The kettlebell snatch is a highly technical move.  But taking the time to master it is well worth it – you’ll have a great exercise under your belt for power generation, world-class conditioning, and a whole lot more.

Over the next few blog posts, I’m going to teach you the three most important elements you need to learn to master the kettlebell snatch. In part one (this post), we’re going to cover the lockout.

First, watch this short video – it covers this first ‘phase’ of the learning process and some tips on how to practice:

Video Recap

You’ll start with a kettlebell between the feet in a sumo deadlift position. Cheat curl the ‘bell up to your shoulder and press it up over your head. All we’re trying to do is get comfortable with our overhead lockout position.

The bicep should be right by the ear. A common mistake is to hold the ‘bell slightly in front of the body. If you lack proper shoulder mobility, this is likely going to be a problem for you (all the more reason to practice your Turkish getups).

A great drill to practice and get comfortable in this lockout position is an overhead walk. To perform this drill, you would simply get the KB pressed over your head and walk around the room with it. If your elbow is bent, or the kettlebell is out in front of you too far, this is nearly impossible – and that this drill is very self-correcting is part of the beauty of it.

Developing a great lockout is critical to mastering the kettlebell snatch; with tips covered this article and video, you’ll have it down in no time. Practice what we talked about today, and I’ll see you next time for part two in mastering the kettlebell snatch series!

P.S. Don’t forget – if you want a complete guide to mastering the basics of kettlebell training – including the snatch – check out the KettlebellBasics.net Quick Start Guide by clicking here

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