all posts post new thread

Kettlebell The Kettlebell Snatch

Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
This has turned into quite the inspiring thread. Brett, I knew you were a stud but wow.. I've come to the conclusion through working on ROP that grip strength is probably the biggest limiting factor for a lot of folks when incresing bell size for snatches. Would y'all agree? What are some hurdles y'all have struggled getting over? Mine has definitely been grip strength, its crazy how much more taxing snatching is on the grip than swinging.
 
Brett Jones said:
There are other aspects of GS that do not meet the criteria.
Click to expand...

Not be a difficult, but I just read through the requirements for the snatch test and I agree with @Kettlebelephant : Nothing in the requirements would prohibit using GS technique on the snatch test. The rules in GS for fixating the KB overhead are the same: arm straight and locked, knees locked, no movement on fixating the KB overhead, and no press out. I suppose if someone used a very obvious GS style the other participants who are busting their butts doing pure HS will give the participant dirty looks. As a practical matter, I would think someone who wants to be a SFG wants to learn HS so therefore would strive to use the HS style on the snatch test and would train accordingly. I guess there is somewhat of a built in honor system here. But the rules as written would not prohibit using GS.
 
The standard for the Snatch test is the SFG standard Technique (see standards video).

MikeB
Yes - grip can be the limiting factor - lots of ways to go about training it but snatching does load the grip in a significant way
 
I think the item in the technique standards that precludes GS style during the snatch tests is in the swing standards section, because the swing standards apply to the snatch:

"There is no forward knee movement (increased ankle dorsiflexion) on the upswing."
 
Hello,

Anna C said:
"There is no forward knee movement (increased ankle dorsiflexion) on the upswing."
Click to expand...
On the long run, this is safer for the knee joint.

@Steve Freides : My bad, I read forward but think backward... A bit tired. I am very sorry. Then, could you please delete my post ? :(

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Last edited:
Seems to me the swing rules would indeed prohibit GS style launch but the spiral up and "lean back" spiral down would be ok (the lean comes from the knees and hips with spine staying neutral so far as I know anyway)
 
Hello,

Isometrics also help to get a good grip (if memory serves, in PttP). For example, you can press a tennis ball as hard as you can, or a baseball ball. Basically, everything which is hard enough to endure a certain pression

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Last edited:
pet' said:
Hello,

Isometrics also help to get a good grip (if memory serves, in PttT). For example, you can press a tennis ball as hard as you can, or a baseball ball. Basically, everything which is hard enough to endure a certain pression

Kind regards,

Pet'
Click to expand...
True. But specificity of training will give you biggest "bang for buck" and the barbell (or kb handle) movement in the above video is precisely the movement of kb handle during snatch catch or clean catch.
 
Hello

GeoffreyLevens said:
True. But specificity of training will give you biggest "bang for buck" and the barbell (or kb handle) movement in the above video is precisely the movement of kb handle during snatch catch or clean catch.
Click to expand...
I totally agree ! Nothing beats specificity to get a precise goal.

I am currently reading again PttP that is why I posted about this kind of "assistance" exercise ;)

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
pet' said:
Hello,

Isometrics also help to get a good grip (if memory serves, in PttP). For example, you can press a tennis ball as hard as you can, or a baseball ball. Basically, everything which is hard enough to endure a certain pression

Kind regards,

Pet'
Click to expand...


Two somewhat off topic thoughts.

For grip training I used to ty-rap 1/2" braided PVC tubing into bundles and squeeze that. This was in conjunction with MA training, the idea was my fingers would learn to find the spaces between opponents forearm muscles, as well as overall grip strength. You can also work on moving the wrist through max ROM while exerting max force.

Steve Maxwell has gotten away from snatch intensive work, but still considers it an important movement. Currently he was encouraging it be taught to beginners with a regular press type downward mechanics. So Hard Style up, drop to rack, lower and repeat.
 
I am surprised nobody has mentioned the following for grip training that Pavel recommended for finishing the RoP sooner: soap swings, towel swings, or oven mitt swings for variety days. They are dynamite and not much volume is needed. Of course, you can only train them outside:)
 
For swing/snatch grip training, I've gotten good carry over from hanging from a pullup bar.

I use one minute as my reference point, starting with bodyweight and adding weight on a dip belt when hanging for a minute at a time was no longer taxing, then working up to a minute again, adding more weight, etc. For sets and reps, I used a GTG approach, doing varying numbers of hangs throughout the day, depending on my schedule, access to a pullup bar, and my other training, doing each set when relatively fresh and doing each set until it was an effort, but my grip was not too fried to recover easily.
 
North Coast Miller said:
Hard Style up, drop to rack, lower and repeat.
Click to expand...

This is how the double snatch is taught and practiced at SFG II.

The double snatch is a beautifully powerful, symmetrical movement.
 
I've been doing a+a snatches recently and my grip has increased hugely with them. I started with 24kg a few weeks ago, nlw using 28kg and can solidley snatch the 32kg. Time under load and good rest periods have given me all I need.
 
DavThew said:
I've been doing a+a snatches recently and my grip has increased hugely with them. I started with 24kg a few weeks ago, nlw using 28kg and can solidley snatch the 32kg. Time under load and good rest periods have given me all I need.
Click to expand...

My standard advice for swing and snatch grip strength was always just more time and more reps, not supplementary exercises -- and it works. In fact, I always felt that supplementary exercises were counterproductive, since they tired out my grip for KB ballistics and I felt I got more KB-specific grip benefit from just doing a higher volume of swings and snatches.

I started hanging from a bar after injuring my shoulder and reading about a doctor who advocates hanging as shoulder prehab/rehab. I had already been doing very high volumes of A+A swings, snatches and double cleans for a sustained period before this, and continued to do a high volume of snatches (on the uninjured side) and swings (on both sides) after my injury. However, soon after starting the bar hangs my grip with KBs suddenly and noticeably improved.

Note that although I have trained pull ups extensively in the past, I hadn't been doing them regularly for a while before this, and couldn't do them at all after injuring my shoulder. So for someone who is already training pull ups, there may be less or no benefit to doing additional bar hangs.
 
Last edited:
Steve W. said:
My standard advice for swing and snatch grip strength was always just more time and more reps, not supplementary exercises -- and it works. In fact, I always felt that supplementary exercises were counterproductive, since they tired out my grip for KB ballistics and I felt I got more KB-specific grip benefit from just doing a higher volume of swings and snatches.
Click to expand...

Hear hear.
 
Hello,

@Steve W. is right in the sense that nothing beats specificity training for a precise goal. Nonetheless, assistance exercises can be good if you really lack of something (for instance, shoulder mobility for a press, a snatch, etc...)

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom