Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Preparing for the Kettlebell Snatch Test (Part I)

32kg snatch practice

For someone new to Kettlebells the thought of passing the RKC Snatch test or the 10-minute Secret Service Snatch Test can be quite romantic at first... that is until your first date with the Snatch test goes bad and gets ugly fast.   Most tough guys with a 300lb bench press take a look at this tiny 53lb kettlebell and wonder "What's the big deal?"... so they play with it, do a few snatches and to their horror... it's much harder than it looks.  So they watch a few instructional videos on Youtube and a few weeks later figure they are ready for their first snatch test.

One day you decide to go for it and earn your place in the kettlebell world, a man among men... 200+ reps with the 24kg in 10-minutes. The first few reps are feeling good, so you pick up the pace. The blood starts pumping and your breathing is getting labored. It isn't long before things are becoming noticeably shaky... and scary. The kettlebell feels like it's going to fly out of your hand at the bottom of each rep. Your heart is pounding so hard it's about to burst out of your chest like a scene out of Aliens.  Your breathing is erratic and out of control. Your lungs are on fire.  Your heart rate shoots past 200 bpm and you are far from finishing. Devastated, surprised and knocked off your pedestal of manliness you set the kettlebell bell down and scurry away to lick your wounds and nurse your ego back to health.

How in the world can so many RKC instructors possibly achieve the minimum standard of 100 snatches in under five minutes using a 53lb kettlebell for men and a 35lb kettlebell for women???  It's quite simple really, but far from easy.

Want to learn how? (402) 850-5551



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    Did you Know?

    Head strength coaches for Cincinnati Bengals and Washington Redskins have taken and passed the RKC.

    World Power Lifting Champion Donnie Thompson is an RKC.

    World renown physical therapist and creator of the Function Movement Screen, Gray Cook is an RKC.

    Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Danish Olympic Team, Kenneth Jay is a Master RKC.

    Olympic Silver Medalist, Mark O'Madsen is an RKC.

    World Famous Strength Coach Dan John is an RKC.

    RKC Quotes

    "Kettlebell training will make you a better man.. even if you're a woman. If you don't know how, I'll show you. If you don't want to, I'll make you! " - Pavel Tsatsouline
    "The Swings WILL continue until morale improves!" - Banner hanging at Lone Star Kettlebell in Lubbock TX.
    "Anyone can swing a Kettlebell, but not everyone knows how to do the Kettlebell swing." - Master RKC Brett Jones
    "Strength is a skill, so is endurance, so is flexibility!" - Pavel Tsatsouline

    Scott Stevens, RKC & Pavel Tsatouline