Snatch from Blocks
An advanced Olympic weightlifting variation where the lift starts with the barbell on elevated blocks rather than the floor, usually at knee or mid-thigh height. This exercise isolates the explosive second pull and overhead catch phases to build speed and power while reducing strain on the lower back.
Since this high-velocity lift places significant demand on your central nervous system, our AI analyzes your HRV and sleep quality to ensure you are recovered enough for explosive training. The app tracks your performance metrics like weight and RPE to detect fatigue-induced technique breakdown, auto-regulating your load to prevent 'grinding' reps that increase injury risk. Additionally, if you have a history of lower back issues, the AI can prioritize this block variation over floor-based lifts to minimize lumbar shear forces while still developing power.
Form Cues
- Start with your chest up and shoulders slightly in front of the bar
- Explosively extend your hips, knees, and ankles simultaneously
- Pull your elbows high and wide after making hip contact
- Aggressively pull your body under the bar into a deep squat
- Catch the bar with arms fully locked out overhead
- Don't let the bar swing away from your body during the pull
- Don't bend your arms before your hips have fully extended
- Don't cut your extension short by rushing under the bar
- Don't catch the weight on your toes; keep heels planted
- Don't press the bar out after catching; lock out immediately
Common Mistakes
- Pulling with the arms too early
- Looping the bar away from the body
- Failing to reach full triple extension
- Slow turnover under the bar
- Landing with feet too narrow
Muscles Worked
The Snatch from Blocks primarily targets the quadriceps and glutes to generate massive vertical force during the extension phase. The upper trapezius, lateral deltoids, and triceps are heavily engaged to pull the body under the bar and stabilize the load overhead, while the core acts as a rigid cylinder to transfer power.
Primary
Secondary
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