Strength Training · Olympic Weightlifting
Muscle Snatch
The muscle snatch takes a barbell from the floor to overhead without dipping under it. It trains leg drive, upper-back pulling strength, and shoulder control.
Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.
- Intermediate
- Compound
- Higher injury risk
- Rest 3 min
How to do it
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the bar over your midfoot.
- Take a wide overhand grip with knees bent, hips above your knees, and shoulders slightly ahead of the bar.
- Lift the bar to knee height by pushing through the floor.
- Drive upward through your legs and hips as the bar passes your thighs.
- Pull your elbows high and outward as the bar rises along your torso.
- Rotate your elbows under the bar into an overhead lockout without rebending your knees.
- Lower the bar under control to your thighs.
- Return the bar to the floor by bending your hips and knees.
Form cues
- Brace before the pull.
- Keep your feet planted.
- Finish with the bar over your midfoot.
Common mistakes
- Bending the arms too earlyKeep your elbows straight until your legs and hips are nearly fully extended.
- Swinging the bar forwardGuide the bar close to your body rather than knocking it outward with your hips.
- Grinding through the finishReduce the weight if the turnover becomes a slow, strained press.
Safety
A fast-moving bar overhead can fall onto you if you lose control. Excessive load or fatigue can also strain your shoulders, wrists, or lower back during the turnover and finish.
- Practice with an empty bar or lighter training bar before adding weight.
- Secure the plates with collars.
- Use a clear platform and learn how to release a missed lift safely before loading it.
- End the set if you must lean backward to finish overhead.
If you cannot reach a comfortable overhead lockout or have shoulder, wrist, or back pain, choose a pain-free regression and seek advice from a physiotherapist.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Barbell Collar
- Bumper Plate
- Knee Sleeves (optional)
- Olympic Weightlifting Barbell
- Weightlifting Platform
- Wrist Wraps (optional)
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 3–4
- Target
- 3–5 reps
- Rest
- 3 min
Reset your starting position before each repetition.