Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Snatch Pull: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The snatch pull is a compound Olympic weightlifting movement that develops explosive power and strength in the lower body, particularly targeting the quads, hamstrings, and glutes. It requires coordination, balance, and proper technique to perform safely and effectively.

Primary muscles
Quads
Secondary muscles
Calves , Hamstrings , Glutes
Equipment
Barbell
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the snatch pull
Front view: muscles worked by the snatch pull. Primary: quads. Secondary: calves, hamstrings and glutes.
Back view: muscles worked by the snatch pull. Primary: quads. Secondary: calves, hamstrings and glutes.
Primary Secondary

How to do the snatch pull

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell on the ground in front of you.
  2. Step 2: Bend your knees and hinge at the hips to lower into a squat position, gripping the barbell with an overhand grip.
  3. Step 3: Keep your back straight and chest up as you drive through your heels to lift the barbell off the ground, extending your hips and knees.
  4. Step 4: As the barbell reaches hip level, explosively pull it upwards, shrugging your shoulders and pulling your elbows high and to the sides.
  5. Step 5: As the barbell reaches its highest point, quickly drop underneath it, pulling yourself into a deep squat position.
  6. Step 6: Catch the barbell overhead with your arms fully extended and your knees bent.
  7. Step 7: Stand up by extending your hips and knees, keeping the barbell overhead.
  8. Step 8: Lower the barbell back down to the starting position by reversing the movement.
  9. Step 9: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the snatch pull 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.

Snatch Pull alternatives

More exercises that train the quads as their main target:

More quads exercises

See the best quad 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.