More on snatch - Macho Libre

Few hours later after I wrote the last post I have been thinking more about it. Actually, protecting your hands while snatching is not such a bad idea. It is scoffed at by hardcore gireviks, and recent RKC seminar where they wore socks over their hands during VO2 Max workouts sparked a few comments on IGx. However, protecting hands can go a long way.

For training snatch I like the method mentioned by Vasily Ginko when he was in Sydney, continuous snatching. It was discussed in earlier posts. In essence it is a variation of volume training. The main problem with it is that when you get over 200 snatches per set you invariably fuck up your hands. Most of the time it's blisters, but occasionally you tear a callus or two and it takes a while to heal. The same happened when I was training with Denis: one workout I did close to 300 snatches in total, and my hands were out of action for a week.

One way to avoid this, of course, is to perfect the technique and toughen up the hands. It will take a while though. On the other hand, working large volume actually helps develop the technique. Interesting, this methodology was also recently recommended by coach Morozon the Ukranian GS site. While he advocated this method as part of training, he also warned that it results in destroying the hands.

Sensitivity of the hands is also the factor that limits the number of snatch sets in a workout. It would be beneficial to do several sets, switching hands at failure. Again, the hands are going to suffer.

Protecting hands by wearing a sock or a textile glove makes these kinds of workouts possible. The next question would be what kind of glove is the best and when to wear them, and I predict discussions on IGx - and especially on Dragondoor - in the relatively near future.

What I find interesting is how conservative we are. GS as the sport only started twenty years ago, yet there already is some macho component to it. Maaaachoooooo..... I know, I know, it's all about the technique and shit. But since I started tearing my hands my wife doesn't always like me stroking her because my hands are too rough. Fuck it, I get splashed with blood at work, cuts on my hands make me nervous.

Anyway, I am not going to argue with those who are proud of torn hands, everyone has his own thing. For those of us who want to keep the hands decent and intact gloves or socks might be a good option. If maestro Rudnev says it's good - it's good.