When hammering out details and correcting errors in the Snatch or Clean, 9 times out of 10, it comes down to mastering a foundational principle of the movement itself. The “finish” or “extension” is one of the top priorities when it comes down to order of operations!
By definition, the “finish” or “triple extension” is a simultaneous extension of the hip, knee, and ankle joints, though in order to see if this was properly executed, we must also look at the contextual results from the remainder of the lift.
In this case with one of our Remote Athletes, we see do see an opening of all three joints, however the primary driver of the lift is the hip instead of the legs. To “finish” a lift with proper directional elevation, we must make sure to:
✅Create a hard, VERTICAL push against the ground
✅Stand tall through the legs (like a leg press)
✅Push up and off the ground
A hip-centric pull can cause:
🚫Forward momentum
🚫Rocking feet or flat-footed pull
🚫Improper downward direction of the body
Scroll down for corrective drill!
CORRECTIVE DRILL:
The beauty of these drills is simplicity. You will get instant feedback if you do not extend properly. The goal is to leave the ground vertically and land exactly where you started. If not, a few things will happen:
🚫You won’t leave the ground. This is literally a JUMP, so you should be in the air.
🚫The barbell will separate from your body.
🚫You will land off balance. If you lean too far back or don’t open during the finish, you will fall forward or backward upon landing.
Related: Hitting the Barbell with your Hips in Olympic Weightlifting