Snatch Balance Points of Performance
Written by Gaje McDaniel
The main purpose of this drill is to practice our overhead position after transitioning from the turnover to the full squat. Many times athletes struggle with a strong lockout while transitioning to a full overhead squat, which in turn causes lack of weight being supported. If you’ve seen an athlete of Olympic power, performing any snatch work, their turnover and bar support overhead is fast and very strong.
Practicing the snatch balance can help you in many ways. By performing well with heavier weights can benefit our overall overhead strength (but may not always allow for speed). Practicing with lighter weights (which sometimes isn’t the “coolest”) allows you to develop speed in punching under the bar.
How to Perform a Snatch Balance
Pretend as if you’re performing a snatch grip push press. Once you’ve reached full extension and start pushing up on the bar, drop to a power position or a quarter squat. During this portion of the lift, you need to punch up on the bar, in return punching yourself down under the bar. Without pausing at the power position, keep moving yourself down into an overhead squat. Pushing up on the barbell keeps tension and strength overhead. Keep squatting down and remain tight and under tension, we don’t want to lose tension!
Key Point of Performance: The Punch
This portion is to be done with intention. If you do not aggressively punch under the barbell, the drill is not being completed correctly. This is also our turnover in any snatch, so it’s important to understand where speed is needed.
Key Point of Performance: The Push
As said before this is done for tension up into the barbell, the snappy speed of our punch allows us to receive the bar quickly and start pushing. The better you get at receiving, the faster your can descend in your squat.
This is a good drill to use as a warmup or accessory before or after snatch training sessions. The movement can be done as accessory or strength. I find this drill is best used for those with problems in the receiving portion of the snatch. Many times you’ll see athletes drop too fast to the bottom and not maintain tension, result being a missed snatch. For those athletes who have a lack of speed under a bar, this drill also works really well for footwork and arm speed.
Also Check Out…
How Using Wrist Wraps Might Ruin Your Snatch