Enter The Kettlebell, Week 10 Complete

10 weeks down, 2 to go!

Saturday was our “Heavy” day, and if you’ve been reading (or participating, I hope) along, then you know that “Heavy” means 5 ladders with 5 rungs each.  This is our hard, max effort day.

I had to work overtime from 5:30 to 11:30 last night, so we did our workout early in the day (2:00 p.m.) as opposed to our usual time of 6:00 p.m.  Of course that meant we had to battle the sun and heat as well, which made those 5 X 5’s just a little bit harder.

After our customary warm-ups, we started our sets with our heavier bells.  Val used her 16 kg for her singles, while I used my 28 kg for my first four rungs, and my 24 kg for my 5th rung.

Val’s sets went like this: 

Ladder 1:  16 kg/1; 12 kg/2,3,4,5
Pull-ups:  1 (no band), 2,3,4,5
Rest for 1′30″

Ladder 2:  16 kg/1; 12 kg/2,3,4,5
Pull-ups:  1,2,3,4,5
Rest for 1′30″

Ladder 3:  16 kg/1; 12 kg/2,3,4,5
Pull-ups:  1,2,3,4,5
Rest for 1′30″

Ladder 4:  16 kg/1; 12 kg/2,3,4,5
Pull-ups:  1,2,3,4,5
Rest for 1′30″

Ladder 5:  16 kg/1; 12 kg/2,3,4,5
Pull-ups:  1,2,3,4,5

My sets were similar, but looked like this:

Ladder 1:  28 kg/1,2,3,4; 24 kg/5
Pull-ups:  1,2,3,4,5
Rest for 1′30″

Ladder 2:  28 kg/1,2,3,4; 24 kg/5
Pull-ups:  1,2,3,4,5
Rest for 1′30″

Ladder 3:  28 kg/1,2,3,4; 24 kg/5
Pull-ups:  1,2,3,4,5
Rest for 1′30″

Ladder 4:  28 kg/1,2,3,4; 24 kg/5
Pull-ups:  1,2,3,4,5
Rest for 1′30″

Ladder 5:  28 kg/1,2,3,4; 24 kg/5
Pull-ups:  1,2,3,4,5

Remember, we’re doing 1 clean and press right, 1 clean and press left, and 1 pull-up.  Then the second ng for 2 R, 2 L, 2 pull-ups;  all the way up to 5.  The rest.  Usually we rest for only 1 minute.  However, due to the heat, I pushed our rest periods out to 1 minute 30 seconds.  We also went through about 3 bottles of water each.

My clean and press ladders were tough and I felt like I could have used the 28 kg for every rung.  However, I thought I would play it safe and wait until week 11’s “Heavy” day to hit 5 X 5 with the 28 kg.  Week 12 will be an all out battle with the 28 kg and the 32 kg.

We finished our “Heavy” day with 8 minutes of swings.  25 reps with 5 second rest periods.  The AOS ETK workbook called for 310-390 reps.  We managed 200.  And those 5 second rest periods?  I think we hit the first 3 or 4 on the nose.  The rest were stretched a bit. 

Once we finished our swings, I did my ab work consisting of 25 Janda sit-ups and 20 straight-leg sit-ups. Val and I then stretched out our hamstrings and lower backs and jumped in the pool to cool down.

I finally timed our entire workout, something I’ve been meaning to do for some time now but had never gotten around to, and found that we took about 1 hour and 15 minutes from the start of our warm-ups to my last straight-leg sit-up.  We rested for about 2 minutes between the warm-ups and our first ladder and for about 5 minutes between our last ladder and our swings.  I then went directly from my last swing to my ab work. 

The last 10 weeks have been challenging but also results-producing.  I’ve lost weight, gained strength and added size and shape to my muscles.  Val has done the same and has increased her confidence as well.  I can’t recommend the Enter the Kettlebell (ETK) program enough and urge you to buy the ETK quick start set from Dragondoor.com and the Art of Strength ETK workbook from Artofstrength.com.  Then study the ETK program and video and start your own transformation!

Invest in your health!

Heartburn Cure? Lose Weight!

Bottom Line Personal Vol. 29, No. 12- June 15, 2008

Heartburn symptoms are not eliminated by avoiding chocolate, caffeine, spicy foods and citrus fruits, contrary to popular belief.  Best way to prevent heartburn:  Lose weight.  Being overweight increases intra-abdominal pressure, contributing to heartburn.

