The snatch and clean & jerk tend to have love/hate relationships with you. When you hit a new PR, you love them. When you hit plateaus, they’re dumb and stupid and pointless…

So this week I’m going to write and make videos on less-known mechanics of the olympic lifts that should move the needle for you.

For starters, let’s talk about the “third pull” of these movements.

The “first pull” happens from the moment you pull the bar off the ground and up to your knees. It’s a slow pull unlike the conventional deadlift.

The “second pull” happens from the knee to the hip. The bar begins to gain velocity as the knees move around the bar and meet the hips.

The “third pull” happens after the ankles, knees, and hips reach triple extension and before you catch the bar. Unlike the first two pulls, your body is actually off the ground. More specifically, you’re no longer pulling the bar but pulling your body under the bar.

The “tall clean” and “tall snatch” are great accessories to work on the third pull. The first video reviews these points well. The second video goes more in depth about speed and the need to pull the feet off the ground. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t jump into the squat… you actually drop into it.

Tyler