For years, CrossFit has touted the benefits of the snatch — the world’s fastest lift. This lift, along with the clean and jerk, trains all 10 general physical skills to a high degree. While many strength and conditioning programs shy away from the Olympic lifts due to their complexity, the snatch and clean and jerk are mainstays in CrossFit programming. We do not believe you can achieve the highest level of fitness without training these lifts in some form or fashion. Over the years, we have refined our teaching progressions to make these lifts not only accessible to the general fitness enthusiast but also to allow for a solid level of competency to be achieved relatively quickly.
While the snatch appears regularly in CrossFit workouts, it may be necessary to add small doses of extra practice to maintain a high level of proficiency in our snatch technique, so we:
- Hit the mid-thigh position consistently
- Demonstrate accurate footwork repeatedly
- Produce the lightning speed we get when we pull ourselves down and around the bar
- Hit a strong receiving position every time
Here is a simple two-day-a-week practice template consisting of a small but regular time commitment of consistent practice that can be added to any program — either in the warm-up, cool-down, or as a quick post-workout practice piece — to help an athlete stay razor sharp with their snatch technique. None of these mini sessions should take more than 10 minutes from start to finish.
Week 1
Day 1:
Burgener warm-up x 3 sets. Rest 90 seconds between sets. The Burgener warm-up does not require anything heavier than the regular men’s or women’s bar weight; a PVC pipe is also a great option.
Day 2:
Burgener warm-up x 1 set
High hang snatch, 5 sets of 2 reps completed on the minute
Week 2
Day 1:
Burgener warm-up x 1 set
Snatch balance, 5 sets of 2 reps completed on the minute
Day 2:
Burgener warm-up x 1 set
Two-position snatch, 5 sets of 1+1 reps (1 rep from the high hang and 1 rep from the hang position) completed on the minute
Week 3
Day 1:
Burgener warm-up x 1 set
Three-position snatch, 5 sets of 1+1+1 reps (1 rep from the high hang, 1 rep from the hang position, and 1 rep from the floor) completed on the minute
Day 2:
Burgener warm-up x 1 set
Snatch, 5 sets of 2 reps completed on the minute
Repeat three three-week cycles. Over and over and over. Repetition is the mother of skill.
Notes:
- Use whatever weight allows for diligent, deliberate technique work. PVC pipes and light bars are great tools for this type of work.
- Treat every rep and every set purely as practice. The goal is to refine and ingrain precise and efficient movement.
- Slow is smooth and smooth is fast. Ultimately, following this mantra helps us wire our nervous system better and leads to better results over time.
- All reps are full snatches received in the bottom position of an overhead squat. If, however, leg soreness makes this unpleasant, power versions of the drills are acceptable rather than skipping them entirely.
About the Author
Stephane Rochet is a Senior Content Writer for CrossFit. He has worked as a Flowmaster on the CrossFit Seminar Staff and has over 15 years of experience as a collegiate/tactical strength and conditioning coach. He is a Certified CrossFit Trainer (CF-L3) and enjoys training athletes in his garage gym.