During the snatch, the shoulders are described as performing which movement?

• A. Flexion
• B. Extension
• C. Circumduction
• D. Adduction

Answer: (C)

The shoulder moves through a circular arc during the snatch, combining flexion, abduction, and rotation as the arms travel from the pulling position to overhead lockout. This multi-planar, arc-like motion fits circumduction, which describes moving the limb in a circular path around the joint. The action isn’t limited to a single plane like pure flexion or pure extension, and it isn’t simply adduction, so circumduction best describes the overall shoulder movement in this lift.