Pull from the Forefoot?
If you have to jump from the forefoot, don’t you have to be balanced on the forefoot to pull a snatch or clean?
No! You absolutely do not need to be balanced on the forefoot to jump, or to snatch or clean.
How can you possibly jump, or pull a snatch or clean, from flat feet?
Well… stand on flat feet… and jump.
Start on flat feet… and pull.
What moves to the forefoot is the pressure—because your body is naturally plantar flexing the ankles as you drive into the floor, lifting the heels.
If you’re confused, just jump backward—you finish on the balls of the foot like any jump or pull, but obviously your balance moves backward.
In short, you don’t need to be balanced on the forefoot as you pull to snatch or clean—let the pressure shift forward naturally as you drive into the floor while you remain balanced.
Maybe I’m overestimating the interest in this topic, but I’ve seen it come up more often recently and it bothers me to see what’s happening being totally mischaracterized.
If you’re moving with enough speed, you can pull with the heels up off the floor without your balance shifting forward. When lifters do this, usually the heels start to rise heels during the scoop, but in some cases, it’s basically the moment the bar leaves the floor.
But just watch the whole lift—you’ll be able to see how the lifter is balanced, and it’s not over the balls of the foot. In fact, in some cases, their balance is moving backward as they pull, as proven by their backward jump during the pull under.
The bottom line is that you have to distinguish between balance and pressure—if you’re standing still, they have to be the same, but if you’re moving quickly enough, they don’t.
No! You absolutely do not need to be balanced on the forefoot to jump, or to snatch or clean.
How can you possibly jump, or pull a snatch or clean, from flat feet?
Well… stand on flat feet… and jump.
Start on flat feet… and pull.
What moves to the forefoot is the pressure—because your body is naturally plantar flexing the ankles as you drive into the floor, lifting the heels.
If you’re confused, just jump backward—you finish on the balls of the foot like any jump or pull, but obviously your balance moves backward.
In short, you don’t need to be balanced on the forefoot as you pull to snatch or clean—let the pressure shift forward naturally as you drive into the floor while you remain balanced.
Maybe I’m overestimating the interest in this topic, but I’ve seen it come up more often recently and it bothers me to see what’s happening being totally mischaracterized.
If you’re moving with enough speed, you can pull with the heels up off the floor without your balance shifting forward. When lifters do this, usually the heels start to rise heels during the scoop, but in some cases, it’s basically the moment the bar leaves the floor.
But just watch the whole lift—you’ll be able to see how the lifter is balanced, and it’s not over the balls of the foot. In fact, in some cases, their balance is moving backward as they pull, as proven by their backward jump during the pull under.
The bottom line is that you have to distinguish between balance and pressure—if you’re standing still, they have to be the same, but if you’re moving quickly enough, they don’t.
