speed of separation of the projectile from the ground. More precisely, most athletes think so. But in practice, this may not be done. Glenn assures that the speed with which the projectile moves to the level of the thigh is not of fundamental importance in weightlifting. More important is the position that the athlete takes when the bar is already over his head.
Often, novice athletes are sure that the greater the acceleration of the projectile when it comes off the platform, the easier it will be to lift it. This is true in principle, but only if you have sufficient strength and have taken the correct position. When the projectile is moving very fast, you can simply miss the moment when the barbell needs to be blown up. At low speeds, this is much easier to do.
This position, mentioned by Glenn, takes only a couple of moments when performing the movement. The bar of the projectile should be directly above the heels, and the knee joints are located in front of the bar. Pendlay advises starting with the shoulder joints, which should be directly above the bar while the bar is still resting on the platform.
When the athlete stands over the apparatus, and he is located in the area of the shins, he needs to sit down so that the shoulder joints are above the barbell. In this case, the knee joints should be located in front of the bar, and the lower leg should be at an angle. From this moment on, the projectile lift line becomes very important. He should move, as it were, in the direction of the athlete, since only in this case it will be possible to take a position that is best suited for undermining the barbell. If at this moment you allow the projectile to go forward, then you will no longer be able to take a powerful and comfortable position.
Often, athletes at the subconscious level try to take a position that, in their opinion, will help them to lift weight. This is quite possible when a fifty kilogram is fixed on the bar. But when you work with a projectile that weighs 150 kilograms, then you are doomed to failure. Many athletes are afraid of quick care for the apparatus. For this reason, the subconscious advises to raise the bar as high as possible until the moment you begin to squat under it. But in practice, it turns out that the more time you wait for the moment to get hooked under the projectile, the more difficult it will be to do it.
Glenn agrees that the most popular beginner mistake is to delay the detonation phase of the projectile. You need to undermine and crouch under the projectile as soon as it passes thigh level. Many athletes are very careful when lifting the bar, but at the moment of its undermining, concentration is lost.
When performing a jerk or lifting the projectile to the chest, it moves up and, after reaching the maximum height, begins to fall. This is the law of physics, and it is impossible to argue with it. If you tighten with the moment of detonation, then the barbell may already begin to move downward and your attempt to detonate will end in failure.
Glenn says that the ideal starting point for meeting the projectile is at the top of the pulling motion. At this moment, the projectile has no momentum and it is much easier for you to keep it. Thus, you should begin to crouch under the equipment while it is still moving up.
Once the bar is past hip level, you need to start spreading your legs. This is very useful for beginners, because once your feet are off the ground, you will no longer be able to lift the projectile. Take this covenant as a rule and use it always.
Familiarize yourself with the basic positions when performing the snatch and clean and jerk in weightlifting: