The power snatch is an explosive barbell lift that drives the bar from the floor to locked arms overhead using a rapid hip and leg extension and a quick pull-under. It is a full-body movement emphasizing the hips and legs while finishing with the arms and shoulders holding the bar overhead.
How to do the Power Snatch#
- Stand with feet about shoulder-width, brace your core, and grip the bar with an overhand grip just outside shoulder width.
- Start the lift by extending your knees and driving your hips forward while keeping a neutral spine and the bar close to your body.
- As the bar passes your knees, explode by extending hips, knees, and ankles and pull yourself down under the bar.
- Catch the bar overhead with your arms straight in a shallow squat, ensuring your thighs do not drop below parallel.
- Stand up to finish the rep with the bar locked overhead, then lower the bar under control to mid-thigh or drop if plates and environment allow.
Muscles worked#
- Primary: Glutes (Gluteus Maximus), Quads (Quadriceps Femoris), Traps (Trapezius)
- Secondary: Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus & Semimembranosus), Lower back (Erector Spinae), Calves (Gastrocnemius & Soleus), Side delts (Lateral Deltoid), Upper back (Rhomboids & Middle Trapezius)
Common mistakes#
- Rounding the lower back during the initial pull.
- Using the arms to lift instead of driving with the hips and legs.
- Failing to pull yourself quickly enough under the bar, causing a high or unstable catch.
- Catching the bar too deep below parallel or not locking the arms fully overhead.
