eels ome MASTERCLASS : 20 years of experience in one guide| want to dedicate this book to my trainers, who showed me by their example the dedication and love for weightlifting Valeriy Nikulin Mihail Matseha Vladimir Rudenko Genadiy Ksenz A separate thank you to my friends for helping me in the creation of this book Emily (English teacher) Sergey Lyubarsky Tyler Nelson Kelsi Baker Jon Alvarez Sergii Putsov Tanya Shaiko lurii Kuzhelev Ivan Boyko 02CONTENT \s1@//d G > | PART 1: INTRODUCTION Foreword 04 Introduction to the Course 10 Who Will Benefit From This Course 1 Course Description 12 PART 2: SNATCH GUIDE SECTION 1: The Turnover and Catch Position Lesson 1: The Snatch Grip 13 Lesson 2: Barbell Crips 15 Lesson 3: The Hook Grip 18 Lesson 4: The Snatch Overhead Position Lesson 5: The Snatch Overhead Squat Lesson 6: The Snatch Catch Position Lesson 7: The Snatch Turnover Lesson 8: The Hip Snatch Balance SECTION 2: The Pull and Barbell Acceleration Lesson 9: The Starting Position Lesson 10: The Ist Pull Lesson 11: The 2nd Pull Lesson 12: The Snatch Pull SECTION 3: The Ricochet Method Lesson 13:The Power Position Lesson 14:Point of Contact Lesson 15: Timing The Explosion Lesson 16: The Extension Lesson 17: The Ricochet Effect Lesson 18: The Hang Snatch Lesson 19: The “Over Extension” Effect Lesson 20: Warm Body Cold Mind PART 3: USEFUL ARTICLESrans ‘WY 6G FOREWORD During the first 9 years of my weightlifting career, my Snatch was terrible. It was like playing "Russian Roulette!" Everything that happened to me during the Snatch seemed illogical. When | felt physically good and thought that “today will be my day,” the Snatch session proved otherwise. During that time, my best Snatch was 170 kg, despite a 225 kg Clean & Jerk. Of course for a recreational athlete it’s an amazing result, but for a professional, world class athlete in my weight category it’s definitely not enough to be on top. During my training sessions | always focused on developing my strength because | thought, as most athletes do, that it was the only way to achieve better results. But this way of thinking didn’t last. 04rane ‘Ww 8G Two years before the 2012 Olympic Games, | suffered meniscus tears in my knee and it was so painful to walk that my training turned into pure hell. | consulted with several doctors, each of them suggested surgery as my only option. Then, at my lowest point, one doctor’s perspective changed everything. This doctor said: “Despite your pain, you're still walking unassisted and you’re still training. Unfortunately, while surgery will end your pain it may also end your career.” For me, it was a major decision, would ending my pain result in me never lifting again. My coach and | decided that | wouldn't have the surgery, but we still needed to address my pain. To lessen the inflammation around my knee, we decreased the volume and intensity of accessory exercises (Squats, Pulls, etc) in my training. After reducing the reps and sets of these exercises, we compensated for this by working on technique. The first movement | worked on was the Snatch because | knew that | wasn’t performing it at my full potential. The fact is that if you want to change your technique, after many years, you must go back to the very beginning. Instead of my usual lifts of 150-180 kg, | now began to lift 40 kg, with more reps and slower movements. My Snatch sessions looked like a choreographed ballet session. 05rans ‘Ww 8G My coach told me that I must stay at 40 kg until | could consistently perform the movement correctly. It took me two whole months to relearn the technique using the lighter weight and four more months to increase it to 120 kg, kilo by kilo. It’s very difficult to convey my feelings during these months. Imagine training with the national team, among the competitors in your weight category and while they’re lifting 170-190 kg, you’re doing ballet with 40 kg. Trust me, | often questioned if | made the right decision. In retrospect, this period of my life was difficult physically, but even more challenging mentally. Little did | know, this period would give birth to the concept of “Warm Body Cold Mind.” After six months of Snatch choreography, physical treatment, and the Snatch low-intensity training sessions, my knee felt much better. | started to climb again to my previous PR, maintaining the new movements. At the next official competition, | repeated my result of 225 kg in Clean & Jerk; however, in the Snatch | lifted my new PR...185 kg. For a professional weightlifter, adding 2.5-5 kg per year to your max is considered a good result, | added 15 kg. The lesson here is that technique 06rasa ‘I 8G goes hand in hand and sometimes is more important than pure strength. If you want to lift heavy you should always start with proper technique with a lighter weight, otherwise you won't have any control over your movements and might end up injuring yourself. | might add that the most common limiting factor in any sport is technique! You have to concentrate on feeling how your body works while you learn how to lift properly. After over 20 years of experience in training and teaching, | created this course to help you avoid my mistakes and achieve your true potential. KEEP YOUR BODY WARM AND YOUR MIND COLD Oleksiy Torokhtiy 07HOW TO USE THIS BOOK Menu Video library My programs TS WW eo Ist week 2-51d week 4th week 1 1 q 45" 130° 1 1 1 i | m5 NOTE: | recommend using this combination as your warmup for the snatch: 6 reps* 6 reps* ("Hit” + High Pull) Watch reps * (2nd Pull ‘Ricochet’ + High Pull) video There is a practical session #9 to this lesson. to turn to the list of exercises indicating the reps and sets to them. See you on the next lesson!!! 70 Lesson's session NOTE: connect internet to activate the buttons properly 08The Masterclass consists WEEK1 of 20 theoretical and 12 PRACTICAL | THEORETICAL practical lessons which LESSON LESSON are intertwined. Every practice is based on one | #!basedon — #1/#2/#3 or a few theoretical | 45 based on #4 lessons. #3 based on #5 /#6 In the table, you can see the link between lessons: #4 based on #7/ #8 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 PRACTICAL | THEORETICAL PRACTICAL | THEORETICAL LESSON LESSON LESSON LESSON #5 based on #9 / #10 #9 based on #17 #6 based on #11 / #12 #10 based on #18 #7 based on | #13/#14/#15| | #11 based on #19 #8 based on #16 #12 based on #20 | recommend approximately 4 practical lessons a week (ex. Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat), this is why the entire program takes about 3 weeks to complete. NOTE: The practical lessons should never be done before reading the theoretical ones. The practical lessons are available through Mobile APP, just eae (The program is not available in DEMO) 09rama ‘WY 8G INTRODUCTION Welcome to my “Olympic Snatch Masterclass!” My name is Oleksiy TOROKHTIY. | have been involved in weightlifting for over 20 years (2000-2020). For 10 of these years, | was an active member of the Ukrainian national team, competing 23 times in international competitions and 31 times on a_ national level. Throughout my career | was also the winner of numerous European and World Championships as well as an Olympian (Beijing 2008 & London 2012). Overall, my best results were 200 kg in Snatch @ and 240 kg in Clean & Jerk @ During this time, thousands of people used my weightlifting techniques and training methods. In this course, | will share my own professional experiences, as well as my own perspectives as a coach.rane ‘WY 8G WHO WILL BENEFIT FROM THIS COURSE +Beginner weightlifters and functional fitness athletes who want to start weightlifting on their own but are not ready for personal coaching. «Intermediate level weightlifters and functional fitness athletes who desire to correct their technique and improve their results. +Past Torokhtiy seminar participants who wish to “refresh” their skills and continue studying the methods and techniques they learned. +Post injury weightlifters and functional fitness athletes who want to improve their technique in order to avoid future injury. +*Coaches who want to have a ready resource for use with their clients.rans \\6//i = J COURSE DESCRIPTION This course, “The Snatch Masterclass” is composed of 20 step by step lessons, for developing a safe and solid Snatch technique. | believe, understanding the process and the reasons behind it increases performance and minimizes the chance of injury. In each lesson, | will give you basic instructions, and unique tips, as well as discuss the laws of biomechanics. | will also offer practical demonstrations, and drills which you will have to complete after every lesson. This will help you avoid mistakes and raise your PRs in the Snatch. Each lesson will include a new movement in the Snatch progression, which is broken down into simple step by step techniques. For each step, | will include a high quality video to help you understand and visualize the movements, how they work, and why they are done this way. NOTE: My method teaches the Snatch backwards, from the top to the bottom, moving from the Overhead position to the Starting position in small progressions. Pace yourself: you can watch each video as often as you like, and spend as much time as needed to practice each movement, before going to the next lesson.SS) 107d = | > | Section 1: The Turnover and Catch Position SNATCH GRIP Welcome to lesson 1 In this lesson, we’re going to discuss how to determine your individual Snatch Grip @ Over the past 4 years, I’ve done more than 180 seminars around the world and what I’ve found is that a lot of athletes don’t know or don’t use the correct Snatch Grip. This is not good! Because with the Snatch, the correct grip is very important, especially if you want to unlock your full potential. Now, I'm going to show you the easiest way to determine your individual Snatch Grip.LESSON 1 310d = | > | To determine your correct Snatch Grip on the bar, | recommend the PVC method. Hold the PVC pipe in both hands, place one arm parallel to the floor, and the other one straight up above your head. If you've done this correctly, your arms will create a 90 degree angle (picture #1.1-2). Maintaining the same position of your hands on the PVC pipe, align it with the bar, and transfer the exact hand placement from the PVC to the bar (picture #13). NOTE: Before beginning any new movement involving the Snatch Grip, your hands should be