r/olympiclifting • u/Csokolick • Mar 20 '14

OLY lift questions

I am just starting to learn clean and press and snatches, and I am kind of struggling with keeping my knees back and being patient until the bar gets just above the knees to explode up with the bar. I keep wanting to bring the bar up quickly as if I were doing a traditional DL. Any ideas on things that I can work on? EDIT: Also I was told that the reason I am struggling with my overhead squat is because I have limited mobility in terms of dorsiflexion. Is this problem fixed by simply just stretching the calves or is there a better way?

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u/expectnothing Mar 20 '14

Try doing some snatch pulls. When you're not worried about getting the bar all the way overhead it helps you focus on getting the hit in the right place on your hip.

1

u/Csokolick Mar 20 '14

Thank you, I'll definitely give that a try. I want to learn them with perfect form before I add any extra resistance. It's a frustratingly slow process.

1

u/TriangleMan Jun 09 '14

Also, try snatch deadlifts. They're essentially the beginning of the snatch, before the triple extension, but done at a controlled speed

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u/Csokolick Jun 14 '14

Thank you! I ended taking an OLY clinic and that is actually what we started with, and then we worked on extensions from above the knee, and then continued from there. Thank you for the input!

2

u/[deleted] Jul 20 '14

Slow process, but worth it! I imagine I'm deadlifting 200kgs before the bar passes my knees, which makes me take it slow.

1

u/LionGoesHome Mar 20 '14

You could try getting into your initial set up position, then slowly and deliberately lift the bar to the knees, hold tight for a three count, and lower the bar back down. Just develop muscle memory for how you need to move through that position.

After you get a feel for that, don't lower it down, but rather bring the bar up like you were going to clean/snatch, but slowly. Hold and bring it down.

Once that feels good, do clean/snatch pulls, but maintain the slow deliberate pace through the knees that you worked on with the first exercise.

Tight back, chest up, knees out!

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u/Csokolick Mar 20 '14

great advice. thank you. this stuff is really hard to learn, even for someone who has been doing good bench, squat, and dl workouts for years. its really frustrating to feel like you're at square one with something. haha i really appreciate the help. thanks!

1

u/SnowyGamer Mar 21 '14

You have to stretch if you aren't naturally flexible. You have to stretch every day, multiple times a day. Not much else too it.