The snatch is an exercise in mind over matter. How else do you convince yourself to lift a heavy barbell and pull your body under that weight in less than two seconds (or one for the pros)? How many times have you approached your max snatch and psyched yourself out during the deadlift because it felt heavy? Then your mind prematurely aborts the lift and does a half-assed jump and pull while shaking your head NO? Or do you think only of accelerating the bar up and yank the barbell from the ground instead of squeezing it up?

There are numerous progression lifts that assist in developing the snatch. The snatch deadlift reinforces proper set up and execution of the first pull (ground to mid-thigh). As with most things in life, problems can be traced back to the root of all things and in the snatch, a faulty start will almost always result in a failed lift.

In a typical deadlift set up, your grip is closer, your hips are higher, and the sole purpose is to move the barbell from ground to waist level:

However, with a snatch, your grip is wider and the end result requires you to keep the barbell close to your body for most of the lift. This is why we shove our knees way out and bring our hips lower in the snatch deadlift start:

Set Up:

1. Feet hip width apart, arms straight, turn elbows out, and chest up.
2. Your weight is on the middle of your foot and your knees are shoved out.
3. Your hips are slightly higher than your knees and your shoulders are in front of the bar.
4. Take the slack out of the bar, huge breath, and squeeze it off the floor as you shift your weight towards your heels.
5. Push your knees back and out of the way as your shoulders and hips rise at the same time.
6. Keep the bar against your body.
7. Finish tall at the top with your weight on your heels.
Check out this video from Catalyst Athletics for a good example of the lift.

WOD 08.24.10

Snatch Grip Deadlift 5×2 @ 110% 1RM

AMRAP 7
7 Deadlifts
Sprint (PU bars to roll up door and back)
14 Pistols
21 Double Unders
Sprint

For the deadlifts, go 80% of your last burn out set (or 60% of work set)
(modified from CF Games 2010)