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Often at the box you will be asked to use the hook grip when performing movements such as the Snatch and Clean. While a little uncomfortable at first, stick with it and it will make the Olympic Lifts safer and see faster improvements. Some of our guys and girls may not have heard of the hook grip so I've reposted one of our older blogs to give you an idea!

Burgener, our guru on Olympic Lifting, says, “The hook grip is absolutely necessary if one is going to move heavy weights fast! Any other grip will not work as with the speed of the movement thru a large range of motion the grip can become compromised and slip out of ones hands. There is a reason that 100% of all world team lifters use the hook grip! It works and secures the hands on the bar during the lift.”

The Olympic lifts are explosive movements, they are powerful and fast thus require a firm grip on the bar. The hook grip is performed by wrapping the thumb around the bar, then wrapping the fingers around the thumb. This is a very strong and safe grip which will prevent the barbell from slipping out of your hands during a clean or a snatch.

We use the hook grip when pulling the bar from the ground to the receiving position. There are two ways to unhook this grip. The first way is done naturally when a lifter flips their palms up. The second requires adjusting the grip after the catch or receiving position after the squat or to prepare for the jerk. Most lifters will use a normal grip when jerking the bar.

In the beginning, the hook grip can be a little uncomfortable, however stick with it and the discomfort will fade quickly. Try practicing the hook grip during the Burgener warm-up and before you know it, it will become second nature.

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