valstrengthtraining

I work with athletes as a strength and conditioning coach. My job is to help them reach their peak performance mainly by helping them improve their performance related fitness components and by helping reduce the risk and severity of injuries (if they happen). Doing the first two helps them tolerate higher skills training intensity and quality.

The athletes I work with are not university athletes. They are members of their National team and are competing in Asian Games, World Championships, and the Olympics. I have worked with most of them when they were still developing and am happy to see them get to the level where they compete with the world’s best of the best.

Each sport, event, position, and individual athlete have their own particular demands. But most, if not all of it will go back into the fundamental qualities like a good strength foundation, good mobility, and so on.

So there are fundamental exercises that I use in the training program of athletes like squats and presses. Then there are exercises that are general but when used properly, can address specific needs.

One of this is the Kettlebell Snatch. More specifically the One Arm Kettlebell Snatch. The main qualities of the One Arm Kettlebell Snatch which I think make it useful for athletes are the following:

1. Ballistic

The One Arm Kettlebell Snatch is a lift that moves a load with one arm from below the knees to the overhead position in one smooth and quick motion, and is usually repeated. Lots of times. The heavier the load, the more energy is required. If you lift slowly, it is very, very, very hard. So the lift has to be fast, just like any good athletic move. I measured the speed using a linear position transducer and the peak velocity is around 2-3m/s. That is quite fast, very fast. Train fast to be fast.

2. Unilateral

This is obvious. This makes it useful for those athletes who may want to emphasize development of either side. We can never make the both sides equal in strength, but we can emphasize development of each side where it is needed. A lot of sports actually are unilateral and superior development of either side contributes to success. This is where unilateral exercises help. It is also helpful during the rehabilitation phase if one side is injured.

3. Ground based

It basically means you do the exercises with your feet on solid ground. A lot of people like to use the word functional training. Probably because a lot of functions/ activities are done on solid ground. Which means this exercise can have a lot of carry – over to ground based activities as well. Racquet sports, martial arts, athletics, and fencing are some of the more common ones.

4. Useful for explosive moves

In order to snatch a weight to overhead level in one smooth motion, some degree of power is required. The nature of this lift is that it has to be done fast, otherwise you won’t be able to snatch the load overhead. So explosive power, to a certain degree, is trained. The load has to be heavy enough because if it is too light and you snatch it too fast, it usually results in the kettlebell slamming down hard. Another outcome could be a very wobbly overhead position. Light load also means low power output. So there has to be the right combination of speed and load. Both of which are “ingredients” of power. The application of the burst of power from the lifter is when the kettlebell is still low. Once the kettlebell reaches around chest level, it slows down.

5. Useful for endurance

Due to the distribution of work to different muscle groups working in a rhythmic and synchronized manner, fatigue can be delayed. The weight of the kettlebell plays a big factor but if athletes want to train for endurance, this exercise is really great, as long as appropriate load is used- which is not very heavy if you want to train for endurance. Power (explosive power) is on the opposite end of the spectrum as compared to endurance. So how can the kettlebell snatch improve both? Well, no. But it may improve noticeably one and to a lesser extent, the other. Not both to similar degrees. Well maybe not unless the trainee has very low level of fitness to start with.

6. Promotes synchronized movements of the body’s major joints and muscle groups

In contrast to “isolation exercises”, the one arm kettlebell snatch uses almost the entire body from the foot intrinsic muscles; gastrocnemius-soleus tandem; hamstring group; quadriceps group; a bit of the gluteal muscles; erector spinae; lower, middle, and upper trapezius; para-scapular muscles; deltoids; biceps; triceps; forearm pronators and supinators; and finger flexors. I’m sure that list is incomplete. But you do get the picture. These different parts have to move in synchronously with the right timing when to apply a burst of effort and when to stabilize and when to relax.

7. Promotes shoulder stability

When the one arm kettlebell snatch used properly in training, the shoulder girdle develops robustness. This is because it has to continuously work to move the kettlebell and finally support it overhead in a stable manner. If the shoulder can do this, it will be better in tolerating repetitive motions required by the sport.

