The snatch is one of the most technical skills performed in CrossFit, and one of the hardest lifts to conquer much more so than the clean and jerk. The snatch has been coined by many as the "fastest lift in the world" because when performed correctly it  takes less than one second to get the barbell from the ground to overhead.

Similarly to the Clean and Jerk the Snatch can be broken down into THREE pulls. The first pull comes from the ground, the second from the knees and the third pulling the body under the bar.

To perform the snatch: Place your feed at a shoulder width stance, the barbell will rest directly above the connection between the toes and the remainder of the foot. Bend at the knees and while keeping a flat back, hold the barbell using a wide hook grip (thumb under fingers), for some people this might mean their hands are almost to the collars of the bar.  Start lifting the barbell, keeping it close to your legs, the initial drive comes from the hips, glutes, and quadriceps muscles. The bar will proceed upward and the torso will stay roughly at the same initial angle when you set up. You will then explosively extend your body as the barbell reaches your pelvis.  Bring your shoulders towards your ears in a shrugging motion as you bring the bar up while lifting your elbows upwards, parallel with the trunk throughout the pull, keeping them above the bar for as long as possible. This EXPLOSION will create enough force that it will propel the barbell upwards while you quickly drop underneath the bar to catch the barbell. Recover and stand up.

Have a read of the following from the Queensland Weightlifting Association: "The Snatch - Faults, Causes and Corrections."