How to Master the Kettlebell Snatch
Reaching My Kettlebell Snatch Potential
Since working with my coach Denis Vasilev when he came in San Diego in October, I've changed up my Snatch technique. While I have been snatching kettlebells since 2011, I've always hit a road block when it comes to the 20kg bell and above. I've competed with 20kg and 24kg, and have never hit a number even close to what I believe my true potential is. While I have made many changes to my technique over the past five years, I think I've FINALLY made the changes that will allow me to reach my potential over the next couple years.
If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook, you may have seen some clips of the fast, light snatching I've been doing over the past month. I recently hit several benchmarks that I'm very proud of, one of which is hitting 97 reps in 16kg Snatch on my right arm in 4 minutes (no survival snatches), and the other is a 10 minute 16kg Snatch PR of 242 reps.
How Does this Apply to You?
I'd love to divulge "the secret" technique pointer to mastering the Snatch to you, but the truth is that finding the right technique is totally individual. You may already have made the technique adjustments that I've just recently begun doing, or the cues that helped me might not even resonate with you. The real keys to mastering the kettlebell Snatch and reaching your full potential are simple to know, and much harder to do...
Keys to Mastering the Kettlebell Snatch:
- Learn the biomechanical principles of the lift and become proficient at applying them.
- Have your technique analyzed by the right coach to pick up errors and inefficiencies you cannot see yourself.
- Self-experiment until you find what works best.
It's really that simple (and that hard). Make sure you have a solid foundation. Learn the biomechanical principles of the lift and become a master at executing the technique (this can take years to develop, so you will go back and refine numerous times). Then you experiment. Try a new technique for your next training cycle and start light. Even if you don't end up liking the technique changes, the experimentation in and of itself will make you a better lifter. Then you repeat this process all over again many, many times. That's the beauty of the Snatch, and Kettlebell Sport in general - the journey to mastery is a lifelong process!
I would love to be the coach to help you analyze your technique and help you correct errors. I offer several online coaching programs, as well as 30-minute consults where I analyze and give feedback on your kettlebell technique. Please email me at info@kbfitbritt.com or message me on social media if you're interested!