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Kettlebell Learning to Snatch

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Im out

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I've done a few months of ROP with 24kg, and I've done Phase 1 and 2 of KB strong with 24kg. I've done timeless S&S with 28kg SW/ 36kg TGU a few years ago. I've done a mixture of C&P / C&J with double 26kg and HEAVY farmer walks ( double bw ) last year, working up to 140 Reps per session. Massive Strength and muscle gains there.

But I never bothered to do snatches. They are kind of scary.

Last wednesday I just tried a few snatches with 24kg. The bell goes up. I like it. Ofc. I'm bad at the drop. So I bring it back down as you would with a C&P negative. Overall I think it went well. Staying at 3 to 5 reps per set. Single bell of course.

The next 2 days I had really REALLY sore Trapezius muscles. My shoulders felt worked. My legs felt worked, especially the backside. Of course my grip and forearms felt worked !

I like to spent as least time on my sessions, since I have a very dynamic work schedule. Plus evening school. The session I had wednesday made me feel how complete the Snatch actually is. I might even understand why it is the ULTRA minimalist exercise in Q&D.

So I like to work on snatches. I've been re-reading the Snatch part of ROP, and re-read the progression of KB Strong. I noticed how much emphasis there is on the High Pull. Since I never really worked the High Pull I tend to do a Swing-Snatch as described in the Big 6 by Geoff. I also noticed a certain statement by Geoff in KB Strong in the Snatch chapter.

'' The DSN, in my opinion, is really just a Double High Pull and a Double Push Press sown together. Literally. "

This is motivating me to work on Snatching.

Starting with the High Pull & Push Press, first with a single bell.

Probably 24kg. I'd work push Presses with double 20, maybe double 24kg.
 
Congratulations... I always wonder why people don't try the snatch sooner. There is a reason it's called the "Tsar of Kettlebell Lifts." But I think it was about a year and a half for me also -- first touched a kettlebell in March 2013. Didn't try to snatch one until late summer 2014, after many months of swings, get-ups, and presses. First time I tried to snatch continuously (i.e. do a 5 min test, even iwth an 8kg) I realized I had a lot to learn, and a long way to go. Passed first attempt at 16kg snatch test 100 in <5 min before my SFG I in May 2015. Still had a long way to go. Kept after it with A+A snatching for several years... It's the never-ending journey that keeps giving... just ask @Harald Motz. Now I'm on to the barbell snatch (Olympic Lifting), and I'm really glad I spent that time with the heavy kettlebell snatch. I have a really long way to go ahead of me now...
 
Last wednesday I just tried a few snatches with 24kg. The bell goes up. I like it. Ofc. I'm bad at the drop. So I bring it back down as you would with a C&P negative. Overall I think it went well. Staying at 3 to 5 reps per set. Single bell of course.
For taming the arc on the down swing think of bringing the bell or better elbow down quickly through the rack position of some kind. Lead with your elbow, reconnect your upper arm to your torso as soon as possible. Take a light bell lead with your elbow and intent to 'slam' the bell down into the hike, a fast eccentric. With a heavier bell first just use as much force that you can guide the bell in a relatively vertical path.
Snatch, get into a great lockout and bring the bell a bit behind you to really extend your t-spine, cramp your glutes. Stay a second there and remember the cues to 'tame the arc'.
On a few occasions I brought a wooden self made plank with me and let relatively newbies practice some snatches in front of them. It worked like a charm to make the body doing decent english without thinking to much. They instantly got no perfect snatch but a decent one.

It's the never-ending journey that keeps giving... just ask @Harald Motz.
Yes indeed...

You might post a video and we can see.
 
Question on the snatch lockout:

I get a sharp pain in my elbow on lockout - am I hyperextending? Should I have a slight elbow bend on lockout to prevent pain?
 
Question on the snatch lockout:

I get a sharp pain in my elbow on lockout - am I hyperextending? Should I have a slight elbow bend on lockout to prevent pain?

Do you feel it when you press? The top of the snatch should be identical to the top of the press, and the top of the get-up.
 
Do you feel it when you press? The top of the snatch should be identical to the top of the press, and the top of the get-up.

Thanks for those questions - I hadnt considered it like that.
TGU: no elbow pain at all.
Press: pain only sometimes - now that I think about it, its usually when I'm struggling and forcefully lockout the elbow to complete a rep.
Snatch: pain usually on first few reps. On reflection, I think I'm probably over-snapping the elbow as I'm rushing to beat my timings.

I did 10 sets of 3L+3R snatches last night - they went smoothly - no pain (which is unusual). The significant difference compared to prior workouts is I didnt do it for time yesterday. Instead, I made a concerted intention not to time as I wanted to focus on my technique - I realised in a previous session that I wasnt taming the arc in the downcast. I think the time pressure is adversely impacting my technique. I guess going forward I'm not going to time my snatches as its sacrificing my technique (and hurting my elbow).
 
You may want to play with the position of the arm in the top position. Palm in the frontal or saggital plane, it can make a difference.
 
I did 10 sets of 3L+3R snatches last night - they went smoothly - no pain (which is unusual). The significant difference compared to prior workouts is I didnt do it for time yesterday. Instead, I made a concerted intention not to time as I wanted to focus on my technique - I realised in a previous session that I wasnt taming the arc in the downcast. I think the time pressure is adversely impacting my technique. I guess going forward I'm not going to time my snatches as its sacrificing my technique (and hurting my elbow).

