Snatch from the platform
Snatch from the platform (full snatch, squat snatch, Olympic snatch, classic snatch, regular snatch) — is an Olympic weightlifting exercise that involves lifting a barbell from the platform to overhead in one motion. It’s considered one of the most complex and technically demanding exercises, requiring a combination of strength, power, speed, and flexibility. The snatch is performed in competitive weightlifting and is also popular in strength and conditioning programs for athletes.
performing
Stand with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointed slightly outward. The barbell should be positioned over the balls of your feet. Grasp the barbell with a hook grip, hands at two of shoulder-width. Move your shins toward the barbell. Keep your back straight, chest up, and shoulders over the barbell.
Begin the lift by pushing through your legs, keeping your back straight and maintaining the barbell close to your body. As the barbell passes your knees, extend your hips and knees explosively, generating upward momentum. Keep your arms engaged, but not bent.
Once your hips and knees are fully extended, shrug your trapezius and get up on your toes. At the same time pull the barbell upward with your arms.
While the barbell reaches its highest point, slide your feet to the sides, quickly drop into a deep squat position and catch the barbell overhead with locked elbows. The barbell should be directly overhead, aligned with your midfoot, and your chest should be up.
Stand up from the squat with the barbell overhead. Fully extend your hips and knees while stabilizing the barbell overhead. Control the descent of the barbell to the starting position.
The Snatch is a full-body exercise that engages multiple muscle groups.
- During the initial pull, the glutes and quadriceps are activated, providing the force to lift the weight off the ground.
- As the lift continues into explosive hip extension, the glutes team up with other powerful muscles to generate the force needed for full extension.
- During the second pull, the calf muscles play a crucial role in plantarflexing the foot, and the upper trapezius muscles lift the shoulder blades, while the biceps and deltoids help keep the bar close to the body and pull even higher.
- Afterwards, the glutes and quads become the main muscles that drive the transition into a deep squat. Rising also requires the use of adductors.
- The erector spinae, abdominals and other core muscles that support the spine are responsible for the safety and stability of the lift.
- The stabilizers in the pull are also the calves, lats, and hamstrings. The rotator cuff muscles stabilize the shoulder joints when the bar is overhead.
Muscles working
Periodization, progressive overload, and consistency are the keys to progress in the snatch and in weightlifting overall.
Programming
Snatches are often included in Olympic weightlifting programs, Crossfit routines, or general strength and conditioning programs. Programming can vary depending on an individual’s goals, experience level, and overall training plan. For beginners, it's crucial to focus on learning proper technique and gradually increasing the weight. More advanced lifters might incorporate the snatch into Olympic weightlifting routines, focusing on specific snatch variations, and varying intensity and volume over time.
Periodization is a system for designing a program using training variables: intensity, volume, frequency, and exercise specificity. In the simplest mesocycle, it is a linear type of periodization with increasing intensity and decreasing volume of the snatch from start to finish. It starts with 50−60% of 1RM and goes up to 90−100%.
Consistency is one of the most important components when working to achieve goals in the gym. With consistency and a balanced training program, the body has an easier and safer way to adapt.
Progressive overload is a method of strength training that uses a gradual increase in load as the athlete’s musculoskeletal and nervous systems adapt to the existing load. This means that you should increase reps, sets, and weights (in this order is best) to challenge your adaptive systems and make progress.
In the snatch programming repetitions vary from 3−5 at 50−70% load for a conditioning phase to 1−2 at up to 95% load for a strengthening phase. Sets also vary at the same rate.
The snatch is a highly coordinated exercise and is usually performed before a clean and jerk, pull or squat, but after a power snatch or muscle snatch.
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Variations
Different variations of the snatch used to train specific aspects:
Hang Snatch. Start the lift from a different hanging position, focusing on the second pull, positioning and timing.
Power Snatch. Catch the barbell in a partial squat instead of a full squat, emphasizing power and explosiveness.
Muscle Snatch. Lift the barbell overhead without a squat, targeting the shoulders and upper body.
High Snatch Pull. Isolated pull phase with pulling the barbell as high as possible without the squat under.