What is a Snatch (AKA Squat Snatch or Full Snatch)? | Olympic Weightlifting Technique

What is a snatch? How is it different from a power snatch or hang snatch? What is a squat snatch? What is a full snatch? Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers it all here in about a minute.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 03/04/23)

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Easy Setup for Deadlift, Snatch, & Clean

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 07/28/23)

Whether you’re deadlifting, cleaning, or snatching, we’d like a setup process that is as simple, efficient, and consistent as possible. With that in mind, we’re going to take the 5-step deadlift setup process and quickly learn how to apply it - with very minor modifications - to the clean and the snatch.

DEADLIFT SETUP
Let’s briefly recap the 5-step deadlift process, and for a more detailed treatment, you can watch the included video.

Step 1: Stance
The stance is narrow (heels about hip width apart), your shins are one inch from the barbell, which places the bar over the middle of your foot, and your toes are pointed out slightly (roughly 10-15 degrees).

Step 2: Grip
Bend over and take your grip on the barbell. Your grip is relatively narrow - just outside the legs. Don’t let your shins touch the bar during this step, and DO NOT move the bar (i.e., don’t let the bar roll forward or backward at all).

tyler demonstrates the deadlift start position and is ready to pull.

Step 3: Shins
Bend your knees slightly until your shins touch the bar (this means your hips should drop, but only a bit). Also, shove your knees out slightly - your knees should touch the insides of your arms. Again, do not move the bar.

Step 4: Chest
Squeeze your chest up to set your back in rigid, flat extension. Your hips DO NOT drop during this step, and you still DO NOT move the bar.

Step 5: Pull
Pushing the floor away from you with your legs, drag the bar up your legs until you’ve locked out the bar at the top of the lift.

CLEAN SETUP
Moving on to the clean, there are two small changes. Step 1 (stance) is the same, and we then encounter the first change in Step 2 (grip): your grip for the clean is one hand-width wider than it was for the deadlift.

maddie demonstrates the start position for the clean.

Step 3 (shins) brings about the other small change. You still bring your shins to the bar by bending your knees slightly, but since your grip is a bit wider, you also shove your knees out a little more than you did in the deadlift so that the knees still touch the insides of your arms.

After this, you then move on to Step 4 (chest) and Step 5 (pull).

SNATCH SETUP
Moving on to the snatch, we have three changes. The first change shows up right away in Step 1 (stance): point your toes out wider than they were in the deadlift and clean - roughly 30 degrees (you’ll see the reason for this shortly).

The second change arrives in Step 2 (grip): your grip is significantly wider than it was in the deadlift or the clean. It should be wide enough that the barbell hangs at the crease of your hips when you are holding the bar with straight arms in a completely upright (i.e., standing) position.

becky demonstrates the start position for the snatch.

The third and final change shows up in Step 3 (shins): once again, you still bend your knees to bring your shins to the bar, but since your grip is significantly wider than that of the deadlift or clean, you also shove your knees out significantly wider than you did with the other two lifts. This very noticeable “knees out” position is why you point your toes out quite a bit in Step 1 of the snatch setup.

After Step 3, you then move on to Step 4 (chest) and Step 5 (pull).

SUMMARY
To recap, the 5 steps are always as follows: stance, grip, shins, chest, and pull. However, the execution of certain steps changes due to the grip width of the clean and the snatch.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Power Snatch vs Split Snatch vs Squat Snatch: Which One is Best?

(A Blast from the Past article originally posted on 05/21/21)

There are three landing positions for the snatch, and each has its own advantages. Let’s briefly cover them here:

POWER SNATCH

Landing Position: Partial squat (i.e., partial-depth overhead squat)

Joy performs a power snatch.

Advantage: The power snatch is the simplest to learn as your feet do not travel far from their original pulling position. It also doesn’t require learning how to perform the overhead squat as in the . . .

SNATCH (AKA full snatch or squat snatch)

Landing Position: Overhead squat (i.e., full-depth overhead squat)

Advantage: Of the three landing positions, the full snatch allows lifters to lift the heaviest weights as this lower receiving position means the barbell doesn’t have to be lifted as high before catching it.

Joy performs a snatch.

SPLIT SNATCH

Landing Position: Split stance - nearly identical to the split jerk stance, but the split is usually even longer and deeper.

