4/17 - "Snatch"

Today was the first of our Olympic Lifting Sessions with Luke - Tuesdays are Snatches (my fave) and Fridays are Clean and Jerks for the next 4 weeks.

Warmup
3 minutes skipping
then:
barbell snatch complex (3 rounds of 3 reps):

• Hang-shrug
• Hang-shrug high pull
• Hang muscle snatch
• Snatch press
• OHS (hold at bottom for 2-3 seconds)

 Then we worked through movements designed to get us comfortable with the Snatch.

3x3 power snatch from high hang, pocket and knee (20/22.5/25kg)
3x3 power snatch from floor (18/23/28kg)
3x4 snatch balance (20/25/27.5kg)
3x5 snatch pulls (40/50/55kg)

It was a great atmosphere to be working out in and learning a ton.  We partnered up so one person was lifting while the other was able to give some feedback/ so key triggers.  For me I have to work on a few things - first off, getting the smooth pull from ground to about my knees (phase 1) and also not jumping backwards but rather straight up.  It started to feel better on the snatch pulls but man they were heavy.  In talking with Luke afterwards he said that I can probably get up by 5kg each week for the snatch pulls and be doing almost 70 by the end of the sessions.

MY GOAL...  I want to be able to complete Isabelle Rx (30 snatches at 45kg) within an hour the week after we finish these sessions.  My current Snatch PR is 35kg so I have a lot of work to do but I'm confident I can get there.

Some key learning that I want to easily reference - the three phases of the Snatch - from Luke:
1) 1st pull – set position, engage bar, hips slightly higher than knees, gorilla chest, tight back
2) 2nd pull – explode upward once above knees, strong extension, aggressive shrug
3) Catch/receive – pull body under bar, speed to lockout arms, active shoulders, gorilla chest, do not let eye’s look down