If you're looking to get better and more confident with the barbell, these are some of the most valuable weightlifting insights we've shared.
Whether you're just starting your Olympic lifting journey or looking to tighten up your technique, these tips will help you move safer, lift stronger, and make consistent progress every time you hit the gym.
Let’s get into it.
1. Learn How to Bail (Safely)
One of the most overlooked but essential skills in Olympic lifting is learning how to fail properly. Especially for beginners, knowing how to bail a lift safely gives you the confidence to commit to heavier weights and aggressive technique without hesitation.
- Snatch Bail: Most athletes know how to bail a snatch forward. But what about behind you? It’s crucial to know how to dump a snatch backward safely.
Think of it like a PVC pass-through: once the bar is behind you, release your grip, jump forward, and let the bar fall behind. Practice this intentionally with light weight. - Why it matters: Fear of the barbell—especially fear of failure—can hold you back. Practicing safe bail-outs builds mental resilience and technical confidence.
You’ll be more aggressive pulling under the bar and less likely to cut lifts short.
2. Understand the Anatomy of the Clean
A technically sound clean starts before the bar leaves the ground. Here's the breakdown of key positions:
- Setup: Feet under hips, grip just outside the shoulders. Shins are close to the bar, shoulders slightly over the bar, hips higher than knees.
- First Pull: As you lift the bar off the ground, the torso angle remains unchanged. The knees shift back to make room, keeping the bar path vertical and close to your shins.
- Hang Position: Once at the knees, you begin to open up the torso while maintaining tight lats and core control. Shins should now be vertical.
- Power Position: The bar reaches mid-thigh, and the torso becomes upright. From here, it’s about driving the hips and exploding under the bar.
One of the most common issues? Starting with vertical shins on the floor—this forces the weight behind you and ruins the pull mechanics. Get your knees slightly over the bar from the start.
3. Drill Your Snatch From the Power Position
To improve snatch consistency and learn proper bar contact, train from the high hang (aka the power position).
- Setup: Stand tall with the bar at your hips (crease of the hips or lower abs), torso vertical, knees slightly bent.
- Execution: From here, drive the bar up with powerful hips and minimal forward lean. Your goal is vertical leg drive and a strong catch.
- Common mistakes: Many lifters try to generate more power by swinging the bar forward with their hips, which sends the bar on an inefficient arc.
Avoid the temptation to lean forward—stay vertical, finish tall, and land solid.
Training from the power position improves bar path, contact timing, and explosiveness in your pull—all key to hitting bigger snatches.
4. Build Confidence With Overhead Squat Holds
If you can’t sit confidently under a barbell overhead, you’ll likely miss your snatch—or worse, get injured. One of the simplest but most effective tools to develop bottom-position confidence is static overhead squat holds.
- How to do it: With a snatch grip and moderate load (can be from a rack or snatch), lower into your deepest overhead squat and hold for 10+ seconds.
- Focus on: Stability, posture, breathing, and finding balance even at the bottom-most point.
- Why it works: People often miss snatches not because they can’t get under the bar, but because they panic when they do. Training holds increases your tolerance for discomfort, improves shoulder mobility and strength, and reduces the urge to rush the lift.
5. Master the Split Jerk Footwork (With Tape!)
Getting under the bar quickly is only part of a good jerk. The other half? Landing in a stable position every single time. Here’s how to nail your footwork:
Use tape marks to measure your split:
- Front foot: two foot-lengths forward, one foot-length out to the side.
- Back foot: 1.5 foot-lengths back, one foot out.
In your receiving position:
- Front shin should be vertical, knee at 90 degrees.
- Back leg should be bent slightly, heel off the ground.
- Torso upright, arms locked out.
- Recovery: Always recover the front foot first, then the back foot. This prevents dumping the bar forward.
- Pro tip: Timing is everything. The feet should hit and arms should lock out simultaneously.
Bonus Tip: Recovery = Gains
All the technique in the world won’t matter if you’re not recovering properly. One of the biggest needle-movers for weightlifting? Sleep.
If you struggle with light, restless sleep, consider using a sleep aid that supports deep rest without grogginess, we swear by Thirdzy—no melatonin, no crash, just quality sleep to support performance. If you want to check it out, use code WODPREP15.
Want to go deeper?
All these tips come straight from WODprep Weightlifting—our 8-week online program designed to make Olympic lifting feel simple, safe, and strong.
- 3 days per week
- 30-minute sessions
- Step-by-step technique training
- Works alongside your normal CrossFit® training
It’s backed by our full money-back guarantee. If you want to finally feel good with a barbell in your hands, check the link.
CrossFit® Weightlifting Programs & Tips
- Power and Precision: The Best CrossFit® Weightlifting Program
- CrossFit® Weightlifting for Beginners (3 Tips!)
- How to Start Weightlifting for Beginners
- Weightlifting for Beginners: Power vs. Squat