For Coaches: Why Dumbbell Snatches Turn Into Arm Pulls by Round Three
FIX-IT CLINIC · FOR COACHES · BY COACH FRITZ
The first three dumbbell snatches look great, then the elbow starts doing all the work.
That is the most common pattern I see when I review athlete video on a dumbbell workout. Early reps are crisp. By round three the bell swings wide, the arm bends early and the shoulder pays for what the legs stopped doing.
Below are the three faults I see most, each with what it looks like, why it happens, the fix and one drill with sets and reps. At the end I will show you how to check your own video. Use it on your athletes, and use it on yourself.
IN THIS ARTICLE
Fault 1: The Elbow Bends Before the Hips Finish
What it looks like. From the side, the bell leaves the floor and the elbow bends around knee height while the hips are still travelling. The bell curls up the body, the shoulder shrugs and the torso leans back to meet it.
Why it happens. Most athletes treat a one-arm lift like a pull. The arm feels in control and the legs feel like work. Under fatigue the legs slow down and the arm tries to cover for them.
The fix. Keep the arm long until the hips are fully open. Only then does the elbow rise high and outside the bell, and only then does the athlete drop under it. The legs make the speed. The arm just guides it.
The drill. Hang pops with a light dumbbell: 4 sets of 5 per arm at RPE 5 to 6, resting 45 seconds. Start with the bell at mid-thigh and the arm straight. Extend hard and let the bell float to shoulder height with no overhead catch.
Growing up playing volleyball, I learned that the arm finishes a swing the legs and trunk already started. A dumbbell snatch follows the same rule, and athletes who feel that tend to fix this fault in a single session.
Coach's cue: Long arm until the hips are done, then elbow high and fast.
Fault 2: The Bell Swings Away From the Body
What it looks like. The bell travels in an arc out in front of the thighs or wide to the side. The athlete chases it, hips drift forward and the back rounds on the way down to the next rep.
Why it happens. Usually the bell starts too far in front of the feet. The other common cause is the lowering phase. Athletes drop the bell from overhead and let it swing, so the next rep begins already out of position.
The fix. Start with the bell between the feet, close to the shins. Have it travel up the body like a zipper, brushing the shirt. On the way down, bring it to the shoulder first, then lower it under control to the floor. Do not let it fall from overhead.
The drill. Zipper pulls with a light bell: 3 sets of 6 per arm, standing, from mid-thigh to chin with the bell touching the shirt the whole way. Follow with 2 sets of 3 full snatches per arm. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
One thing I tell coaches: if the bell path is off, check the first inch of the rep before you say anything about the pull. A bad start is hard to fix in the middle of the lift.
Fault 3: A Soft Lockout and a Wobbly Catch
What it looks like. The bell arrives overhead with a bent elbow, the arm sits in front of the ear and the ribs flare with an arched low back. The athlete stands up while the bell drifts forward, and the rep often gets no-repped for a weak finish.
Why it happens. A few things stack up. The athlete pulled the bell too high, so it crashes down onto them. Or they rushed to stand before the arm was locked. Limited overhead range can also push athletes to arch the back to get the bell up.
The fix. Catch in a quarter squat and lock the arm as the bell arrives, with the biceps near the ear. Stack the ribs over the hips, then stand until the hips and knees are fully open. Only then does the bell come down.
The drill. Catch and hold: 3 sets of 5 per arm, resting 60 seconds. Catch in a quarter squat, stand tall and hold the top for 2 seconds. Check that the ear, biceps and ribs line up before lowering.
Clear the space around every athlete before dumbbell work and lower the bell to the floor under control, never over the shoulder toward a neighbor. If an athlete feels pinching or sharp pain in the shoulder overhead, stop the movement and suggest they see a qualified professional. Do not coach through it.
How to Check Your Own Video
Set the camera at hip height about 8 feet away, side on. Record the first two reps and the last two reps of a hard set, because most of these faults only show up late. Then go through it in this order.
Pause at hip extension. Is the arm still straight when the hips open? If the elbow is already bent, that is Fault 1.
Trace the bell path. Does the bell touch your shirt on the way up, or does it arc away? That is Fault 2.
Freeze the catch. Look at the ear, elbow and ribs. A bent arm or flared ribs points to Fault 3.
Compare rep 1 with the last rep. Whatever changes between them is your fatigue fault. Fix that one first.
Pick one fault only. Run its drill for 10 minutes as part of your warm-up before your next dumbbell workout, then film again. One clean fix beats three half fixes every time.
Where I Stand
I would rather see an athlete go lighter on a dumbbell snatch workout and keep the legs involved than hit the prescribed weight with an arm pull. Rx is a standard of movement as well as a weight. When the bell starts curling, I scale the load and protect the shoulder.
Try this today: Film 2 sets of 6 snatches per arm from the side, then run 4 sets of 5 hang pops per arm at RPE 5 to 6 before your next dumbbell workout. Compare rep 1 and rep 6 on the video.
Dumbbell Snatch Quick Recap
Arm stays long. The elbow bends only after the hips fully open.
Bell stays close. Start between the feet and zip the bell up the shirt.
Lower with control. Bring it to the shoulder, then to the floor, so the next rep starts in position.
Own the lockout. Catch in a quarter squat, arm by the ear, ribs stacked, then stand tall.
Film early and late. Compare rep 1 with the last rep and fix one fault at a time.
The Rep You Protect Today
Dumbbell snatches punish sloppy habits quietly. The shoulder and the elbow take the bill a little at a time, so the best time to fix the fault is while the weight is still light.
Pick one fault, run one drill and film one set. That small loop is how your athletes, and you, keep the last rep looking like the first.
If you want me to review your video and write the drills around your own faults, ATHLETESPHERE coaching is built for exactly that.
Your turn. Which of the three faults shows up most in your athletes' dumbbell snatches, and at which rep does it start? Tell me in the comments below. I read every one, and your answers shape what I write next. If this helped, tap the heart so it reaches more athletes.
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Coach Fritz Bautista · Head Coach, ATHLETESPHERE
CrossFit Level 2 Trainer (CF-L2) ✓ · CrossFit Programming Certificate · MBA Graduate · Digital Marketing Certified · Coaching athletes from all walks of life online
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