all posts post new thread

Kettlebell Rite Of Passage - All Snatches?

Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)

MarkSch

Level 6 Valued Member
I'll soon be starting ROP for the third time, chasing that elusive 1/2 bodyweight press (40 K in my case). Previously, I have completed Simple, TTC, and most recently, Kettlebell Muscle.

With this done, is it advisable to do snatches on all days, rather than on the light day only?

Of course, I would keep the 'waviness' of effort, using Heavy-Medium-Light variations. I found the double snatches of Kettlebell Muscle interesting and taxing, and am wondering what the forum experts think of doing them more than once a week.
 
I've done 75 double snatches per week (25x three times per week) before and it was fine.
 
A reason there aren't many snatches in the ROP is concern about overtraining the shoulders in the overhead position. The combination of lots of pressing and swings make a high volume of snatches unnecessary for most people.

If it was me, I'd finish an ROP by the book then switch to a snatch-focused program without presses or with very few presses. Don't forget the ROP has 150 presses (75 each side) in a single day at the end.

-S-
 
I do believe to do the Rite of Passage you need to supplement the snatch. However, I agree with Steve that if you snatch after heavy day, you're asking for an injury. Not the answer you want to hear, but if you insist....

Follow the ROP as written, except, on easy day go harder than 60% on your snatches but not crazy (Ex. roll a 10, do 120) and then on one of your variety days do a snatch workout. I'd make sure there was a complete rest day between this variety day and heavy day.

Day 1, Medium Day
Day 2 Variety Day (Snatches)
Day 3 Off
Day4 Heavy Day
Day 5 Off
Day 6 Variety Day (I'd do some squatting, not over the top until you puke, but 50 reps)
Day 7 Easy Day
 
I don't know whether the question with getting the ROP snatch test standard solely with the program as written, if that's what is at issue, is likely to be as much a function of what proportion of the conditioning is done with snatches vs. swings than the total volume of (specifically, aerobic) conditioning work in the program, depending on what someone's lifestyle involves outside of the program and where they're starting it from.
 
Last edited:
chasing that elusive 1/2 bodyweight press (40 K in my case)

Sir, is this the goal? 1/2 BW press? If so, why not keep the goal the goal and focus on attaining it.

With this done, is it advisable to do snatches on all days, rather than on the light day only?

Are these double snatches or single bell? Done ROP style with dice, or for set reps and repeats? If you want to change the snatches, what else will follow?

I found the double snatches of Kettlebell Muscle interesting and taxing

As stated, and mentioned numerous times in numerous places (and one of them was directed towards me from Mr. Steve Freides), it might be better to do ROP as written. It is a pressing program after all, and if your 40kg press if your unicorn, I say chase that and nothing else. I can relate to your sentiments, however.

I was doing ROP earlier this year. While doing it, I wanted to do a Snatch Protocol. Both Mr. Freides and Mr. Ciampa warned me off from doing so many snatches and presses together. It was a lot of stress on elbows and shoulders and wrists. And to be honest, my press did not increase any more than it had while doing straight ROP. Too much volume, methinks.

However, the pressing strength I had attained was not lost doing heavy snatches ONLY. So there is some food for thought.

Probably not what you want to hear sir, but I concur with @Steve Freides , work the ROP, hit your goal, and then do something with your double snatches.

Good luck. I hope some of this was helpful.
 
@Miguel ETK ROP has two goals: one is the 1/2 bodyweight press and the other is 200 snatches in 10 minutes. They are pursued simultaneously. So, he is focusing on the goal.

@MarkSch GS athletes regularly train overhead work in the form of the jerk and snatches in high volumes. Your shoulders can certainly adjust to this, but you need to allow them to adjust. What I would do is gradually add in more snatches. I rarely do a workout with just swings. I might do something like a combo of 2 swings and a snatch, then 3 swings and a snatch, then 3 swings for 10 total reps. This is also a nice way of breaking up the monotony of a swing session.
 
Firstly, thanks to everyone who responded.
@Miguel
I wasn't clear in the original post, sorry. I mentioned double snatching there, but I didn't mean to double-snatch in the ROP. I was curious about thoughts regarding adding more one-handed snatches, replacing one-handed swings.
Also, I have always done the dice-roll for ROP, with some advice from the ROP Workbook to help structure the "waviness" of effort.

@BrianCF and @Steve Freides
Snatches on heavy day aren't recommended. Got it: thank you.

@BrianCF and @MikeTheBear -
Thanks for the suggestions for working more snatches in without replacing swings altogether. Having done my first (light) day, I can report that I still find 24K one-handed snatches pretty tough--harder than 16K double snatches from KettleBell Muscle, especially when done for higher reps. I'll take it easy, and incorporate your suggestions slowly. My snatches are such that 200 reps with 24K in 10 minutes seems hilariously impossible, whereas a 40 K press for 1-2 reps might be achievable. I guess I'll know more in a few months.
 
For a quick update after 2 weeks on ROP: more or all snatches aren't going to work, even the third time through.
Gee, it's almost like you should just follow the programs as written. Where have I heard that before? ;)

On any day other than the light one, I'm pretty much too smoked to do a good job snatching--at best, I am throwing in some high pulls to keep the intensity up a little.

Frankly, snatches in any way other than the S&S 'Power first" tend to wear me out. Anyone have cues for swings in longer durations, for strength endurance? Aside from "enjoy the pain", that is: I already have that one down.
 
@MarkSch, the simplest thing to do is finish an ROP then move to a snatch-focused program. There have been several of these on the blog here.

-S-
 
@Steve Freides

Thanks, I will look into that in a few months. I'd really like to get a 1/2 bodyweight press this time around, and it's going well. Snatches to the ROP standard probably won;t happen this time, and may never for me.
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom