Receiving Position
Overview
A receiving position can be defined simply as the body’s position at the moment of arrest (the first moment the bar stops falling). Receiving positions are critically important to the success of a lift and must be highly practised.
It is important to understand the short timeframe in which receiving positions must be achieved. In Figure 1 below, the Snatch is divided into three phases: Pull, Descent, and Receiving. These phases overlap to a small degree. All time values given are approximate and may vary depending on the athlete’s physical qualities, including height.
The Pull (1.1s) and the Descent phase (0.4s) have discrete time values, but the Receiving phase is open-ended and lasts until the athlete makes a conscious effort to stand up. In the last moments of the Descent phase, the athlete moves under the bar into the Receiving position and produces upward force to slow the bar’s downfall. This occurs around 0.05 – 0.1s after the arms lockout, and the athlete is compressed by the weight of the bar into their lowest position.
In Olympic Weightlifting, the athlete might be powerful in the pull, but without sufficient quickness into the receiving position, a lift becomes unachievable.
Coaching Points
Irrespective of whether the receiving position is for the Snatch, the Clean or the Jerk, there are commonalites. A good receiving position is one that is:
- Upright – because this minimises angular force (torque) on the body and this enhances the athlete’s stability and balance.
- Low – because this increases the athlete’s potential to lift maximally heavy weights.
- Robust – because the athlete must absorb the impact of a falling object that is exceptionally heavy.
- Stable and balanced – because a failure in stability and balance will result in a lift that is lost.
Quickness into the receiving position is a key asset for the Weightlifter.
