Are you someone that feels like you don’t have the mobility for the snatch?

It can feel so defeating to just not have the mobility for overhead movements. Here are some drills and tools that will help you get past that mobility issue.

The best way to do these movements is to do them at least twice a week paired after your workout! (Especially on those olympic lifting days!)

Tool 1 (“Torture Rack”):

The first thing you are going to do is grab a PVC pipe.

Put it overhead against the rig. Try and get your feet directly under you. As well as keeping those hands inside the uprights of the rig.

Then you are going to overhead squat with the PVC against the rig, pushing your chest forward (this is gonna make what ever is tight, stretch)!

The end goal is to get your feet directly underneath you and to squat below parallel. Don’t expect things to be fluid right away, it’s gonna be painful, just be patient and keep trying to improve your positioning a little bit every day.

Tool 2 (“Squat Therapy) 

Next, we are going to work on some squat therapy!

First, we are going to put our fingers together in a diamond shape. Then put your diamond hands above your head.

Now go ahead and stand uncomfortably close to a wall while facing it (about 1 length of your foot for beginners and half a foot for more limber squatters).

Get into your squatting stance with feet a little wider than shoulder width and your knees and toes pointed out. Start your squat by leading with your butt and squat down. The goal here is to squat as low as you can without letting your hands touch the wall!

Tool 3 (An 8 Minute Stretch Routine)

Those are two great movements to work on overhead mobility. Now let’s talk about stretching…

I know, I know no one wants to do it. I get it it takes time and it’s just sitting there. But it will help you so much! Just take 8 minutes after your workout (either while at the gym chatting with friends or at home) to stretch this stuff out and notice how much better your snatches are gonna feel after a few weeks. 

First, start with 2 minutes of bench stretch. Grab a bench, and get on your knees in front of the widest part of the bench. Now karate chop the top of the bench. Walk your knees out to where they are parallel to the bench. Then put your head through as lunch as possible. You should be feeling this in the thoracic spine or the mid-back. 

Next, we are going to stretch those hips so that our squats can be beautifully deep!

Start by grabbing the rig upright (or door frame if you’re at home). Now get down into your deepest squat with knees and toes pointed out and feet just outside shoulder width. While you are holding onto the rig at the bottom of the squat you are going to place the elbows into the inside of your knee. Now hold and lean forward while pushing your elbows out into your knees. Do this stretch for two minutes (bottom of squat hold). 

Lastly, I think we can all benefit from Pigeon. Starting in a lunge (back knee on the ground front leg bent at a 90-degree angle with your foot on the ground), we are put that front knee of the lunge down on the ground trying to keep our calf perpendicular to your torso. Keep that back leg straight with a bend in the knee. Now lean forward and sit back into that hip. Do this stretch for two minutes on each side!

Just To Refresh:

2 Minutes Bench Stretch

2 Minutes Bottom of Squat Hold on Rig

4 Minutes of Pigeon (2 minutes each side)

Now take all these tools and go practice! The more you work on the skill, the better it will get over time.

Always remember any Vegvisir coach can help if you feel like you are stuck or not doing it right.

To talk with a coach today, click the link found HERE to schedule your No Sweat Intro