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Kettlebell Hello, Fat man seeking redemption and advice on training everyday.

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Dan_123

Dan_123

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Hi Guys

Great forum here, just wanted to say hello, I've been wanting to try some of SF programs for a while and finally my shoulder feels good enough to start S&S. Thank God!

Currently 305 lbs @ 6' 3" so have a lot of chub to shift but I've done it before so not too worried about that it comes off with eating clean pretty easily.

I'm more worried about the daily workouts, specifically being too tight and sore to train. I've always seemed to react badly to the hypertrophy training I muddled with in the Airforce so generally stayed away from weights in the past and just kept fit by playing sports. This kind of training is new to me and I hope my body handles it, I'd love to gain the benefits and sense of accomplishment in completing simple and sinister.

I swung a 24 kg 100 times 4 days ago to see how my body would react and could barely walk for 2 days Haha. ( I should add I did the Tim Ferris 2 x 200 swings a week for a few weeks a year ago)

I took a day off and looked back in the book and saw Pavel says start with 50 swings and do not increase until you can do it every day and not be sore. So the last two days I have done 50 with 24 and no weighted get ups. (Figured my excess body fat would do for the first few weeks)

Legs and lower back are pretty sore and tight now but we'll see how they recover over night. Hopefully I'll be good for a recharge in the morning.

How do you guys find your body reacts to training this often?
 
@Dan_123, welcome to StrongFirst!

Two things - if you don't mind, post a video of some of your swings for those of us here to comment on. Even better would be to work with a certified SFG, but a video here is OK.

Second, find what you can do and start there.

E.g., if that's 10 swings every other day, so be it - do 10 swings every other day and build from there. Don't forget that the rest period between the sets of swings is up to you - perhaps taking longer rests _during_ the workout will aid in your recovery _from_ the workout.

Last but probably should have been first: You can start with kettlebell _deadlifts_ and not _swings_ - keep that in mind, maybe mix the two and work towards more swings and fewer deadlifts over time. A video of your kettlebell deadlift is also a good idea because, if that's not up to par, then it's better if you don't swing and just work on the deadlift.

-S-
 
@Dan, welcome. I find generally if I'm do something I haven't done for awhile, I'll be the most sore two days after, not the next. Anyway Steve give good advice. To start with a 24K may be a bit heavy but it's hard to tell without knowing your training history. But as Steve mentioned, KB deadlifts combined with possibly lighter swings would be my recommendation. You may want to through in some bodyweight get-ups also. Add a brisk one hr. walk and for weight loss, you'll have to change your diet. Good luck.
 
Dan_123 said:
Hi Guys

Great forum here, just wanted to say hello, I've been wanting to try some of SF programs for a while and finally my shoulder feels good enough to start S&S. Thank God!

Currently 305 lbs @ 6' 3" so have a lot of chub to shift but I've done it before so not too worried about that it comes off with eating clean pretty easily.

I'm more worried about the daily workouts, specifically being too tight and sore to train. I've always seemed to react badly to the hypertrophy training I muddled with in the Airforce so generally stayed away from weights in the past and just kept fit by playing sports. This kind of training is new to me and I hope my body handles it, I'd love to gain the benefits and sense of accomplishment in completing simple and sinister.

I swung a 24 kg 100 times 4 days ago to see how my body would react and could barely walk for 2 days Haha. ( I should add I did the Tim Ferris 2 x 200 swings a week for a few weeks a year ago)

I took a day off and looked back in the book and saw Pavel says start with 50 swings and do not increase until you can do it every day and not be sore. So the last two days I have done 50 with 24 and no weighted get ups. (Figured my excess body fat would do for the first few weeks)

Legs and lower back are pretty sore and tight now but we'll see how they recover over night. Hopefully I'll be good for a recharge in the morning.

How do you guys find your body reacts to training this often?
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Welcome! For me there was some adjustment time, but after a chew weeks my body loved the everyday training. I act I started to notice the rest of my day went worse when I missed it. I think all the advice so far is spot on. I think some soreness the following days is totally normal for the first couple weeks. It shouldn't be pain and it should be so bad you don't want to move. The main thing it to build the habit.

I bounce up and down (mostly up) in weight for over a decade. In 2013 I finally lost it for good. The thing that made the difference for me was forgetting about doing things to lose weight, and focusing all my energy of building permanent habits that matched the body I wanted.

