How to Do the Kettlebell Snatch

The kettlebell snatch swings the bell from between your legs to overhead in one fluid motion. It trains explosive hip power, grip and shoulder stability, and it is a staple of kettlebell conditioning. It is advanced because the timing and the punch-through at the top take practice.

Shoulders Hamstrings Glutes KettlebellAdvanced

Log every set of your Kettlebell Snatch in Superlift

Muscles worked

Primary

Shoulders
Hamstrings
Glutes

Secondary

Lower Back
Traps
Abs

How to do the Kettlebell Snatch

1
Set a kettlebell on the floor in front of you and hike it back between your legs.
2
Drive your hips forward powerfully and let the bell swing upward.
3
Keep the bell close to your body as it rises.
4
Pull your elbow high and punch your hand through the handle.
5
Lock the arm out overhead with the bell resting on your forearm, not slamming.
6
Let the bell fall back, guiding it to swing between your legs.
7
Repeat for reps, then switch hands.

Form cues to remember

Power comes from your hips
Keep the bell close
Punch your hand through
Soft catch overhead

Kettlebell Snatch video tutorial

Kettlebell Snatch Technique · Mark Wildman on YouTube

Common mistakes

Pulling with the arm

Drive with your hips and let the bell float up.

Bell slamming the forearm

Punch your hand through the handle to soften the catch.

Looping the bell wide

Keep it close to your body on the way up.

Fatigue and sloppy form

Stop the set when your technique slips.

Sets and reps

Conditioning	6–10 rounds of 5–10 reps per hand, 30–60 sec rest
Strength	4–5 sets of 3–5 reps per side, 90 sec rest

Learn the swing and clean first; a poorly timed snatch can bruise the forearm or strain the shoulder, so start with a light bell.

Superlift for iPhone

Track your Kettlebell Snatch and watch it go up

Superlift shows what you lifted last time, times your rest, and charts your strength week by week, so you always know what to beat. Every exercise in this library is built in, with the same demos and tutorials.