Lauren Gerson, MD, assistant professor of medicine, director of esophageal and Small Bowel Disorder Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, and leader of meta-analysis of 100 studies, published in Archives of Internal Medicine.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

To help you in your quest to lose weight, check out the Weight Science and Antioxidant Science products at MyNutritionStore.com.            

Watermelon Has The Same Effect As Viagra?

Scientists: Watermelon yields Viagra-like effects

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20080703/D91MBPC01.html

 

 

 I’d like to comment more on this but I have to run to the Farmer’s market and pick up some watermelon.  Actually, I have to rent a truck first…

Furious Fitness ! Super Strength! Massive Massivity!

And all those kinds of things! 

Week 10, Medium Day!

Let’s get to it.  Cameron’s gone visiting friends form Northern California, so Val and I will push through together.  Three circuits of our warm-up series, a short break and 5 ladders of 4 rungs today.

Val used her 16 kg for her singles, and her 12 kg for her 2,3,and 4 rep sets.  I stayed with my 28 kg for all my sets.  I plan on hitting 5 X 5 with my 28 kg on week 11’s Heavy Day.  I’ve noticed that my form is suffering a bit as I get into the last ladder and I want to play it safe and stay injury free.

Once our clean and press ladders were complete, we rested for about 3 minutes and started our swings.  Val used her 12 kg while I used with my 24 kg.  We had seven minutes to complete 50 rep sets with 20 seconds of rest between them.  We hit 200 reps right at the 7 minute beep of our handy Gymboss Interval Timer.

Afterwards, I got 25 Janda sit-ups, 20 straight-leg sit-ups, and then stretched out the lower back and hamstrings.

Today was a rough day as Val had a job interview that did not end up in her being hired.  She has been out of work since the end of January and to date has not had any success in finding new work.  We had high hopes for today’s interview, and when it fell through, it was hard to accept for both of us. 

Today would have been a good day to shine on the workout and dwell on the lost opportunity, however, we pressed on and completed the workout, even going for a quick 15-minute walk when we were through stretching. 

I remarked to Val that I had a hard time getting excited about working out, and an even harder time preparing myself mentally for the 50-rep swings we were going to finish with.  Once we were done working out though, we both felt better for having done it and more focused on what we needed to do. 

Folks, I am positive that we are better able to cope with the financial stress of our reduced income by keeping to our workout regimen.  As it is, I’m most fortunate to have a partner who gives me the strength to keep pushing on when it seems tough to do so.

Remember:  Keep moving forward! 

Week 10 of Enter The Kettlebell - Monday

It’s always nice to hit a light Monday after the 5X5 ladders on Saturday.  That doesn’t mean we slow down though.  We have three weeks to the end of the program and our final test.  We’re going to use those weeks wisely and finish strong.

This is my last day on vacation and I was a little cranky before we started to work out.  Once we started moving, however, I was able to clear my mind and focus on powering through our 5 ladders of 3 rungs.

We started with our warm-ups and a little stretching for our lower backs.  Cameron joined us today and used his 16 kg and 24 kg kettlebells.  Val used her 8 kg, 12 kg and 16 kg.  I used my 24 kg and 28 kg.

Cameron and Val are both excited to be pushing the heavier weights and used their bigger bells to do their singles with. 

Cameron has been focusing on not using his legs to help the bell up, and pushing it up in its proper arc.  

Val has been trying to lock the heavier bell out at the top.  I think she’s got it.

 

I stayed with my 28 kg bell for all my presses.   

Once we were done with our C&Ps, I switched to the 24 kg for the snatch.  Cameron and Val switched to their lighter bells as well, with Cameron using his 16 kg while Val went down to her 8 kg to practice her form.

We snatched 10 R / 10 L and rested for one minute for 9 minutes total.  100 total reps.

Once we finished, I did my ab work, stretched with Val and we put another light day away.

High Fructose Corn Syrup and Health Risks

I don’t post a lot about diet because it’s not my area of expertise.  However, I have been trying to wean myself of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) for some time and am amazed to find the products that contain HFCS.  Check out this article and do some research for yourself.

