What is easier to attain: A BW press or a BW snatch?

[willhu12]

I know this might sound stupid, but this has just been at the back of my mind for a while and I've been planning to ask for ages.

I just wants to know, whats easier. A BW standing military press or a BW snatch from the floor?

I have no intetntion of snatch training, I was just wondering.

[mstrofbass]

I think it's easier to have the strength/power for a BW snatch, but it's the technique that's going to be the challenge. Seems to me to be a pretty tough comparison to make. So, if I had to guess, I would probably say that the press is more challenging. Smarter people might disagree.

[gzt]

If you look at results in the 60s, for high-level athletes, the clean and press was usually stronger than the snatch. But, there have been revolutions in snatch technique (note that their snatches were typically less than 80% of the clean and jerk, while most high level athletes do better (don't bring out exceptions, because I know there are plenty)) and press technique back then was very loosely judged. Based on raw squat numbers, I have enough brute strength to snatch bodyweight, but am nowhere near a bodyweight press. I'm also nowhere near a bodyweight snatch. I think if you're a big guy, they'll both be very hard, press might be easier. If you're a pretty small guy, I think snatch might be easier. In the middle, snatch might be easier.

[LudwigVan]

I have basically zero experience snatching, but it seems to me that asking which of these is "harder" is a problematic question. These two lifts are very different, and excelling at them requires different talents. So I think genetics will play a role in determining which of these two accomplishments is easier for any given lifter.

[tnumrych]

I had a body-weight competition PR snatch of 105kg at a body-weight of 104kg, and it took me about 2 years of serious training to get it (albeit the training was percentage based after the initial learning period of a few months and not the one advocated by Rip, which may be much quicker). I have a 165lb press PR (5x3), after 3 months of SS.

From that I would say that a bodyweight Press may may be harder to attain, given the nature of the movements, and the smaller muscle mass involved relative to the snatch.

[willhu12]

If you look at results in the 60s, for high-level athletes, the clean and press was usually stronger than the snatch. But, there have been revolutions in snatch technique (note that their snatches were typically less than 80% of the clean and jerk, while most high level athletes do better (don't bring out exceptions, because I know there are plenty)) and press technique back then was very loosely judged. Based on raw squat numbers, I have enough brute strength to snatch bodyweight, but am nowhere near a bodyweight press. I'm also nowhere near a bodyweight snatch. I think if you're a big guy, they'll both be very hard, press might be easier. If you're a pretty small guy, I think snatch might be easier. In the middle, snatch might be easier.

Are you talking about Push or Military Press?

[tertius]

Are you talking about Push or Military Press?

Well, the Overhead Press. Not the Military Press. Military actually refers to a standing press where-in the heels are together, not the shoulder-ish width of a regular Overhead Press. And the push press would get disqualified if performed when doing a clean & press.

[willhu12]

Well, the Overhead Press. Not the Military Press. Military actually refers to a standing press where-in the heels are together, not the shoulder-ish width of a regular Overhead Press. And the push press would get disqualified if performed when doing a clean & press.

Oh, I use the terms overhead, military and "press" interchangably. Sorry if that's not correct.

As for C&P I thought that it was a PP, becuase the PP is an oly lift.

[mstrofbass]

becuase the PP is an oly lift.

No, I don't believe it is.

[willhu12]

No, I don't believe it is.

It's not a currently contested oly lift, but it was a few years ago - so it used to be three lifts in competition as opposed to two. So to me, it's an olympic STYLE lift, but not an olympic COMPETITION lift. I belive this was because form was becoming harder and harder to judge.

So I always think of it as on oly style lift, like I do with the high pull.

EDIT: OK, maybe it was about 40 years ago
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clean_and_press