The Snatch-Grip High Pull is a intermediate-friendly barbell strength exercise that targets the traps and shoulders, with the glutes, hamstrings, quadriceps, lats and middle back working alongside. Here's how to do it right — and what to stop doing.
Primary musclesTraps, Shoulders
Secondary musclesGlutes, Hamstrings, Quads, Lats, Middle Back
EquipmentBarbell
LevelIntermediate
TypeStrength
3D demo in the EGON app
01 Execution
How to do the Snatch-Grip High Pull
Take a wide snatch grip on the bar and set your feet at shoulder width with the toes turned out slightly.
Stand tall, brace your trunk and pull your shoulders back so the lats hold the bar close.
Dip into the power position by pushing the hips back and letting the bar slide down the thighs.
Drive through the whole foot and extend the knees and hips explosively.
Shrug the traps hard, then keep pulling so the elbows rise high and outside the bar.
Let the bar settle back down the thighs under control and reset for the next rep.
02 The payoff
Why it earns its spot
Trains the transition from leg and hip extension into the arm pull.
Builds trap and upper back strength with heavy pulling loads.
Reinforces a close bar path without needing to catch the lift.
03 Don't do this
Common mistakes
Using a clean-width grip, which changes the bar path and the muscle emphasis the lift is named for.
Bending the elbows before full extension, which cuts the hip drive and lowers the pull height.
Letting the bar swing away from the body, which turns the pull into an upright row.
Loading past the point where the elbows can finish high, which defeats the purpose of the variant.
EGON Put it on record
Track it in EGON.
Log every set of the Snatch-Grip High Pull, get your PRs detected automatically, earn aura for the work — and climb five leagues of statues, from Stone to Ego.