Dangers of High Fructose Corn Syrup - HFCS

HFCS high fructose corn syrup is responsible for a dangerous epidemic of obesity and diabetes. People under the age of 45 are “children of the corn.” Like Stephen King’s thriller, they are reaping the consequences… 

 

…of the food industry’s high fructose corn syrup. They were children or young adults in the late 70s, 80s and 90s when high fructose corn syrup was introduced to the American food supply as a cheap replacement for sugar. Now many of them are struggling with an epidemic of obesity and diabetes, also being referred to as diabesity.

In a recent chemical analysis of eleven carbonated soft drinks sweetened with high fructose corn syrup (HFCS), researchers from Rutgers University found very high levels of reactive carbonyls.

Reactive carbonyls, which have been linked to tissue damage and complications of diabetes, are elevated in the blood of people with diabetes. A single can of soda, however, has five times that concentration of reactive carbonyls. Old-fashioned table sugar, on the other hand, has no reactive carbonyls.

When people from Iceland visit the United States, the first thing they notice is the number of fat people they see. The average weight of American women (164 pounds) and men (191 pounds) has increased 25 pounds since 1960. We are the fattest people on earth, thanks to Coke, Pepsi and ADM - Archer Daniels Midland - the largest producer of HFCS.

Due to federal agribusiness subsidies, every dollar of profits earned by ADM’s corn sweetener operation costs consumers $10. Of the $113.6 billion in taxpayer commodity subsidy payments distributed by the USDA between 1995 and 2004, corn drew $41.8 billion — more than cotton, soy, and rice combined. What’s wrong with this picture? Maybe it’s the Iowa presidential primary. Where do the presidential candidates and your congress people stand on corn subsidies? Who sucks up to ADM?

The occurrence of new cases of type 2 diabetes has doubled over the past three decades, according to a report in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation - June 2006. The percentage of overweight children in the United States has tripled since 1980. The epidemic of type 2 diabetes cases across the nation is likely to lead to a substantially higher incidence of strokes among middle-aged adults and newly diagnosed diabetics.

“Most, but not all, of the increase in diabetes occurred in people who were obese - those with a body mass index of 30 or more,” according to the National Lung, Heart, and Blood Institute in Framingham, Massachusetts.

A person with diabetes has a 50 percent chance of having a heart attack compared with a risk of 5 percent for people without diabetes or who don’t know if they have a vascular disease. In fact, diabetes puts you at the same risk for a heart attack as a non-diabetic who has had a heart attack and whose risk of another is substantially higher. 

 

More than one out of every three individuals in the United States has diabetes or impaired fasting glucose, a condition that increases the risk of developing diabetes.

The CDC estimates that diabetes costs the United States $92 billion in medical costs and $40 billion in indirect costs.

It is getting difficult to find a food product at the grocery store or McDonalds that is not loaded with HFCS. One 20-ounce bottle of Coke, Pepsi, Mt Dew, Sprite or Dr. Pepper is the equivalent of pouring 17 teaspoons of sugar straight into your body. HFCS is the leading ingredient after carbonated water in these beverages. Women who drink at least one regular soda a day are 85 percent more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who drink less. It also leads to tooth decay.

High Fructose Corn Syrup is found in fruit drinks like Capri Sun, Sunny Delight, Snapple, Hawaiian Punch, Ocean Spray Cranberry Juice and in most energy drinks. It is also found in chocolate drinks like Yoohoo, Arizona Tea, SoBe Beverages, cookies, ice cream, Campbell soup, Heinz Ketchup, Ragu, Aunt Jemima Syrup, Hershey’s Syrup, Breyers Yogurt, Kraft Barbecue Sauce, Smucker’s Preserves and some breakfast cereals.

High fructose corn syrup masquerades under the name of crystalline fructose in Glaceau Vitamin Water and some energy drinks. Naive teenagers guzzle this “poison” because they think it is good for them. Then they go on a diet and wonder why they are still gaining weight.

Have you seen the new commercials on TV for Capri Sun? The ad suggests that Capri Sun is now healthy for you because they have added antioxidants. As long as they continue to sweeten Capri Sun with HFCS, they are lying to you.

People who use HFCS as a sweetener increase their triglycerides 32 percent relative to people who use mostly sugar, according to University of Minnesota professor John Bantle. The body metabolizes high fructose corn syrup differently than sugar. It blunts the body’s ability to recognize when it is full and increases a person’s appetite.

