Press in Snatch (Sots Press) | Olympic Weightlifting Exercise Library

Exercise Library – *AKA* Sots press (incorrectly) The press in snatch is a mobility, stability and strength exercise for the receiving position of the snatch. With a snatch-width grip and the bar resting behind your neck, sit into the bottom of a squat. Brace your trunk and squeeze the shoulder blades together forcefully. With no bouncing in the legs to help, press the bar up into the proper overhead position, locking forcefully. Hold this overhead position momentarily before returning the bar to the back of the neck at a controlled speed—don’t simply let the bar crash back down. Make sure the bar touches the upper back before pressing it up again—you don’t need to completely reset the starting position and press from a dead stop on each rep. *Notes* This exercise is only appropriate for lifters whose mobility allows the movement to be done without discomfort. While it will help improve mobility and posture, the athlete needs to be in range for it to be effective and not harmful to the shoulders. Note that the common name Sots press technically refers to a press in clean, not a press in snatch. *Purpose* The press in snatch helps improve snatch receiving position mobility in the ankles, hips, thoracic spine and shoulders. It also helps improve trunk stability strength, back extension strength (particularly mid and upper back), upper body overhead strength, and balance, accuracy and comfort in the receiving position. *Programming* The press in snatch is most commonly used at the beginning of a training session before snatches to reinforce and prepare the receiving position. Sets of 2-5 reps are appropriate; weights need to be determined based on the abilities of the lifter, and may be limited to the empty barbell. Weights should never exceed what a lifter can do with a smooth, controlled motion both up and down—there should never be any grinding or compensatory position changes to perform a rep. *Variations* The press in snatch can be started from the top down (i.e. sit into the squat with the bar already overhead and then lower and press); it can be done with prescribed pauses in the overhead position (usually 2-3 seconds); and it can be done with completely resetting the bar on the back and beginning each rep from a dead stop. *See More* Press in Snatch Mobility Progression - Overhead Position - Get Olympic weightlifting programming that’s been used by over 95,000 athletes around the world - Help support my free content - Also follow me here: @catalystathletics