“Stick The Lockout”
By Catherine ImesÂ
If you’ve spent any time around me at a competition, certification or workshop, you’ve heard me yell the phrase “Stick the Lockout“.
What does it mean when I say this? In the context of a Jerk, it means that you are not locking out the bell long enough before the drop. It might mean that you are push pressing, i.e. the arm locks out before the legs, or even that you are locking the arm and legs simultaneously and dropping. In the context of the snatch, it means you aren’t fixing the bell overhead in one motion or stopping it.
What are the common reason folks don’t get good lockouts?
1. Ignorance
2. Fast Pace
3. Fatigue
4. Lack of technical skill
Ignorance You may think you are locking out and you aren’t. Many of us do not have the luxury of training under a watchful eye of an experienced coach on a daily basis. Even though we may train with others, if the coach or individual watching you isn’t adept at recognizing these flaws, you may do 100s or 1000s of reps incorrectly.
The remedy is to have you or your coach occasionally submit video to someone who is experienced. I have commonly watched videos of athletes at their request and provided candid feedback on lockouts and of course other technical issues. Most people simply don’t realize that they aren’t doing it correctly.
Fast Pace If you don’t have a good rack because of body type or flexibility, you may use a different pacing strategy especially with 2 arm Jerks. So, it isn’t uncommon for folks to knock out 5-10 reps, and then rest for a period of time and do it again. Unfortunately, this strategy can lead to sloppiness because reps aren’t always treated as “individual” units. I’ve done it this way and I know. If I  did 5 reps in 30 seconds on the Jerk, I thought 5 reps….not one rep at a time. This pacing strategy may work for some who cannot rest in the rack. However, you need to change the way you think about reps. Yes, you may do 5 reps and then rest. But, pause long enough so that you still take each rep one at a time.  With the snatch, knocking out mindless reps may make one totally unaware of whether they are really fixing the bell. If you’re snatching to 10′oclock, you are not fixing the bell overhead. You really shouldn’t even bother with snatches; those aren’t snatches. Swings would probably be easier on your hands and give you the same benefits.
Fatigue This is an obvious one. Many of us have gotten a no count for lockouts in the late stages of a set. The cure for this is basically more time under the bells and conditioning. Fatigue will cause technical issues. That’s why it is important to remain mindful of pace and technique and fall back to technique when you are tired.
Lack of technical Skill This is probably the biggest reason for many. Crisp lockouts are really demonstrative of high skill in the lifts and not a necessity for a legal lockout. It requires athleticism and coordination. I’m amazed at the folks that overlook this.  Fedor Fuglev is stopping the 24kg bell on a dime in the right spot everytime at a blazing 27rpm pace in the snatch. Valery Fedorenko can make his lockouts on all lifts look the same regardless of whether he is using an 8kg or a 60kg.Â
The ability to stop a snatch on a dime and have it land in the right spot in your hand requires coordination. You are stabilizing a moving weight!  Great lockouts in the jerk require precision in power and timing of tension so that the bells are fixed in the optimal spot. You are demonstrating that you know how much power to apply to the first bump and how fast you need to drop under the bells to get your arms into the position for lockout.
Let’s say you have a problem locking out, let alone having a great lockout in either lift. The inability to lockout is usually symptom of a technical problem. Examples of technical problems that could lead to shoddy lockouts in the jerk: Disconnecting the hips and the elbows so that power is leaked on the first bump. Not dropping under the bells quick enough on the second dip. These are just a few problems that may cause you to push press or to move the bells in a position overhead where they may not be in a position that would be well supported by the skeletal system..
Examples of problems that could lead to shoddy lockouts on the snatch: Not dropping the bell correctly from lockout. This problem is actually cyclical. If you don’t get a good lockout, then chances are the drop will also be bad and the problem will perpetuate itself. A poorly landed lockout on the snatch could be the result of poor timing in terms of the hip pop. If the bell is not moving fast enough, it will not go to the spot you want. The poor lockout may also be the result of not being aggressive enough in stopping the bell overhead. Some people are too relaxed in this position and so they don’t fix the bell in one motion. 
Keep working technique issues. If you have access to a good coach, work with them. If working alone, pace  yourself. Pause when the bell is fixed overhead. Evaluate the position of the bell. Do you feel like you could stand there all day or after 5 seconds is it really difficult? Are your shoulders fatigued? If so, chances are that you are not locking out well. If Jerks are done correctly, you should feel little muscular fatigue in your shoulders.Â
Keep working the one arm jerk!!! If you can’t lockout a one arm jerk, you won’t be able to lockout a jerk with 2 bells and I doubt very seriously that your snatch lockout will be anything spectacular. I’ve said before that the One Arm Jerk is the assistance exercise that I credit with improving my snatch even more-so than the swing.
We should all strive for great lockouts. If we don’t, we are missing out on the benefits of the process; The process that will improve our flexibility, joints, and athleticism.
A great lockout is a defining symbol to a great repetition. A bad lockout or non-lockout  is typically a symptom of a problem with an ill-performed repetition and low skill.
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-Catherine Imes is an AKC Coach and the first Master of Sport from