The Snatch Grip Deadlift is gaining traction as a great alternative to the traditional Conventional Deadlift. Not only does the Snatch Grip Deadlift target your muscle groups using different angles and ranges of motion, but it also helps to build strength, stability, and balance from your legs up to your core.
It can provide an extra challenge for those looking to switch up their routine and give them something new to work on. Plus, it's a great choice for lifters needing variation in their training plans or beginners looking for an easier version of the Conventional Deadlift.
There's no denying that the Snatch Grip Deadlift is a fantastic addition to any weightlifting program—so if you need something new and exciting at the gym, try out this awesome lift!
How to Perform Snatch Grip Deadlift
First, choose a light enough barbell that can easily do 8 to 12 reps but heavy enough that you still feel like you're working hard.
Next, you'll need to hold the barbell with a wide grip for this move. Your arms should stay outstretched the whole time, and your feet should be slightly turned out.
Follow these steps to finish the exercise now that you know how to set it up.
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- Start by standing behind your regional barbell with your feet slightly turned out and hip-width apart.
- Grab onto the barbell wider than shoulder width distance.
- Push your hips back until you're almost in a full squat position, and grip the bar as stated above. In the instance in which no plates or small plates are used, you can balance the bar on blocks to ensure that you are grabbing it using the correct form.
- While keeping your arms your back straight, slowly come up from a squat while holding the bar. As you reach the top, squeeze your glutes
- Slowly move the bar back to where it was at the beginning. This is one repetition.
- For one set, do 8 to 12 reps. Do 2 sets.
Precautions
The snatch grip deadlift is a more challenging variation of the exercise. Make sure that you are comfortable with regular deadlifts before attempting this variation. Due to the advanced and deeper movement, your upper back, hips, lats and hamstring muscles will be engaged.
Benefits of the Snatch Grip Deadlift
The snatch grip deadlift offers several benefits over the regular deadlift. Let us look at some of the important benefits of this variation.
Increased Range of Motion (ROM)
The snatch grip deadlift is a variation of the traditional deadlift that requires you to grab the bar with a wider-than-shoulder-width grip. This leads to an increased range of motion (ROM) for lifters.
The snatch grip also works different muscles than the traditional deadlift, emphasizing your lats and upper back instead of just your quads and glutes.
Perfect for Grip Training
Because snatch grip deadlifts require you to hold onto a much heavier load at a wide distance, they're perfect for developing strong and durable grips.
You may also use fat bar grips to improve your grip strength. This is especially important if you do other Olympic lifts or CrossFit exercises involving snatching grip positions.
Related Article: What's the Importance of Thick Grip on Bars and Dumbbells?
Posterior Chain Development
Snatch grip deadlifts are great for developing your posterior chain muscles, such as the glutes, hamstrings, lower back, and traps. Due to the increased range of motion and increased muscle activation that snatch grip deadlifts provide, lifters love that they have more to offer than regular deadlifts do.
Assistance/Deloading Your Deadlift
Snatch grip deadlifts can be a great assistance exercise if you're having trouble hitting heavy numbers on regular deadlifts or want to increase your overall strength and power. They provide several benefits that traditional deadlifts don't: increased ROM, improved muscle activation, better grip strength, and more.
Improved Sports Performance
Snatch grip deadlifts can also benefit athletes looking to improve their performance in contact sports or activities requiring a lot of explosive power. The snatch grip deadlift helps to build strength and power in the muscles used when you need to generate maximal force quickly (such as during a football tackle or basketball layup).
Related Article: Sports Performance: How to Stay Ahead of Recovery As a Young Athlete
Potentially Safer on the Spine
The snatch grip deadlift is safer on the spine than traditional deadlifts. Because of its increased range of motion, snatch grip deadlifts place less stress on your lower back while still working all the major muscle groups in your posterior chain.
This can help if you're looking to rehab an injury or strengthen your back without putting too much strain on it.
Improved Hip Mobility
The snatch grip deadlift also helps improve hip mobility and flexibility, which is important for athletes of all skill levels.
Improved hip mobility can lead to better performance in sports that require explosive movements from a stationary position (such as jumping). It can also help prevent injury when performing other squats and lunges.
Quad & Glute Killer
Finally, snatch grip deadlifts are great for building strength and size in your quads and glutes—two major muscle groups used in many different sports activities. The snatch grip allows you to access more muscle groups than traditional deadlifts, which helps you build strength and power more quickly.
Conclusion
Snatch grip deadlifts are incredibly versatile and can be used for many benefits, from strength and power gains to muscle building and injury prevention. Their unique grip allows you to target specific muscles or muscle groups in an isolated manner, allowing for more precise form and greater control throughout the entire range of motion.
These movements also involve the recruitment of multiple smaller muscles often neglected in traditional deadlift movements. This makes snatch grip deadlifts a great exercise for developing overall strength and power and improving mobility and stability.
