Snatch, a power exercise

Snatch is one of the Olympic lifts, it is the best exercise for power.

If you can already deadlift and overhead squat, the next step is to get the weight off the floor and take it over the head in one fluid motion combining strength and explosion.

Strength + Speed = Power.

Of all olympic athletes, weightlifters are the ones that have the highest vertical jump, that means, they are the strongest.

Before "take out" a certain weight, you need to train additional movements before. So let's unravel the snatch in separate moves from end to beginning. This is the order I use to warmup:

- Overhead Squat: This is the basic exercise of snatch. Train always. If you do not have a squat rack, here's a video showing how to take the bar from the floor to overhead with security. It also shows how to abort the lift in case you lose the balance:

- Snatch Balance: Test the weight you can handle.

- Hang Snatch: To train your pull and speed of transition. Fine tuning of motor recruitment.

- Snatch: Is the Olympic movement itself. Legs, hips, abdomen, trapezius, shoulder and arms are the main muscles recruited. Easier said that recruits the entire body! Sprinters use snatch to run faster, increasing the blast power. If you want to jump higher or improve your performance in other sports, practice the snatch.


Women also:

Blasting speed:

Anyone can do:

Biomechanical analysis of the snatch: