Continuous snatching redux

In January I wrote about continuous snatching as the way to build strength endurance. At the time I took a hiatus from BJJ due to a mild heart issue and was toying with this method. In fact, I did quite well - I could manage 40 minutes of 12 kg at the heart rate below 130/min. I know it sounds a bit ridiculous, but you don't get to judge it until you try it for yourself. Then I came back to BJJ. My training ADD came back too...

Last week I injured my back during BJJ training. My SI joints were on fire. So I am taking a little break from wrestling. I am getting these creeping thoughts that maybe at my age BJJ may not be my thing. I'll see. 

Recently it came to my attention that this training method is part of the Strong Endurance course by Strong First. Apparently, you are supposed to start pretty low, with 60 - 70% of the weight you can snatch for 100 reps in 5 minutes. The protocol - apparently - goes like this: snatch 5 times every 30 seconds, switch hands, continue until you can pass the talk test, but no longer than 40 minutes. Then snatch 5 reps every 20 seconds. Eventually you do 5 reps every 15 seconds. When you can do THAT for whatever time you chose you can increase the weight. That's what I was told by someone anyway. 

Interesting choice of switching hands every 5 reps - I did it (on the cue of Boris) every 10. I changed to 5 rep switch when HR was starting to climb close to 130/min. I reckon increasing the reps before switching hands can be an alternative progression. Makes sense for GS. 

My current training program consists of two things: push ups in Megareps style (currently 100 reps with two green bands) and chins, sometimes Megareps with 1 green band, sometimes bodyweight. Also dabbling, though not systematically, with Program Zero by KneesOverToes guy. My knees, hips and lower back give me trouble on regular basis, and these exercises have the potential to make them better. In any case, the program makes sense for general purposes. 

I am also going to add continuous snatches to my training. Every protocol is called something these days, so I will call it CSn. 

I should give some thought to the reps per arm. It's quite interesting to watch the HR monitor: when you switch hands HR drops by 5 - 10 beats/min, then builds up. As the session progresses HR climbs up, but the drop still happens, though not as much. 

Some ten years ago I was doing continuous snatching with 20 kg. Switch every ten reps. My best was something over 200 reps. Cadence was not regulated, no HR monitor or talk test. I am guessing if I can last 20 - 30 minutes at 10 reps/min with the same weight and HR below 130 it would indicate quite a good endurance.