Best of luck! I think you'll find a lot of good help here.
 
the book doesn't start with 50 swings- the book starts with practicing form for 1/2 hour a day until you have the forms down pat. Then, after that, you go to 50 swings, etc. It doesn't matter how other people respond to training- the only thing that matters is how you respond. Successful training is not based on seeing how much you can do as a one off, but regular recovery from training you can repeat cosistently. Make sure you've got the form for everything down, then proceed slowly, only doing what you can easily recover from. If you have a lot of bodyfat to lose, it will take some time- just settle in and see it through. The gradual road you can follow all the way will get you there much quicker than doing too much too soon and getting injured or losing your motivation. There's nothing wrong with going to a lighter bell and taking a month or more on deadlifts and unweighted getups, if that's what it takes to get the exacta of great form and daily consistency.
 
One thing I'll add to the great advice that everyone has already given is the idea of a minimum session. In order to train every day, some days are going to have to be very easy, but I have found that an easy day is better for me than a day off. A good minimum session, in my book, is short enough that I can find time for it no matter what (10-20 minutes), and easy enough that I can still punch the clock after a hard day. For example, you could commit to doing 5 minutes of mobility, followed by 5 minutes of light deadlift/swing practice, followed by 5 minutes of light TGU practice. Fifteen minutes is too short to make an excuse for, it's easy enough to do even if you're sore, and it will help you continually improve. Ideally you still do 3-5 normal sessions each week, but try to find something easy and quick to fill in the days you're busy/sore so you can start developing the habit now.
 
Thanks for all the replies. My worry was about if it would hinder my progress by continuing to train when sore/tight or worse risk an injury. After 2 years of shoulder problems I'm probably over cautious now.

After my 2 days of S@S I am super tight and sore today so maybe I'll do some swings with my 12kg and no weight get ups and see how that goes.

Thanks again.
 
IMHO the warm up and cool down stretches in S&S are just as important as the swings/get ups in continued success, particularly the goblet squat.

Best of luck with your training.
 
Dan_123 said:
My worry was about if it would hinder my progress by continuing to train when sore/tight or worse risk an injury.
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I'd say your worry was well-founded. It sounds like you jumped into the program without doing the basics first. Get your shoulder checked out, learn the forms one by one with mindful practice 'til you're bulletproof on them, and then proceed to each step by steady progressions based on metabolic advances, not a fit of willpower followed by soreness or injury. Pay attention to nutrition and sleep, too. Best of luck! It's tough, but sure beats the alternative!
 
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If you have the resources you should seek instruction from a SFG. I would spend more effort on the warmup drills and basic skills you need prior to taking on the swing and then the get up with no weight. Do fewer than you think you should and then call it a day. Maybe take up half an hour of walking every day. Do something easy enough that you can do it every day and then after you feel comfortable doing that for a while move up in difficulty a little bit. Ease your way into this.
 
Thanks for all the tips, recovered much better and did another session today. Trying to bear in mind where the book says a work out should be viewed like going to work, "you have to do it everyday so you get it done but you don't want to kill yourself" paraphrasing but that's a really good way of thinking about it so I'm just gonna listen to my body and have the view to complete good reps as much as I can and rest when I need to.

Slightly O.T. my shoulders and upper back feel amazing today, can feel my shoulder blades gliding and muscles I have saw in diagrams but never felt all around them. Lovely feeling. :)
 
Dan_123 said:
Thanks for all the tips, recovered much better and did another session today. Trying to bear in mind where the book says a work out should be viewed like going to work, "you have to do it everyday so you get it done but you don't want to kill yourself" paraphrasing but that's a really good way of thinking about it so I'm just gonna listen to my body and have the view to complete good reps as much as I can and rest when I need to.

Slightly O.T. my shoulders and upper back feel amazing today, can feel my shoulder blades gliding and muscles I have saw in diagrams but never felt all around them. Lovely feeling. :)
Click to expand...

Resting between sets is important. Completely catch your breath, heart-rate down, then do your next set. The difference is amazing. I was doing squats every 90 seconds with the barbell, and this concept was difficult to get used to doing. Now, complete recovery between sets makes for a great workout.
 
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