Block Snatch

How to do it

1. Set the barbell on blocks so the bar sits just above or just below the knees.
2. Take a wide snatch grip with a hook grip, feet hip-width under the bar.
3. Push the hips back, keep the chest over the bar and the arms long, back flat.
4. Drive through the floor, extend hips and knees hard and shrug as the bar reaches the upper thighs.
5. Pull yourself under the bar and catch it overhead in a squat with locked arms.
6. Stand up with the bar overhead, then lower it back to the blocks with control.

Tips

• Stay patient off the blocks: let the legs push before the arms pull.
• Keep the bar close so it brushes the thighs instead of swinging out.
• Punch the arms up into the lockout as you drop, not after you land.

Common mistakes

• Pulling early with the arms before the hips have extended.
• Losing the flat back as the bar leaves the blocks.
• Catching the bar with soft elbows so it drifts forward.

Muscles worked by the Block Snatch

• Gluteus maximus Primary16%
• Upper traps Primary16%
• Quads (vastus lateralis) Primary10%
• Spinal erectors (lower back) Secondary10%
• Quads (vastus medialis) Secondary8%
• Front delts Secondary6%
• Hamstrings (biceps femoris) Secondary6%
• Hamstrings (semitendinosus/-membranosus) Secondary5%
• Calves (gastrocnemius) Minor5%
• Side delts Minor4%
• Lower traps Minor4%
• Forearm flexors Stabilizer3%
• Triceps (long head) Stabilizer3%
• Upper abs Stabilizer2%
• Rotator cuff Stabilizer2%

Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.

Starting above the knee skips the first pull. A fast pull from the floor straight to overhead in one motion: the same triple extension as the clean, with the upper traps and shoulders turning the bar over and locking it overhead.

Block Snatch alternatives

Same equipment

• Hang SnatchBarbell
• Power SnatchBarbell

Different equipment

• Dumbbell SnatchDumbbell
• Kettlebell SnatchKettlebell

Easier

• Hang Power SnatchBarbell
• SnatchBarbell

Make it easier

• Hang Power SnatchBarbell
• SnatchBarbell
• Dumbbell SnatchDumbbell
• Muscle SnatchBarbell

Frequently asked questions

What muscles does the Block Snatch work?

Mainly the gluteus maximus, upper traps and quads (vastus lateralis). The spinal erectors (lower back), quads (vastus medialis), front delts, hamstrings (biceps femoris) and hamstrings (semitendinosus/-membranosus) assist.

Is the Block Snatch good for beginners?

The Block Snatch is rated advanced. If you are new, learn the Hang Power Snatch first and build up from there.

What is a good alternative to the Block Snatch?

For example the Hang Power Snatch, Snatch and Hang Snatch. They train mostly the same muscles.

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