Blocks vs. Hang Lifts | Snatch & Clean

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Let’s answer the age-old question: when and why do we use lifts from the hang versus the blocks?
Like most things, what’s best depends on the lifter and the circumstances-what is the purpose of the lift for that lifter at that time. That said, here are the reasons each variation is useful.
Lifting from the blocks can better help improve the athlete’s rate of force development-how quickly they can get that bar up to speed. To maximize this effect, the lift needs to be initiated from a dead stop rather than with a dynamic start.
Lifters will typically be able to lift more from the blocks than from the hang except in cases of technical or confidence deficiency on blocks, so if partial lifts with the heaviest possible weights are the intent, blocks are the better choice.
For lifters whose first pull is a limitation, whether because it’s weak or intimidating, heavy lifts from the blocks can be an effective way to get more experience with heavy snatches and cleans, and build confidence overall in the lifts that transfers to the floor.
Finally, blocks are a good way to reduce work for the lower back and legs. This may be done for deloading or tapering purposes, or to work around pain or injury.
Lifts from the hang offer a few benefits. Because the lifter has to support the bar the entire time, they build more postural strength and balance and improve the lifter’s sense of proper position, especially when pausing in the hang positions.
Even with single-rep sets, they build more grip strength and stamina, and therefore confidence in a secure connection to the bar for heavy lifts.
We can also use multiple starting positions in a single set from the hang instead of only a single block position
Finally, multiple-rep hang sets build more overall strength and toughness because of the difficulty of lowering the weight between reps.
Generally, newer lifters will be better served with hang lifts to improve their technical proficiency more quickly because of the demand on establishing position and balance and the postural strength development.
Of course, we can take a bar off the blocks to do hang lifts if our hang position is higher than the blocks. This is a good option when wanting to do higher hang lifts to avoid a lower pulling position when we need to avoid a lift from the floor due to fatigue or injury.
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[@hughm-c2478]

Best instructional weightlifting content on the platform, thank you for everything you do and all of the free content you provide

[@WilliamsWrestlin]

I genuinely loved this video. Consice, visual examples, clear explanations

[@xjxspartanxjx]

Before I see the video I answered to my self : We use hang snatch/clean when we do not have any money for blocks 😂

[@CatalystAthletics]

You can stack extra bumper plates to create blocks as well.

[@xjxspartanxjx]

@@CatalystAthletics Yeah, I saw it in the video, thank you for the answer and the advice!

[@dannyblong]

Hmm. Are extra bumper plates cheaper than blocks?

[@CatalystAthletics]

@@dannyblong That would depend on the plates and the blocks, but the point is that it's likely that a gym has more bumper plates than what are being used at a given moment.

[@sixaxis33]

I think Meso Hassona said that he uses the block snatch and the block clean to get into a competition shape faster, since it allows him to load more weight into the lift with the lifts being less fatiqueing than doing them from the floor! He does do a lot of lifts from the hang, in his out of competition training.

[@tizianapaonessa5611]

Thanks for that information. It’s very helpful and I totally understand what your saying about the two difference. I really enjoy all your tip on weightlifting. You know your stuff. 👍🏻

[@shardfilterbox]

This answered exactly what I was wondering, thank you.

[@pak06292]

straight to the point! this vids are awesome!

[@MehMeh66]

Greatest weightlifting channel. No bullshit. 👍🏼

[@DredFulProductions]

Love the content!

[@Jack81631]

Best of the best content

[@Maher-]

Awesome content Greg Thanks very much for the information your helping us with. I have a question , what's the difference between Good Morning with a stiff legs a half squat and seated positions? Thanks again

[@CatalystAthletics]

You can find info about the variations here - www.catalystathletics.com/exercises/

[@Scott-zh5ip]

It's quite scary how you not only seem to know everyone's programming but also all our questions to coach before we ask them......

[@frankchen4229]

when you have a passion for something you will eagerly find reasons to retain all knowledge obtained from your experiences

[@craigowen1798]

I know you’ve mentioned it before, but can’t find it - how do you typically program 3 Position hang snatches? For example, what’s the usefulness of a high, low, floor snatch complex vs. a floor, low hang, high hang complex?

[@CatalystAthletics]

Usually less technically proficient will go top down because they're better and/or more comfortable from the hang, and then we're adding more difficulty each rep while trying to replicate the proper higher positions; proficient lifters bottom up because each rep will have more fatigue and less time/space to lift, so we're forcing better acceleration, commitment and aggression. www.catalystathletics.com/exercise/65/3-Position-Snatch/

[@InvisibleHotdog]

Is there a threshold for lowering heavy snatches and cleans vs. dropping? ie. training at a gym that doesn't allow dropping I saw a video from you about lowering between reps but it had no audio and the article didn't mention anything about that either. If I'm strong enough to get it up, I'm guessing the rationale is that I'm strong enough to catch it on the way down?

[@CatalystAthletics]

Being able to get a snatch, clean or jerk up definitely doesn't mean you can lower it - the lifts are one-directional. That said, always lowering your lifts will increase your strength for doing so as much as possible. So the threshold is how much you can lower safely within the given restrictions, i.e. truly setting it down on the floor completely under control vs "control".

[@djvesque]

How does one acquire used IWF competition plates like the 2015 Houston ones?

[@CatalystAthletics]

Gear gets sold after each event. Usually bought up by coaches and athletes who were there.

[@pistolpete7777]

Around 30 sec u say to maximize effect of rate of force development the lift from block should be done from a dead stop. I agree..I can't help but notice however that none of your examples of these lifts are done from a dead stop. Just saying I noticed that. Am I missing something or misunderstanding or were these just the examples u had...thanks..usually when I do block work I do it from a deadstop , no countermovement or dynamics, just to mimic how the bar would be at that point in the lift

[@CatalystAthletics]

No, because I don't often force my lifters to go from a dead stop from the blocks, because pure RFD is rarely our top priority. Even without a dead stop initiation, though, it doesn't exactly mimic a lift from the floor at that point - lift from the floor would have considerably speed and momentum on the bar at that point, which is an extremely different situation.