snatch

The RKC–the Perfect Training System?

August 27, 2014 By Mike Krivka 5 Comments

RKC Big Six Kettlebell Exercises — *Graphic: Senior RKC, Robert Rimoczi*

INTRODUCTION

Everyone is looking for the perfect “thing”–the perfect diet, the perfect car, the perfect vacation, the perfect look, the perfect mate (sorry, not going to happen and this isn’t the venue for that conversation), or the perfect workout. Looking to find the “perfect” anything is a fool’s quest but the pursuit of perfection makes champions. This article will explore what I consider to be the almost perfect strength and conditioning program: the Russian Kettlebell Certified (RKC) Kettlebell training system.

PREFIX

To determine if something is “perfect”, you have to either compare it against other similar items or at least have a list of criteria that you can judge it against. Fair enough. In this instance we are looking for the perfect strength and conditioning program and while I’m not going to point fingers or name names, I will define the characteristics that I think make the RKC superior. In my humble opinion for a strength and conditioning program to be anywhere “near perfect” it needs to have (at a minimum) the following components:

It must address the six basic movement patterns:
- Push
- Pull
- Squat
- Hinge
- Carry
- Groundwork (ex. Turkish Get Up)
It must have both Ballistics and Grinds as part of the training program:
- a. Ballistics for strength endurance and impact generation
- b. Grinds for deep strength and tenacity under pressure

Those are the basic criteria for analysis and they are pretty easily defined. The goal of the perfect system should be to enhance the athlete’s or client’s overall strength, mobility, work output and athleticism. Read on to find out why I think the RKC meets these criteria and much more.

SWING (Ballistic)

To say that the kettlebell swing is the foundation that all ballistic movements with the kettlebell are based on would be an understatement. The swing establishes a deep and powerful explosive groove that allows the athlete to generate power from the ground up. It reinforces transitional and positional strength skills as well as developing a fine tuned ability to go from absolute relaxation to absolute tension in a heartbeat (one that is beating very fast as well).

Training the kettlebell swing develops the hugely important hinge movement in a dynamic manner. Most athletes will train the hinge, or something that looks like it, while doing barbell deadlifts. But the kettlebell swing gives the athlete a platform to practice exploding out of the hinge, dynamically loading the hinge, and teaches how to transition quickly and efficiently from loading to unloading while seamlessly applying force when and where it is needed. This is a tremendously valuable skill for anyone involved in contact sports or who has to move fast and recover quickly–like Moms and Dads chasing kids around!

GOBLET SQUAT (Grind)

The squat has been the staple of most strength and conditioning programs since before the invention of the barbell–as well it should be. The squat develops tremendous strength in the legs, hamstrings and glutes. It also requires the athlete to establish and maintain bracing throughout the torso. Understanding how to squat well is one of the foundational movement patterns and one that is overlooked by many athletes; you know the ones – big guns and chicken legs. In the RKC System, the goblet squat is the primary squatting movement for a good reason: most people (even those who have been squatting for years) lack the strength, mobility, and awareness to squat safely and effectively.

The goblet squat establishes a solid structure for loading the posterior chain, reinforcing the anterior chain, and creating alignment in the joints that ensures safe loading and transitions. For some, the goblet squat takes on a more rehabilitative form since it trains the client or athlete to open their hips and use their knees safely and effectively while teaching how to avoid undue stress on the lower back. The only drawback of the goblet squat is that it cannot be loaded to the same extent as a barbell squat. The inclusion of the kettlebell squat with one or two kettlebells makes this point almost moot. Once again, you can’t go to extreme loads but the efficiency but efficacy of the squat with the kettlebell almost makes up for it.

TURKISH GET-UP (Grind)

The Turkish get-up (TGU) or just plain old “get-up” is new to this generation of athletes and has found many ardent followers. The TGU is relatively hard to categorize. Some people consider it to be a pure strength technique while others categorize it as a mobility or pre-hab/rehab tool. Regardless, the TGU is an essential tool in the quest to make athletes move better and develop integrated strength. With modest loads, the TGU can be used as a strength endurance tool; the stresses placed on the athlete getting up and down are phenomenal for conditioning and rival the dreaded burpee for the language they generate. With heavier loads, the TGU can be used to develop transitional and positional strength like no other technique that I am aware of. Mastery of a number of planes of movement, the ability to maintain tension and establish intermediate loading and unloading positions, are all challenges that must be overcome if you are going to be successful at doing the TGU. From a pure movement perspective the TGU is golden and adequately fills in the “groundwork” section of the basic movement pattern requirements.

