Get Off Your Heels in the Snatch and Clean & Jerk
Never in the Olympic lifts should you be so far back on your heels that your toes lift off the floor.
No, not even in a jerk dip. Even with our balance a more toward the heels for a jerk, we want the whole foot in contact with the floor because that allows us to control our balance and position.
Not only does being back on the heels put you into a poor position to lift from, but it will nearly always cause you to shift farther forward later.
Keep the whole foot in contact for not just balance, but maximal control of your position.
Being back on the heels creates a number of potential problems, from rocking too far forward later in the lift, to directing the force backward instead of upward, to limiting the contribution of leg drive, to preventing a complete extension.
Typically pulling from the floor will FEEL stronger/better with more pressure toward the heels, which is why it’s a natural error when weights feel heavy and slow, or you’re not confident.
It’s often the result of poor instruction as well—either trying to replicate a deadlift, or excessive backward knee motion to get the bar past. In the jerk, it’s excessive shifting of the balance back to try to avoid dipping and driving forward.
Remember as you’re trying to correct this that if you’re accustomed to being on your heels, being evenly balanced will feel like you’re way up on your toes—don’t panic. Give yourself some time to reorient your sense of balance.
No, not even in a jerk dip. Even with our balance a more toward the heels for a jerk, we want the whole foot in contact with the floor because that allows us to control our balance and position.
Not only does being back on the heels put you into a poor position to lift from, but it will nearly always cause you to shift farther forward later.
Keep the whole foot in contact for not just balance, but maximal control of your position.
Being back on the heels creates a number of potential problems, from rocking too far forward later in the lift, to directing the force backward instead of upward, to limiting the contribution of leg drive, to preventing a complete extension.
Typically pulling from the floor will FEEL stronger/better with more pressure toward the heels, which is why it’s a natural error when weights feel heavy and slow, or you’re not confident.
It’s often the result of poor instruction as well—either trying to replicate a deadlift, or excessive backward knee motion to get the bar past. In the jerk, it’s excessive shifting of the balance back to try to avoid dipping and driving forward.
Remember as you’re trying to correct this that if you’re accustomed to being on your heels, being evenly balanced will feel like you’re way up on your toes—don’t panic. Give yourself some time to reorient your sense of balance.