High Fructose Corn Syrup puts people at risk for metabolic syndrome. According to the Mayo Clinic, “Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk for heart disease, stroke and diabetes. Having just one of these conditions — increased blood pressure, elevated insulin levels, excess body fat around the waist or abnormal cholesterol levels — contributes to your risk of serious disease. In combination, your risk is even greater.”

There is a a rise in uric acid in the bloodstream that occurs after fructose is consumed. The temporary spike of HFCS blocks the action of insulin, which typically regulates how body cells use and store sugar and other food nutrients for energy. If uric acid levels are frequently elevated, over time features of metabolic syndrome may develop, including high blood pressure, obesity and elevated blood cholesterol levels.

Research by the U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reveals that high fructose diets shorten the life span of laboratory mice from the normal two years to a mere five weeks.

Overweight Hispanic-American children who consume lots of sugary foods and drinks show signs of pancreatic beta cell decline - a forerunner of type 2 diabetes.  Researchers at the University of Southern California came to that conclusion after studying 63 overweight Hispanic children, ages 9 to 13, all without diabetes. The team tracked the children’s eating habits and also took blood samples before and after giving them sweets.

Beta cells in the pancreas create insulin in response to sugar obtained from food. When beta cells start to function less effectively, they produce less insulin, leading ultimately to diabetes. The USC team found that about 40 percent of the sweets consumed by the children in this study came from sugary drinks such as soda or sweetened juices.

If you compare the population of non-diabetics to diabetics, the average life span is 10 years less. There are many complications that occur with diabetes. They include coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, blindness, kidney disease and loss of sensation in the hands and feet.

Older people may have something to worry about also. The leading theory about the cause of Alzheimer’s Disease implicates insulin. Insulin concentrations in the brain drop significantly in early Alzheimer’s and continue to fall as the disease worsens, suggesting that Alzheimer’s Disease may be Type 3 diabetes. Researchers found that insulin is not just produced in the pancreas, but also in the brain.

If you wish to prevent diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease, the prudent thing to do is to read the label of food items and beverages before you buy them at the store. If you see High Fructose Corn Syrup or crystalline fructose - Don’t Buy It!

One tip is to try an ethnic grocery store - such as an Asian or Latino food store, if you have trouble finding HFCS free foods that you like. The American food industry doesn’t give two “toots” about your health.

According to Dr. Mark Hyman, MD “Immediate action is needed to address this problem on a societal level. The time for blaming the victim, for putting the entire responsibility of the obesity epidemic on a gluttonous population is over. The science is clear, and we have the means to save lives and millions in health care dollars.”

Question of the decade: Why doesn’t the FDA approve stevia as a sweetener? Stevia was introduced in the 1970s in Japan and accounts for over 40% of the sweetener market there. It is also commonly used in South America. Only 24 percent of Japanese aged 15 and older are believed to be overweight, compared to over 65 percent of adults in the United States.

In 1991, at the request of an anonymous complaint, the FDA labeled stevia as an unsafe food additive. It is truly absurd that the medical establishment and government watch dogs in the U.S. are so myopic as to believe that if a product has not been scientifically proven safe inside the borders of the U.S., then it is dangerous until proven otherwise. What’s wrong with this picture?

According to Dr. William Dietz of the CDC (Center for Disease Control), in the February 2006 issue of the Journal of Pediatrics, “Consumption of excess calories can produce weight gain. The high fructose content of sugar-sweetened beverages may promote hepatic lipogenesis, and the reduced insulinogenic response may decrease the inhibitory effects of these sugar-sweetened beverages on food intake. In addition, significant weight gain may occur when carbohydrates are consumed as liquids rather than as solids.

“Soft drinking teens pile on pounds and obesity”

According to a study released March 6, 2006, the number of overweight children is on the rise worldwide and by the end of the decade the number of overweight children will have caused a strain on our health system as they age. It is estimated that just under half of the children in North and South America will be overweight by 2010, up from about 28%. In Europe, about 38% of the children will be overweight, compared to 25% currently.

Dr. James said researchers had analyzed reports from 1980 to 2005 as well as World Health Organization data. They found data for trends over time covering school-age populations in 25 countries and preschool-age children in 42 countries.

