Snatch Chat

Struggling with your snatch, clean, or jerk? In Episode 16, Coach Oates breaks down the most common Olympic weightlifting faults and shows you exactly how to fix them with simple, effective coaching cues.

From understanding why your jerk feels unstable overhead to mastering a fast, reactive dip, this episode dives into the details that actually move the needle in your lifts.

You’ll learn:

• How to fix common snatch & clean technique errors
• Why split jerks offer better stability overhead
• The truth about jerk dip timing
• How to improve your balance in the clean
• The role of accessory exercises in building stronger lifts
• How coaching goes beyond programming

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced lifter, this episode gives you practical tools you can apply immediately to hit new PBs and train smarter.

🎯 If you want to take your lifting to the next level, join the OPTILIFT Performance Lab, our coaching community designed to help you refine technique, build strength, and stay consistent with expert guidance.

👉 Join here: https://www.skool.com/optilift-performance-lab-3529/about

In this episode of the Snatch Chat Podcast, Coach Oatesbreaks down some of the most common issues lifters face in Olympic weightlifting, including problems with the snatch, clean and jerk, and training plateaus.

We dive into practical weightlifting coaching tips tohelp you improve technique, lift heavier weights, and build confidence under the bar.

Topics covered include:

• Why lifters develop stripper Cean (hips shooting up inthe clean) and how to fix it
• Why your power snatch might be close to your full snatch and how tofix it
• The real reason your snatch might lag behind your clean and if thisactually matters
• How to break through clean plateaus even when your squats areincreasing
• Why the bar drifts forward in the snatch and how to correct it
• Why the jerk feels inconsistent session to session
• Whether training too often can stall Olympic lifting progress
• Why a strong overhead squat doesn’t always transfer to heavy snatches
• Common reasons lifters miss snatches forward or crash cleans
• Whether taller athletes need different weightlifting technique strategies
• How to build confidence with heavy lifts near your max
• What coaches look for first when analysing snatch technique

This episode also explores the mental side ofweightlifting, including confidence, focus, and achieving flow state in training.

📚 Resource mentioned: Flowin Sport – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

If you want to improve your snatch, clean and jerktechnique, and Olympic lifting performance, this episode will give youactionable strength training and weightlifting coaching insights.

Looking to master your Weightlifting technique and fix badhabits that are stopping you from hitting your next PB, Get access to the weightliftingtoolbox that has all the practical elements, cues and drills to help youovercome them. Click the link below to get access

https://www.skool.com/optilift-performance-lab-3529/about

Want to improve your snatch, clean, and jerk and starthitting more personal bests in Olympic weightlifting?

In this episode, Coach Oates breaks down the most commonmistakes lifters make in the snatch, clean, and jerk, and shares practical weightlifting technique tips, mindset shifts, and training strategies that will help you lift heavier with better consistency. Whether you're a beginner learning the fundamentals or an experienced lifter chasing bigger numbers, this episode will help you understand how elite weightlifting technique actually works. You’ll learn how to fix common technical errors, generate more power inyour lifts, and approach your training with the right mindset to keep progressing year after year.

As Coach Oates explains:

“Forget the bar, think about moving the body.”

And when the weight gets heavy?

“Get hyped to throw yourself underneath that heavy weight.”

🏋️ What You'll Learn inThis EpisodeKey Olympic weightlifting technique fundamentals   

  The most common snatch mistakes and how to fixthem

     Why your jerk setup might be costing you lifts

      The real reason lifters round out of the clean

   How to generate power like a vertical jump

      Why lifters jump forward in the snatch (and howto stop it)

     How much your snatch should realisticallyimprove each year

      The best strength exercises for improving thesnatch

      Effective self-coaching strategies forweightlifters

    The mindset shifts needed to hit new PBs

⏱️ Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:26 Episode Recap: Mental Health and Training

01:26 Simplifying Mental Health with Training Programs

02:19 Goals for Future Episodes and Focus Areas

03:16 Making Weightlifting Accessible for Busy Lives

04:12 Importance of Sleep Hygiene and Life Balance

05:06 Favourite Zero Sugar Drink and Motivation

05:57 Common Mistakes in Jerk Setup and Fixes

08:45 Key Factors in the First Pull of the Snatch

12:06 Why Rounding Occurs Out of the Clean

14:08 Do You Need to Be Strong to Snatch Big?

