KB Snatch Training with Cate Imes

Want to improve your kettlebell snatch?  So do we!  Maya called on Coach Catherine Imes, U.S. Master of Sport, for some valuable lifting advice we can all benefit from.
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When did you begin snatching kettlebells? What were your early challenges?

C. Imes: I started snatching in 2003 with a DD Bell.  The basics came pretty easily, in terms of fixing the bell overhead without smashing my forearm and being able to use snatches in the context of a workout.  However,  my technique was unrefined.  Consequently, I could only train snatches 2 times per week because of hand issues.  This was prior to meeting Valery and there were really no definitive suggestions that addressed the hand issues at the time other than to just keep the callouses trimmed.

When did you begin to feel measurable progress? 

C. Imes: I felt measurable progress the first time after working with Valery and following his timed set protocols.  I still didn’t have the refinement I needed with my technique and I was inconsistent.  In 2007, I made a real effort to work on my technique and paid great attention to the supplemental exercises, i.e. swings and one arm jerks.   By 2008,  I made another big leap not just in terms of numbers but in distance I could go, i.e. longer than 10 min.

What are 5 important tips you would give a female kettlebell lifter (with smaller hands, for example) wanting more reps and longer distance on a snatch set?

• Commit to snatching 4-5 days per week.
• Don’t be afraid to go lighter and slower if your hands need a break.
• Work for at least 6 min on the sets [single hand switch].  This is the most important point.  Snatching several days in a row will get you acclimated.  It will be tough for the first few weeks, but it will get easier.
• Work heavier Swings and One Arm Jerks (OAJ).  Since a slow snatch pace requires rest overhead, heavier OAJ will build the stability needed for the slower paced snatches.
• Supplement your training with rowing or running for some additional cardio.  When you do slow paced snatching to build duration, sometimes you don’t work your cardiovascular system because the pace is too slow.  So, this will help fill in the gap.

Thank you Cate!