Starting Position: Over not Behind
In the starting position of the snatch and clean, we want to be balanced and over the bar.
Often athletes instead position themselves behind the bar with their weight back on the heels.
Position the bar approximately above the balls of the foot to create space for the shins to incline forward.
Push the knees out inside the arms, but let them move forward over the bar similar to a squat position.
Trying to keep the knees back and the shins more vertical forces you to either keep the hips too high and shoulders too far in front of the bar, or to balance on the heels.
It’s pretty simple to know whether or not you’re balanced in the starting position if you can’t feel it—let go of the bar.
You should be able to disconnect from the bar without moving or feeling the pressure on your foot shift—if you start falling back, you know your body is behind the bar instead of over it.
Often athletes instead position themselves behind the bar with their weight back on the heels.
Position the bar approximately above the balls of the foot to create space for the shins to incline forward.
Push the knees out inside the arms, but let them move forward over the bar similar to a squat position.
Trying to keep the knees back and the shins more vertical forces you to either keep the hips too high and shoulders too far in front of the bar, or to balance on the heels.
It’s pretty simple to know whether or not you’re balanced in the starting position if you can’t feel it—let go of the bar.
You should be able to disconnect from the bar without moving or feeling the pressure on your foot shift—if you start falling back, you know your body is behind the bar instead of over it.
