Trajectory

Today let's spend a couple of minutes on the path of the bar. If we examine the diagram above we can see that the bar does not follow a straight vertical trajectory. The bar will start in front of the lifter's area of base (A) and as the bar rises and the knees shift rearward and straighten the bar moves over the area of base (B). The bar will continue in an flat "S" shape as it moves forward after brushing the upper thigh in the clean and the hips in the snatch. Completing the arch as it is caught slightly behind its original starting point. In examples (C) and (D) we can see faults in the trajectory that in all likelihood resulted in a missed lift. Example (E) shows comparisons of three outcomes. A miss to the front (dotted line 2), a good lift (1), and a miss to the rear (dotted line 3).
Also of note is the minimum height required to receive the bar in, this case, the snatch. The bar only need travel high enough for the lifter to dive underneath it. Due to the snatch being received in a higher position than the clean it needs to pulled higher.
Pull steadily from the floor, explode near the hips, shrug hard, and dive under the weight and you will be successful.