Technique and methods
On the Technique and Teaching Methods of the Classic Lifts
English summary of Tyazhelaya Atletika. Ezhegodnik 1983 (Moscow: Fizkultura i Sport, 1983), pp. 16–18: the text is paraphrased, not translated; data tables are given in full with English labels.
Study
- Context: technique parameters depend on bar weight, skill, build and bodyweight class (Roman, Mulchin, Chernyak, Salnikov, Falameev, Livanov, Kimeisha).
- Measured: knee angle at the end of the final acceleration (second pull) in the snatch and clean, from the floor and from the hang (bar above the knees), by electrogoniography.
- Groups and loads: novices vs qualified lifters (1st class, CMS, MS); 55–95% of the best classic lift.
Table 1. Knee angle (°) at the end of the final acceleration, by bar weight (x̄ ± σ)
| Bar weight, % of best | Snatch | Clean | ||
| novices | 1st class, CMS, MS | novices | 1st class, CMS, MS | |
| 55 | 164.4 ± 10.2 | 167.7 ± 9.5 | 159.3 ± 15.7 | 166.2 ± 8.8 |
| 65 | 163.9 ± 11.7 | 166.3 ± 7.4 | 161.3 ± 11.9 | 165.9 ± 7.7 |
| 75 | 164.7 ± 12.1 | 166.8 ± 8.2 | 160.9 ± 10.3 | 165.7 ± 8.3 |
| 85 | 159.8 ± 9.7 | 165.1 ± 5.8 | 156.2 ± 8.9 | 161.0 ± 7.8 |
| 95 | 155.1 ± 8.6 | 163.2 ± 6.5 | 152.3 ± 9.6 | 160.1 ± 3.5 |
Findings
- Qualified lifters straighten the knees more. Gap at 55/65/75/85/95%: snatch 3.3/2.4/2.1/5.3/8.1°, clean 6.9/4.6/4.8/4.8/7.8°.
- Bar weight matters even more: the heavier the bar, the smaller the angle.
- Shortfall from full extension (180°). Novices: snatch 15.6/16.1/15.3/20.2/24.9°, clean 20.7/18.7/19.1/23.8/27.7°. Qualified: snatch 12.3/13.7/13.2/14.9/16.8°, clean 13.8/14.1/14.3/19.0/19.9°.
- The heavier clean is extended less than the snatch, by 5.1/2.6/3.8/3.6/2.8° (novices) and 1.5/0.4/1.1/4.1/3.1° (qualified).
- From the hang the angles rise (hang minus floor: snatch 8.8° novices, 7.1° qualified; clean 13.2° and 8.0°) and the skill gap vanishes.
Table 2. Knee angle (°) from the hang and from the floor (M ± s)
| Exercise | Group | Knee angle at the end of the final acceleration | |
| from the hang | from the floor | ||
| Snatch | Novices | 173.2 ± 11.4 | 164.4 ± 10.2 |
| 1st class, CMS, MS | 174.8 ± 7.6 | 167.7 ± 9.7 | |
| Clean | Novices | 172.5 ± 7.7 | 159.3 ± 15.7 |
| 1st class, CMS, MS | 174.2 ± 7.9 | 166.2 ± 8.8 | |
Practical conclusions
- Teaching order: learning the clean and jerk first ingrains bent-knee pulling that transfers to the snatch, so teach snatch → jerk from the chest → clean.
- Light weights (55–65%) lifted from the floor distort unsupported-squat time, vertical ground reaction and bar height compared with 95–100% lifts. Lifted from the hang, these approach optimal values.
Exercises recommended for novices:
- Snatch from the hang, 50–70% of best snatch. The lighter the bar, the higher the start (near the knees at 70%). 3–5 reps light, 2–3 heavy; each rep from a standstill.
- Clean from the hang: the same scheme, as % of the best clean and jerk.
- Power snatch from the hang, 50–60%, 3–4 reps, with full knee extension.
- Power clean from the hang, 50–65% of the best clean and jerk.
- Snatch pull without rising onto the toes, 90–100% of the snatch, 2–4 reps (≤ 3 when heavy).
- Clean pull without rising onto the toes, 85–95% of the clean and jerk, 2–4 reps.