The full snatch goes by a number of names in weightlifting literature. It may be called just “the snatch,” the full snatch, the squat snatch, or even the classic snatch. However it is called, it is an extremely fast and explosive movement and is very technical because it involves squatting while holding a barbell overhead. It is not forgiving of mistakes.
The snatch can be divided into the following phases:
- The start
- First pull
- Second pull
- Receiving the bar
- The finish
The start
During the start the bar is on the platform. The athlete will approach the bar and stand in front of it with their feet approximately hip-width apart. The athlete will take a snatch-width grip on the bar. They will grip the bar and pull it against the shins. As they move their hips down into position they will insure that their chest is out, shoulders back, hips down, and shoulders will be slightly ahead of the bar. Because their hands are so much wider apart than in the clean, the athlete will not sit as high during the start as in the clean.
The first pull
The first pull involves lifting the bar from the floor until it reaches the athlete’s thighs. Compared to the second pull this is a slow and controlled phase of the lift. Little mistakes here add up and show up later in the lift, so care must be taken with the first pull. The important thing is that the shoulders will remain slightly ahead of the bar throughout the first pull. As the bar is lifted from the platform, the hips, knees, and ankles will all extend at the same speed. The bar is kept close to the body so that at the end of the first pull it is against the thighs.
Because the hands are wider than in the clean, the bar will reach the athlete’s thighs at a higher point than in the clean. This point will vary by the athlete, but it will be somewhere between mid thigh and just below the hips.
The second pull
Once the bar reaches the thighs, the second pull begins. This is the explosive part of the lift. The shoulders will move from being ahead of the bar to being behind it during this phase of the lift. Once the bar reaches the thighs, the athlete will explosively extend their hips, knees, and ankles while shrugging the shoulders up. This explosive second pull will force the bar up the athlete’s body until it reaches a point somewhere between chest level and eye level. It’s important that the bar moves up the body and not away from it during the second pull.
Receiving the bar
When the bar reaches a point between chest and eye level, the athlete begins to move under the bar. If this is done properly then the athlete will squat down and receive the bar on extended arms while in a full squat position. In the squat the bar should be over and slightly behind the head (roughly in line with the athlete’s hips). The arms should be fully extended. The weight should be on the athlete’s heels.
Finishing the lift
From the squat, keeping the arms straight and the bar in line with the hips, the athlete will stand up from the squat. Once this is complete the athlete will replace the bar on the platform and set up for the next repetition.
