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Kettlebell Bent press, easy strength style

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Andrew Duncan

Andrew Duncan

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After meeting the Simple standard, I've decided to revisit the bent press. I'm essentially planning on following the old PM - bent press twice a week, A+A snatches twice a week, and two easy S&S sessions a week (more recovery than anything else).

In Easy Strength (p. 109), it is suggested that grinding lifts ("kettlebell presses, bent presses, two-hands anyhow, and the myriad of slow grinding movements") be performed for 3 ladders of (1, 2, 3), 2-3 times per week with approximately 5-8RM. My question is whether or not approaching bent presses in this manner would be suitable.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
 
@Andrew Duncan I would say that in ES context, yes, but if you want to drive your Bent Press numbers up, I would suggest 3-5 sets of ladders (1, 2, 3) 3 times week (e.g. easy 3 sets, medium 4 sets, hard day 5 sets). I currently do about 4 times a week 6, 8 or 10 sets of 2-3 reps.

Kurt Saxon, brother of the King of the Bent Press Arthur, wrote:

It is necessary to practice this lift (bent press) all the time… We used to make about 30 attempts at each training session.

Please see the article here
 
In additon to @Pavel Macek suggestion, I would start with following one of the plans on Taming the Bent Press (and suggest to read it if you haven't).

If you have some experience with the bent press I would suggest following the Justafied Bent Pressing program there. You will lift every other day from 30 to 50 singles, than go the next size bell and recycle. This is 600 lifts a month if you don't miss sessions (I guess 520 - 560 is more realistic) which are 600 learning opportunities - that is allot of learning. I did it and really like the results. Opting for higher frequency and shorter sessions I follow Justa daily singles protocol and have good results as well. The daily singles, in my opinion is a better choice if you are inexperienced with the lift.

Regarding to ES ladders, I think it is a too complicated lift to start with multiple reps, just like TGU. Before you master it, start with singles, than if you feel like adding multiple reps than go for it. YMMV.
 
Thanks for the responses guys. Shahaf, although I don't consider myself a "master" of the bent press, I consider myself competent, and yes I have read Taming the Bent Press and have followed several of the programs in the book.

Pavel, so what you are recommending is essentially the ROP press program? Would you suggest progressing in the same manner (i.e. moving up to ladders of (1, 2, 3, 4), etc)? Could I count getups done on S&S days as 'easy' bent press days?

I would be a bit concerned about the volume there. Last time I got serious about the bent press I was following Justa's singles program and I found the volume to be too excessive; I wasn't recovering sufficiently and the only way I could continue with the program was by focussing solely on the bent press. Hence my reason for wanting to apply an easy strength approach. Also, for some reason singles really seem to take it out of me; apparently Verkoshansky and Siff determined that a lifter performing an equal number of repetitions will expend 35% more energy if singles are used compared to multiple repetition sets (Easy Strength, p. 79 - I would be interested to know why this might be the case).

Out of interest, how much weight have you guys lifted in the bent press?
 
@Andrew Duncan yes and no - keep the ladders at (1, 2, 3), but do 3, 4, or 5 ladders (18, 24, or 30 total reps). Then add a heavier bell for the single, and do the doubles and triples with the previous weight. Repeat the same for doubles (i.e. singles and doubles with the heave weight, triples with lighter weight), until you can make all reps with the new weight. Then restart. Boring? No. Being strong is not boring.

I have started to focus on bent press just recently. Without any previous training, I lifted 44 on my left and 48 on my right, at 68 kg bodyweight. I am currently doing 6-10 doubles and triples with 32 in my program (check my log), and will switch very soon to 36. The goal is 48 on my left (which I guess i would be able to do already), and 56 on my right.

As for your comment to @Shahaf Levin : don't forget that the singles used for the program are nowhere close to your 1RM. One of my student was doing the program with 40 and 44, and he bent pressed 56 and later 68 kg on his right after the program.

 
Pavel Macek said:
As for your comment to @Shahaf Levin : don't forget that the singles used for the program are nowhere close to your 1RM. One of my student was doing the program with 40 and 44, and he bent pressed 56 and later 68 kg on his right after the program.
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@Andrew Duncan , as Pavel said, Justa's singles (all protocols) are designed for 70% of 1RM, weight increases depends on the particular protocol, but they are always the total weight does not (suppose to) go over 80% of 1RM.

I have done Justa's daily singles with 32kg, than two-hands anyhow with 32kg + 16kg. I don't have access to heavier bells (yet, suppose to order 40kg today).
 
When I was doing Justa singles I was using the 32kg, based on my PB of 44kg (20 + 24kg; the heaviest bell I have is 40kg). For some reason it was too much for me and I wasn't recovering properly. Not to say I didn't show improvement with the bent press, but I wasn't enjoying the run down feeling I was experiencing so I started another S&S cycle.

I think these ladders are the way to go; thanks for your help, gentlemen.
 
Andrew Duncan said:
When I was doing Justa singles I was using the 32kg, based on my PB of 44kg (20 + 24kg; the heaviest bell I have is 40kg). For some reason it was too much for me and I wasn't recovering properly. Not to say I didn't show improvement with the bent press, but I wasn't enjoying the run down feeling I was experiencing so I started another S&S cycle.

I think these ladders are the way to go; thanks for your help, gentlemen.
Click to expand...

Was it in-session recovery or between session? Did you rushed through the lifts or took the 1-2 minutes rest between singles?
 
Is there a difference between a windmill stance and the more squatty stance? Is it a technical difference or one based on preference and body type?
Appreciate any views. It's a lift I'd like to study and learn but know very little about, other than seeing it done and when I've seen it done there appears to be some differences in the stance position.....to turn the legs out or not, that is the question, whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer....you get the idea. Thank you
 
ali said:
Is there a difference between a windmill stance and the more squatty stance? Is it a technical difference or one based on preference and body type?
Appreciate any views. It's a lift I'd like to study and learn but know very little about, other than seeing it done and when I've seen it done there appears to be some differences in the stance position.....to turn the legs out or not, that is the question, whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer....you get the idea. Thank you
Click to expand...

Stance and style are personal and depend on body structure, and I guess that on body function - your current strengths and weaknesses. In Taming the Bent Press Dave Whitley says that a. Bent press is NOT a bent arm windmill, and b. Exact foot position is something you need to experiment and find your groove. From personal experience you will know when you find it.

Regarding squatinees I found different opinion. Some relate it to body structure, but the great ones* usually seems to prefer a more hinge pattern - bend at the knees somewhere around a swing (see @Pavel Macek video above), many times with asymmetrical bend at the knees.

I suggest reading Taming the Bent Press and/or waiting for Pavel Macek's bent press guide (as part of his Royal S&S work :))

* Old-time strongmen, Dave Whitley, the strong dude in Pavel's video, etc.
 
That's where I think I went wrong. While I was getting "enough" food and sleep, it probably wasn't enough food and sleep.
 
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