What Does “Patience” in Weightlifting Mean?
Written by Jared Enderton
What does being “patient” in the Snatch or the Clean mean? It just means using your legs for the proper amount of time so you can be ready to launch!
How to Practice Patience in Weightlifting
If you begin pulling your shoulders backwards too soon (at the knee for example), your back is taking over the lift instead of your legs – so the bar is going to decelerate going into the finish. You want to be able to keep the torso at a relatively consistent angle until the low thigh area (by using your LEGS). Pulling the shoulders back too soon creates a back whip – which will closely resemble a kettlebell swing finish. Your hips will just shoot out to the bar and the bar will kick way forward off your hips.
Using primarily your legs for the duration of the pull is key to proper timing in the pull. If you are patient enough, you are able to use your legs AND your back in the finish. If you are not patient enough, it will primarily be just your back that is doing the work.
A good cue to think of to make sure you’re being patient enough is: Think of pushing the ground AWAY from you for longer. That is what I have always thought about to make sure I am using my legs to drive the bar up, rather than my back.
Invictus Weightlifting Program
For more cues from Coach Jared, join our 3 or 5-Day/Week online weightlifting program! In addition to the programming each week, you will also be a part of a community of support in a private Facebook group and have direct access to Coach Jared there to either ask questions or post videos for review.
