The kettlebell snatch works the gluteal and hamstrings muscles very effectively. These muscle groups are some of our most important for sports and indeed function in everyday life. The Glutes and Hamstrings extend the hips and are important in generating speed and power in sporting activities. Â
The kettlebell snatch also works the stabiliser muscles of the shoulder girdle, without the stresses involved in exercises such as the overhead press. Since the hips and core generate much of the movement for the exercise, they bypass the need to for shoulder muscles to actually ‘press’ the kettlebell. Much of the shoulder muscles work within the exercise involves controlling the kettlebells deceleration at the peak of the movement, as the ball goes up overhead. At this point of the exercise you effectively ‘catch’ the kettlebell using the stabiliser muscles and bring the motion of the kettlebell to a halt. Consequently, this is a friendly exercise for shoulder stability muscles, providing them with a workout without overstressing them in the same way a barbell press might. As such the exercise could be of use to people with shoulder issues, who may need exercises such as this to improve shoulder function and mobility but also protect the joint from re-injury. The legs and the hips providing a bit of extra support to power the move in a similar way to the ‘push press’ exercise. Finally, the exercise also supports mobility in the thoracic region of the spine (upper spine), this is another area responsible for our posture, gait, and standing upright, something again important in our everyday lives.