I could have sworn I was never going to do one of these publicly, but here goes. I am going to do work my way up to the RKC snatch test requirement which unless they changed it is 2×32 (left/right) reps with the 53lbs kettlebell with no breaks. This is as far as I understand it the minimum requirement to become a kettlebell instructor.
This translates into 2x32x53=3392lbs to overhead. This is in the “easy” category in terms of volume. The hardest part here will likely be sustaining grip strength. Another challenge is that there is no break (I am not sure whether you can take a break in a lockout position, but even so, such a break would not be much of a rest).
Having previously done a similar challenge for clubbells (229 points in the 180 pound class), I am fairly confident that this will succeed. Having already “been there” helps a lot both in terms of regaining srength—it is much easier to regain strength than it is to build it the first time around—and knowing how much skin I’ll lose off my hands, how dreadful(*) it is going to be, oh, and how DW appreciates the results 😉 …
(*) Whoever says they feel energized after a workout are not working hard enough. The energetic feeling comes from long duration low impact impact, where you get all of the endorphine and none of the damage.
It’s going to be done in the standard way.
The goal is 2×32 with 53lbs. Hence, the training will be for twice that: 64 reps with each hand. This makes for 6600 overhead pounds which is a reasonable volume for my weight class. The first step will be to build volume, that is, being able to do 64 reps with each arm inside an hour.
Each set will take one minute including breaks. 64 will be split up like this 21×3 (21 sets of 3 reps in 21 minutes). When this is “easy”, I will go to 16×4, then to 13×5, 11×6, and so on …. 6×11, … , 3×21. I will do this every other day to allow sufficient recovery time. I will do one arm at a time. All sets with the left, then all sets with the right. Next time will be right followed by left.
Once 3×21 can be done inside the time limit, odds are high that the original test of 1×32 L+R with no breaks can be completed.
I decided I didn’t want to spend 42 minutes, so I did 21x(3L+3R). After about 13 minutes it became quite the struggle due to a failing grip. I developed and tore 1 large blister and 3 small blisters. There’s an untorn blood blister. These are all indicating a weak grip with too much rubbing and sliding. And of course soft hands.
In other news, my bottom bracket tools arrived today, so during the 30-40 second breaks above, I was taking apart the BB of my Dahon Boardwalk. I need a $1 set of ball bearings to fix it. I’ll write a post on it as soon as I get it put back together. Also, I learned that it is quite difficult to mess with big wrenches when your arms feel like rubber.