The Kettlebell snatch takes time to practice and learn. I observed that the average number of sessions for an athlete to be good enough to do a kettlebell snatch safely is around 2-4 sessions. That does not mean that they are already very good, it just means that they are able to snatch safe enough but still needs some refinement. From there it takes a lot longer time to refine the lifting skills. And there are technique variations that may be good for some but not for another person’s purpose.

I consider myself very lucky to be at my mid-40’s already. For some countries even to this day, that is just their life expectancy. And I am slowly coming to realize that I am living in another stage in human history- we are leaving the industrial revolution and we are now in the era of information, of computers, of technology making life so convenient. I should plan to be as healthy and as strong as I can be for as long as I can one day marvel at how far the world has come, and still be amazed by the beauty of this world.

I am now accepting that I am growing old. So I better plan how to grow old in a better way. Realizing that there is so much information available almost for free at this era, I am trying to learn concepts and ideas. That way, I will not be left too far behind. It also gives me some goals- to make myself better by learning.

And now, via the internet, you can access books: ebooks, and audiobooks. I used to read pages of a book while commuting on the train to and from home to work. Then lately, I started biking instead of commuting. It makes me healthier too. But then how can I read? Easy, I don’t have to read, I can just listen. Instead of ebooks, there are audiobooks. I tested it first though. Since it is important to focus on the environment while cycling. I tested listening while cycling back home yesterday. And it works! I don’t need a loud volume, and I can still hear the environment and understand the audiobook at the same time.

This morning I had a longer ride going to work. There is another loop that goes up a hill and goes around a mountain range so it is twice longer than the usual route. I was able to listen to an audiobook and it was great! I also enjoyed the scenery.

These simple things, which are not available during my parent’s times, gives me and their grandchildren a lot more chance to learn and discover. But not unless we appreciate and value it, we may not really use it to our advantage.

So as I grow old, I discover new ways of doing things. And I also am very much blessed to live in an environment where I can do what I love.

44, that will be your age in three days. You are doing good by making a tradition of lifting your age for reps on your birthday- or this time, near your birthday. You started three years ago with two 20kgs. Had a video clip of it… Look for it. Then last year you challenged yourself with two 24 kgs. That was hard. It is good you documented with video and a blog. It is nice to think about it.

This year you plan to spend quality time with your family on your birthday so you won’t be in your office- the gym. The 16kg pair you have at home won’t be a challenge anymore, for your age as reps anyway, so you decided to do the annual tradition earlier.

You may be the only person who will patiently count all the reps in your video. The heart rate seems not accurate. Well, your chest strap is around 9 years old already. Time to buy a new one!

Your wife lovingly bought you your Garmin Fenix 3. Then when you went for a training camp in Jakarta with the Laser kid you and Ben were training, you must have left it in the airport on your way back. You didn’t want to disappoint your wife so you looked for a way to replace it. That is when Facebook Marketplace helped you.

And you were able to “upgrade” it to the HR version. Although the infrared sensor needs improvement.  From what you learned in that situation, you are now able to buy yourself a nice bike as a gift.

Back to your birthday tradition, 44 reps will not really impress a KB Athlete. So you should not stop there. And 1 year to add another rep is too long. I noticed you became better at pacing yourself. You lifted with more confidence this year than last year. Not as nervous, but it still felt hard. Well, if it is easy it is not worth it. It was hard enough that your plan to do 44 snatches with 20kg per hand after the Jerk did not push through. And this morning you still felt a bit tired. So have a better preparation compared to your 4 weeks this year so you can do a more impressive lift next year. That way, it would be a bit more impressive.

Your technique – your mobility did not improve though. Work on that if you want to  have an impressive lift next year and if you want to compete this year. It is exciting to compete but will you be able to afford it financially and given time constraints? It is challenging. Smile, you just read in social media that growth happens outside of your comfort zone. You have been comfortable enough. Grow up more- don’t just grow old!

