Eat, Train, Progress.

Join

Difficulties with Snatch

Options
christch
christch Posts: 238 Member
in Social Groups
I need some advice with doing the Snatch. My trainer wants me to add these to my program. I've only been lifting a little over 6 months and I think these are too complicated yet.
When I do the Snatch she has me just working through keeping the bar close to body and squatting when I bring the bar up to shoulders, not lifting bar above my head. I'm not sure if it's a coordination problem or just a really hard exercise.
Can anyone suggest an easier way of doing it poor point me in the direction of an easy to follow video.

Replies

  • SideSteel
    SideSteel Posts: 11,068 Member
    Options
    christch wrote: »
    I need some advice with doing the Snatch. My trainer wants me to add these to my program. I've only been lifting a little over 6 months and I think these are too complicated yet.
    When I do the Snatch she has me just working through keeping the bar close to body and squatting when I bring the bar up to shoulders, not lifting bar above my head. I'm not sure if it's a coordination problem or just a really hard exercise.
    Can anyone suggest an easier way of doing it poor point me in the direction of an easy to follow video.

    Unfortunately I know nothing about this lift so I won't be of much help. But hopefully someone who does, comes in here to help you out. =)
  • taco_inspector
    taco_inspector Posts: 7,223 Member
    edited November 2015
    Options
    It's been a LONG time for me, but a good snatch is a continuous motion, and while it can be broken-down into several distinct 'steps', IMHO, I don't believe that there's any good stopping point until the bar is overhead (and you're in a wide-grip overhead squat). Again IMHO, the inertial-moment of a Snatch differs from where your trainer is leading you now. To me, it kinda sounds like she has you working a 'Clean'; perhaps with a wide-grip (as would be found in a Snatch), as a method of breaking the Snatch into separate movements... Totally my thoughts here, but since a good Snatch is a fluid motion from the ground to overhead-squat, followed by an overhead squat -- subdividing the initial fluid lift to anything less than an overhead (spotted) position would be VERY awkward feeling, which may be why you're having a bit of trouble.

    It's been too long for me to offer any real insight, but the ''stopping point" that you're describing sounds uncomfortable and awkward to me.
    Snatch:
    Snatch.gif

    vs

    Clean:
    Clean.gif
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    Options

    Thought "Difficulties With Snatch" would be about something very, very different.

    Yeah, I'm new here. ;)
  • christch
    christch Posts: 238 Member
    Options
    Thanks everyone... I've decided that its too complicated at the moment and I'm just getting too frustrated and its energy I can be putting into my other lifts so I'm not doing it. When I'm a bit more experienced maybe.
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
    Options
    What are you training for?
  • christch
    christch Posts: 238 Member
    Options
    Life? To be fit and strong with the hope of gaining 5kg muscle and dropping 5% bf. Not training for a specific goal, lifting because it's something I can do, I can see measurable results and push myself in. Womans equivalent to mid life crisis?
  • _benjammin
    _benjammin Posts: 1,224 Member
    Options
    ^Then I wouldn't ever worry about Olympic lift training. As you've discovered, it's very technical training, even with a good coach by your side.
  • MattBrouse
    MattBrouse Posts: 16 Member
    Options
    Benjamin's correct.
  • christch
    christch Posts: 238 Member
    Options
    Thanks guys, spoke to trainer about it and she had thought that out would be another good full body lift like dead and squat that would burn fat. Just to complex for me.
  • parkerpowerlift
    parkerpowerlift Posts: 196 Member
    Options
    I'm confused as to why your trainer would suggest this movement to you without an offer to teach you said movement...if she isn't qualified to coach in the Olympic lifts, whether from USAWL or as a Crossfit coach, or an Oly lifter herself, then it shouldn't have been suggested.


    I attempted to join Crossfit last summer. The instructors blew through demonstrations. Even after a "whole" 2-hour snatch seminar, I still couldn't connect the dots. I felt okay with the PVC pipe, but once we moved to actual barbells, there was simply a disconnect. Due to already pushing through an injury last summer, I decided to stop going to Crossfit.

    The Olympic lifts are very technical and they can be complex. I took a 4 week Olympic weightlifting class in April of this year; very intimate, small class of me and one other student. We met twice a week to work on learning the Olympic lifts. Our coach decided to continue to still let us train with her on Tuesdays and Thursdays, after the class officially ended. So I've only received instruction for about 6 weeks on Olympic lifts. And I STILL get critiques on my form.

    What you do and don't learn honestly depends on your specific goals. If you were a strength sport athlete or you wanted diversity in your training, I'd understand.

    Good for you for standing your ground.

Categories