Snatch-Grip High Pull

traps, shoulders, back, glutesBarbell

Explosive movement for developing the upper back, traps, and glutes. The wide grip shifts muscle focus and demands good shoulder mobility, powered by drive from the lower body.

How to do it

1Set up at the barbell with a wide snatch grip, hinging your hips back with a flat spine.

2Initiate the pull by extending your legs and hips while keeping the bar close to your body.

3At full leg extension, pull the bar up to chest height with your elbows high.

4Keep your elbows pointing higher than the bar at the peak of the pull.

5Lower the bar smoothly under control back to the starting position.

Common mistakes

Yanking the bar with your arms without leg drive, stripping power from the lift and overloading the shoulders.

Dropping your elbows below the bar, shifting tension away from target muscles and ruining biomechanics.

Rounding your spine during the pull, increasing injury risk to your lower back.

Breathing

Inhale at the bottom before you pull, and exhale at the peak height of the lift.

This is general guidance, not a medical opinion. Listen to your body: if it hurts, stop. If you have an injury or a chronic condition, talk to a doctor first.