In the drinks study, a team at Boston’s Children’s Hospital monitored the weight of 103 teenagers, putting half of them on unsweetened or artificially-sweetened drinks and letting the other half continue to consume sugary drinks. They concluded that a single 330ml can a day of sweetened drinks could lead teens to put on 1 pound every three or four weeks.
News Article

Diabetes Risk Factors

• Are you overweight?
• Do you drink soft drinks or juices with High Fructose Corn Syrup everyday?
• Do you have high cholesterol?
• Do you spend too much time online or watching TV and don’t exercise enough?
• Do you have relatives with diabetes?
• Do you have heart disease?
• Do you smoke?
• Are you over 55?
• Are you over 45 and have high blood pressure?
• Are you over 35 and are Asian, Black, Latino or Native American?

As a footnote, a new Italian study suggests Aspartame (NutraSweet) causes cancer in rats at levels currently approved for humans.

The Dangers of Corn Oil

A study at the San Francisco VA Medical Center demonstrates that omega-6 fatty acids such as the fat found in corn oil promote the growth of prostate tumor cells in the laboratory.

Working with human prostate cancer cells in tissue culture, researchers identified for the first time a direct chain of causation: When introduced into prostate tumor cells in culture, omega-6 fatty acid causes the production of cPLA2, which then causes the production of the enzyme COX2. In turn, COX2 stimulates the release of PGE2, a hormone-like molecule that promotes cell growth.

What’s important about this is that omega-6 fatty acids are found in corn oil and most of the oils used in bakery goods, which means that if you’re eating a diet high in omega-6 fatty acids, it’s possible that you’re turning on this cancer cascade, which has been shown to be a common denominator in the growth of prostate, colorectal, and some breast cancers.

The study points out that 60 years ago in the United States, the dietary ratio of omega-6 to omega-3, a beneficial fatty acid, was 1 to 2. Today, the ratio is 25 to 1. Over that same 60 years, the incidence of prostate cancer in the U.S. has increased steadily.

This is one more reason it is important to pay attention to the fats that you are eating. Substitute olive oil whenever possible, and take omega 3 fish oil capsules daily. Remember, always be good to yourself.

 http://www.femhealth.com/DangersofHFCS.html

 

Variety Days, Off Days, Kettlebells and Deadlifts

I’ve been working on our outdoor kitchen Thursday and Friday, which happened to coincide with ETK’s variety day and off day.  This is my last week on vacation (back to work July 1st) and I’m trying to maximize the time I spend on my house remodeling projects.

My kettlebells and free weights sit in and next to my garage, which also happens to be where the boxes full of my Ikea kitchen cabinets are stacked.

So in order to keep a little variety in my days off, I did a few sets of deadlifts and cleans as I went into the garage to get my tools and supplies throughout the day.

On Thursday, I deadlifted.  I use a traditional stance, modified a bit to keep my knees from hurting too much (2 surgeries on the left knee - ACL tear and reconstruction, and impending doom on the right knee).  I keep my grip overhand, with my pinky fingers on the knurling and my shins on the bar, outside my arms.  It’s kind of a close-stance sumo, sorta, kinda. 

Any-who, I pulled a couple triples with 135 to get in the groove.  Then I put 225 on the bar (the rust made them stick a little) and grabbed 3 sets of 3 over the course of an hour.  It’s not a lot of weight, I know, but it’s variety day and I’m not going to kill myself before our heavy day on Saturday.  I just wanted to get back into the groove of deadlifting, as I’m giving serious thought to entering the Tactical Strength Challenge this September, which would give me another goal to meet as well as something else to write about and thereby stay motivated (and honest!).  Check it out www.tacticalstrengthchallenge.com.

Oh yeah.  When I finished deadlifting, I grabbed the 16 kg bell and did windmills for 5 reps each side, nice and slow.

On Friday, I was putting cabinets together again, and as I went in the garage, saw my pair of Ader 32 kg bells there on the floor.  Ordinarily, I use those big bells to keep my feet in position while I do my Janda sit-ups after my ETK workouts.  As they looked kind of lonely, I decided to use them for more than paper weights.  I started out by grabbing a pair of 24 kg kettlebells and cleaned them for 5 reps.  I dropped them, grabbed what I went in there for and left.

About 30 minutes later, I went back in, grabbed those 32s off the floor and did 7 cleans until my right knee started to complain. 

1. Rule number 1:  Never contest space with your kettlebells!
2. Rule number 2:  Stop if you feel pain!

So, 1) I didn’t; and 2)  I did!