16:29 Most Misunderstood Aspects of Olympic Weightlifting

17:56 Generating Power Like a Vertical Jump

18:51 Preventing Forward Jumps in the Snatch

20:44 Expected Progress in Snatch Each Year

23:10 Best Dumbbell Accessory Movements for Weightlifters

25:47 Key Strength Exercises for Snatch Improvement

26:12 Effective Self-Coaching Tips for Lifters

31:09 Common Reasons for Snatch Misses Behind

33:23 Mindset Shifts to Achieve More PBs

36:11 Importance of the Start Position in the Clean

37:37 Introducing the Weightlifting Toolbox and Resources

📚 Resources Mentioned

The Weightlifting Checklist

https://api.leadconnectorhq.com/widget/form/5dOBCWIfxSJRk2nsxCqW

OPTILFIT Performance Lab Community and Weightlifting Toolbox

https://www.skool.com/optilift-performance-lab-3529

In this episode of the Snatch chat podcast, CoachOates sits down with Rachel; a senior data engineer turned weightliftingenthusiast, to unpack her transition from powerlifting into the world ofOlympic lifts, competition, and long term personal growth.

Rachel shares how she “caught the weightlifting bug” and whythe technical challenge of the snatch and clean & jerk pulled her away frompowerlifting. We dive into the reality of learning the Olympic lifts, thepatience required, the frustration of refining technique, and why strengthalone isn’t enough.

She opens up about:

Rachel reflects on how competing became “the best day,”highlighting the supportive and electric atmosphere that makes weightliftingunique. We explore how the competitive environment fuels progress and whythere’s always room for growth.

Toward the end of the episode, we discuss women’sweightlifting in Scotland and the incredible work being done by SWOL (ScottishWomen in Olympic Lifting). SWOL began with the ambition to bring more womeninto Olympic weightlifting across Scotland and is now hosting events anddeveloping initiatives to increase participation, not just as athletes, but ascoaches, technical officials, and event organisers.

You can learn more about their work here:

This conversation is a reminder that weightlifting is morethan numbers on a bar. It’s about patience. Community. Coaching. Competition.And enjoying the process of becoming stronger, physically and mentally.

If you’re a powerlifter considering the switch, a new lifternavigating your first competition, or someone chasing long term progress in theOlympic lifts, this episode is for you.

There’s always room for growth.

In Episode 12 of The Snatch Chat Podcast, Coach Oates and James dive into the powerful relationship between mental health and fitness, and why training is about far more than just physical progress.

We explore how exercise can act as a form of therapy, how routine and discipline create stability, and why relying on motivation alone isn’t enough. The conversation tackles common barriers to training, from stigma to financial constraints, and highlights the importance of setting realistic goals that build confidence rather than burnout.

You’ll also hear why “feelings aren’t facts,” how to navigate periods of hopelessness, and why being kinder to yourself might be the missing piece in both your lifting and your life.

Whether you’re feeling stuck, rebuilding momentum, or simply looking to better understand the mental side of training, this episode will give you practical perspective and reassurance that progress is possible.

In the end, it’s going to be okay.

In this episode of Snatch Chat podcast, Coach Oates does something different.

It starts light with some quick fire questions; coffee vs pre-workout, CrossFit debates, worst fashion trends (yes… plimsolls are involved), irrational fears, and why early mornings win every time.

Then we pivot. Because if your snatch, clean & jerk, or overall total hasn’t moved in months… this episode might sting a little.

Drawing on 13 years of coaching experience and working with hundreds (if not thousands) of lifters since 2013, Coach Oates breaks down the 7 questions that reveal exactly why you're not improving.

Inside this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why getting stronger doesn’t always mean you’ll lift more

• How to tell if your issue is technical… or just disguised as a strength problem

• The real reason your lifts fall apart over 80%

• Whether you’re actually training with intent — or just going through the motions

• The difference between practicing and performing

• Why generic programs might be holding you back

• The uncomfortable truth about avoiding your weaknesses

If you’ve been:

• Stuck at the same numbers for months

• Hitting PBs in squats but not in your lifts

• Failing heavier weights inconsistently

• Following programs without real direction

This episode will help you diagnose the real bottleneck.

