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Kettlebell exercises

Kettlebell Snatch From the Floor: Learn It Without a Swing

Pull one bell from the floor to straight overhead in one move, with no swing to help, then set it down and switch hands. Legs, hips, back and shoulders work.

2 min read · In Power · Upward

Why it works: Chapter 13, Why stretching your hamstrings will not loosen them

Demonstration · Alternating Dead Snatch

How to do it

  1. 1

    Set up over the bell

    Bell on the floor between your feet, a little in front, feet shoulder-width. Hips back, flat back, until your shoulder is over the handle. Take it in one hand, thumb pointing behind you, shoulder pulled down, and pull just enough to take the slack out. Both feet stay planted for the whole set.

  2. 2

    Pull from dead

    Drive your feet into the floor and stand up fast, as if jumping without leaving the ground. The bell leaves the floor with no swing behind it and travels up close to your body.

  3. 3

    Elbow high, then punch through

    As the bell passes your chest, keep the elbow high and close, then slide your hand around the handle and punch straight up. The bell rolls onto the back of your forearm instead of flipping over it.

  4. 4

    Lock it out

    Arm straight, bell over your shoulder, bicep by your ear, ribs down. One still moment at the top.

  5. 5

    Set it down dead

    Shoulder first, then floor: bring the bell down to rest at your shoulder, fist by your collarbone, then hinge and lower it to the floor between your feet. Release the handle completely.

  6. 6

    Swap with a settled bell

    Switch hands every rep. Take the new grip only once the bell is still. Rushed swaps become a half-swing on a tired hand.

  7. 7

    The test

    A good rep is one smooth pull from floor to lockout and lands softly on your forearm. If you have to press it the last few centimetres, or it thuds onto your wrist, your hips stopped early.

Watch for

  • Pressing it out. The bell stalls at head height and your arm presses it the rest of the way, so your shoulder does what your hips should have.
  • Flipping it. Your hand goes around late, the bell flips over and bangs the back of your wrist.
  • Rounding to reach the floor. Your back bends to pick the bell up or put it down, and your lower back takes the start of every rep.
  • Walking around the bell. Your feet shuffle to change sides, so every rep starts from a different set-up. The switch happens at your hands.

Questions

Kettlebell snatch from the floor or from a swing?

Most snatches start from a swing between your legs, which builds speed before the pull. A dead snatch starts every rep still on the floor, so your legs and hips have to get the bell moving from nothing and send it all the way overhead in one pull. This page teaches the floor start.

What muscles does the kettlebell snatch work?

Your glutes, hamstrings and the muscles along your spine make the pull. Your upper back and shoulder guide the bell and hold it overhead, and your grip and trunk keep the line together.

How do I stop the kettlebell snatch hitting my wrist?

Get your hand around the bell instead of letting the bell come over your hand: keep the elbow high and close, loosen your grip near the top and punch up while the bell is still rising. If it still thuds, the bell is travelling too wide or your hand is late, so go lighter until it lands quietly.

How many dead snatches, and how heavy?

Alternating dead snatches come after the vertical jumps in the Power · Upward routine: 8 per set, 4 with each hand, two to four sets, resting until you feel fresh. Use the heaviest bell you can pull to a still lockout without pressing, and never go heavier than that overhead.