Power Snatch
An advanced barbell exercise that lifts the bar from the floor to overhead in one explosive motion, caught in a partial squat. It builds full body power and demands a lot of technical practice before adding load.
How to do the power snatch
- Set up over the bar with your feet under your hips and a wide grip on the bar.
- Lower your hips with your chest up and shoulders slightly in front of the bar to start the pull.
- Drive through your heels to lift the bar off the floor, keeping your back angle steady past your knees.
- Extend your hips, knees and ankles explosively, pulling the bar close to your body as you shrug your shoulders.
- Pull yourself under the bar quickly, catching it locked out overhead in a partial squat.
- Stand up fully to finish the lift with the bar locked out above you.
Original library instructions (5 steps)
- Begin with a loaded barbell on the floor. The bar should be close to or touching the shins, and a wide grip should be taken on the bar. The feet should be directly below the hips, with the feet turned out as needed. Lower the hips, with the chest up and the head looking forward. The shoulders should be just in front of the bar. This will be the starting position.
- Begin the first pull by driving through the front of the heels, raising the bar from the ground. The back angle should stay the same until the bar passes the knees.
- Transition into the second pull by extending through the hips knees and ankles, driving the bar up as quickly as possible. The bar should be close to the body. At peak extension, shrug the shoulders and allow the elbows to flex to the side.
- As you move your feet into the receiving position, a slightly wider position, pull yourself below the bar as you elevate the bar overhead. The bar should be received in a partial squat. Continue raising the bar to the overhead position, receiving the bar locked out overhead.
- Return to a standing position with the weight over head.
Common mistakes
- Starting with the hips too high, which turns the pull into a stiff legged lift; keep the chest up and hips lower.
- Letting the bar drift away from the body during the pull; keep it close the whole way up.
- Trying to muscle the bar overhead with the arms instead of pulling yourself under it; the legs and hips do the work.
- Adding weight before the technique feels smooth; practice the positions with an empty bar first.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 4 to 6 sets of 2 to 3 reps, 2 to 3 minutes rest |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 sets of 3 to 5 reps, 2 minutes rest |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 sets of 5 to 6 reps, 90 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Learn this movement from a coach in person before loading the bar, since the technique matters more than the weight.
- Start lighter than you think, since the catch position is unforgiving if the bar is too heavy for your skill level.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Is the power snatch good for beginners?
No. It is a technical Olympic lift best learned from a coach, and beginners should build comfort with simpler pulling and squatting patterns first.
What muscles does the power snatch work?
It is a full body lift built around the hamstrings, with the calves, glutes, back, quads, shoulders and triceps all contributing to the pull and catch.
