Over the years lifting and coaching I’ve seen many athletes with all sorts of feet positions, back angles and knee bends. But, what is the ideal set position to start the lift?
Well in weightlifting the ideal set position can be hard to achieve as people have different body sizes and flexibility. What we’ve done below is outline the key position that you should aim for.
Start with your feet hip width apart and toes pointing slightly outwards. Standing over the bar, when you look down the tip of your shoe lace rung should be directly under the bar.
From here, bend down and grab the bar in either a Clean or Snatch grip. Your back should be tight and flat. Your shoulders should be over the bar, to achieve this raise your bum from the floor but keep a flat back! This step determines your back angle.
Your head should be looking up and forward. An easy way to ensure you’re doing this is to pick a point on the wall (could be a clock, a trophy, a chalk mark, anything really) and focus on it throughout the lift. Make sure it’s about 15-20 degrees above your standing line of sight.
Getting this right sets you up for the whole lift. It’s important to make you have mastered this as little things like; if you’re too far over the bar or not enough it can send the bar either behind you or in front in the receiving positions due to an onset of swinging motions. It’s also good gym practice regardless to ensure you have a tight back to avoid stress and strain on your spine.
Thank you for reading.
Kit tip: A firm, raised-heel shoe helps you set a stable, repeatable start position — the Adipowers we rate.
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