Correct Grip for Snatch, Clean, and Jerk
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(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 12/22/23)
When gripping the bar for the Olympic lifts (i.e., the snatch and the clean-and-jerk), there are a few special considerations to bear in mind, so let’s address these.
This is the third and final article in our series on the correct grip for each lift. In the first article, we discussed the compression grip, which is useful for pressing movements such as the press and bench press, and in the second article, we covered the tension grip, which is useful for pulling movements such as deadlifts, cleans, and rows.
#1: Chalk
Use it.
Hopefully, all of this goes without saying, but sadly, that is often not the case. Chalk is useful for all of the lifts (both pushing movements and pulling movements), but it is especially useful for pulling movements like the deadlift and - in this case - the snatch and the clean. Specifically, chalk is useful for friction, so it contributes mightily to your ability to securely grip the bar.
If you’re training efficiently, you go through more chalk in a weightlifting (AKA Olympic lifting) session than you do in a strength training session (deadlifts, squats, presses, etc.). When training the Olympic lifts, you perform a lot of singles, doubles, and triples, so there is quite a bit of gripping and re-gripping of the barbell, and as a result, you go through a healthy dose of chalk. It doesn’t need to be caked on your hands, but chalk up on a regular basis.
#2: Hook Grip
For every single snatch and clean you perform for the rest of your life, use the hook grip (this doesn’t apply to the jerk).
Figure 1: The hook grip
Don’t use a double overhand grip, don’t use an alternate grip (AKA mixed grip or switch grip). Use the hook grip, i.e., the grip wherein your thumbs go on the bar first, and your fingers go over your thumbs (Figure 1).
The hook grip video included below goes more in-depth on how and why we hook grip, but suffice to say we use it because, although the Olympic lifts are not as heavy as a deadlift (which certainly requires a modified grip such as a hook or alternate grip), they must be pulled quickly. Because they have to be accelerated, your grip will be compromised if you don’t modify your grip.
With this in mind, get used to the hook grip right away. Start hook gripping your snatches and your cleans immediately at the outset of your training.
#3: Hook Grip and the Snatch
As discussed, you hook grip when you snatch, but when you rack the bar overhead, you may or may not keep the hook grip.
Some lifters may need to let the thumb slip out of the hook grip, and to determine whether or not this applies to you, keep the hook grip (when racking the bar) at first, and you’ll know pretty quickly if you need to make a change. If you experience discomfort when racking the bar overhead, or if keeping the hook grip is slowing down your turnover, then you’ll need to let the thumb slip out of the hook grip on the turnover (i.e., transition).
Note that when letting the thumb slip out from the hook, you don’t actually release the grip. Admittedly, this process is often referred to as “releasing the hook grip,” but all you simply do is allow the thumb to slip out of the hook grip while maintaining a solid purchase on the bar (refer to the video below to see how this is done).
To recap, try keeping the hook grip at first, and if that doesn’t work, let the thumb slip out of the hook as you rack the bar.
#4: Hook Grip and the Clean
Unlike the situation with the snatch, you always “release the hook grip” when performing the clean. Specifically, let the thumb slide out of the hook during the turnover (AKA transition), i.e., as your elbows rotate forward and up and as you rack the bar on your shoulders (Figure 2).
Figure 2: Maddie has released the hook grip (incidentally, she has also let her pinky slip off the bar, which is unimportant).
Attempting to keep the hook grip when racking the bar results in a slower turnover that is very often uncomfortable or even painful on the elbows and wrists. Because of these issues, keeping the hook results in a greater likelihood of missed lifts, so with this in mind, be sure to release the hook on your cleans.
#5: Hook Grip and the Jerk
It doesn’t make any sense to use the hook grip on the jerk, so don’t do it (Figure 3).
When you prepare for the jerk, the bar is sitting on your shoulders since you just cleaned it, and since you read tip #4 above, you’ve already released your hook grip. Additionally, the hook grip is useful for pulling movements (e.g., deadlifts, snatches, and cleans) and completely useless for pushing movements like the jerk, so attempting to regain the hook grip before performing the jerk is pointless and - even worse - a waste of time and energy.
figure 3: brianne wisely avoids the hook grip when jerking.
No hook grip on jerks.
As always, we hope these tips helps you get stronger and live better.
-Phil
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