My favorite Olympic lift is the snatch. The reason why I love it is because it is a more technical lift than the clean and jerk. It’s a single-motion movement that requires you to be explosive and fast to pull the bar overhead and also get under it. It is a combination of power and grace, and it only gets better when you play with different variations.
Lets get down to the nitty-gritty. Here are my top 5 snatch variations:
1. Single-arm Dumbbell Snatch
The single-arm DB snatch is a great way to start if you are a beginner learning the Olympic lifts. It is the easiest snatch variation to learn. All you have to do is start in an athletic position with the dumbbell in between your legs and you pull (NOT SWING) the dumbbell overhead.
2. Hang Snatch
The hang snatch allows you to perfect your timing with the 2ndpull. It is great for an athlete that doesn’t quite have the mobility to start from the floor. It can also provide greater power benefits for an athlete because you have to generate more power from a hang position in comparison to a full snatch (starting from the floor).
3. Power Snatch
The power snatch is another great variation and a progression from the hang snatch. When the athlete feels comfortable doing snatches from a hang position, he can advance to a power snatch to build more strength, mobility, and power developed from the hang snatch.
4. Muscle Snatch
The muscle snatch is all about brute strength; although it requires the least explosiveness, it is an awesome variation to practice the 1stand 2nd pull. It’s a great way to develop overhead strength and you also have a little more room for error because once you finish the 2ndpull, all you have to do is muscle the bar overhead in a pressing movement.
5. Snatch Pull
I saved the best for last! I’m not going to lie, I’m obsessed with snatch pulls. Although you aren’t taking the bar overhead, the snatch pull reap many benefits. Once you’ve got the technique down, you can work your way up to heavy triples, doubles, and singles. Not only does it carry over to the snatch, but it helps you get comfortable with pulling heavy weights and build speed while getting under the bar during the the 3rd pull.
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#GritTip: The utilization of the snatch variations and carefully adding it to your program can lead to greater skill acquisition and power gains.
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