A recipe for achieving your maximum VWC cadence

The Viking Warrior Conditioning protocols make exclusive use of the RKC Hardstyle Snatch to elicit a VO2 max response.  Here are some tips for those that find it difficult to perform the required 24-36 reps during the 5th and final minute of the CMVO2 cadence test. 


A Recipe for Achieving Your Maximum VWC Snatch Cadence

• Taming the arc on the way up to lockout.
• Flipping the kettlebell over your wrist instead of spinning around the wrist.
• A strong, well-timed hike pass using the lats.
• Punching backward aggressively with your hips on during hike pass to load the hips.

Taming the arc shortens the actually distance traveled by the kettlebell.
Flipping the kettlebell over the top, palm down, is a much quicker movement than spinning the kettlebell around the wrist and it allows you to fire the lats more intensely.
A strong hike pass accelerates the kettlebell downward faster than gravity would do on it's own.
Punching backward not only helps to accelerate the kettlebell backward and down faster, it allows for a more explosive and faster contraction on the way up and saves your back by forcing the hips to do more work.

In my experience most people new to the VWC protocols use too shallow of a hike pass. By doing so they are not loading their hips or stretching the hamstrings enough. For some reason punching back is counter intuitive and people think it will make the next rep harder, the opposite is true. Once students achieve a strong backward hike pass and are no longer afraid to really punch back with the glutes they are consistently surprised to find how much faster and easier the kettlebell flies up into the lockout position.

In regards to VWC, not only is it difficult to perform nine reps in 15-seconds without sacrificing perfect hardstyle form, but it is not necessary to achieve nine reps to follow the protocols as designed.