Zack Telander is one of the most popular Olympic weightlifting content creators on YouTube, with 216,000 subscribers as of Aug. 21, 2023. Three-time CrossFit Games athlete Guilherme Malheiros (2019-22) is known for being one of the CrossFitters to beat during any event involving a barbell — he effortlessly locked out a 305-pound snatch during Event 12 at the 2021 CrossFit Games.
During the 2023 CrossFit Games, Telander and Malheiros taught an Olympic weightlifting class at the TYR House set up at CrossFit Connex in Madison, WI. On Aug. 12, 2023, Telander published a video of the session on his YouTube channel. Check it out below:
Telander opened the coaching session by emphasizing the importance of the bottom position in the snatch. He opined that Malheiros’ bottom position and mobility are his greatest strengths in the lift.
Unlike the overhead squat or bodyweight squat, where an exerciser’s hips drop below the knees to register a rep, there is no such requirement on the snatch. “We’re not just putting our hip crease below our knee crease to complete a rep,” said Telander. “We’re doing it because we have to.”
Zack Telander’s Snatch Coaching Tips
Catching the barbell in a deep squat with an upright torso is a more stable receiving position and is critical to maximizing snatch success.
The Squat
Telander had Malheiros demonstrate the snatch-receiving position. Telander commended Malheiros’ squat mobility; Malheiros’ quads almost touched Malheiros’ chest, with knees close to the armpits.
“It starts with something as simple as crouching,” said Telander as he lowered into a squat. “This position is where you have to roast for a while.” He then shifted his weight between his legs to warm up his lower body and instructed the class to straighten their backs and maintain an upright torso.
The Catch
Most CrossFitters learn the overhead squat from the top down, meaning they stand with a barbell overhead and lower into a squat. Telander proposed a bottom-up approach.
To demonstrate his bottom-up overhead squat technique, Telander sat on two 45-pound bumper plates, held a barbell overhead, tucked his chin slightly, hinged forward, and extended his hips and knees to stand upright.
Telander lowered the bar to his shoulders, returned to the bottom position, extended the bar overhead, and performed a few more demo reps. He opined that the bottom position is the most valuable position in the overhead squat.
Telander switched to the top-down approach and had Malheiros extend the bar overhead in the standing position and lower his glutes to the plates by hinging forward and flexing his hips and knees. Malheiros lowered the bar to his shoulders before returning to the starting position. Malheiros replicated the movement without the weight plates.
Barbell Overhead
Telander began snatch-catching practice by having Malheiros flick the barbell overhead and combine it with a squat. He then added the barbell hip contact to the drill.
To be as efficient as you can on the snatch, contact [the barbell] with the hip crease. [It’s] non-negotiable.
Some lifters might need to switch to a wider grip or curl their knuckles under the barbell according to their body mechanics to ensure the barbell hits your hip crease during the snatch-pull.
Telander concluded the class by advising lifting the barbell off the floor with a slow and controlled tempo, picking up pace after the bar is over the knees, and exploding off the hips.
Featured image: @coach_zt on Instagram
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