Snatch Grip Rack Pull Exercise Form Guide with Video & Pictures

Snatch Grip Rack Pull Instructions with Pictures

1. Starting Position

• Position the safety spotters so the barbell starting position is just below your knees. I recommend using safety strap spotters if you have them. This reduces noise and protects the bar better when setting the weights down.
• Add on weight plates as needed. Be sure to put on weight clips to secure the weight.
• Use a wide grip. The traditional snatch grip width is whatever width your hands need to be at so that the barbell is at your hip crease when standing straight up. You can narrow the grip width somewhat if this causes too much wrist strain — or if your pinkies are too close to the safety spotters, as you don’t want to pinch your pinkies when bringing the bar down.
• For heavier weights, and especially if doing 5+ reps. This will ensure the bar doesn’t slip and will keep the focus on your upper back and glutes/hamstrings.
• Your feet should be positioned anywhere between hip to shoulder width apart. Your feet should be directly under the hips, pointing straight ahead.
• When bending to the bar to get into athletic position, begin by hinging at the hips and slightly bending the knees. Your shoulders, knees and toes should be in vertical alignment.
• Pull the slack out of the bar bringing your chest up, retracting your shoulder blades and engaging the lats by pulling the bar into your shin.
• Your spine should and head should be neutral now, and throughout the movement.
• Your body should be tense just prior to initiating the movement.

2. Concentric Movement

• Initiate force through the movement by pressing your feet into the ground, as if to push the bar away from the floor.
• Squeeze your glues and hamstrings hard, driving your hips forward.
• Maintain a strong and flat back, do not pull with the arms or back, rather move naturally as the hips extend.
• Continue to extend the hips forward and move the bar upward until standing upright. Keep the bar against your legs the entire time.
• Exhale as you get to the top of the range of motion.

3. Midpoint

• Squeeze the glutes and quads.
• Slightly pull outwards on the bar isometrically to engage the lats.
• Do not arch or lean backwards, the body should be upright and tense.
• Pause for no more than a second before lowering the bar back down.

4. Eccentric Repetition

• Hinge the hips backward.
• Do not move through the spine, the back should remain flat and tensed.
• Lower the weight slowly with no rapid or jerking motions.
• Continue the eccentric component until the bar is resting on the rack

5. Repeat

• Maintain tension even when the bar is resting on the spotters.
• Your back should remain tensed and flat.
• Do not change grips.
• Inhale sharply just prior to initiating the next rep.

Common Snatch Grip Rack Pull Mistakes

Snatch Grip Rack Pull Tips

1. Always look straight ahead, not down or up.
2. Retract your shoulder blades to maintain a strong back and integrate the rhomboids.
3. Remember to keep your lats engaged. Imagine pulling the bar apart and pulling the bar toward you. Ensure it’s always against your legs.
4. Focus on pushing through the floor with your feet to drive the weight up, rather than pulling it with your back.
5. Inhale just prior to lift, then exhale at the top of the concentric portion.
6. Don’t over-arch your back at the top of the lift. Instead, focus on staying in a neutral, but tense position.
7. Lower the weight to the rack in a controlled fashion, not overly slow but with no rapid or jerking motion. Let the bar settle before starting the next rep.

Is the Snatch Grip Rack Pull Right for You?

The Snatch Grip Rack Pull is a fantastic lift for several reasons and can have many benefits. It is an excellent exercise for building strength in the mid to upper back area, a critical muscle group both for effective pulling in exercises such as deadlifts and cleans, as well as balancing pressing work.

The snatch grip rack pull is also a great exercise for developing power and speed in the power position of the snatch and finishing power in the deadlift. The partial range of motion makes it ideal for working with heavier weights using a shorter range of motion.

It is not ideal for beginners. Novices should first master the fundamentals of the hip hinge and pulling motions to build a foundation of strength and technique.