The Dumbbell Power Snatch

The dumbbell power snatch is the unilateral counterpart of the Olympic weightlifting barbell snatch. This movement requires a combination of great technique, power, speed, strength, and flexibility. The dumbbell snatch is a valuable tool in any fitness program and is also a great option when minimal equipment is available. Read further to learn everything you need to know about the dumbbell power snatch.

• What Is the Dumbbell Power Snatch?
• Dumbbell Power Snatch Benefits
• Muscle Groups Worked
• How to Prepare for the Dumbbell Snatch 
• Equipment Needed for the Dumbbell Power Snatch
• How to Warm Up for the Dumbbell Power Snatch
• How to Perform the Dumbbell Power Snatch
• Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
• Dumbbell Power Snatch Modifications
• Dumbbell Power Snatch Variations
• Common Dumbbell Power Snatch Workouts
• Get Started Today!

What Is the Dumbbell Power Snatch?

The dumbbell power snatch requires the athlete to lift a dumbbell from the ground to the overhead position in one motion while receiving the dumbbell in a partial squat. The term “power” in this instance means the hips must stay above the tops of the knees. 

To accomplish this, the athlete uses their legs to lift the dumbbell from the ground to above the knees, then aggressively extends their hips and legs to impart speed and upward momentum on the dumbbell. With the dumbbell moving vertically, the athlete shrugs and pulls their elbow high to continue elevating the dumbbell and keeping it close to the body. 

The athlete then pulls under the dumbbell while aggressively punching it overhead, receiving the dumbbell in a partial single-arm dumbbell overhead squat. To complete the lift, the athlete stands the weight up to a position with legs and hips extended, and the arm is locked out with the weight overhead. 

The dumbbell power snatch trains qualities such as power, speed, strength, flexibility, coordination, accuracy, agility, and balance. The movement is also commonly performed for an abundance of reps with light to moderate loads, which aid in building cardio-respiratory endurance and stamina. The movement’s unilateral (single-arm) element provides a dose of variance from the traditional barbell snatch while maintaining similar technical demands. 

Dumbbell Power Snatch Benefits

The dumbbell power snatch is a valuable training tool.  When used with light-to-moderate loads for a significant volume of reps, it can aid in developing cardiorespiratory endurance and stamina. This movement can be done with heavy loads for low reps, which will aid the development of strength, power, speed, and agility. Regardless of how the movement is performed, the complexity of the movement will develop the neurological adaptations necessary for athletic performance. 

Cardiorespiratory Endurance and Stamina

The dumbbell power snatch is typically performed for a significant volume of reps as a component of a conditioning workout to deliver a significant dose of cardiorespiratory endurance and stamina. Workouts may include sets of upwards of 30-50 reps that can be performed safely and effectively with light to moderate loads. In these sets, stamina, or local muscular endurance, is also developed in the forearms, spinal erectors, glutes, hamstrings, quads, and shoulders.  

Strength

Although not a pure strength-building movement compared to movements like heavy deadlifts, squats, presses, and classic Olympic lifting variations, the dumbbell power snatch can still enhance strength development when used for challenge loads in the 3-to 5-rep range. Athletes must apply significant force while performing a dynamic deadlift and aggressively extend the hips and legs to elevate the dumbbell. The arm pull and receiving the dumbbell overhead will also develop strength and stability throughout the shoulder region. The dumbbell power snatch also develops core strength as the body must absorb the impact and load of receiving the dumbbell overhead. The unilateral nature of the movement will challenge the core with demands that vary from traditional barbell movements. 

Power, Speed, and Agility

The dumbbell power snatch allows athletes to move a significant load throughout a large range of motion at a high rate of speed. This is a necessary attribute for speed and power development.  Dumbbell power snatches teach the ability to forcefully and fully extend and then immediately and rapidly flex the hips as the dumbbell is jumped from the hang position to the overhead position. This quick and accurate change of direction builds agility and carries over to other athletic movements like jumping, squatting, and instances where athletes need to change direction quickly.

Neurological Components (Skill)

The technical complexity of a well-executed dumbbell power snatch develops neurological aspects of fitness, such as coordination, accuracy, and balance. The dumbbell power snatch requires the coordination of every joint and transfers well to other complex motor patterns. The dumbbell power snatch develops balance by resisting the tendency to be pulled forward out of position when lifting the load from the floor and when landing in the receiving position with the dumbbell overhead. 