This has happened to me before when I’ve used double kettlebells for drills (like you’ll find on the Aggressive Strength page, above).  I get a sudden sharp pain when my knee goes from flexed to straight. 

Usually all I have to do is widen my stance a bit and point my feet further out (close to a 45 degree angle)and the pain goes away.

I grabbed my stuff and didn’t go back until about a half hour later.  When I went in, I grabbed the bells, adjusted my stance and got 10 cleans.  Those felt good.

Back out to the patio for my “real” work and then back into the garage about 20 minutes later for 10 more double cleans.

And that’s it!  Friday’s my off day, remember?

Remember that you don’t always have to do a full programmed workout.  Sometimes it’s fun to just go out and throw heavy things around for a bit.  Just make sure your form is correct and have a good time!

Sunscreen Is Not Sunblock

I never really thought about this until I was at the Dermatologist yesterday, having a couple chunks of my skin shaved off to perform biopsies on. As I train with my kettlebells outside during the summer, and often have to stand around in the direct sunlight during the course of my job, I need to be more aware of what the sun’s doing to my skin. So should you.

Bottom Line Personal, Vol 29, No. 10  May 15, 2008

Sunblock, which is opaque, blocks almost all of the sun’s UVA and UVB rays.  It consists largely of zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.  Sunblock does not have to be reapplied every few hours.  Sunscreensare less visible on the skin and are designed to protect against UVA, UVB or both types of ultraviolet rays.  However, they do allow some radiation through and need to be reapplied every few hours, because their ingredients break down after exposure to sunlight.  If you use sunscreen, choose one with a high SPF, apply generously and reapply every two to three hours.

Kenneth A, Arndt, MD, clinical professor of dermatology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and editor of the report “Skin Care and Repair,” published by Harvard Health Publications.

After a little research on the web, I found that the following sunblocks were well-rated by reviewers/consumers:

1. Coppertone Sport Sunblock -

Coppertone Sport Sunblock Gel, SPF 30, 6-Ounce Bottles (Pack of 2)

2. Neutrogena Active Breathable Sunblock -

          Neutrogena Active Breathable Sunblock Lotion SPF 45 - 4 Oz

 

Smaller Fruit Is More Nutritious

Bottom Line Personal, Vol 29, No. 10  May 15, 2008

Smaller Fruit Is More Nutritious

As fruits and vegetables grow larger, their vitamin and mineral content declines - along with taste and aroma.  Organic fruits and vegetables tend to be smaller in general, so the average organic product may have more nutrients than a comparable one that is traditionally grown.

Charles Benbrook, PhD, chief scientist, The Organic Center, which gathers science on the health benefits of organic foods, Enterprise Oregon.

I’ve noticed this most often with Apples and Strawberries.  I can recall a few times that I fell prey to the “bigger must be better” line of thinking, only to discover that the larger fruit had little flavor.  If you have the time, find your nearest Farmer’s Market and buy locally grown produce.  Most farmers will be happy to let you sample their product before you buy, and most likely you’ll find the shopping experience more relaxing than your local grocery store.

http://www.naturesflavors.com/images/apple.jpg

Bruised Forearms From Kettlebells

This topic frequently comes up with folks new to kettlebell training.  In fact, I probably see this come up two or three tinmes a week when I check my blog stats and search terms.

So to help out my fellow KBers, I went to the Dragon Door Strength and Conditioning Forum (DragonDoor.com), and did a quick search on “Bruised Forearms”.

Here’s what I found:

Snatch Grip and Snatch Wrist Banging

Advancing to the snatch from the swing can be a daunting and sometimes frightening step for new kettlebell trainers. A big ball of solid iron flying past your face to over your head is not for the faint of heart. I must emphasize the importance of the hip snap. Hip snap, hip snap, hip snap! Don’t try this drill if your grip is fried, either.

I was fortunate enough to attend the Kettlebell Convention in Las Vegas in the spring of ’04. I participated in the snatch test with very, very, VERY little snatching and even kettlebell experience. After ten minutes of the USSS snatch test, everything was fried. But my hands took the worst toll. I had to perfect my grip. Grip is usually the first thing to go in kettlebell endurance work.

