Hey everyone. Just wanted to share a short little drill with you that will help you fix your lifting, particularly in the snatch, but the ideas in this video can be applied also to the clean.
A big reason why a lot of missed lifts occur is from improper hip movement into the bar as it transitions from the ground up into the hips. Many new lifters will think about thrusting their hips forward into the bar to achieve the desired full power of their hips as they reach complete hip extension. The only problem is that when any horizontal force is exerted into the bar, the bar will travel horizontally. This poses a problem because we are not trying to lift the bar OUT, but rather UP!
As a result we need to start thinking about how we can exert vertical force into the bar. Two things must happen for that to occur. First, the bar must be transitioned effectively from the knee up into the hips. This will involve the bar being pulled back via the engagement of the lats as it comes up to the hips. Second, an active scoop or rebend of the knees must occur to ready the lifter for the final explosion of the second pull. By thinking about keeping the knees slightly bent as the bar comes up to the hips, this will allow you to drive through the floor as you accelerate the bar straight up. You can’t really do this with locked out knees!
The great thing about this simple drill is that it doesn’t have to be done at the gym. You can use a broom stick at home to achieve the same desired effect.
Implement this into your warmup routine with some PVC pipe and with a little bit of daily practice you will start limiting those hips from kicking the bar out in front of you!
Happy lifting!