Barbell Trajectory

Garhammer, J. (1988) Weightlifting performance and techniques of men and women. In: International Conference on Weightlifting and Strength Training. Ed: Komi, P.V. Lahti, Finland: Gummerus Printing. 89-94.
[Accessed through Sean Waxman of Waxman's Gym in Lawndale, CA]

Some Functional HIIT programs teach lifters to keep a "vertical bar path" during lifts such as the snatch or clean.  I started using the concept of a vertical bar path when coaching athletes new to weightlifting since many beginners allow the barbell to travel too far in front of their body through the second pull or over-correct the barbell path behind their bodies while punching/catching the bar overhead - both being mistakes that make the lift less efficient.

The figure above was posted through social media and caught my eye since it contradicted the coaching cue of "vertical bar path".  While I'm hardly qualified to breakdown the nuances of weightlifting technique, I'll run through a few things I can add for consideration when studying the figure regarding bar trajectories.

1.  Note where the barbell is starting: over the mid foot where the knuckle of the big toe meets the foot.  The barbell is NOT in contact with the shin but is two -four inches (approximately) away from the shin.
2.  Most lifts will begin by bringing the barbell "into you" (reference trajectories A and B) as you lift from the floor and clear the knees.
3.  The point the barbell changes direction is when it makes contact with the upper thigh just prior to full hip extension.

Correcting my coaching cues, I'll now replace "vertical bar path" with a description of how the lifter must minimize the "horizontal distance between the bar and hips" (see link to reference article below).

These concepts are better explained in Sean Waxman's article titled "A Technical Description of the Pull in Weightlifting".