There is a lot of confusionsurrounding the differences in executing a power snatch or clean vs thefull squat variation of the lift. Here's the good news - There's reallyno difference. The mechanics of the lifts are identical - the onlydifference is the height at which the lifter receives the bar andarrests downward movement. For a lift to qualify as power, the athletemust stop with the thighs above horizontal. It doesn't matter how highthe bar is turned over and either fixed overhead or racked on theshoulders; if the athlete continues into a squat or any depth belowhorizontal thighs, it is not a power snatch or clean.

Now here'sthe important part: Every snatch and clean should be turned over andsecured overhead or on the shoulders as quickly and as high as possible(with warm-up weights, this will obviously have to be controlledsomewhat because the weights are light enough to muscle snatch or muscleclean). This idea can be best illustrated by thinking of a lifter'sprogression when warming up a lift. At 50 kg, the bar will be pulled andreceived quite high, and the lifter will immediately continue down intoa squat. At 70 kg, the bar will not travel quite as high, but it willstill be received well above horizontal, and the lifter will ride itdown to the bottom of the squat. At 90 kg, the height will againdecrease, and the distance the lifter sits into the squat will bereduced even more. As maximal weights are approached, the bar may besecured overhead or on the shoulders with the thighs right at horizontal(and rarely lower).

In all cases, however, it's critical tounderstand that the bar is received above the bottom position and theathlete squats with the weight to some degree. One of the most commonmistakes beginners make is trying to "catch low". This creates problemslike incomplete pulls, the bar crashing on the lifter, disconnectionbetween the lifter and the bar, reduced ability to absorb the downwardforce, less opportunity to correct instability, and more difficultrecoveries.