Ground Reaction Forces During the Kettlebell Snatch

[gachumway]

This semester I took a lab procedures class in force platform measurements. For my final project I measured the vertical ground reaction forces (VGRF) during the kettlebell snatch. The results were pretty interesting. I was using a 24kg kettlebell which is about 235 Newtons. Peak VGRF were more than twice that on the non-lifting side (~500N) and slightly less than that on the lifting side (~400N).

 

[NarrMaster]

"Science does not begin until you start measuring"

Good work.

 

[gachumway]

Thanks. I'm kind of kicking myself now for not choosing the thesis option for my program.

 

[ddn]

So is that 900N total measured?

 

[Dr. Mark Cheng]

And in application...

Funny to read this thread after I was telling the NZ guys I was working with to practice snatching on terra firma instead of the thick mats in their gym!

Normally, I don't have much trouble snatching a 32kg, but with the 3 layers of floor padding in this MMA-focused gym that I was teaching in, a single snatch (right handed) took WAY more effort than I expected!

The workshop participants immediately felt the difference as well, watching their snatch weights & reps climb tremendously with the combination of hard ground and Hard Style!

 

[Jordan Vezina RKCTL]

Kettlebell snatches is hard.
Um... my head hurts.

 

[Reverend Linus]

Kettlebell snatches is hard.
Um... my head hurts.

I'm with you, man... my degrees are in the Liberal Arts. We don't measure stuff; we talk about our feelings...

 

[sumit]

Ha!
Although you could make an argument that feelings can be measured.
I feel way hungrier at dinner than post workout.

 

[Semonides]

This thread is quite a joule but would someone care to expound on the significance of this experiment. I can see there are bigger numbers on the non-lifting side. But anyone who has ever snatched knows this already. When I snatch, for example, I lift the front half of my non-lifting foot and then I synchronize a forceful drive into the ground with the hip snap.

So, the fact that there is more pressure on the non-lifting side is no shocker. But what do the actual numbers indicate? Why are they interesting? Would a scientist expect them to be closer in value? Further apart? The same?

 

[Jordan Vezina RKCTL]

'Joule', I get it.
Sweet. I feel smart.

 

[Caesar001]

My feeling is that Im fat and need to get off the computer and DO some snatches

 

[Semonides]

you and me both. By the way, cool sig-line. You just do not see Tiberius quoted that much any more.

 

[mc]

Just FYI
despite the hyperbolic title, some good research herein

Unstable Surface Training | EricCressey.com

mc

 

[gachumway]

So is that 900N total measured?

Actually 800N since the peak forces took place at slightly different times on the two force platforms. I thought that was pretty significant since that's more than 3x the weight of the kettlebell.

 

[mc]

quotation aside

you and me both. By the way, cool sig-line. You just do not see Tiberius quoted that much any more.

er, i don't know that isn't later, seutonius attributes it to caligula by way of the poet Lucius Accius, or do i have my emperors mixed up?

just by the way.

mc