Double Hang Snatch
The double hang snatch uses a dumbbell in each hand. You start from a standing hang position and drive your hips to throw both weights from thigh height to overhead in one movement. It builds explosive power through the glutes and shoulders, with help from the quads and hamstrings. It suits lifters who already move well with lighter dumbbells and want a athletic, full-body exercise. Beginners can learn it with very light weights.
Muscles worked
The Double Hang Snatch mainly works your glutes, anterior delts, lateral delts and posterior delts, with your quadriceps and hamstrings helping.
Setting up
- Choose a pair of light dumbbells to start with, such as 4-8 kg each, and stand with your feet about hip-width apart and toes slightly turned out. Clear plenty of space overhead and around you.
- Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs with your arms straight and your palms facing your body. Stand tall, with your chest up and your shoulders pulled back and down.
- Soften your knees and push your hips back until the dumbbells sit just above your knees. Keep your back flat, your weight over the middle of your feet, and your eyes on a spot a few metres ahead. This is your hang position, and you start every rep from here, not from the floor.
How to do the Double Hang Snatch
- From the hang position, take a breath in and brace your trunk as if you were about to be nudged in the stomach. Keep your arms long and relaxed, with the dumbbells close to your thighs.
- Drive your feet into the floor and push your hips forward hard, extending your hips, knees and ankles. Think of jumping straight up without leaving the floor, or just rising onto your toes.
- As your hips reach full extension, let the dumbbells travel up close to your body. Your elbows bend and lead up and out to the sides, with the dumbbells staying below elbow height.
- Once the weights are moving, punch your hands up and under the dumbbells. Drop into a very small quarter squat if you need to, and lock your arms out with the dumbbells directly over your shoulders.
- Stand fully tall, with your ribs down, your glutes squeezed and your biceps by your ears. Hold for a moment to show you are in control.
- Lower the dumbbells in a controlled way down the front of your body, back to your thighs. Hinge your hips back as they pass your hips, so you arrive in the hang position just above your knees without touching the floor. Reset your brace and repeat.
Form tips
- Power comes from your hips, not your arms. Keep your arms straight like ropes until your hips have fully extended.
- Keep the dumbbells close to your thighs on the way up, brushing your body as they travel. The further they swing away, the harder they are to control.
- Squeeze your glutes hard at the top of the drive, and finish tall rather than leaning back.
- Keep your back flat and your chest proud in the hang position. Push your hips back like you are closing a car door with your bum.
- Use a weight that lets every rep look the same. Stop the set when the speed or technique drops, rather than grinding out extra reps.
Common mistakes
Pulling with the arms too early
Bending your elbows before your hips have finished driving turns the lift into a messy upright row. Keep your arms long until your hips and knees have fully extended, then let your elbows lead.
Rounding the back in the hang position
Rounding happens when you bend forward instead of hinging. Push your hips back, keep your chest up and only lower the dumbbells to just above your knees. If you can't keep your back flat, lighten the weight.
Letting the dumbbells swing away from the body
Keep your arms close and your elbows high so the weights travel in a short path up the front of your body. Practise with lighter dumbbells and slow the first few reps down.
Leaning back or arching at the top
Overarching means the weights are too heavy or you are over-driving with your lower back. Finish standing tall with your glutes squeezed, ribs down and the dumbbells stacked over your shoulders.
Sets and reps
| Build strength and power | 4-6 sets of 3-5 reps with a weight you can move fast, resting 90-120 seconds between sets. Do this early in your session when you are fresh. |
|---|---|
| Build muscle | 3-4 sets of 6-8 reps with a moderate weight, resting 60-90 seconds. Keep every rep crisp and stop before your form slips. |
| Fat loss and general fitness | 3 sets of 8-10 reps with a light to moderate weight, resting 45-60 seconds, as part of a full-body circuit. Choose a weight that lets you keep good technique when you are tired. |
Pick a weight where the last rep or two of each set is hard but your form stays clean. When every set feels easy, it's time to go up.
Double Hang Snatch alternatives
Machine taken, or want some variety? These work the same main muscles.
Double Hang Snatch FAQs
What weight should I use for a dumbbell snatch?
Start lighter than you think, around 4-8 kg in each hand for most beginners. Pick a weight you can move quickly and with a flat back for all your reps. Increase in small steps only when every rep looks the same.
Why start from the hang instead of the floor?
The hang position, with the dumbbells just above your knees, lets you focus on the hip drive and the pull overhead without the extra demand of lifting from the ground. It is easier to learn and to keep your back flat. You also don't let the weights touch the floor between reps, which keeps the set flowing.
Is the double hang snatch good for beginners?
It can be, as long as you start with light dumbbells and learn the hip hinge first. Practise the hinge and a standing dumbbell press separately, then put them together. If you are unsure, ask a coach to watch a few reps. Stop if anything hurts and get it checked.
Track your Double Hang Snatch progress
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