Top 3 Snatch Drills To Fix Your Bar Path
There’s very few things you can do that will always improve your snatch technique, but there are a few.
One of those is improving your bar path, but most lifters don’t know where to start when it comes to fixing this important aspect of technique.
In this article I’ll break down why bar path is important in the snatch, how to know if you even need to fix your bar path, and I’ll give you the three most effective drills for improving your snatch bar path.
And if you’re new to the snatch and have no idea what any of this means, then check out this free Weightlifting101: Beginner Guide + 6-Week Program!
Why is Bar Path Important?
Weightlifting is all about making your lifts as efficient as possible so you can lift the most weight possible.
This can be done by keeping the bar closer to the body, properly timing the lift to use the bar bend to your advantage, and using the largest muscle groups for the hardest parts of the lift, but in this article, we’ll just be focused on the first one.
Imagine you have a line running from the middle of your foot up to the top of your head, and then any time the barbell crosses this line, the lift becomes harder. Think of it like holding your groceries out in front of you instead of by your side. Because the weight is closer, it is easier to hold.
This same principle is true in the snatch.
If the bar starts near this imaginary line, the goal is to keep it as close to this line as possible, and when it breaks the line, either forwards or backwards excessively, the lift becomes less efficient.
Common Problems Caused by Inefficient Bar Path?
So what can inefficient bar path lead to in the snatch?
The most common bar path related issues in the snatch are…
Jumping forward or backward excessively
Missing lifts forward
Missing lifts behind
Accidentally powering the lift
Chasing lifts forward to save them
If you struggle with any of these, that is an indicator that you might have a bar path issue.
Common Causes of Inefficient Snatch Bar Path
There are two main causes of inefficient bar-path in the snatch…
Overusing hip drive instead of leg drive
Shifting balance on the foot during the lift
Hip Drive
One of the most common causes of inefficient bar path is using hip drive, which pushes the barbell away from the body, rather than leg drive which launches the bar vertically and keeps the bar close.
This is often a fundamental error when learning the snatch, and can be a tough habit to break. That’s why it’s so important to learn the snatch correctly the first time. The first progression in Weightlifting101 starts with the Hip Snatch, which focuses primarily on this exact error.
Shifting Balance
Another common cause of inefficient bar path is shifting balance on the foot during the pull.
Ideally we will maintain midfoot pressure and balance throughout the pull, however it is common to be off balance in the start position, either too far back on the heels or too far forward on the toes. You may also start in the correct position, but as you start your first pull, end up on your toes instead of clearing the knees correctly, or conversely shifting back too far towards the heels in your effort to get your knees out of the way enough. The final shift in balance usually happens as the bar moves from the knee position to the power position. The common mistake here is usually throwing the shoulders behind the bar and shifting your balance on to your toes as you extend, kicking the bar away from you.
I know that’s a lot, but it all comes back to keeping mid-foot balance during the pull, and adjusting your technique until you feel the correct balance the whole time.
Drill #1: No-Feet Snatch
There is no variation of the snatch that improves bar path more than the No-Feet Snatch.
The No-Feet Snatch (also called a No-Jump Snatch) is a variation of the snatch, in which you must keep your feet planted on the ground throughout the entirety of the lift. Note that this is opposed to a normal snatch, in which during the lift, you are expected to move your feet from your pulling stance to your squat stance.
As most bar-path related errors in the snatch often result in a forward or backward jump, removing the jump can fix a lot of the issues that may lead to inefficient bar path.
How to Perform the No-Feet Snatch
To perform the No-Feet Snatch, start with your feet in your squat stance rather than your normal pulling stance.
Grip the bar with your snatch grip, hook grip, and set you hips so they are in the correct starting position. Begin pulling the bar off the ground making sure to maintain midfoot balance as you clear the knees out of the way for the bar. Once you pass the knees, begin moving the barbell back into your hips and move your knees under the bar slightly so that you have enough knee bend without shifting balance onto the toes too early. Finish your extension aggressively with a long push through the ground before you pull yourself under the bar into the bottom of your overhead squat and stand.
