The Vertical Line Of Weightlifting


A useful idea when learning and refining the Olympic lifts is the big vertical line.
 
When standing, we can imagine a vertical line running approximately though the ankle, hip and shoulder.
 
In the snatch and clean pull, the hips should move forward into this line and then up—never through it.
 
When receiving the bar in the snatch or clean, the bar should be in this same line over the foot.
 
In the jerk, the hip and bar should move down and up this line in the dip and drive.
 
When receiving in the split, the bar and the hip should be in this line.
 
Deviation from these relationships is a good indicator of errors needing to be corrected.

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