The snatch is an Olympic weightlifting movement that is critical for CrossFit athletes to perform well. It requires significant techniques from setup positioning to hand grips to execution of the lift. Snatches for time, volume, and one-rep-max load are commonly used in competitive CrossFit contests.
On Dec. 10, 2023, Patrick O’Connell published a video on former CrossFit Games elite athlete Kristi Eramo O’Connell‘s YouTube channel to break down the step-by-step how-to’s for the snatch.
For the snatch, our goal is to get the bar from the ground to overhead in one motion without stopping or changing direction.
Check out the snatch guide in the video below:
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Position One
The closer together the hand position on the barbell, the lower the barbell sits against the quads when standing upright. For the demonstration of mechanics, O’Connell used a PVC pipe.
The ideal hand position sets the barbell at the belt line. Once the correct hand position is found, the knuckles should turn toward the floor to better engage the lats. This helps to maintain contact between the barbell and the body — the barbell should be in contact with the body throughout the duration of the lift until moving the barbell overhead.
From there, the scapula should be retracted and depressed for the entire movement. Position one, which is right before the barbell moves overhead, situates the barbell at about pocket height with a slight hip hinge and a small bend in the knees.
Positions Two and Three
Once in position one, push the hips back while maintaining the above form. Doing so naturally slides the barbell down the quads to above the knees. The barbell should never leave contact with the legs — it should not float away from the legs as this will offset balance and increase injury risk.
Position three is lowering the barbell to mid-shin height by dropping the hips while in position two. O’Connell recommends practicing moving from position two to position one and shrugging at the top. The extension from position two to position one practices the order of operations for the snatch to generate as much energy from the legs into the barbell as possible.
As if continuing the momentum from the shrug, the next operation is to pull the elbows high, bringing the barbell to the mid-rib-cage height. The moment gravity is felt, pulling the barbell down, follow that back to position one. Repeat that movement, finishing by standing up on the balls of the feet fluidly after pulling the elbows high. This is the moment right before the barbell will be snatched overhead.
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Repeating the movement patterns again, “jump” the barbell overhead by catching the barbell with locked-out arms and aggressively moving the head between the arms with a soft bend in the knees. Snatching the barbell overhead without getting the head underneath will likely lead to the barbell falling forward and pulling the position out of alignment.
When catching the barbell overhead, always be in that locked-out position.
O’Connell reiterated that the snatch is not a squatting movement but rather a hip hinge. When performing the snatch, it is critical that the hips are pushed back before they are lowered. Likewise, the barbell should not be pulled by the elbows until it has moved to the top of position one. The snatch is not a row — the barbell should not be pulled by the arms while in positions three or two. The arms should not bend until reaching full extension at the top, right before the barbell is snatched overhead.
We want our arms as long as possible for as long as possible.
Using a barbell or any additional weight can offer more feedback while practicing the movement. As is the case with any movement that requires technique to perform effectively, practice is critical.
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Featured image: @_patrickoconnell on Instagram
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