How to keep your hands together during the RKC

[faizalenu]

I only use tape and/or chalk for really high volume or when trying to set a PR. Callouses are caused by friction, and chalk increases friction. What I have found that works is:
* Chalk in the fingers (to increase fingers grip)
* Talc in hands (to decrease friction in palm and absorb sweat)
==> Chalk particles are flat, talc's are rounder

I saw someone at my RKC kill their hands with improper use of rosin (which is a "sticky" substance, and thus would increase friction).

[KJ43]

Great information guys - thank you.

I'm at a point where my muscle and endurance for snatching exceeds both my ability to execute the drop technique for every single snatch and the toughness of my hands.

I'm using the taping technique right now because my hands are already getting blistered. I am starting to develop some thickened pads on the palm of my hand from the hot spots that did not fully tear and I can feel the difference in the reps where I execute the drop technique correctly. I'm sure I'll get the drop technique down for every rep in the next week or so...I just need to keep practicing it.

I definitely don't want to use the taping as a crutch for a less efficient technique or because I have not allowed my hands to toughen up to the point they need to get to.

[mc]

Originally Posted by faizalenu

I only use tape and/or chalk for really high volume or when trying to set a PR. Callouses are caused by friction, and chalk increases friction. What I have found that works is:
* Chalk in the fingers (to increase fingers grip)
* Talc in hands (to decrease friction in palm and absorb sweat)
==> Chalk particles are flat, talc's are rounder

I saw someone at my RKC kill their hands with improper use of rosin (which is a "sticky" substance, and thus would increase friction).

totally agree, Faiz: tape for serious high repping - which is pretty much a description of an RKC cert

mc

[0311bravo]

Originally Posted by faizalenu

I saw someone at my RKC kill their hands with improper use of rosin (which is a "sticky" substance, and thus would increase friction).

Man, I don't even want to think about what that would do to my hands.

[mc]

At our cert for awhile will williams was adding paraffin to the handles - that did reduce friction - alas, in the sun it also melted away rather quickly. but was nice while it lasted. I'm not sure if there was an official verdict on its use for the certs or not.

mc

[schnieder]

keep it simple:

when you grip the KB, the handle should be as close to the ends of your fingertips as possible without letting the KB fly. do that and you don't need chalk, tape, bandaids, etc.

[faizalenu]

Originally Posted by mc

totally agree, Faiz: tape for serious high repping - which is pretty much a description of an RKC cert

mc

If you do need to tape at the RKC (which most do), you need a good quality cloth tape. Crappy tape will do more harm than good, will tear, and the adhesive will get on the bell.

I used Rif's technique during the cert, but I believe that it has been updated.

I also had a callous shaver and file in the field. Tweezerman has the best of those products.

I know that even during Saturday night's dinner my hands were still hot to the touch. Leading up to the cert, I was doing more volume than most (About 1:10 of HoC). I know that may not be true because there are a lot of people doing Max VO2 now.

[Cecilia Tom, RKC]

One quick tip - there will be a million DD kettlebells at the cert. Get to the stack early and try to find one with the smoothest handle and grab it for your snatch test.

[Boris Bachmann]

Originally Posted by Cecilia Tom, RKC

One quick tip - there will be a million DD kettlebells at the cert. Get to the stack early and try to find one with the smoothest handle and grab it for your snatch test.

This is a great tip.

My hands were pretty well conditioned going in. Generous reapplications of chalk during the day, shaving the callouses and moisturizing at night, and not going heavy all the time kept my hands in pretty good shape.

[0311bravo]

Originally Posted by Cecilia Tom, RKC

One quick tip - there will be a million DD kettlebells at the cert. Get to the stack early and try to find one with the smoothest handle and grab it for your snatch test.

Agreed. Great point. You may think it's just a little seam on the handle, but by snatch 60 it will probably feel a lot bigger.
I actually had my own 24 kg. in my car in case I had an issue.