Take a look at this picture. It’s from a Russian training manual I have been reading through. Notice in the picture that in the final frame the figure’s torso angle is angled slightly backwards. However, notice it is not angled so far back that the hips are moving horizontally. Sometimes in our effort to be aggressive at the top of the second pull we send the bar away from us by over-rotating our shoulders behind the bar too far. The back should angle a little bit but not so far that your eyes are looking upwards OR the hips are moving horizontally. Watch this video of Matt Hathcock struggling with his back angle at 235#. He made 225# just before this with ease.
When snatching or cleaning be sure that you focus on getting vertical with your shoulders at the top. Don’t let your shoulders over-rotate behind the bar. If you struggle with this try some heavy pulls, tall snatch/clean, or movements from the hip.
Glory 
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Hey spencer, first of all I just started following your blog from the outlaw and I am digging the inspiration and motivational posts as much as the technical breakdown of the lifts. Now, is it possible to cover the bar too much on the snatch? I have a very similar issue as Matt on my snatch in that I lean back way far to the point I’m looking at the ceiling.
Hey Alex,
You can never cover the bar TOO much UNLESS your legs get to locked out. However you can elongate the first pull so much that you are late making the transition into the second. This is rare but does happen. If you have Matt’s issue that generally indicates getting out of the first pull too early and not getting tall at the top of the second.
This exactly whats happening to me, and exactly around the weight that I start to struggle with. Thanks for posting this
Fantastic information Spencer. Look forward to it every day.
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