At some point during the convention, Fireman Tom gave me a few pointers on improving my snatch technique. He showed me the high pull. It helped me with my hip drive, which took a lot of strain off of my grip. Instead of swinging the bell out, high pull it above your shoulder, punch through the handle, and there’s your snatch. This helps reduce the velocity at which the bell is coming around from a swing style snatch, too.

When teaching the high pull, I tell my clients to visualize a string connected from their elbow to a wall behind them. As they are coming to the top of the high pull, I tell them to picture the string yanking their elbow straight back to that wall. I also use the popular “starting the lawn mower” analogy. Fear may ultimately be the deciding factor on your snatch. Do not be afraid of the bell. Fear will get you hurt.

Perfect your high pull. When you are comfortable and confident, punch through the handle at the top of your high pull and you have snatched the bell. I picked up another snatching tip from my husband, Mike. When I first started snatching, he told me to “beat the bell around the handle.” I trained a guy at one of the squadron’s here on Nellis Air Force Base a few weeks ago who was having problems with banging his forearms during his snatches. I told him to punch through the handle and beat the bell around the handle. He hasn’t had problems since.

In most cases, a simple solution will fix a painful problem. Training improperly may not have immediate effects, but injuries will eventually rear their ugly heads and will hit you like a tons of bricks when you least expect it. Blowing your knees during a squat or slipping a disc at the bottom of a windmill is a bad time to realize you have technique problems. In most to all cases it isn’t the drill that causes the damage; it’s the poor form and follow through during the drill that causes trauma. It’s like the age old saying, “It’s not the device, it’s the operator.” So if you are still hurting during and after training, (as Rob Lawrence would say), “It’s all your fault.” Pay attention to the details and lift smart. Detail Oriented Training is training for success without pain or injury.

Sara Cheatham, M.S., RKC Team Leader

 

Hi, if you are getting your wrist and forearm banged up, chances are you aren’t punching on your clean or snatch. Take your time, work the basics and punch, Punch, PUNCH!!! You can also try using the corkscrew method for the snatch, that should take care of some of the abuse.

Shawn Mozen, RKC

 

Hi gmyck, no worries… by “punch” I mean for instance, while performing a snatch you need to push your fist upwards as the bell passes over your fist. This pushing up, or punching motion will cut the distance that the bell travels and it will help your arm meet the bell softly rather than having it thump on your forearm.

The same is true for a KB clean. There is a slight yet very important “punch” with the fist moving upwards towards your chin that helps to keep the kettlebell from banging your forearm.

Hope this helps.

Shawn

 

I just “got it” recently on how to punch through and “meet” the KB. No more pain.

My crazy advice is to keep trying without padding your forearms. The pain from your initial bruising provides both a great incentive to get the technique down and you’ll definitely know when you’re doing it right (no screaming).

I found (since I’m a scientist) that you can imagine a pain graph. On one end of the chart is to stop the clean or snatch suddenly and let the KB flip over and bang your forearm (ouch). On the other end of the spectrum, just as the KB is almost to its apex, you punch underneath it violently and slam your forearm against the KB (ouch, again). Somewhere in the middle (punching slightly but aggressively) there is a sweet spot where KB and forearm gingerly conjoin in pain-free bliss.

Matt  (mattsoltis)

 

Hi there,
A pretty common question– the answer to which can be tough to describe in print.

First off, you are on the right track asking about technique. Many people eroneously think the bruising just happens until your forearms toughen up.

If you are doing cleans and snatches correctly, there will be no bruising for most people. The bell shouldn’t be slamming into your forearm… it should land soft and precise.

Take just the snatch, for instance. Sometimes new people with smaller kb’s are overpowering the KB so it rises too high at the top and then flops into the forearm. If you can get access to a heavier KB, try some snatches with that. If it’s heavy enough, you won’t be able to overpower it. Once you feel the proper “nice and clean” movement with the heavier KB, it will actually be easier to understand and apply to the lighter ones.

Another thing you can try is the reverse clean. Start with the bell in the racked position and use your free hand to guide it “in reverse” down into the starting position. This can help you understand the reverse movement that would result in a nice, easy, smooth clean. (Something Shawn Mozen taught me actually!)

The good news is, when you get it, you’ll know it. It will just feel right. Bad news is, it can be a little difficult to figure out on your own. It will be WELL worth your time to seek out an RKC instructor for a session or two to perfect the form. That’s really the best advice.

