Dumbbell One Arm Snatch

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Place a dumbbell on the floor between your feet, which should be set slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Hinge at the hips and bend your knees to reach down, gripping the dumbbell with one hand using an overhand grip.
3. Keep your chest up, back flat, and your non-working arm extended out to the side for balance.
4. Ensure your hips are lower than your shoulders and your weight is distributed through your mid-foot and heels.

How to do it

1. Drive explosively through your heels, extending your hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously while pulling the dumbbell upward close to your body.
2. As the dumbbell reaches chest height, shrug your shoulder and 'punch' the weight toward the ceiling, catching it with a locked-out arm overhead.
3. Exhale sharply during the explosive upward drive and inhale as you lower the weight back to the floor with control.
4. Maintain a fast, powerful tempo on the ascent and a controlled, safe tempo on the descent.

Form checklist

• Keep the dumbbell close to your torso throughout the pull, as if unzipping a jacket.
• Avoid rounding your lower back; maintain a neutral spine from the floor to the overhead position.
• Ensure full elbow lockout at the top of the movement before lowering the weight.
• Use the power of your legs and hips to move the weight rather than 'muscling' it up with your arm.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'triple extension'—the simultaneous snap of the ankles, knees, and hips—to generate maximum vertical momentum.
• At the top of the movement, stabilize your shoulder by pulling your shoulder blade down and back into its socket.

Make it harder

• Perform the movement from a 'hang' position (starting with the dumbbell at mid-thigh) to increase the demand on hip acceleration.
• Incorporate a squat snatch by catching the dumbbell in a overhead squat position instead of a power stance.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the dumbbell one arm snatch work?

The dumbbell one arm snatch primarily targets the deltoids, erector spinae, glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, and triceps, and also works the abs, obliques, and rotator cuff as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the dumbbell one arm snatch?

The dumbbell one arm snatch uses dumbbell.

Is the dumbbell one arm snatch good for beginners?

The dumbbell one arm snatch is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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