Just wondering if any of you have used heavy swing intervals a-la "one" from KB strong as conditioning work for your snatch test. I'd love to hear your experiences
Old Forum Heavy swing intervals as snatch test assistance work
- Thread starter Mark Limbaga
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Steve W.
Level 8 Valued Member
Mark,
I have found that double swings have had good snatch test carryover, mainly in terms of developing a more powerful hip drive.
Without getting into GS territory, I've found snatch test preparation to hinge (no pun intended) on 3 main factors: hip drive power/endurance, grip strength/endurance, and wind. My goal for the 100 rep snatch test is to be able to do it comfortably at a quick, but not rushed pace (to finish between 4:00 and 4:15), with minimal hand switches, without putting the bell down.
When the test gets over 5 minutes, I also find that shoulder mobility/endurance becomes important too. If your mobility is lacking and you need to use too much muscle power to hold the lockout, shoulder fatigue becomes a limiting factor in a longer test. For this reason, I can crush the 100 rep test, but 200 crushes me.
For hip drive, double swing intervals are great. For hip endurance, I like long, sustained sets with a single 24kg, switching grips on the fly. But to be fair, I have not worked up double swings into longer work intervals like at the end of the One program.
For grip, I've found the best carryover from longer snatch sets with one hand switch, using 24kg and 28kg. I have not felt as much carryover from longer sets with lighter weights. For me, 28kg is a sweet spot where I am getting an overload effect, but don't have to cut my sets overly short or compromise technique. At my level of grip strength, I can only do very short sets with 32kg, using full power and an aggressive drop, so I don't feel I get great carryover.
For wind, I like longer sustained snatch intervals with 24kg. One protocol I like (Pavel once posted this on the RKC instructor's forum) is time ladders with 1 min. rest intervals: 1min snatch/1 min rest; 2min snatch/1min rest; 3min snatch/1min rest; 4min snatch/1min rest (switching hands at will). You can work up to this by starting with 1min work sets and progressing such as: 111, 1111, 1111, 1211, 1221, 1222, 1231, etc.
For the 100 rep test, I don't find any separate additional "cardio" training to be necessary.
Personally, I don't feel I've gotten a lot of carryover from heavier single swings, but I know that others have effectively used them as a key part of their preparation, so YMMV.
I have found that double swings have had good snatch test carryover, mainly in terms of developing a more powerful hip drive.
Without getting into GS territory, I've found snatch test preparation to hinge (no pun intended) on 3 main factors: hip drive power/endurance, grip strength/endurance, and wind. My goal for the 100 rep snatch test is to be able to do it comfortably at a quick, but not rushed pace (to finish between 4:00 and 4:15), with minimal hand switches, without putting the bell down.
When the test gets over 5 minutes, I also find that shoulder mobility/endurance becomes important too. If your mobility is lacking and you need to use too much muscle power to hold the lockout, shoulder fatigue becomes a limiting factor in a longer test. For this reason, I can crush the 100 rep test, but 200 crushes me.
For hip drive, double swing intervals are great. For hip endurance, I like long, sustained sets with a single 24kg, switching grips on the fly. But to be fair, I have not worked up double swings into longer work intervals like at the end of the One program.
For grip, I've found the best carryover from longer snatch sets with one hand switch, using 24kg and 28kg. I have not felt as much carryover from longer sets with lighter weights. For me, 28kg is a sweet spot where I am getting an overload effect, but don't have to cut my sets overly short or compromise technique. At my level of grip strength, I can only do very short sets with 32kg, using full power and an aggressive drop, so I don't feel I get great carryover.
For wind, I like longer sustained snatch intervals with 24kg. One protocol I like (Pavel once posted this on the RKC instructor's forum) is time ladders with 1 min. rest intervals: 1min snatch/1 min rest; 2min snatch/1min rest; 3min snatch/1min rest; 4min snatch/1min rest (switching hands at will). You can work up to this by starting with 1min work sets and progressing such as: 111, 1111, 1111, 1211, 1221, 1222, 1231, etc.
For the 100 rep test, I don't find any separate additional "cardio" training to be necessary.
Personally, I don't feel I've gotten a lot of carryover from heavier single swings, but I know that others have effectively used them as a key part of their preparation, so YMMV.
Steve those are great insights, thank you
Iron Tamer
Strongman, Speaker and Seeker of Truth
I have not done "Strong", but to answer your questions about heavier swing intervals: Absolutely. Swings drive snatches.
I have done every combination and scheme that I can think of and I am confident that if you work up to doing 10 minutes of snatches at 70% of your max RPM (for the SFG test this would be 140-160 reps in 10 mins) and 25-30 minutes of one hand swings totaling 500-600 reps with your snatch size or heavier KB and the snatch test will seem like walking a couple of flights of stairs.
I have done every combination and scheme that I can think of and I am confident that if you work up to doing 10 minutes of snatches at 70% of your max RPM (for the SFG test this would be 140-160 reps in 10 mins) and 25-30 minutes of one hand swings totaling 500-600 reps with your snatch size or heavier KB and the snatch test will seem like walking a couple of flights of stairs.
Norski
Level 5 Valued Member
I used double swing intervals from "One" to prep for my cert and aside from my baseline conditioning trial (an attempt at a snatch test), they were the only ballistics I did for my preparation. I finished my snatch test with more than 20 seconds left on the clock and I only had two months to peak for my cert when I signed up.
I started doing "One" with double 24kg's' and when I got around 25:35 I decided to up the load to double 28kg's to acclimate my hip snap to the next level. I saw 25:35 again with the 28's a few days before the cert and felt good. At my cert my hips were the last thing to get tired and anything lighter than a 32kg felt like I was smacking a mosquito with a sledgehammer.
Get used to fighting 124lb swings for 10 minutes and snatching the 24kg for 5 will feel like wrestling an angry midget.
I started doing "One" with double 24kg's' and when I got around 25:35 I decided to up the load to double 28kg's to acclimate my hip snap to the next level. I saw 25:35 again with the 28's a few days before the cert and felt good. At my cert my hips were the last thing to get tired and anything lighter than a 32kg felt like I was smacking a mosquito with a sledgehammer.
Get used to fighting 124lb swings for 10 minutes and snatching the 24kg for 5 will feel like wrestling an angry midget.
Again great insights thanks everyone..
Connor, so you did "One" with 24s then worked up to 25:35 then jumped to 28s then started up again. did I get that right?? This was the full 10 mins or the modified version?
Connor, so you did "One" with 24s then worked up to 25:35 then jumped to 28s then started up again. did I get that right?? This was the full 10 mins or the modified version?
That sounds great
jschwartz
First Post
Tamer, I'd love to hear more about how you program the combination you mention above. I missed the snatch test this past weekend at the Toronto Level 1. I am close to being able to pass it now and could probably squeak by just under 5 minutes. But I'm planning to spend a month devoted to preparing and then crush the test. I'm still a little unsure as to how best to program for it, but I think I need to incorporate some high volume work, along the lines of what you described.
My apologies if I'm hijacking the thread Mark.
My apologies if I'm hijacking the thread Mark.
No need to apologize Joel, we are all here to learn 
Mike Lindner
Level 5 Valued Member
My personal experience with the higher rep double swings lead perfectly into me passing the snatch test multiple times in practice before my cert weekend.
I am kind of curious on Uncle Tamer's version though. Makes sense if you can get that kind of volume in with those timeframes than the 100 in 5 minutes shouldn't be bad at all.
I am kind of curious on Uncle Tamer's version though. Makes sense if you can get that kind of volume in with those timeframes than the 100 in 5 minutes shouldn't be bad at all.
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