Snatch Pull
- Secondary muscles
- Hamstrings, Glutes, Calves
- Body part
- Upper Legs
- Position
- Standing
- Laterality
- Bilateral (both sides together)
- Category
- Strength
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Taking the wide snatch grip drops your hips lower and puts more back angle into the start than a clean pull, which is exactly what carries over to the full snatch. The bar gets pulled tall with a violent shrug but never caught overhead, so you can handle loads at or above your best snatch.
How to do the Snatch Pull
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell on the ground in front of you.
- Bend your knees and hinge at the hips to lower into a squat position, gripping the barbell with an overhand grip.
- Keep your back straight and chest up as you drive through your heels to lift the barbell off the ground, extending your hips and knees.
- As the barbell reaches hip level, explosively pull it upwards, shrugging your shoulders and pulling your elbows high and to the sides.
- As the barbell reaches its highest point, quickly drop underneath it, pulling yourself into a deep squat position.
- Catch the barbell overhead with your arms fully extended and your knees bent.
- Stand up by extending your hips and knees, keeping the barbell overhead.
- Lower the barbell back down to the starting position by reversing the movement.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tip: Patience off the floor, then explode once the bar passes the knees.
Muscles worked
Primary
Quads · Legs
The quads push the floor away in the first pull and drive the extension at the top.
Secondary
- Hamstrings — The hamstrings load as the bar passes the knees and extend the hip through the pull.
- Glutes — The glutes snap the hips forward at the top of the second pull and provide most of the speed.
- Calves
Common mistakes
- Bending the arms early — the arms stay straight until the hips have fully extended and the shoulders shrug; any early pull with the arms kills the speed.
- Hips shooting up early — keep the chest up and the back angle constant until the bar passes the knees.
- Not finishing the extension — stand all the way up onto the toes with the hips through and the shoulders shrugged at the top.
- Bar swinging away — keep the bar in contact with the thighs through the second pull.
Sets, reps and where it fits
| Goal | Sets × reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Power | 4–6 × 2–3 | 2–3 min |
| Strength | 4–5 × 3–5 | 2–3 min |
Snatch pulls go first in a session as an explosive movement, before squats or deadlifts. Pair them with overhead squats using the same bar.
Variations and alternatives
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Snatch Pull work?
The Snatch Pull primarily works the quads. It also involves the hamstrings, glutes and calves, which assist the movement and stabilise the joints.
Is the Snatch Pull good for beginners?
Not as a starting point. The Snatch Pull is rated advanced because it demands strength, mobility or coordination that takes time to build. Beginners should work up to it through the easier variations listed on this page.
What can I do instead of the Snatch Pull?
If you cannot do the Snatch Pull, try the Squat Jerk. Each of them trains the quads through a similar movement, so you can swap them in without changing the rest of the workout.
How many sets and reps should I do?
It depends on your goal. For the Snatch Pull, a sensible starting point is power: 4–6 × 2–3 with 2–3 min rest; strength: 4–5 × 3–5 with 2–3 min rest. First lift of the day, always. Fatigue ruins the technique this movement depends on.
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