Coordination is developed by ensuring that the athlete follows back core-to-extremity principles. In this instance, the athlete fully extends the hips and legs before using their arms to pull on the dumbbell. This coordination is necessary to maximize the efficiency of the movement.

Athletes must be accurate in all phases of the movement. They must have an accurate lift from the floor to the “jumping position,” direct the dumbbell in a vertical travel path, and accurately receive the dumbbell overhead with bent legs and a straight arm.

With high-rep workouts, athletes can practice sound technique and develop neurological adaptations while fatigued, which mimics requirements found in sports, as well as many endeavors enjoyed outside of the gym.

Muscle Groups Worked

Lower Body

The muscles of the legs, especially the hips, quads, glutes, and hamstrings, are prime movers in the dumbbell power snatch. These muscles are engaged in all phases of the lift: when pulling the weight from the floor and aggressively extending the hips and legs to elevate the dumbbell overhead. The athlete also uses the legs to receive the dumbbell in a partial single-arm overhead squat, and when standing, the load is moved up to the finish position. 

Upper Body and Core

The shoulder girdle, back, and core muscles are engaged throughout the snatch. 

Core: These muscles contract isometrically to allow for the efficient transfer of forces. As the lifter pulls the weight from the floor, these muscles keep the torso stable and the torso angle consistent. When the athlete jumps the dumbbell overhead, these muscles keep the midline stable, so the force produced from the rapid hip and leg extension will pass through the midline into the dumbbell. Once the dumbbell is overhead, these muscle groups keep the midline stable to provide a strong platform for supporting the load overhead in the receiving and when standing to the finish position.

Upper Body: The muscles throughout the upper back and shoulders contract isometrically to maintain an active shoulder throughout the initial deadlift portion of the movement.  After the hips and legs extend, the upper back musculature, traps, and shoulders continue elevating the dumbbell into the overhead position. When the dumbbell is in the overhead position, the shoulder, upper back/traps, and triceps keep the shoulder region stable and the arm locked out. 

How to Prepare for the Dumbbell Power Snatch

Preparing to perform the dumbbell power snatch requires a single dumbbell and performing a general and specific warm-up to get the body ready to move through the range-of-motion demands of the movement. 

Equipment Needed for the Dumbbell Power Snatch

All that is needed is a single dumbbell loaded to meet the intent of the workout and adequate floor space. This is an excellent movement for those who need to exercise while having little equipment available.

How to Warm Up for the Dumbbell Power Snatch

To warm up for the dumbbell power snatch, the athlete should perform general movements that work every joint through their full range of motion and may target the muscles of the core (anterior and posterior), upper back, and hips more directly. Banded good mornings, GHD hip extensions, bar hangs, pass-throughs, banded pull-aparts, goblet squats, and hollow holds are good choices for the general warm-up. 

For the specific warm-up, a variety of teaching progressions exist. Consider the following:

Step 1: Dumbbell deadlifts

Step 2: Dumbbell deadlift + shrug

Step 3: Dumbbell deadlift high pull

Step 4: Dumbbell muscle snatch

Step 5: Dumbbell power snatch

*Perform an equal number of reps of each progression step with each arm.

How to Do the Dumbbell Power Snatch

The dumbbell snatch is a complex movement that can be broken down into a deadlift phase, a shrug and pull-under phase, and the receiving position and finish phase. 

Set-Up Position

The athlete utilizes a stance that is roughly shoulder-width apart with both heads of the dumbbell on the ground, paced between the feet. The shoulders are over or slightly in front of the dumbbell; the hips are below the shoulders and above the knees, and the athlete is maintaining the lumbar curve.

Deadlift

The first phase of the movement is essentially a single-arm dumbbell deadlift. The athlete lifts the dumbbell from the floor with a straight arm until the hips and knees fully extend. The heels remain down during this step, and when the dumbbell reaches approximately the mid-thigh position, the athlete will start to quickly and aggressively extend the hips and legs.

Upper-Body Movement- Shrug, Pull, and Turnover

After the hips and legs have extended, the athlete shrugs the shoulder and then pulls the elbows high and outside. This is followed by pulling under the bell and punching into it to pull under the dumbbell into the receiving position or a partial overhead squat. 

