Topic: Snatch Velocity/ Intensity Study

[Jim Hooper]

Shaun, We don't disagree.  Elite lifters who flash down at  3+ m/s in the squat under can snatch a given weight with a lower peak velocity on the way up than a mere mortal, who takes more time going under the bar, would have to put on it to make the lift.   For any given mass, there is a critical peak velocity for each lifter, below which the bar will not travel upward long enough to afford them sufficient time to get under it and fix it.   The faster lifters can move under barbells, the larger the masses with which they will be able to impart their critical velocity (or more).  Ordinary mortals like us might impart higher peak velocities to the much lighter barbells we lift -- indeed, it may be absolutely necessary for us to do so, since we need more flight-time to get under them -- than an elite lifter imparts to their big weights, because they are so fast going under that they do not need as much upward bar travel anyway.  But put 75 or 90 kilos or whatever on the barbell and have Sagir pull it as hard as we have to pull that weight to snatch it, and the bar speed for Sagir would be much higher than for us, obviously.  Their bar speeds on their max lifts, and their upward bar travel after peak velocity, may be slower and lower than our bar speeds and heights on our max lifts, because their bars are so darn much heavier, and because they, being so fast under and needing so little post-explosion bar travel and time to get there, can snatch them anyway.   If I can find the right clip of a non-elite lifter (maybe one of my school agers hitting a PR in competition), I'll do the analysis and see if that's how it really works out.  Wouldn't surprise me at all if you are correct.  Jim