A Case for Snatch...

Kettlebellsport, like other sports has risks. One of the biggest is suffering trauma on your wrists and or forearms. Usually where the bells sits when in the rack position. The people most at risk for this type of problem are strong women with a high level of fitness, combined with poor technique. Fitness and strength can produce very good results, but if the technique is lacking... We have an ideal candidate for wrist problems. I have seen this happen much more in Long Cycle than Biathalon. Due to the technical nature of the snatch, people like to skip over it to focus solely on Long cycle... I understand this, but I do not agree with it.

I believe that snatching is safer for these people for a few different reasons. Long cycle is easier to work up to heavier weights quicker than with the snatch. We have seen many women in the US do long cycle with the 24kg, not many can snatch the 24kg. Almost every man in the US can do one armed long cycle with the 32kg, not many snatch it... In Long cycle the bell makes impact with the forearm 3 different times during one rep..  on the clean, the top of the jerk, and the dump into the rack position. 

On snatches, the bell lands on the forearm once, so just that simple math tells me a lot...

The clean is a shorter distance for the bell to travel than the snatch, so putting too much heat on the bell is easier to do with the clean. 

Another thing to think about is that Prograde Kettlebells, although the best we have right now,  were not specifically designed for Women. We need to keep this in mind when we see really small petite bone structure. 

If you have an athlete that develops theses issues, stop all training immediately!!  Demand that they get to a doctor asap. Be aware that Doctors have no idea what we do to ourselves in this sport. Demand X-rays AND an MRI. Sometimes stress fractures are very hard to see...  Due to Insurance and what not, getting both can be a pain in the ass, but it is your sport and your arm, insist on both! 

When you heal, get back to snatches, you will be a better lifter in the long run...