Advantage: The split snatch allows the lifter to drop further under the bar than the power snatch without requiring the ability to drop into an overhead squat position as in the full snatch. For this reason, the split snatch - although potentially useful at all ages - is especially well-suited to older lifters.

Joy performs a split snatch.

You’ll notice that the word “hang” - as in hang snatch or hang power snatch or hang split snatch - is conspicuously absent in this discussion. This is because “hang” refers to a starting position, not a landing position.

If “hang” is added as a prefix, then the lift simply starts with the bar hanging in the hands (usually at about mid-thigh height) as opposed to starting with the bar resting on the floor.

As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

99% of Lifters Don't Know These Training Tricks

Most lifters are leaving progress on the table without realizing it. Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers covers 12 overlooked training tactics, techniques, and tricks that can change the way you approach the bar. Watch this before your next session — your future PRs will thank you.

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Snatch vs Power Snatch vs Hang Snatch - What's the Difference?!

Snatch, hang snatch, power snatch, hang power snatch - what are the differences between these lifts, and how can we remember these differences in an easy and practical manner? To sort this out, we first need to understand two words - hang and power.

HANG
Hang refers to a starting position, so if you see the word hang, then you know the lift starts with the bar hanging in your hands. Common hang positions include the mid-thigh, low thigh, above the knee, below the knee, and even mid-shin, but most often (without any other specific qualifiers), hang typically refers to a start position at the mid to low thigh.

Finally, note that if you don’t see the word hang, then you know the lift starts with the bar resting on the floor.

POWER
Power refers to a landing position (AKA receiving position), i.e., the position in which you catch or rack the bar. When you see the word power, simply think partial squat (tip: power and partial both start with the letter “p”). Thus, if you see the word power, you’re going to receive the snatch in a partial depth overhead squat. If you don’t see the word power, then you know you’re going to receive the snatch in a full depth overhead squat.

Now that you’ve got those two terms down, it’s time for the actual lifts . .

SNATCH (AKA squat snatch or full snatch)
Since you don’t see the word hang, the bar starts on the floor, and since you don’t see the word power, it’s not received in a partial squat and is therefore received in a full depth overhead squat before being stood up. 

In summary, the snatch starts with the bar on the floor, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a full depth overhead squat, and then the lifter recovers (i.e., stands up).

POWER SNATCH
You don’t see the word hang, so the bar starts on the floor, but you do see the word power, so the bar is received in a partial depth overhead squat.

In summary, the power snatch starts with the bar on the floor, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a partial depth overhead squat, and then the lifter recovers.

HANG SNATCH
You see the word hang, so the bar starts hanging in the lifter’s hands, but you don’t see the word power, so the bar is received in a full depth overhead squat.

In summary, the hang snatch starts with the bar hanging in the hands, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a full depth overhead squat, and then the lifter recovers.

HANG POWER SNATCH
Not surprisingly, this is a combination of both the hang snatch and the power snatch - the love child of both of those lifts. You see the word hang, so the bar starts hanging in the lifter’s hands, and you also see the word power, so the bar is received in a partial depth overhead squat.

In summary, the hang power snatch starts with the bar hanging in the hands, the bar is accelerated upward, it is received in a partial depth overhead squat, and then the lifter recovers.

By knowing what hang and power mean - and knowing what it means when those words aren’t present - you’ll be able to consistently figure out these variations of the snatch. As always, we hope this helps you get stronger and live better.

-Phil

PS: Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

(Some links may be affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, Testify earns from qualifying purchases.)

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?

Slippery Lifting Platform?! Use THIS for Olympic Weightlifting & Strength Training

Do you have a slippery lifting surface? A slick platform can cause a lot of problems, whether you're snatching, clean-and-jerking, squatting, etc., so Starting Strength Coach Phil Meggers lets you in on a very simple (and rarely discussed!) method to make sure you've got good grip between your shoes and the platform.

(A Blast from the Past video originally published on 12/12/22)

Whenever you want even more Testify in your life, here are some free resources:

• Book a free intro and strategy session with us HERE.

• Pick up a free copy of Testify’s Squat Guide: 12 Tips to Improve Your Squat Now HERE.

• Get our free weekly email - containing useful videos, articles, and training tips - HERE.

• Follow Testify on Instagram HERE.

• Subscribe to Testify’s YouTube channel HERE.

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At Testify, we offer small group training, private coaching (in-person or remotely via Zoom), online coaching, and form checks. Interested in getting stronger, looking better, and having more energy?