Execution:

The snatch is one of two moves contested in the sport of Olympic Weightlifting where the athlete lifts the barbell from the floor to overhead in a single action.
The athlete starts with their hands in a wide grip, wide enough that the bar sits in the crease of the hips when the athlete is standing at full extension with the bar at arm's length. At the start on the lift the athlete has their feet approximately hip width apart with the toes slightly turned out and their weight balanced evenly, knees are pushed out on the inside of the arms, the arms are straight and loose, head and eyes forward. The chest is higher than the hips.
To initiate the lift the athlete pushes through the floor with their feet to start the drive upward, the chest rises as the legs drive the bar up. The back maintains the same angle until the bar reaches the mid to upper thigh. As the athlete continues the drive with the legs, the bar reaches the hips and the athlete finishes the leg drive by violently extending upward, keeping the bar close to the body and allowing a natural contact with the bar and hips.
Once fully extended the athlete shrugs up and then pulls themselves under the bar, the feet are picked up and moved into a squat stance allowing the athlete to drop rapidly under the bar catching the bar overhead in a full squat. The athlete stabilizes the bar in the squat position and then stands with the bar, once fully stood the bar can return to the floor.

Purpose:

To move the bar from the floor to overhead at maximum weight in the most efficient way.

Programming:

The snatch can be programmed into wods at a light weight, where the athlete will more often power snatch instead of “squat” snatch. This means that the weight is light enough that the athlete does not need to drop into a full snatch. It can also be at high weight for fewer reps or as a test of a 1, 3 or 5 rep max.

Variations:

The variations of the snatch include the power snatch, hang power snatch, hang squat snatch, snatches from the blocks, snatch pulls, kettlebell snatch or snatch balance.