Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Barbell One Arm Snatch: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The barbell one arm snatch is an explosive, full-body movement that targets the shoulders (delts) and also engages the traps, forearms, and core. It requires coordination, balance, and strength to perform safely and effectively.

Primary muscles
Shoulders
Equipment
Barbell
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the barbell one arm snatch
Front view: muscles worked by the barbell one arm snatch. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: obliques, abs, traps and forearms.
Back view: muscles worked by the barbell one arm snatch. Primary: shoulders. Secondary: obliques, abs, traps and forearms.
Primary Secondary

How to do the barbell one arm snatch

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outwards.
  2. Step 2: Hold the barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  3. Step 3: Bend your knees and lower your hips into a squat position, keeping your back straight and chest up.
  4. Step 4: Explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles, driving the barbell upwards.
  5. Step 5: As the barbell reaches chest level, pull it upwards with your arm, keeping it close to your body.
  6. Step 6: Rotate your elbow under the barbell and extend your arm fully overhead, locking out your elbow.
  7. Step 7: Lower the barbell back down to the starting position in a controlled manner.
  8. Step 8: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions, then switch arms.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the barbell one arm snatch by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Barbell One Arm Snatch alternatives

More exercises that train the shoulders as their main target:

More shoulders exercises

See the best shoulder exercises, ranked →

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.