24kg snatch volume PR

Having been inspired by both Rif's 305 24kg snatch volume PR and then shortly after that, Aaron's 400 24kg snatch volume PR, I decided that it was time to can the 24kg snatch avoidance I had undertaken since my RKC cert and instead go for a volume PR myself.

The Cert was an incredibly demanding brutal three days that by 2nd half of the 2nd day when we focused lastly on snatches I was nearing my capacity for pain. At that point the 24kg bell felt like a beast and it took tremendous effort to complete the workouts. Thank god the last workout was 27 sets of 16kg 15:15, 7 reps/set VO2 Max as I had completely owned the 16kg as far as snatching was concerned having previously done 60 sets of this in my training. Unfortunately, during the graduation exercise on Sunday, our snatch test bell had to be used and the subsequent 24kg snatches were extremely difficult for me .. its probably these memories of intense fatigue that induced my dropping of them post Cert.

Today's session started off sub par as I had intended to first build my confidence by re-testing my RKC Cert snatch test with a goal of 24/24. Damn, I just wasn't psyched up enough and had to settle for 15/15. Being sufficiently annoyed at myself, I then got down to business; here is the complete session breakdown:

Warmup:
32kg x 1 x 10/10 one-hand swing

24kg Snatch:
1 x 15/15
1 x 10/10
10 x 10 @ 1 set/min switching hands every set
10 x 5/5 @ 1 set/min
10 x 5/5 @ 1 set/1:30
6 x 5/5 @ 1 set/1:30
Total: 410 reps in 59 mins (PR)

The density was pretty low as I took liberal rests between super-sets and extended the last sixteen inner-sets to 1:30 rest. A few hours later I was sore on both sides of the top of my clavicle close to where it attaches to the top of scapulas .. if this is the extent of the damage I will be very pleased. Also, the ten sets of ten reps alternating arms each set was a mini-PR and required intense focus to complete the last three sets in good form. Dropping to 5/5 is so much easier and allowed me to continue safely.

24kg snatches really beat me up bad (I won't even go near another session with the 32kg for quite awhile .. that thing really crushed me to a pulp during my 1st and last heavy session with it) and it only motivates to master these little buggers .. avoidance certainly won't do it. I have listed passing a SSST (200 24kg snatch reps in 10 mins) as a long term goal and I feel after this session I have just inched a little bit closer.

Just as a side, and to keep things in perspective, for a truly insane video, watch the Philip Davis, RKC video here of him performing 202 snatches with the 32kg in 10 minutes ... he's my weight, a few inches taller and he cranks out 12 each side over and over using the funkiest hand switch I have ever seen; it saves him a hand transfer swing but looks really tricky. This is no fluke for him either.. in a separate article published today in Power by Pavel's Newsletter #159, he reports the he regularly does 500 32kg one-hand swings, presses double 32kgs for reps and front squats double 32kg as part of his workouts.

Sleep: Okay, Weight: 178.5 lbs