How to Do the Snatch-Grip Deadlift

The snatch-grip deadlift is a deadlift performed with a very wide grip, as in an Olympic snatch. The wide grip lowers your hips and forces a longer pull from a deeper start, challenging your upper back, hamstrings and glutes more than a standard deadlift. It is advanced because of the range of motion and mobility demands.

Hamstrings Glutes Upper Back BarbellAdvanced

Log every set of your Snatch-Grip Deadlift in Superlift

Muscles worked

Primary

Hamstrings
Glutes
Upper Back

Secondary

Traps
Quads

How to do the Snatch-Grip Deadlift

1
Stand with your feet hip-width apart and the bar over your midfoot.
2
Hinge and grip the bar with a very wide, snatch-width overhand grip.
3
Lower your hips, keeping your chest up and your back flat.
4
Pull the slack out of the bar and brace your abs.
5
Drive through your legs and push the floor away.
6
Stand tall at the top and squeeze your glutes.
7
Lower the bar under control by hinging at the hips.

Form cues to remember

Back flat, chest up
Push the floor away
Squeeze glutes at the top
Bar stays close to your legs

Common mistakes

Rounding the back at the start

Lower the weight and set your chest and hips before pulling.

Hips shooting up first

Push the floor away and keep chest and hips rising together.

Grip too wide too soon

Start with a moderate-wide grip and widen gradually.

Bar drifting away

Keep the bar close, brushing your legs.

Sets and reps

Strength	3–5 sets of 3–6 reps, 2–3 min rest
Muscle growth	3 sets of 6–10 reps, 90 sec rest

The deeper start puts more strain on your back and hamstrings, so use lighter loads than your regular deadlift and use straps if your grip fails.

Superlift for iPhone

Track your Snatch-Grip Deadlift 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.

Logging sets, reps and weight in Superlift

Exercise instructions and video tutorials in Superlift

Snatch-Grip Deadlift FAQ

Snatch-grip deadlift vs regular deadlift?

The wide grip means a lower start position and more work for the upper back, hamstrings and glutes. You will lift less weight than a conventional deadlift.

How wide should my snatch grip be?

Typically wide enough that the bar sits at your hip crease when you stand. Start narrower and widen over time as your mobility allows.

Do I need straps for snatch-grip deadlifts?

Often yes, since the wide grip and lighter weights can still tax your grip. Straps let you focus on training the back and legs.