in this same position. NOTE: If your new grip is wider than your usual, it’s normal to feel a slight discomfort for a few weeks, because your body isn’t used to it. See you on the next lesson!!!aS We l0/f ec BARBELL GRIPS Welcome to lesson 2 In this lesson, we are going to discuss Barbell Grips. In weightlifting, when we grab the bar, we use one of the three types of grip: 1 2 3 Number 1 - Hook Grip. The Hook Grip - recommended for the Snatch and Clean exercises (Snatch, Power Snatch, Clean, Power Clean), which involve a Pull from the platform anda Turnover of the body/elbows around the bar. For this exercise, it’s very important to keep the arms loose to control and effectively rotate the body during the Turnover. We'll talk more about this in the next lesson, “The Hook Grip.” 18SS Pd \s10//d = | > | Number 2 - Regular Grip The Regular Grip - recommended for accessory exercises (Front or Back Squat, Push Press, Snatch Overhead Squat, Snatch Balance), and some classic exercises (Power or Split Jerk), which don’t involve a Pull from the platform. On the internet, you can see some athletes who practice Regular Grip with the Light Snatch. It’s a good method for the development of grip strength, but with a heavy bar, only use a Hook Grip. Number 3 - Lifting Straps Grip First of all, using the Lifting Straps is highly recommended for all variations of Snatch and Clean Pulls. This is because when working with heavy weights, we should avoid damaging the skin on the palms. Secondly, using Lifting Straps is best when performing accessory Snatch(*) exercises (Hang Snatch above or below the knee, Snatch from blocks, Hip Snatch), which don’t involve a Pull from the platform. This is because the fatigue of your hand muscles, and not the fatigue of your legs or lower back, is the most limiting factor of performance level. How to use the Lifting Straps @ ood he end undomeath ‘Seba ron Saco FrontMas 4 WB =p) NOTE: | recommend using lifting straps during technical exercises. This will allow you to focus on performing the movement, instead of focusing on holding the bar. NOTE: Don't use a double flip of the straps around the bar; one flip is enough. This is because during a lift, it will take extra time to drop the bar if needed. NOTE (*): | don't recommend using the Lifting Straps for Hang Clean, because not everyone has enough upper body mobility to do it safely. BUY MY LIFTING STRAPS BUY MY LIFTING THUMB TAPE See you on the next lesson!!!TAA = l0/f ec THE HOOK GRIP Welcome to lesson 3 In this lesson, we are going to speak about the Hook Grip. The Hook Grip allows you to have a much stronger and safer grip. This is because the tightness of the forearm muscles is transferred to the thumb as it grips the bar. The decreased forearm tightness allows us to rotate the arms (for the Snatch) and elbows (the Clean) faster during the turnover. You don’t need to use the Hook Grip when the bar is over your head. In weightlifting, you only need to use a Hook Grip when the bar reaches your shoulders (during: Pull, the Power Position, and the Turnover). When receiving the bar in the Snatch or Clean, we can open the grip and continue with a regular grip. @& 8LESSON 3 S10 = | > | Three Steps to do the Hook Grip: 1. Place the bar across the middle of your palm. 2.Direct your whole thumb towards the “pinky” finger. 3.Wrap your fingers around your thumb. The number of fingers holding the thumb will depend on the size of your hand. Generally, one or two fingers will hold the thumb, but the more fingers the better; this will make your grip stronger and less slippery. NOTE: Your fingers should cover your thumb, as much as possible. NOTE: | recommend using chalk to make your hands less slippery.SST) 10d = | > | Pain factor: Yes, it happens. Pain comes due to skin contacting the bar and the new pressure on the thumb. The first problem is solved by using lifting tape around your thumb to protect your skin from pain and damage. @ The second problem is solved only with time; basically, it takes around 1-6 weeks for your thumbs to adjust to the new pressure. But this is definitely worth it! How to use the Lifting Tape: ‘Apoly the thum ape Begining Wirap up your amb not too “each apg by hand ana ce your ‘ei'your fogera tae Maks 20r3 ope aroundtingor | Faget Mohan eae 1 b 2 c <“ For beginners, | recommend using the Hook Grip with a PVC or a light weight to get used to the pressure on your thumb and to get your hands used to the grip for heavier efforts. There is a practical lesson #1 to this lesson. (ole fel el a313) to turn to the list of exercises indicating the reps and sets to them. See you on the next lesson!!! 20USEFUL ARTICLES MUSCLE WORK IN WEIGHTLIFTING . SNATCH BASIC PROGRESSION ...sssssssesssssenee WEIGHTLIFTING AND SPEED w..ccscscsssssssscssecee SQUATS : ETERNAL TOPIC cccosssssssssssssssssssenee STARTING POSITION vesscssssssssssssssseesstesssenneeee 5 TIPS FOR RECEIVING POSITION IN SNATCH .. , EEE LIFTING STRAPS ..o..cssssssststnsestntntnsesereee POWER POSITION AND SCIENCE usssscsssecsee SNATCH&HANDS oo... scscsssessssesssesesesssessteseseneee SNATCH GRIP WIDTH .. TES WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A HOOKGRIP AND A REGULAR GRIP? ceccsseee