Coach Burgener Teaches the Snatch Part 2

In Part 1 of "Coach Burgener Teaches the Snatch," last month, Coach B worked with Pat, of CrossFit Virginia Beach, on some basics of footwork and positioning for the snatch. In Part 2, here, they walk through a progression of preparatory skill-transfer exercises and then into the snatch from the high-hang position--all still with just PVC:

Overhead squat: The landing position for the snatch. Pressing snatch balance: A slow pulling of the body down under the bar. The feet begin and end in the landing position and do not leave the ground.

Heaving snatch balance: A faster move, which emphasizes the initial "down and up" and teaches the athlete to actively drive the barbell upward and pull his body down under the bar. The feet begin and end in the landing position and do not leave the ground.

Snatch balance: An even more dynamic move, in which feet begin in the jumping position and move quickly to the landing position during the jump.

Snatch from the high-hang position: Coach B gives his now-classic instructions for any of the Olympic lifts: "Jump the barbell through a range of motion, creating momentum and elevation on the bar, keep the elbows high and outside, and pull yourself down into the overhead squat."

Mike Burgener, a.k.a. "Coach B" or simply "Burg," is the owner of Mike's Gym (a CrossFit affiliate and USAW Regional Training Center), a USAW Senior International Coach, former junior World team (1996-2004) and senior World team (2005) coach, and the strength and conditioning coach at Rancho Buena Vista High School in Vista, Calif. He teaches CrossFit's two-day Olympic lifting certification seminars.