For more info on the No-Feet Snatch and its uses, check out this article here!
Drill #2: No-Contact Snatch
The No-Contact Snatch may sound like a poorly performed snatch, but in the right circumstances, it can actually be a valuable tool for improving your bar path.
As most bar path issues in the snatch tend to happen by pushing the bar away with your hips, removing bar-body contact can lead to immediately improved technique.
This can be a tricky variation for many lifters, especially those who tend to throw their hips forward into the bar. You may find that you have no idea how to snatch without the contact. Here’s how I think about it…
You should be able to perform a no-contact snatch with decent proficiency. This means that you have a good vertical extension, good bar path, and know how to use your arms to pull under the bar. All of this is the meat of the meal. This gets the majority of the boxes checked BUT if you add in bar contact, you simply add more power. There will be a small amount of forward movement of the bar away from the body, this is inevitable, but it should not change the majority of the lift. You should still have a good vertical extension, vertical bar path, and still use your arms to pull yourself under the bar. All that the contact should do is make it easier to do the same core lift with more weight.
How to Perform The No-Contact Snatch
To perform the No-Contact Snatch, set up for a snatch as usual.
Grip the bar with your snatch grip, hook grip, and set you hips so they are in the correct starting position. Begin pulling the bar off the ground making sure to maintain midfoot balance as you clear the knees out of the way for the bar. Once you pass the knees, begin moving the barbell back into your hips, keeping the bar close (but not touching the thighs) and move your knees under the bar slightly so that you have enough knee bend without shifting balance onto the toes too early. Finish your extension aggressively with a long push through the ground before you leave the ground and start to pull yourself under the bar into the bottom of your overhead squat and stand.
Drill #3: No-Hook No-Feet No-Contact Snatch
The final boss of bar-path fixers is the No-Hook, No-Feet, No-Contact Snatch, and while this may just sound like a shitty snatch, it can be incredibly useful for non-beginners.
Now, we’ve already discussed the benefits of the No-Feet Snatch and the No-Contact Snatch, so if you skipped ahead, go check those out.
The No-Hook portion of this variation means that the lifter is not allowed to use hookgrip, a technique used by weightlifters to help use less of their arms and eliminate grip strength as a potential limiting factor. However, while many use their arms too much, just as many do not use their arms enough. In the snatch, the legs should launch the bar up, and your arms must pull your body down and keep the bar close.
By removing your hookgrip, it is harder to hold onto the bar, however, this will force you to use your arms more in the turnover, leading to a faster lift and stronger overhead position.
How to Perform the No-Hook No-Feet No-Contact Snatch
To perform the No-Hook, No-Feet, No-Contact Snatch, start with your feet in your squat stance rather than your normal pulling stance.
Grip the bar with your snatch grip (without hook grip) and set you hips so they are in the correct starting position. Begin pulling the bar off the ground making sure to maintain midfoot balance as you clear the knees out of the way for the bar. Once you pass the knees, begin moving the barbell back into your hips, keeping the bar close (but not touching the thighs) and move your knees under the bar slightly so that you have enough knee bend without shifting balance onto the toes too early. Finish your extension aggressively with a long push through the ground, making sure to keep your feet planted on the ground (extending onto the toes is allowed, but leaving the ground fully is not) before you pull yourself under the bar into the bottom of your overhead squat and stand.
For more info on the No-No-No Snatch and its uses, check out the full article here!
Hopefully, this clarified some things for you and maybe even gave you a lightbulb moment with your technique. If you ever need a free form check on your videos, you’re always welcome to join my free discord here and drop your video in the #form-checks channel.
By the way, I’ve got a free beginner weightlifting guide and a 6-week program! If you’re new to the olympic lifts, then check it out here!
And if you’re looking for a weightlifting program designed to help you set PRs, improve your technique, and get strong af, then check out a FREE WEEK TRIAL of my 3 & 5-Day OlyStrong Team at the link below!