Sounds like a good approach. Yes, sometimes we rush into using the snatch as a conditioning tool and don't take the time to slow down and focus on the technique. Unlike the swing, you can slow down the reps in a set to whatever works best for you by taking extra time in the lockout. It's a great way to fine-tune the lockout (and arrival to and departure from the lockout) until it's really smooth.
 
I'm doing Snatches 3x per week now.

As for technique: getting to lockout is going very well. "High Pull, Punch up !"

Going down, however, i can either bring it back down with a fairly straight arm OR Bring it down to rack then negative clean.

If i bring it down fast elbow downward i end up doing a dead snatch which doesnt do good to my hands and shoulder.

I will try to gradually speed up.

This morning i did 16 sets of 3 reps with 24kg and 1.5min of rest in between. Finished my practice with 1 set of 6 military presses with double 24kg.

Now (6hours later) my body feels fine and is functioning properly still. In a physical job.
 
You may want to play with the position of the arm in the top position. Palm in the frontal or saggital plane, it can make a difference.

Yes, that's a good point also.
 
When learning to snatch, I found it to be very helpful to drop down at least one weight bell, take my time, and really feel the most efficient, smooth line. Once I had that grooved in, going back up to what I suspected my working weight to be was much easier since I had some neuro patterning in the tank.
 
@Harald Motz
Have you ever practiced Dead Snatches, half Snatches and double kb Snatches?

Atm I mainly practice half Snatches. Easiest on the grip and back. If I focus on keeping my elbow glued to my torso it turns into a dead Snatches... Ouch
 
Lead with your elbow, reconnect your upper arm to your torso as soon as possible. Take a light bell lead with your elbow and intent to 'slam' the bell down into the hike, a fast eccentric. With a heavier bell first just use as much force that you can guide the bell in a relatively vertical path.
I have trouble doing this. When I try to lead with elbow it feels so heavy and jerky and it hurts my arm. Still a work in progress.
 
I've done a few months of ROP with 24kg, and I've done Phase 1 and 2 of KB strong with 24kg. I've done timeless S&S with 28kg SW/ 36kg TGU a few years ago. I've done a mixture of C&P / C&J with double 26kg and HEAVY farmer walks ( double bw ) last year, working up to 140 Reps per session. Massive Strength and muscle gains there.

But I never bothered to do snatches. They are kind of scary.

Last wednesday I just tried a few snatches with 24kg. The bell goes up. I like it. Ofc. I'm bad at the drop. So I bring it back down as you would with a C&P negative. Overall I think it went well. Staying at 3 to 5 reps per set. Single bell of course.

The next 2 days I had really REALLY sore Trapezius muscles. My shoulders felt worked. My legs felt worked, especially the backside. Of course my grip and forearms felt worked !

I like to spent as least time on my sessions, since I have a very dynamic work schedule. Plus evening school. The session I had wednesday made me feel how complete the Snatch actually is. I might even understand why it is the ULTRA minimalist exercise in Q&D.

So I like to work on snatches. I've been re-reading the Snatch part of ROP, and re-read the progression of KB Strong. I noticed how much emphasis there is on the High Pull. Since I never really worked the High Pull I tend to do a Swing-Snatch as described in the Big 6 by Geoff. I also noticed a certain statement by Geoff in KB Strong in the Snatch chapter.

'' The DSN, in my opinion, is really just a Double High Pull and a Double Push Press sown together. Literally. "

This is motivating me to work on Snatching.

Starting with the High Pull & Push Press, first with a single bell.

Probably 24kg. I'd work push Presses with double 20, maybe double 24kg.

I am learning the snatch as well. I didn't really get or like the top down approach either.

I do it like this. Swing, Swing, high pull, snatch top, rack, clean and park the bell. Repeat.

The sequence is like ONE TWO THREE GO! It seems to build confidence and momentum.

Actually, the combination with the negative press is quite a workout in itself.

Punching through is the best cue definately.

I am also not comfortable with the negative yet. Just practice I guess.

I am also finally getting a sense of what we are missing, even with this progression.

The genius of the combination of pullup, deadlift and snatch for the TSC is now clearer. Totally different lifts. Total package.
 
I am learning the snatch as well. I didn't really get or like the top down approach either.

I do it like this. Swing, Swing, high pull, snatch top, rack, clean and park the bell. Repeat.

Actually, the combination with the negative press is quite a workout in itself.

Punching through is the best cue definately.

I am also not comfortable with the negative yet. Just practice I guess.

Thats how i do it too without the swing swing and parking. Im practicing the drop more now and instead of repeating cues in my head i just let it go as feels natural to me.
 
I am learning the snatch as well. I didn't really get or like the top down approach either.

I do it like this. Swing, Swing, high pull, snatch top, rack, clean and park the bell. Repeat.

Yes, that's a method we're learned ay SFG II for teaching it. The high pull for this progression keeps the elbow down rather then out/up as some high pulls are. Here's a video from a while back.

 
Yes, that's a method we're learned ay SFG II for teaching it. The high pull for this progression keeps the elbow down rather then out/up as some high pulls are. Here's a video from a while back.



Yes, I am visualizing the next step to the snatch. The high pull is not an end in itself.
 
I added a few sets with the next bell for 3 reps per set. Discovered my left hip hinge is strong but i snatch with a weak wrist. Fixed this instantly by tensing the wrist and leaning slightly forward while punching up.
 
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