Noobie Form Critique: Tall Lifter Snatch

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
1

Hi guys. Long time lurker, first time poster. Just today finally took the step of filming my lifts to try and actually figure out what I’m doing and improve properly.

Anyway, feel free to rip into my Snatch form. I am a tall lifter (6’7"-6’8") and pretty untrained in the Olympic lifts.

60kg single: 15/7/17 SN 60kg x1 - YouTube
57.5kg single: 15/7/17 SN 57.5kg x1 - YouTube

Other lifts:
55kg single: 15/7/17 SN 55kg x 1 - YouTube
52.5kg: 15/7/17 SN 52.5kg x 1 - YouTube
50kg x 2: 15/7/17 SN x 2 50kg - YouTube
Snatch complex of Muscle SN, SN Balance, Power Hang SN 3+3+3 (third set, poor camera angle): 15/7/17 SN Complex 1 - YouTube

Apologies for the vintage quality - filmed on an old iPhone I use as an iPod…

2

  1. Good speed.

  2. Good bottom position, which would be better with proper lifting shoes. (Does not look like those are.)

  3. Use your legs more in the first stage of the pull.

  4. At knee height, the shoulders are too far in front of the bar.

  5. You bend your arms, in the second pull, too soon. Don’t pull with the arms, instead, think of pulling yourself under the bar after the pull.

  6. You are jumping forward, due to #s 3, 4 and 5.

3

Thanks so much for the feedback, highpull. Really appreciate it.

Responding on some of the points you picked up on:

  1. You’re totally right, those are not proper lifting shoes - just standard trainers / runners. For someone who is able to get into acceptable bottom position and (with a fair bit of mobility work) maintain OK ankle mobility, would lifting shoes make a significant difference? Is there any risk that the raised heel over time reduces ankle mobility? Would a cheap pair of wrestling shoes be acceptable for the O lifts?

  2. A big weakness for me is leg strength, so I often have to consciously remember not to deadlift the weight up on the first pull, and cue avoiding the back becoming horizontal to the ground. Is this what you’re getting at by saying to use the legs more in the first stage of the pull?

  3. Continuing from the above, by keeping the back more upright / less horizontal I suppose that will automatically bring the shoulders back relative to the bar. Is that right?

  4. I had no idea this was happening, thanks for noticing that. Now that you’ve pointed it out, it seems like in the 60 and 57.5kg lifts I’m jumping forward less and landing more or less in the same spot. You may not have seen those vids as the embedded links didn’t seem to work.

Thanks again for all those points! Much appreciated.

4

  1. They will make a difference. You will not lose mobility. You will have an easier time sitting straighter in the squat. No wrestling shoes, they have less heel.

  2. Yes, keep the hips down and the torso at about a 45 degree angle until the start of the 2nd pull, which is knee height.

  3. Correct.

1 Like