I want to clarify a little misconception about size and strength. Clearly, we all know that a tiny person will not have as much brute strength capability as a larger person. We know some of us are trying desperately to get a few pounds added to our bony frame so we can be a little more powerful. Sometimes we program workouts that call for a lift to be a percentage of your bodyweight. So, yes, in a sense, size matters. But of course, as we all know, technique is at least as important as size-if not more so, at least in Snatching, which is of course, what I’m talking about here. This video is an Olympic Lifting competition-thanks to Dutch Lowy for posting it on his blog where I saw it. These guys are in the 69kg weight class. This means they must weigh less than 151.8lbs! These are small guys. The Snatches in this video are between 140kg-160kg. In case your elementary school teacher didn’t believe in the metric system, 160kg is about 352lbs!! Repeat: a 352lb Snatch at a bodyweight of less than 152lbs. Now that I wrote this I will have to stop making excuses about why I am weaker than Kate and Jenny!!
Amazing! I got Dave to myself yesterday in class, so I got some seriously great Snatch instruction. Watching these guys helps even more.
This is an amazing video. This is really a lift that requires so much skill, not just strength. I get caught up in my own head. I am truely inspired by all my fellow crossfitters.
Special quiz for all you “press out” snatchers out there. Is the still image of the video (before you click on it) of the athlete pulling the bar up? Most people would say “yes”.
Answer: Negative. He is pulling his body down…FAST. Those arms only get to bend when your body is moving under the bar. Practice it, yo!
Dave,
I was watching the form in these really carefully and they are all really good, amazing, one might say. I did notice that none of them really do the “shrug” that I have heard is very important. Is it just that they are so good at getting down under the bar that they have lost the shrug?
Ellie
Notice the tongue sticking out!!!! It does help with balence!!!!