Do you understand the contrast between the two?
And the reason it it matters?
I still recollect the first time I lifted a kettlebell.
It was a 32kg, and I completely overlooked Pavel’s advice to Snatch in the open air.
Being a relatively new , headstrong 230 pound / 105kg Olympic lifter who’d recently earned qualification for the US National Championships, I thought I had the upper hand.
I jerked the kettlebell up over my head like a bag of feathers and it hesitated momentarily bottom up.
Then, it came down and hit me on the back of the wrist and felt the exact opposite of a bag of feathers!
My pride, and the hardwood floors of the apartment I was renting prevented me from letting go of the kettlebell.
So, bruised, but undeterred , I went for another Snatch.
And I had the same experience .
Except I’d already gotten a goose egg on the back of my wrist from that first rep, which made the second rep nearly impossible to not drop . (Thankfully, I didn’t drop it.)
Which brings me to this question I got via email the other day:
In case you can’t see it, here’s what Joseph asked :“Hey just bought your program I really love snatches and have been using 16kg and got 95 In 5 min. Primarily been using half snatches vs the full. Will that be an issue?”
Now, I just told you about my first tangle with the Kettlebell Snatch.
It wasn’t until a few years ago I even heard the term “Half (½) Snatch.”
And that, as I explained in a recent podcast, is because the Snatch in Olympic Weightlifting, is when you lift the weight above your head in one motion and fix it over your head.
That’s it.
There is no “Half Snatch.”
You either Snatch the weight or you do not.
Make or miss .
So the Half Snatch apparently is where you Snatch the weight, then lower it to the rack , and hike the kettlebell for another Snatch.
If I remember correctly (and I may not ), we briefly tried it as part of the teaching progression for the Snatch in the “Taming the Arc” section snatch at the old RKC somewhere between 2007 and 2010.
We ultimately took it out because, at that point in time, it caused confusion . (I think it’s back in some of the Kettlebell Certs - but I’m not 100% sure.)
But, apparently, it’s a legit exercise variation used in GS - Kettlebell Sport .
I endorse it when using the Double Kettlebell Snatch, but I have just called it, “Lowering the bells to the rack.” LOL.
But, is it “an issue” like Joseph asked in his email?
One of the current reasons for using the Half Snatch, besides helping you learn to “tame the arc” for the Snatch, is to save / spare your grip , so you can get more Snatches.
I think this is perfectly fine .
BUT…
It negates much of the overloaded eccentric (stretch) on the lat(s) - your Pull Up muscles - in the backswing.
This is because the stroke has been nearly shortened.
Instead of the KB “dropping” from overhead to the “pocket” under your hips, it’s only moving from your shoulder to that pocket.
As a consequence , you reduce some of the “magic” of Snatches, like the Snatch boosting your Pull Up numbers - without doing Pull Ups.
The Half Snatch also reduces the load on your grip and your forearm musculature, which is also one of the other benefits of the Snatch.
And finally, it lessens the cardiovascular demand because of that shortened stroke - especially when you’re training for power endurance and trying to move that bell as forcefully as possible.
So, I think the Half Snatch is a effective idea for Double Snatch work because it spares the loading of the lower back from the awkwardness of a wide stance and two unwieldy kettlebells passing under the body…
And it can be a valuable idea - depending on the person - for learning how to tame the arc in the single Kettlebell Snatch…
But ultimately, if you want the complete benefits of the Snatch, then you should Snatch.
And the “secret” to doing that is -
1- Train the SKILL of the KB Snatch using minimal reps and low fatigue
2- Train your Snatch STRENGTH using fewer reps and low fatigue
(Which also significantly boosts your trust to Snatch, by the way.)
3- Train your CONDITIONING by either using medium reps and medium rests, or higher reps and medium rests.
I’ve laid out this progression for you inside “The King-Sized Killer,” which is the program Joseph referred to in his email above.
At the end of the day, whether you Half-Snatch or Snatch is up to you.
Personally, I only Half-Snatch when I’m using [heavy] Doubles.
Hope you found this helpful .
Stay Strong,
Geoff Neupert.