Jeff  (Jeff Waters)

 

correction… I meant to say try the heavier KB to perfect cleans…
Jeff

 

I also had probs with this, as a lot of folks do at the start. There are two issues, first, the ouch that comes from the heavy thing just sitting on the arm with weight on a small area. That you get used to. The other is the slam that others talked about. I think Jeff got it best in his post. For snatch, at first you tend to just extend the swing until the bell flips over, like if you wanted to go over the bar on the swingset when you were a kid. That’s not right. OK, you know how the bell sort of “stalls” for a bit on the swing right before gravity takes over again and it drops? What you want on the snatch is to make that happen right where you want the bell to finally end up. You have to pull it toward you a bit, which is why it is described as a mix of swing and clean, up as in swing, a little in as in clean. So, the bell should “stall” pretty much over your shoulder. Then, in that split second of stall, you bring the hand around the bell (sort of dip the elbow so the hand goes back under, forward a little and back up), and punch up and through so that by the time the bell wants to start it’s descent down again, you are around and under it, and in the finish position. If all that makes sense, you will end up fixing the bell right where it stalled and will not get slammed at all, just the weight of the bell. There’s a wide range of imperfection in there that is still decent form, I would think. Even getting it mostly right can leave your arms a bit roughed up, but actual bruises are indicative of imperfect form I would say. Hope this adds to what others have said. Let us know how it goes.

 

ZackWilson

 

Avoiding the dreaded forearm bruising is all a matter of technique. If you let the KB fly around your hand, it’s going to smash your forearm no matter what. The key is to rotate your hand around the KB, instead of letting the KB rotate around your hand. You sort of “spin” the KB in place (around an axis through the center of the KB, not an axis through the handle) as it approaches its apex, by driving your hand underneath it.

It also helps to pull more vertically and closer to the body, more like a regular barbell snatch than a swing. You bend the elbow as the KB comes up and then extend it as you spin the KB. I have seen the arm action described by Pavel and other comrades as, variously, putting your arm up through the sleeve of a sweater, an upward punch, and raising your hand in class.

When you get this technique wired, there will be little or no impact on the forearm.

 

Steve W.

 

The punch up is important on both the snatches and the cleans to master the soft catch. By meeting the bell instead of letting it come down on you, it hit you with less (or even zero) velocity.

 

Faizalenu

 

The forearm bash is common beginner’s experience. It took me a couple of weeks of bruising before I really figured out how to avoid it and could execute the proper technique every time.

First of all, do not use your grip to brake the rotation of the KB. With proper technique this is not necessary and will tear up the skin on your hands. The reason the KB is smashing you up is because you are letting the KB fly up over your hand so it is rotating around an axis through the handle. What you want to do is have the KB rotate around an axis through the center of the KB as it hovers or floats at its highest point. The KB should “spin” in place, rather than flopping over the top. In other words, the KB should not rotate around your hand, your hand should rotate around the KB.

As the KB reaches about eye level, drive your hand under the KB to spin it in place. This action has been decribed as being like raising your hand in class or putting your hand up through the sleeve of a sweater. To facilitate learning this technique, try not to pull the KB overly high. When you get the technique wired, you can pull more explosively, even with a light KB, because the punching under action will brake the upward movement.

Your hand should be relatively loose while the handle is moving in your hand. If the handle rotates while you are gripping tightly, it is very hard on the skin. Another skin saving tip is to shift the handle more toward your fingers and off the ball of your hand when catching cleans and snatches at the bottom. This is especially important with the heavier KBs.

Hope this helps, Comrade. Enjoy your new KB!

 

Steve W.

 

Forearm–whether it is “ok” is up to you, but here is what’s happening and how to fix it. You are allowing the KB to slam down on the arm (presumably during cleans and snatches). This is because you are moving the KB around the hand. Instead, learn to move the hand inside of the KB. This can be described as like “putting on a glove”. Take the clean for example–swing the bell a little lower than you have been, at about the level of the lower portion of the pecs. Now, slip the hand inside the bell and “punch up”. This will result in a smoother motion w/ little or no banging. Just this technique alone can take you several practice hours to figure out, so it might be worth your while to look for a RKC instructor in your area and set up a session. He or she can save you a lot of bruising (just click on the Instructor page and scroll down to your state).

 

Steve Cotter

 

I hope this helps a little.  I know the forum helped me out when I was starting.