Prepare For StrongFirst Kettlebell Instructor Level 1: Week 9: The Kettlebell Snatch Test

The Snatch Test.

This video has 2 functions.

1. It shows the level of instruction you get at the StrongFirst Instructor Certificate
2. The Kettlebell Arm Bar will help give you the mobility in the shoulder and T-spine to get the bell nicely overhead. Imperative for a good press and get through the StrongFirst Snatch Test.

Check it out.

The Snatch Test.

Today we talk the 5 Minute Snatch Test. It’s the one thing in the SFG 1 weekend everyone is scared of. Just the mention of it can bring on cold sweats and uncontrollable shaking. Follow the advice in this article and blitz it!!

Prepare right for fight night.

So what exactly is the Snatch test?

You MUST be able to perform 100 kettlebell snatches in 5 minutes or less with a test size bell.

2017 Weights for the Snatch Test.

How to prepare

Peter Bolsius SFG 1 preparing for his recertification

This is what I do. I got this from a StrongFirst article a couple of years back. Whether it is exactly as described in the article is up for debate, however it works for me.

I do lots of swings. 1 arm, 2 arm, hand to hand etc. and lots of overhead carries, so that already gets me quite “battle ready”. Then, once a week I do the following:

Snatch, 10 minutes Every Minute On the Minute (EMOM) I start with 3 each side.

As of writing, I’m 54 years old so that makes my test bell a 20kg so I use a 24kg for my preparation. Every week I add 1 rep to each side so it looks like this:

• Week 1 = 3 + 3 = 60 reps in 10 mins.
• Week 2 = 4 + 4 = 80 reps in 10 mins,
• Week 3 = 5 + 5 = 100 reps in 10 mins
• Week 4 = 6 + 6 = 120 reps
• Week 5 = 7 + 7 = 140 reps
• Week 6 = 8 + 8 = 160 reps in 10 mins with a bell 1 size up from my test bell.

Now, I can either go to the 28 kg and start at 3 + 3 again and work my way back up or I can just stick with the 24kg bell and cruise into the Cert depending on how I’m feeling. At the moment I am dong the latter. Either way, the 20kg bell will feel light when I hit that snatch on testing day.

Obviously you will need to adjust those weights to suit your class.

That’s a pretty simple template to follow. You add only 1 rep per side every week. Over 10 sets that makes 20 total reps. Slow and steady has been the main theme of this whole series. Just remember, we want to head into the StrongFirst Instructor Certificate fresh and ready to go. If you prep right, that will happen. Leave everything till the last minute and all sorts of problems will arise.

Game Day:

You need a strategy. Here’s mine. simple:

• 15 reps left, 15 reps right, 30
• 15 reps left 15 reps right 60
• 10 reps left 10 reps right, 80
• 10 reps left 10 reps right. 100 YES!!!!

Sign Up Today!

If you haven’t yet signed up, what are you waiting for? As I said in last weeks post. “It ain’t on till it’s on.” Signing up changes everything.

CLICK HERE to find out what the StrongFirst Instructor Certification is all about: 

Here’s a link to SIGN UP for Sydney June 2017

Here’s an article I wrote a while back regarding the Cert. it’s still valid. 

The Main Event

If you have any comments or questions, pop them below or email me directlyHERE

If I can help you with your training or you need info regarding workshops and Certs, just let me know.

Slow n steady! Start easy, progress slowly.

If you like these posts, please share them, get the word out.

Thanks for reading.

Peter Bolsius SFG1

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