Plus, Coach shares access to the Weightlifting Mastery Scorecard a free breakdown tool to identify whether your biggest limiter is technique, strength, mindset, consistency, or structure.

CHECK OUT THE SCORECARD HERE...

https://connor-gzlv0xss.scoreapp.com/

Expect honest coaching. Expect uncomfortable truths. Expect clarity. And maybe a rant about frogs.

In episode 10, Coach Oates breaks down why strength alone isn’t fixing your Olympic lifts and what actually does. We cover clean to front squat ratios, how to structure a proper training week, why progress isn’t linear, and how chasing heavy lifts too often can quietly wreck your technique.

We also talk mobility vs flexibility, why accessories actually matter, how external stress affects performance, and why fixing one big issue beats trying to fix everything at once.

If you want better lifts, more consistency, and progress that actually sticks, press play.

In Episode 9 of Snatch Chat, Coach Oates answers questionsfrom Olympic weightlifters on how to actually improve their Weightlifting skills, without doing more for the sake of it.

This episode dives into why training consistencymatters more than chasing maxes, how building a strong technical base at 80–85% leads to more reliable lifts, and which strength lifts truly carry over to the snatch and clean & jerk. Coach Oates breaks down the balance betweentechnique vs strength, when full lifts matter more than variations, and how to fix common issues in the squat position by learning to load the hips correctly.

You’ll also learn how to spot overtraining signs,structure training blocks more effectively, decide when (and when not) to test heavy singles, and why less is often more when it comes to long term lifting progress.

If you’re stuck on a plateau, unsure whether your issue istechnical or physical, or just want a smarter approach to Olympic weightlifting training,  this episode will give youclarity and direction.

In this episode of the Snatch Chat Podcast, Coach Oates breaks down the most common technical mistakes holding lifters back, starting with one of the biggest snatch errors: pulling the bar too high instead of moving under it efficiently.

But technique is only part of the picture. We also dive into the mindset side of training: why enjoying the process matters more than chasing constant PBs, how to stay motivated when progress feels slow, and why creating different “goal posts” can keep you moving forward long term.

You’ll also hear why the hook grip is non-negotiable, which accessory exercises are massively overrated (yes, the sotts press gets called out), and how failure in training is actually one of your best feedback tools if you know how to use it.

If you’re a newer lifter — or someone stuck in a plateau — this episode is packed with practical advice to help you train smarter, stay consistent, and get more out of every session.

🎯 Topics covered:• The biggest technical mistake in the snatch• Why mindset can make or break long-term progress• The importance of hook grip (even when it sucks)• Staying motivated during slow phases of training• Overrated accessories and what actually carries over• Using failed lifts as feedback• How new lifters can accelerate learning by “being a sponge"

In this episode of The Snatch Chat Podcast, Coach Oates sits down with Dima; a dedicated weightlifter and executive director working in human rights, to explore how weightlifting became more than just training… it became a lifeline.

Dima shares her journey from gymnastics and CrossFit into Olympic weightlifting, the technical challenges that kept her hooked, and the powerful sense of community she found along the way. We also dive into the mental health side of training, including her experience with postnatal depression and how lifting gave her a way to disconnect, rebuild confidence, and feel happier in her body again.

With the pressures of a demanding career and motherhood, Dima explains why training isn’t a luxury, it’s essential. As she puts it: “It’s cheaper than therapy.”

This episode is a must listen for anyone who trains not just to lift more weight, but to live better.

Key Takeaways:• Trust your body — it’s capable of amazing things• Weightlifting is a journey, not a destination• Training can be a powerful tool for mental health• Find a coach you trust and connect with• Make fitness part of your family’s story

Sound Bites:🗣 “It’s cheaper than therapy.”🗣 “I’m happier in my body generally.”🗣 “Trust your body — it’s amazing.”

⏱ Chapters

00:00 — Introduction to Dima’s Journey02:50 — From Gymnastics & CrossFit to Weightlifting05:55 — Finding Community Through Training09:42 — Mental Health, Motherhood & Lifting19:23 — Falling in Love with the Technical Side25:06 — Goal Setting & Staying Motivated35:44 — The Bigger Benefits of Strength Training52:11 — Advice for Women in Fitness