Determining the best combination of ground reaction force parameters for maximising power during the power snatch

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to determine the best combination of ground reaction force (GRF) parameters for maximising power during the power snatch. Ten skilled weightlifters (five males and five females) completed a total of five power snatch trials with 60% of one repetition maximum. Vertical GRF (VGRF), horizontal GRF (HGRF), rate of vertical force development (VFD), rate of horizontal force development (HFD) and horizontal centre-of-pressure (HCOP) were extracted through a three-dimensional motion analyses and used as the GRF parameters. Multiple-regression (stepwise) analyses were conducted to evaluate the prediction of power with the GRF parameters being independent variables and determine the above-mentioned best combination. VGRF, VFD and HCOP were identified as significant predictors of power during the power snatch with up to 72% of the variance in power explained (VGRF and VFD: p < 0.01; HCOP: p < 0.05). Specifically, increased VGRF and decreased VFD and HCOP would increase power during the power snatch. In conclusion, a horizontal movement is inevitable as a counter movement before second pull during the power snatch. However, it needs to be minimised as increased VFD and HCOP would have negative impacts on power.

KEYWORDS:

• Olympic weightlifting
• sports biomechanics
• motion analyses
• power
• ground reaction force (GRF)

Acknowledgments

Authors would like to thank participants for volunteering this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest that are directly relevant to the content of this.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.