CLEAN (Ballistic)

The kettlebell clean is often overlooked and under-appreciated when it comes to developing strength. But I will tell you this from the outset–show me someone with a weak clean and I will show you someone who has an even weaker snatch and military press. The clean is the foundation for all of the overhead ballistics and grinds with the kettlebell and it also establishes an efficient and powerful groove that will be reflected in the kettlebell snatch. The clean, just like the swing, is a foundational move that relies on a powerful backswing to get the kettlebell moving. But unlike the swing, the clean requires that the kettlebell be directed upward as opposed to outward. A “swingy” clean is ugly and painful as well as being inefficient. Once the kettlebell has been “cleaned” it is considered to be in the “rack”–and that is where the magic happens. The “racked” kettlebell is now being supported by a complex symphony of tension from the anterior and posterior chains and is ready to be cleaned again or (military) pressed or jerked. The stability of the kettlebell in the clean (racked position) has to be absolute if it is going to be used to grind the kettlebell overhead via the military press or as a ballistic via the kettlebell jerk.

MILITARY PRESS (Grind)

The military press (MP) is the first overhead technique in the RKC System. The MP trains full body tension, bracing or “wedging” of the body under the load, efficient grooving (the path the kettlebell takes), the overhead lockout, and much more. More than just a mindless pressing movement with the kettlebell, the MP trains the client or athlete to drive from the ground up to press the kettlebell overhead, hold the lockout, and then to pull the kettlebell back into the racked position of the clean. The last five decades or so has seen the MP being supplanted in most strength and conditioning programs by a heavy emphasis on the bench press. While the bench press has many and varied benefits the MP is (in my opinion) superior to developing integration with the torso and power from the upper torso that translates over to many sporting and daily functions. The MP can be very frustrating for both sexes as well. Men who have a “big bench” find that they have puny MP’s. Women who have strong legs and good kettlebell swings are stymied by trying to get even a light load safely overhead. With a little practice and some determination, both groups will find their strength improve and will reap the benefits of being stronger overhead (especially when it comes time to snatch the kettlebell).

SNATCH (Ballistic)

The kettlebell snatch is a riddle wrapped in an enigma. It looks so easy and effortless when you watched it done by a well trained practitioner and it can also look like a tragedy in the making when done by someone without the proper coaching. As a ballistic technique it is comprised of many facets that appear to be one smooth and seamless movement (if done correctly). I have heard the snatch described as a “swing that ends up overhead” but I don’t think that is an accurate assessment of the movement. The swing is more like a clean that ends up overhead. I’ve always said that a “clean is a short snatch and a snatch is a long clean”. Why? Because the trajectory of the clean and the snatch are almost exactly the same; one ends up on your shoulder and the ends up overhead. But why is the snatch such an important part of the RKC? Because it trains the client or athlete to develop and master a number of skills and make them appear as one.

To master the snatch you have to be able to generate, manage, and absorb force; you need to be able to manage tension and relaxation; you need to be able to create and demonstrate positional and transitional strength; and so much more. Hopefully you can see why the snatch is held in such high regard and considered by some as the “King of the Ballistics”.

CONCLUSION

Six techniques – that’s it. With those six you have met all of the requirements of the six basic movement patterns with the exception of one: the carry. That’s pretty easy to fix with some farmers’ carries or walking with the kettlebell in the clean (racked position) or held overhead. Okay, okay – the pull is somewhat sketchy as well, although you are getting some great pulling work out of all the kettlebell ballistics. The addition of renegade rows or pull ups will fill that gap nicely as well.

Here’s the thing – there is no “perfect” system but the RKC comes darn close to hitting the basic requirements that any client or athlete needs to improve their movement, their athleticism, and their longevity. A nice balance of ballistics and grinds as well as a series of movements that hit every major muscle (and most of the minor ones as well) makes the RKC system “near perfect” as far as a strength and conditioning program goes – and that’s about all you can ask for in this lifetime.

***

About Michael A. Krivka, Sr. – Senior RKC: Michael A. Krivka, Sr. is a Washington, DC native who has been involved in Kettlebell training for over a decade and is currently an RKC Team Leader and member of the RKC Board of Advisors and the RKC Leadership Team under Dragon Door (where he has been listed as one of the top reviewed RKC’s in the world for the last five years). He is also the author of a bestselling eBook entitled “Code Name: Indestructible” and is in the process of finishing up several other eBooks on Kettlebells, body weight, and the integration of other tools into an effective strength and conditioning program. Mike has traveled extensively throughout the United States teaching Russian Kettlebells to military (USMC, USN, USA and USAF) and law enforcement personnel (FBI, DEA, USSS and CIA)… read more here.

