The hang snatch is a full-body strength and power movement that shortens the range of motion of a snatch.
CrossFit training is renowned for its high-intensity, interval-based routines that enhance total body strength and conditioning. It offers significant muscle and strength development, bolsters endurance, and improves power and overall body composition (1) The hang snatch, a variant in the CrossFit repertoire, showcases pure strength. It differs from the full snatch as it features lighter weights and a shortened range of motion. Athletes frequently utilize it to refine the second pull of the full snatch, which is crucial for mastering the movement.
This article delves into the hang snatch CrossFit movement, emphasizing its benefits and the specific muscle groups it engages. It presents a detailed, step-by-step guide to executing this complex exercise with proper form, ensuring maximum effectiveness. Additionally, the article introduces compelling alternatives to enhance your full snatch training and elevate your workout regimen.
Hang Snatch CrossFit Exercise – Techniques & Muscles Worked
The hang snatch from CrossFit is an advanced strength training routine that works your posterior chain, shoulders, arms, rotator cuffs, and upper chest. This exercise also works multiple joints like the hips, knees, wrists, elbow flexors, and shoulder joints. Your abs and obliques also help with stabilization during the hang snatch CrossFit.
Performing a hang snatch requires a lot of practice. That’s why it’s advisable to use light weights, such as an unloaded barbell or a PVC pipe, to get the right movement. To be extra cautious, you can use wrist straps, weightlifting belts, and knee straps to reduce your chances of injuries.
The Olympic barbell is the primary equipment for this routine, but variations can be made with kettlebells or dumbbells. Remember that form is very important when doing a hang snatch CrossFit exercise.
This exercise requires patience because it works multiple muscle groups and requires advanced training techniques. Below are step-by-step instructions highlighting how to do the hang snatch CrossFit.
- Load the barbell with the appropriate weight, stand with your feet at hip-width length, and slightly bend your hips and knees to pick up the barbell.
- With a wide grip, grab the barbell, lift it slightly above your knees, and rest it in your hip crease.
- Once you’re standing straight, take a deep breath and brace your core.
- Next, slightly bend your knees, hinge your hips, and slowly take the barbell to a hanging position just above your knees.
- Breathe out, reverse the movement, and lift the barbell seamlessly, extending your knees and pushing into your heels.
- When the barbell hits maximum speed, hop into a full squat and snatch the bar with your arms extended over your head.
- Stand straight up once you balance and control the bar to complete a rep.
- Lower the barbell back slowly to the starting position to perform as many reps as desired.
Benefits
The hang snatch CrossFit is a full-body compound exercise with many benefits. Here is a list of these benefits.
Builds Your Posterior Chain
The hang snatch is a full-body strengthening routine. However, this exercise specifically targets the posterior chain and back muscles, allowing you to lift heavy objects conveniently. Strengthening your posterior chains helps make movements easier, which can improve your quality of life.
Improved Pull & Grip Strength
Regularly performing the hang snatch works your wrist and arms by improving your grip strength. This can improve your form for other exercises like pull-ups, deadlifts, rows, and bench presses. It also enhances your full snatch form.
Activates Core Muscles
Performing the hang snatch Crossfit requires a lot of balance. This routine places and activates core muscles, which are used for balance, coordination, and equal load distribution. A strong core means better posture and lower injury chances, especially when exercising.
Improved Upper Body Strength
The hang snatch doesn’t leave your upper body out of the equation. It strengthens those muscles and helps improve your lockout, which makes your training easier and smoother. A good lockout helps hit the target muscle differently and helps improve your form.
Better Mind-Muscle Connection
Doing this exercise requires a lot of focus, especially when lifting the weight from a lower position to an overhead position in one fluid movement. This helps improve your mind-muscle connection, which is good for muscle growth.
Improves Your Range Of Motion
Performing a hang snatch involves a lot of flexion and extension of muscles and joints. This exercise extends all these parts, increasing their range of motion and mobility.
Carryover to Other Routines
The hang snatch from CrossFit is excellent full-body conditioning training that works multiple muscle groups. Whether the upper or lower body, it targets these muscles, making them stronger and better able to perform other exercises, improving an athlete’s performance.
Hang Snatch Crossfit Alternatives
The hang snatch CrossFit move is a weightlifting exercise that can improve your form for the full snatch. It works different joints, making movements easier and strengthening the muscles. However, according to experts, it’s important to integrate other exercises and training techniques to avoid a plateau when training (2). So here is a list of interesting alternatives you can add to your training regimen for the full snatch.
Power Cleans
Power cleans, like hang snatches, are full-body movements. They focus on building total body strength and target multiple muscle groups. Doing a clean involves pulling a barbell from below and placing it on your shoulders.
Deadlifts
Deadlifts are weightlifting exercises that primarily work your posterior chain muscles. They also strengthen your shoulders and activate core muscles, which help stabilize you during the exercise. Since you use your posterior chain muscles and shoulders during the full snatch, deadlifts can help you strengthen these muscles and improve your form.
Sled Drags
The sled drag is a total-body workout that primarily works the hamstrings, quads, glutes, lower back, and calves. This exercise also works the upper body muscles, including the shoulders, arms, and back. When strengthened, these muscles will help improve your full snatch form.
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References
- Wagener, S., Hoppe, M. W., Hotfiel, T., Engelhardt, M., Javanmardi, S., Baumgart, C., & Freiwald, J. (2020). CrossFit® – Development, Benefits and Risks [CrossFit® – Entwicklung, Nutzen und Risiken]. Sportorthopa¨die-Sporttraumatologie, 36(3), 241–249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.orthtr.2020.07.001
- Krzysztofik, M., Wilk, M., Wojdała, G., & Gołaś, A. (2019). Maximizing Muscle Hypertrophy: A Systematic Review of Advanced Resistance Training Techniques and Methods. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(24), 4897. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16244897