So next year, why not try the 28’s? That is another level. Last week, you felt good training with the 20’s that you were too confident for the 24’s. Then you were reminded in the middle of your lift that the 24’s are another type of animal. Another thing to learn- how to challenge yourself and be motivated without stressing yourself too much and how to be confident but know how to manage it.

Stepping up to 28’s would take time. You have to improve on the 20’s first- maybe 2-3 months of consistent practice will do. That would be July this year. Then move on to 24’s for 2-3 months. Plan forward after that if you are able to move forward for the next 6 months.

Work on your mobility too- the overhead squats seems a great tool for that. So be consistent in training 2-3 times a week. You also just bought a nice 2nd hand bike so you can work on endurance more. And also save on time and money when going to work and going back home. So when you lift it is more focused on KB lifts. The 2km minimum warm-up can be shortened to dynamic warm-up.

Keep working on improving your habit of writing your thoughts. You surprised yourself more than once when you read old notes. You initially thought they were written by someone smarter than you then you realized you were the author. This blog is something you will be thankful later on, since you will know that you planned to grow older into a younger, better you. Your body may be older but you should be stronger than when you were in your youth.

View from the top of the hill covering our village. Taken 6 April 2019.

Remember you are doing all these because you love yourself and your family. And also everything around you. You are scarred by the ugly side of this world but that is a part of why you are here- to experience and be better amidst all these. To pass through this world without scars is not passing through this world at all. Be better, not bitter.

Remember that you want to be a better person as you age. And also have a more abundant life, both in quality and quantity. You want this so you can share to others and so that someday when you leave this world, it will be a little bit better because of you.

This is for my future self to read. And also with anyone who cares to read. I hope it would inspire and re-inspire myself (or anyone). This year I turned 43. Not old, but not young. Last year I did two x 20kg x 42 reps KB jerks to mark my birthday. Then planned to have it this year. Time went fast & did not train as much as I think I shouldbut then my birthday came. I decided to use two x 24kg kb’s since the 20 kgs already felt quite manageable with proper pacing. It would not be so meaningful if it is not hard enough. So to give myself a challenge, I decided to use 24 kg instead.

I was not really sure if I could do it. I tried at lunchtime and failed at around 23 reps. I noted my mistakes: very tight belt which did not allow me to breath well and the other one may be a combination of pacing and resting in the racked position.

I tried again in the evening just before I went home. This time I used the belt correctly and paced better. I was doubting myself at around mid twenty reps. But let myself get to thirty. Then it felt like just a little bit more patience and perseverance and aim for mid 30. Got myself to 35 then it felt very well within reach now. Told myself to be patient and not rush. I paced myself not by looking at the time but by how I feel. I rest until I feel recovered for the next rep.

I plan to finish fast in the last 2-3 reps but I do not want to repeat an old mistake of going too fast in the last few reps that I failed on the last rep.

My previous mistakes should not go to waste especially it was this hard. So I breathed. Tried to breath well. Then adrenaline must have kicked in that I was confident I could go fast for the last three reps! And I did! I was ecstatic after the set that I was even able to fist pump. This I would not be able to do normally. I have to catch my breath for 30 seconds  or so but this time I was just so happy and relieved that I had the energy to clench and pump my fists.

This year went well. So now I plan to give myself a gift each year. It is not just attempting reps for my age. It is deeper than that. I plan to give myself a gift each year: a healthy mind and body. For as long as I can. It requires consistent and daily effort. Each year my body ages but I want it to age strongly.

I remember my grandfather. He had to use crutches in his 80’s since his spinal nerve roots have been compressed and he lost lower leg strength. But he still managed to keep himself busy and useful. He repairs the stone steps in my aunt’s farm. And that is not a flat terrain and the stones weigh around 15 kg and probably up to 30 kg. And when my grandfather was my age, he was so gentle and yet so strong. He can work the whole day doing what he does best. He makes rip raps. He can carry heavy loads up uneven steps high up to the top of his rip rap and this for the whole day for days at a time.

So I plan to be like him- a gentle man who is at peace with himself and who keeps his body healthy and strong. That would be a great git to myself; and to my family.