Dumbbell Snatch
The dumbbell snatch moves a weight from below the body to overhead in one explosive movement coordinated through the legs, hips and arm.
BACK · FULL BODY
How it is executed
- Stand with feet shoulder-width and a single dumbbell on the floor between your feet, hinging at the hips with a flat back to grip it with one hand.
- Explosively extend your hips, knees and ankles to drive the dumbbell upward close to your body in one smooth pull.
- As it rises, punch your hand up and rotate under it, catching the dumbbell locked out overhead with your arm straight.
- Stand tall to finish, then lower under control and repeat for the prescribed reps before switching sides.
Common mistakes
- Swinging the dumbbell in a wide arc: guide it close to the body.
- Catching with an arched lower back: align ribs and pelvis.
- Dropping the weight: control the return and clear the space.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you lift with the arm alone?
- No. The legs and hips initiate acceleration; the arm guides the dumbbell close to the body and stabilizes the catch.
- Should you learn it with a heavy weight?
- No. Practice the hinge, pull and overhead position with light load and technical supervision before pursuing power.
- How does a rep finish?
- With the body stable and the dumbbell controlled above the shoulder. If you need several steps to stabilize, reduce load.
Sources and editorial approach
The explanation, variations and FAQs are Kaizer’s editorial synthesis. ACSM’s 2026 guidance provides general context on progression and resistance training in healthy adults; it does not independently validate the technique of each variation.
No individual professional review is recorded for this page.
Variations and substitutions
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Glossary and calculators
Linear progressionLinear progression is the scheme where load rises by a fixed amount every session or every week, with sets and reps held constant.Compound exerciseA compound exercise moves more than one joint and loads several muscles at once — the squat, the deadlift, the bench press, the row.RIR ↔ %1RM conversionWhat percentage of 1RM does your RIR correspond to?
