Tuesday, July 31, 2007

The Tracy Rif Sock Sleeve for KB training.

The Tracy Rif Sock Sleeve for High rep Snatch and Swing training.

Perhaps the most troublesome aspect of high repetition snatch and swing training, especially for Comrade Ladies, is the wear and tear on the hands. Women clients, most particularly, are loathe to develop calluses much less deal with tearing those calluses.
While proper hand care; consisting of shaving and filing large callus pads down regularly, is vital, many trainees like to use some kind of hand protection during rigorous training.
One can use gymnastics grips(sometime poor feedback from the bell), make grips from athletic tape( hard to do if you train alone) or, you can use an innovative solution my wife came up with; the Sock Sleeve.
This is a very simple solution to a vexing problem. The gymnastics grips and the athletic tape work by reducing friction between the hand and the bell. Holding the bell in the hook grip and NOT deep in the palm is another key component to not tearing calluses and this solution actually encourages the correct hand and grip position on the bell.
All one has to do is find a pair of medium thickness socks and cut the top, elastic portion of the sock off. A two inch section is best, although one can cut three inches if they have very large hands. We have found crew socks, as opposed to tube socks to work best although feel free to experiment. New socks works best as the fresh elastic helps to keep the sleeve in the right part of the hand.
Simply slide the sleeve over the top of the hand covering the lower portion of the fingers and the top section of the palm of the hand. Just where the bell should sit if properly held!
That’s it! Pick up the kettlebell and start snatching or swinging and you will find there is considerably less friction in the hand right from the start, but with almost no extra bulk to tax the strength of the grip. The sleeve doesn’t roll up as you swing and encourages you to hold the bell in the correct part of the hand. You can use this all the time or just when you feel tender or hot spots on the calluses.
A very simple but effective solution for keeping the hands in tip top shape and keeping your training on track.Nothing worse than wanting to train but having to make adaptations because the hands are trashed.
Enjoy!

Mark Reifkind

27 comments:

Kettlebell Lady said...

Now I know what to do with all those matchless socks lying around! I'll definatley be trying this soon (probably tomorrow)! Thanks!

Aaron Friday said...

I've been putting the entire sock on my hand! Don't I look like a fool.

Seriously, these work great. I use them for snatches.

Mark Reifkind said...

naw you're right: that's the aaron friday version. seriously thoug one of pavels kb grip drills is swinging a kb with an oven mit on the hand, challenges the grip eh/

OR SOAPING UP the handle of the bell with Dawn and swinging away.Build you a mighty grip comrade!

fawn said...

Yep, use Tracy Sox (as the Fridays call them) all the time...

Aaron Friday said...

That's nuts. I chalk up, get ready for the set, and then go back and chalk up some more just in case I missed a spot.

Mark Reifkind said...

I love chalk. I live for chalk. Even on days I don't train I chalk up just in case.But only Ivanko chalk. Any other is just white dirt.

Aaron Friday said...

So, if you need to go to the bank to deposit a couple checks, and then swing by the grocery store for some peaches, you'll chalk up beforehand just in case?

Makes sense.

Aaron Friday said...

After I cover my hands with it, I like to rub a little on my gums and then snort the dust to get it into my bloodstream more efficiently.

This Ivanko is better than the other schwag, huh? May have to try a hit for myself.

Mark Reifkind said...

ivanko is the KIND dude, just hard to get.
hell I chalk up before I wash my hands.

Aaron Friday said...

You're devotion to chalk is profound and without reproach [bowing].

Sometimes, I will press a brick against my third eye while meditating, and pray for a world overflowing with chalk, and peace.

Anonymous said...

Thanks very much for posting this.

Aaron Friday said...

I see Scott is a raw powerlifter and also a writer. Good shite! I've bookmarked your page, Scott.

Frozen Molasses said...

Time for me to dig out some socks. Thanks for the instructions.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Aaron and Mark,

I just can't keep up with you guys!

Renee said...

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS!! You should totally find a way to patent it. It is the one and only thing that has saved my hands from getting eaten up.

Tracy Reifkind said...

Renee,

Necessity is the mother of invention!

Glad it's helping.

Doymeister said...

Really like this. Beat up hands is why I stopped using the kettlebell.

It works on light deadlifts , haven't tried on heavy deads yet. My cheap bar beats my hands up.

Thanks Tracy.
My mum wants to get a kettlebell after reading your 100lb weight loss in a year story.

Jim Ryan said...

Chalk one up for you two, Aaron and Mark. I got my ab workout for today! You're knockin' my socks off!

I got some cheap cotton gloves at Menards - $0.92 a pair. They'll do when my pigskin ones are too much.

Zorbs said...

I tried this today, it worked except on transfers...I wonder if I'm doing the transfers incorrectly?

Mark Reifkind said...

good aki, I got a beating from Tracy though for hijacking her thread.Dont' mess with the swing queen.

Aaron Friday said...

Fawn hates it when I chalk up before folding her clothes. She thinks it's unnecessary.

I did some snatches today without the Tracy Sox, but it was 16kg and nowhere near the reps you two do. Anything 24kg or higher and I'm wearing the Sox.

Tracy Reifkind said...

doymeister, Thanks for the comments, let me know when your Mum's KB arrives!

Tracy Reifkind said...

Zorbs,

It's important the the socks have enough elastic to feel snug against your hands, maybe you need smaller socks.

The other thing is, transfers, your 2 hands should met breifly on the handle of the bell at the top of the swing. Alot of people that I teach form improvement to, have learned via DVD, and tend to "toss" the bell hand to hand. Don't do that!

~Karen C.L. Anderson~ said...

I am brand new to kettlebells (I've got two full weeks under my belt) and the snatches killed me! I will be trying this solution!

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