Finish

After receiving the dumbbell in a partial single-arm dumbbell overhead squat, the athlete finishes the movement by standing up to full hip, knee, and arm extension with the dumbbell over the middle of the foot. 

Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

There are several common dumbbell power snatch mistakes athletes should be aware of and avoid. The following list contains major elements to consider and does not contain all of the nuanced minor faults that may exist.

Shrugging or Pulling Early

The arms should remain straight, and the shoulder should not shrug until the hips and knees have fully extended. It is common for athletes to bend their arms early. When this occurs, power output and efficiency are reduced, the dumbbell may move away from the body, and fatigue will arise prematurely. To improve this fault, athletes can focus on keeping their arm straight until the hips have extended and incorporate a timing drill, such as performing two deadlifts and shrugs followed immediately by one dumbbell snatch. 

Incomplete Hip and Knee Extension

After the deadlift phase of the movement, the athlete’s legs and hips must reach full extension. However, it is a common fault for athletes to cut this extension short by not fully extending the hips and/or legs in a rush to get under the dumbbell. This limits the power transferred into the dumbbell, diminishes the dumbbell’s upward travel, and does not maximize speed. Athletes should focus on jumping hard before they pull themselves under the bar. Performing the movement from the hang position with a focus on jumping aggressively can be a helpful drill to improve this fault.

Improper Receiving Position

Several faults may present themselves when receiving the dumbbell in the overhead position. One fault could be receiving the dumbbell with a bent arm, where the arms should be locked immediately when receiving the bell overhead. Another fault may be when the feet widen excessively when landing with the bell overhead. Simplifying the movement into a drill, such as two single-arm push jerks followed by one dumbbell power snatch, can be an option to drill the pull under and receiving position. 

Dumbbell Power Snatch Modifications

The dumbbell power snatch requires flexibility and mobility, sound technique, and speed through various positions. Any athlete can be accommodated in training by modifying the load and positions.

Hang Dumbbell Snatch 

For those who have difficulty establishing a sound set-up position, they can perform the movement from the hang position or an elevated surface. The goal is to progressively move towards the full movement over time. 

Single-Arm Dumbbell Clean

If the athlete is very inflexible in the overhead position, the load can be reduced or the athlete can modify the movement to a single-arm dumbbell clean to remove the overhead position demand.

Dumbbell Power Snatch Variations

There are many dumbbell power snatch variations athletes can use.

Dumbbell Muscle Snatch

The dumbbell muscle snatch removes some of the receiving position demands of the movement because the legs stay straight after complete full hip and knee extension on the drive phase. This variation is commonly used for workouts that involve light weight and high reps to maximize efficiency. 

Dumbbell Split Snatch

In the dumbbell split snatch, the athlete jumps the dumbbell overhead, but instead of receiving the weight in a partial overhead squat, they receive it in a shallow lunge position. This version of the dumbbell power snatch is great for athletes who experience mobility restrictions at the shoulders, where the overhead position is very difficult. 

Hang Dumbbell Snatch

The hang dumbbell snatch starts with the dumbbell at the hips. From this position the athlete hinges and then jumps the dumbbell overhead. This variation isolates the critical hip and knee extension element of the movement and teaches the athlete the perfect spot to start the jump, how to jump aggressively to impart speed on the dumbbell, and how to finish from the hang position.

Common Dumbbell Power Snatch Workouts

Ellen

3 rounds for time of:
20 burpees
21 dumbbell snatches
12 dumbbell thrusters

Use a single dumbbell on the snatches and a pair for the thrusters.

♀ 35-lb dumbbells ♂ 50-lb dumbbells

Nickman

10 rounds for time of:
200-meter farmers carry with both dumbbells
10 weighted pull-ups
20 dumbbell power snatches, 20 reps, alternating arms

♀ 35-lb dumbbells ♂ 50-lb dumbbells

Open Workout 24.1

For time:

21 dumbbell snatches (arm 1)

21 lateral burpees over the dumbbell

21 dumbbell snatches  (arm 2)

21lateral burpees over the dumbbell

15 dumbbell snatches  (arm 1)

15 lateral burpees over the dumbbell

15 dumbbell snatches (arm 2)

15 lateral burpees over the dumbbell

9 dumbbell snatches  (arm 1)

9 lateral burpees over the dumbbell

9 dumbbell snatches  (arm 2)

9 lateral burpees over the dumbbell

Time cap: 15 minutes