Olympic Weightlifting

Skill transfer exercises associated with the Snatch.
1) Overhead Squat (OHS)

Athlete gets the bar overhead with a Snatch Grip. Squats the bar down and up.

Ensure that athlete has sufficient flexibility/mobility at the shoulders, hips, ankles, to be able to perform a proper OHS.

Remember that with the bar overhead, the shoulders are shrugged up (weight is on the traps) and elbows are externally rotated.

2) Drop Snatch

The drop snatch starts with the bar held on the back with a Snatch grip…with feet in the Jumping (Pulling) Position. The athlete then, drops very quickly under the bar into the full Overhead Squat position…with feet transitioning to the Landing (Receiving) Position.

Athlete then stands up with the bar Overhead, then gets the bar back on the shoulder and repeats the exercise.

Teaches the athletes about speed under the bar as well as about balance at the bottom position.

3) Snatch Balance

This is similar to the Drop Snatch, except that athletes starts to go under the bar, after a dip and drive of the legs, to unload the bar momentarily, before dropping under the bar into the full Overhead Squat position.

Feets shift from the initial Jumping position at the start, to the Landing position during the finish.

Athlete then stands up with the bar Overhead, then gets the bar back on the shoulder and repeats the exercise.

Teaches the athletes about speed under the bar as well as about balance at the bottom position.

4) Heaving Snatch Balance

This is similar to the Snatch Balance, except that the feet start out at the Landing (Receiving) Position and stays there from the beginning to the end of this exercise. Otherwise, it is the same as the Snatch Balance.

Athlete then stands up with the bar Overhead, then gets the bar back on the shoulder and repeats the exercise.

Teaches the athletes about speed under the bar as well as about balance at the bottom position.

5) Pressing Snatch Balance

This exercise is similar to the Heaving Snatch Balance in that it starts with the bar on the back and with the feet in the Landing (Receiving) Position. The athlete then slowly drops under the bar, by pressing against the bar. Note that the bar DOES NOT rise above, from where it starts on the shoulders…rather, athlete drops slowly under the bar (which remains at the same height), by pressing against the bar.

Athlete then stands up with the bar Overhead, then gets the bar back on the shoulder and repeats the exercise.

Teaches the athlete to press against the bar, to drop under the bar…(dropping under the bar happens pretty quickly, though, during a snatch).