Using the SAT to Fix Your Kettlebell Snatch

May 15, 2013 By Mike Krivka 2 Comments

Overview

The SAT, or Snatch Assessment Tool, is a tool that I created to help trainers and kettlebell practitioners alike to visually assess and correct their Kettlebell Snatch technique. Working with athletes on a daily basis makes it a requirement to have simple and effective tools in your “trainer’s toolbox” to quickly fix or remediate movement skills. Always on the lookout for new tools that I can use, I was thrilled when I learned about Dan John’s Hinge Assessment Tool and how simple and effective it was. Dan’s HAT or Hinge Assessment Tool inspired me to look at the Kettlebell Snatch in a very different light; interpreting the markers for a great Snatch technique as opposed to a poor Snatch technique. So once again I find myself thanking Dan John… Thanks!

The Snatch Assessment Tool (SAT)

The SAT is comprised of four tests that will allow the user to visually assess the subjects Kettlebell Snatch technique and hopefully lead them to several corrections or technique modifications. All that is required for the SAT is a stick or PVC pipe about six feet long, a bit of open space, and a Kettlebell. Once you have all those things in place you’re ready to go.

The four tests are: Taming the Arc, Trajectory, Transition, and Top Lockout. Looking at each one of these separately and in combination will improve your Snatch technique, make them more consistent and safer, and allow you to move more weight faster and more efficiently.

Taming the Arc

Taming the Arc means that you are using just enough forward swing to mobilize the Kettlebell and get it into the overhead position as safely and as efficiently as possible. What this means is that the forward arc that most people associate with the Kettlebell Swing needs to be dialed back and that energy needs to be translated into upward movement.

To check if the arc of the Kettlebell has been properly tamed you will need to have the subject stand with their arm bent at ninety degrees and the elbow tucked against their body. The fingertips should be extended and the stick should be placed at the end of the fingertips. This will be the testing distance for the Snatch and the subject should not realign their feet once they have found the correct distance. The trainer should stand in front of the subject, holding the stick in place, so that they can observe the arc of the Kettlebell. Have the subject do several Kettlebell Snatch on both the right and left side to see if they can effectively mobilize the Kettlebell within this testing zone.

Trajectory

Trajectory means the path that the Kettlebell takes from the backswing all the way to the overhead position and on the way back down. The trajectory of the kettlebell is important in that it tells a lot about the subject’s backswing, shoulder alignment, pull/punch transition, and hand position on the Kettlebell. Optimally the trajectory of the Kettlebell should be a straight line when viewed from the front. Deviations from this optimal trajectory indicate that there are compensations occurring during the movement that will need to be addressed.

To check if the trajectory of the Kettlebell both safe and efficient have the subject stand with their arm bent at ninety degrees and the elbow tucked against their body. The fingertips should be extended and the stick should be placed at the end of the fingertips. This will be the testing distance for the Snatch and the subject should not realign their feet once they have found the correct distance. In this instance the trainer should pay particular attention as to where the place the stick in relation to the subject. While maintaining the testing distance the stick should be placed so that it bisects the subject’s body; clearly defining their centerline. The trainer should stand in front of the subject, holding the stick in place, so that they can observe the trajectory of the Kettlebell. Have the subject do several Kettlebell Snatch on both the right and left side to see if they can effectively mobilize the Kettlebell within this testing zone. Observe the path that the Kettlebell takes and confirm that it is moving parallel with the stick from the backswing to the overhead lockout position. The easiest way to confirm this is to focus on the thumb of the hand holding the Kettlebell. Do not focus on the Kettlebell itself; watch the hand that is mobilizing the Kettlebell instead. This will give you a truer evaluation of the trajectory than focusing on the Kettlebell itself.

Transition

Transition means the timing between pulling through the backswing and the ballistic punch of the Kettlebell into the overhead lockout in addition well as managing the “float”. This is an oftentimes underappreciated aspect of the Kettlebell Snatch but by studying this part of the technique you can gain insight into how well the person is transferring energy to and from the Kettlebell.

To check and see if the transition of the Kettlebell is both safe and efficient once again have the subject stand in testing position described above. Make sure that you can easily see the subject from hips to shoulders and that once again the centerline is bisected by the stick. Have the subject do several Kettlebell Snatch on both the right and left side and note where the transition from “pulling” to “punching” occurs. In the instance where the energy derived from the backswing and the hip snap are effectively being transferred to the Kettlebell you will notice that the transition occurs above the waist and approaching the shoulders. This transitional zone should be consistent from the right side to the left side in the absence of any other factors. If the transition is observed as being well above the shoulders and almost at the lockout position then the Snatch technique should be evaluated again for leaks in the hip snap or a shortened backswing among other factors.

