Kettlebell Kettlebell Snatches & OAPUs Form Check

[DaveS]

Hi all,

Below are some videos of my workout this morning. The Snatches show form from rounds 4 & then round 5 from my Q&D Snatches (24kg) and then the 5th set of a 5 x 5 OAPUs workout afterwards.

If you could take the time to evaluate my form form and provide some feedback on strengths and areas for development that would be great, thanks!

Dave.

Snatches Form Check 1 (fast forward to approx 35 seconds)


Snatches Form Check 2 (fast forward to approx 35 seconds & 1:35 seconds)


OAPUs Form check

 

[Anna C]

Strong work, Dave!

The snatches are very good. No corrections needed per se, but three suggestions: take your time on your setup to get tight and perfectly in position, time your power breath with your hip snap (extension), and work on taming the arc on the descent. As for that last one, there are lots of ways to work on this, but my favorite is to stand in front of a curtain or something and snatch a light bell. Get closer to it. Your body will figure out how to tame the arc.

OAPUs are strong! You could improve the full body tension worth more hollow position. Your hips are piked, which is a tension leak.

 

[DaveS]

Strong work, Dave!

The snatches are very good. No corrections needed per se, but three suggestions: take your time on your setup to get tight and perfectly in position, time your power breath with your hip snap (extension), and work on taming the arc on the descent. As for that last one, there are lots of ways to work on this, but my favorite is to stand in front of a curtain or something and snatch a light bell. Get closer to it. Your body will figure out how to tame the arc.

OAPUs are strong! You could improve the full body tension worth more hollow position. Your hips are piked, which is a tension leak.

Hi Anna, thanks for the feedback, i worked with kettlebells quite a bit years a go then dropped them for about 10 years mainly due to moving out my folks house and focused on body weight drills instead. So I've just got back into kettlebells again since about February and found it came back to me quite quick after a careful stint using the 16kg for the first month or so. I did expect to get a long list of little corrections from you guys and gals at strong first given your exacting standards (in a good way) so am surprised to hear only a few minor changes needed. The idea of trying to become certified is in the back of mind, i used to be a personal trainer years back and am a graduate of sports science degree but certifications here in the UK were not available when i first trained with kettlebells back around 2003.

The taming the arc: I've played with keeping the bell closer but found it made for a less powerful loading in the hinge position so abandoned trying to do it, perhaps i was over doing it or doing it wrong somehow?

Good points on taking my time on the set up, i think my intention to be explosive with the Q&D protocol is what makes me want to just ‘dip and rip’ but getting set what first is a good idea, ill play with it thanks.

Funny you mention the piked hips on the OAPU, soon as I watched myself back i noticed the curve in my lower back, perhaps it’s because I'm trying to get too low and flat to the floor, i noticed watch NW dvd Pavel has some flexion at the hips whilst tucking the butt under and doesn’t go quite as low to the floor with his chest so perhaps thats the only way to keep the hips tucked?

 

[Anna C]

The taming the arc: I've played with keeping the bell closer but found it made for a less powerful loading in the hinge position so abandoned trying to do it

I can relate... My snatches feel more springy in the hinge when I tame the arc less. There's a bit of a tradeoff and preference thing, I think.

doesn’t go quite as low to the floor with his chest

At SFB we go for, in the side view, shoulder below elbow, looking at the top of each. So I think you're going a bit lower than recommend. It gets hard to keep the shoulder tight at that extreme range of motion so it's a bit riskier to go lower, and doesn't bring as much strength building benefit as progressing towards narrower foot stance and OAOL (one leg).

 

[DaveS]

I can relate... My snatches feel more springy in the hinge when I tame the arc less. There's a bit of a tradeoff and preference thing, I think.




At SFB we go for, in the side view, shoulder below elbow, looking at the top of each. So I think you're going a bit lower than recommend. It gets hard to keep the shoulder tight at that extreme range of motion so it's a bit riskier to go lower, and doesn't bring as much strength building benefit as progressing towards narrower foot stance and OAOL (one leg).

Ah interesting you found similar with a tradeoff arc vs hinge loading, perhaps i was overdoing taming the arc before, ill have another play with it then.

Thats a good reference point of shoulder below elbow, ill video myself again and aim to stop soon as the shoulder is a little lower then.

Thanks for the tips Anna, great stuff! ?

 

[Mark Limbaga]

Anna gave great pointers. Only things I would add

Snatch: exhale at the hip snap..
One arm pushup: work up to eventually narrowing stance further

 

[DaveS]

Anna gave great pointers. Only things I would add

Snatch: exhale at the hip snap..
One arm pushup: work up to eventually narrowing stance further

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the pointers,

Exhaling on hip snap - ill play with the timing then, thanks

OAPU - yes i plan to get back to the one leg version (did a few reps before) but want to dial the technique in perfect first two leg as lost the groove a little and i think Anna has spotted why with my lack of hip flexion/tuck and trying to lower down a little too far, will play around get it right then look to progress to one leg version again as remember was a fun challenge keeping the balance ? and i read on here lots of people saying how well it transfers to the KB pressing which i aim to eventually get back to as well with a previous best of 3/4 reps with 2 x 32s.

Thanks for the tips and input!

Dave.