The Snatch-Grip Deadlift is a expert-friendly barbell strength exercise that targets the hamstrings, glutes, lats and middle back, with the traps, abdominals, forearms and quadriceps working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesHamstrings, Glutes, Lats, Middle Back
Secondary musclesTraps, Abs, Forearms, Quads
EquipmentBarbell
LevelExpert
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Snatch-Grip Deadlift
Set the bar over your midfoot and take a hip width stance.
Push your hips back and hinge until your torso is close to parallel with the floor.
Take a double overhand grip wide enough that your arms hang almost vertical from the shoulders.
Pull the slack out of the bar and let your hips settle so the armpits sit over the bar.
Drive through the whole foot and extend the knees and hips, keeping the bar against your legs.
Stand tall at lockout, then reverse the hinge to return the bar to the floor.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Loads the upper back and traps far more than a conventional deadlift.
Lengthens the pulling range, so the hamstrings work from a deeper start position.
Builds grip strength directly, since the wide hands make holding the bar harder.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Squatting the weight up instead of hinging, which puts the shoulders behind the bar.
Retracting the shoulder blades hard, which shortens the arms and adds range for no benefit.
Taking a grip so wide that the shoulders cannot hold position under load.
Letting the bar drift forward off the legs, which turns the lift into a lower back pull.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Snatch-Grip Deadlift, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