Top Lockout

Top Lockout means the position of the Kettlebell overhead once it has stopped moving. This is a loaded overhead position and it’s alignment with the shoulder, midline and hand tells a lot about the rest of the technique. Having a good top lockout means that the load from the Kettlebell is being transmitted through the whole body in a safe, efficient and strong manner and that the shoulders, neck and back are not unduly taxed in the process.

In this instance the trainer should stand beside the subject and line the stick up with the subject’s ear. There is no need to “crowd” the subject during this part of the assessment and it is important that the trainer has enough room to make a good visual assessment of the termination of the Snatch. Have the subject do several Kettlebell Snatch on both the right and left side, pausing in the overhead position until the trainer releases them for the next repetition. The trainer should observe the location of both the subject’s hand and the kettlebell at the termination of the Snatch. The optimal position of the subject’s hand should be inline or slightly behind their ear and the stick should make any deviations from this position quite obvious. If the subject is observed stopping the Kettlebell prior to a full overhead lockout position (i.e. the hand in front of the subject’s ear) then the Snatch technique will need to be reevaluated from the bottom to top to see where the truncation of the movement originates.

Summation

The Kettlebell Snatch is a visually simple but technically challenging technique with a host of subtleties involved. Mastering it will take the average athlete thousands and thousands of repetitions to be competent at it while true mastery of the movement will take tens of thousands of repetitions. While this might be daunting to some I hope it is a challenge to others in that is will inspire you to study the technique and find out how to make it more efficient, safe and powerful.

I hope this blog posting will benefit you and I look forward to your feedback and comments.

***

Michael A. Krivka, Sr., RKC Team Leader is a Washington, DC native who has been involved in Kettlebell training for over a decade and is currently an RKC Team Leader and member of the RKC Board of Advisors under Dragon Door (where he has been listed as one of the top reviewed RKC’s in the world for the last five years… read more here.

The 9-Minute Kettlebell Complex From Hell

April 24, 2013 By Pat Flynn 12 Comments

Complex creation is a delicate art. If not constructed thoughtfully and with a proper understanding of the primary function of the thing itself, you will not have a complex. You will have tapioca. You will be assiduously chugging your way through, sweat beating off your brow, optimistically thinking you’re going to make it, and then, out of nowhere, it hits you with the double snatch and there you are.

I employ kettlebell complexes for the singular function of augmenting metabolic capacity, and I would argue that that is how everyone ought to employ them.

Fatigue is not desired when training strength, as we’ve come to know. But when conditioning yourself, metabolically or otherwise, fatigue is nearly inevitable. To understand this is to know that if we wish to increase the efficient delivery of the metabolic pathways, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, we must then impose a demand upon them blah, blah, blah, blah, blah , law of adaptation, blah, blah, blah. That is, if we wish to NOT get tired so quickly, then we have to make a habit out of tiring ourselves, from time to time.

And it is here that I admit even Crossfit has gained an elementary understanding. What they have failed to understand, however, is that capacity training does not need to be so complex or cluttered to be effective. There are perilous cracks in the system, you see—the inclusion of high rep Olympic lifting is demonstrative of this, and is in large part why I am naturally hesitant to encourage anyone to partake in a Crossfit WOD, less I have something against them.

So, if fatigue is generally unavoidable with capacity training—which it is—then we ought to construct our complexes from movements that are not of such a high technical skill. But this is not to say from movements that are easy—oh no, no, no.

Let us take the swing for example. It is a relatively low skill movement, is it not? I mean, you throw your hips back and then blast ‘em forward like you’re really getting after something. But would you call this an “easy” movement? I certainly would not—even after all these years I still would not call it an “easy” movement. To this very day the swing still presents me with a considerable metabolic challenge. But, since it is of relatively low skill, proficiency may be maintained well into the higher repetitions. Thus, it makes for a safe and convenient component for complex construction.

The same can be said of all the fundamental kettlebell movements, really. Yes, even the snatch. While the “czar of all kettlebell lifts” may be technically more demanding than the swing, it is still a relatively low-skill movement—particularly when compared to something like the barbell snatch.

This is why I fancy the kettlebell for metabolic training to the extent that I do. The movements are comparatively “low-skill” yet remain “high-demand”, not to mention friendlier on the joints than say kipping pull ups or box jumps (both of which are rubbish for capacity training, if you ask me).

Remember, the objective of metabolic conditioning is simply to keep the system as a whole under a prolonged period of stress (the heart, lungs, kidneys, etc) while cycling through various muscle groups and energy systems. This takes a special kind of conditioning to endure, specifically, it is what Arthur Jones referred to as “the metabolic condition”. This is to say that it takes metabolic conditioning to develop “the metabolic condition”. And what I’m saying is this can be achieved conveniently, cleanly, and safely through kettlebell complex training.

I have over at my website a library of metabolic conditioning complexes. I have even put together a free eBook of 101 of my favorite kettlebell complexes for blasting fat and boosting muscle. If you’re into this sort of thing, you may download it HERE.

But today, I wish to share with you one particularly heinous invention of mine.

Did I say invention? Because I did not mean to. No man is truly original—it is an impossible task, can’t be done. We are, in fact, congenitally incapable of origination, not a singular fleeting thought has ever truly been our own. We are ultimately all a function of our outside influences. Through these outside influences we may then make new associations and connections—if we are so able—and turn out innovation, but never, ever origination. We just can’t do it.

So I hereby concede that this is not my invention, simply my innovation. It is merely the consequence of what results when you enter the bathroom with Enter the Kettlebell in one hand, Dante’s Inferno in the other, and read them both in the very same session.

There are a few prerequisites to this complex. The first of which, is that you must own the technique of the all the collective kettlebell techniques individually. That is, you must have proficiency in each movement by itself before you even think about stringing them together. Actually, that’s pretty much the only prerequisite.

There are also a few rules to this complex. The first is unbreakable, and that, of course, is to maintain safe form at all times. If form starts to go, put the bell down at once and rest for as long as necessary. The second is to maintain consistent form; meaning, as you grow more and more fatigued, you must diligently fight the urge to cheat reps—namely, cutting depth in the swing or the squat. I’d rather you rested and continued on with consistent form when you are able than to push through sloppily and disjointedly. Thirdly, work at a REASONABLE pace. Do NOT make an attempt to squeeze as many reps in per set as possible, as this will only lead to some really crappy movement. The idea here is not to try and set any records, just to keep moving the entire time with good form.

For the average male a 16kg or 20kg kettlebell will do fine. This may seem light, but just take my word on it for now. For the ladies, I’d recommend an 8kg or a 12kg.

The complex is as follows:

The one arm swing (30 seconds left + 30 seconds right)

The high pull (30 seconds left + 30 seconds right)

The clean (30 seconds left + 30 seconds right)

The snatch (30 seconds left + 30 seconds right)

The reverse lunge (30 seconds left + 30 seconds right)

The military press (30 seconds left + 30 seconds right)

The two hand swing (30 seconds)

Four point plank (30 seconds)

The two hand swing (30 seconds)

Four point plank (30 seconds)

Push Up (30 seconds)

Hey, I guess that’s really only eight a half minutes. Go figure.

*The source of this complex at present remains unverified. It is likely that it is not actually from Hell as the author claims.

***

Pat Flynn is the founder of Chronicles of Strength, publisher of the Chronicles of Strength Newsletter, and chief contributor to the Chronicles of Strength Inner Circle – a membership site dedicated to helping others grow strong(er) and get lean(er) through kettlebell training and primal fitness approaches. Pat is also the co-author of the upcoming book tentatively titled Paleo Fitness for Dummies.

But that is not the worst. Pat Flynn is also a certified Russian Kettlebell Challenge instructor, and other things of the sort. He talks mostly on how to chop fat and build muscle through kettlebell complex training.

He has an unrivaled capacity to think hard about himself for hours on end – and when at last he is exhausted of the subject matter, he is then in a condition to watch Matlock.

RKC Prep: Troubleshooting Snatch Technique

March 8, 2013 By Keira Newton 4 Comments

If you want to improve your technique with kettlebell snatches, this is a good video to watch. It is imperative to know how to snatch before you start banging them out with a heavy weight for 5 minutes. You want to be sure to be prepared for the RKC before you get there, so study this video to learn some inefficient, and even dangerous things that people commonly do.

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About Keira Newton, Master RKC, Level 3 Z-Health, MCT: Keira first picked up a kettlebell in 2005 when her husband challenged her to stop laughing and start swinging. She stuck with the challenge when she realized that she could get an all-in-one workout in a fraction of the time she spent at the gym. Keira was convinced… Read more here.