Kettlebell Squat to swing ratio? (With kettlebells, of course.)
- Thread starter Bee
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Seems like a question you could answer fairly easily by seeing what you can do. I think it will be a little different for everyone.
For myself, I can front squat double 20kgs for 10 reps (with the first 5 reps steady pace, last 5 reps slower and starting to huff and puff). So that's 40kg. I can swing a 40kg for 10 sets of 10 2H swings, and probably another 10 sets of 10 if I take another break and allow plenty of rest between sets, for 200 swings total, though I would definitely be feeling that the next day. Is this what you mean? If you mean continuous swings... probably only 15-20 with the 40kg before they start to lose power and become more of a grind. I very rarely do more than 10 swings at a time. Just every once in a while a continuous swings effort with a 16kg or so. No reason to do more than 10 swings in a set with a challenging weight, IMO (and actually, Pavel's opinion as explained in S&S), unless trying to do some glycolytic peaking for an event like a snatch test.
For myself, I can front squat double 20kgs for 10 reps (with the first 5 reps steady pace, last 5 reps slower and starting to huff and puff). So that's 40kg. I can swing a 40kg for 10 sets of 10 2H swings, and probably another 10 sets of 10 if I take another break and allow plenty of rest between sets, for 200 swings total, though I would definitely be feeling that the next day. Is this what you mean? If you mean continuous swings... probably only 15-20 with the 40kg before they start to lose power and become more of a grind. I very rarely do more than 10 swings at a time. Just every once in a while a continuous swings effort with a 16kg or so. No reason to do more than 10 swings in a set with a challenging weight, IMO (and actually, Pavel's opinion as explained in S&S), unless trying to do some glycolytic peaking for an event like a snatch test.
MikeTheBear
Level 6 Valued Member
In Olympic lifting, as a general rule a good lifter should be able to clean 85% of what they can front squat (or stated more simply, clean what you front squat for 3 reps). So that can be a rough starting point, e.g., if you can front squat 2x24 kg KBs for 10, you should be able to swing 40 kg for 10. However, I don't think that this ratio, or any ratio, would work for KBs. The Olympic lifts rely on maximal power while KB work is more power endurance. Anything endurance related tends to be very specific, more so than with maximal strength events. Lance Armstrong tried to run a marathon and he did not do that well, at least not as well as what experts predicted he could have done. (Based on his VO2max numbers and other data taken from his cycling days, the experts said he should have finished in around 2 hours - essentially he could have won the race. He finished in 3 hours. Not too bad for an amateur runner but an hour slower than his predicted time.) Reason: he didn't run enough and relied on the fitness he built from cycling to get him through the run. It didn't work. So, if you want to get better at swinging KBs, then swing more KBs. Developing maximal strength will help somewhat, and developing endurance in your squat will help somewhat as well. But don't be like Lance - don't rely on fitness from one discipline to automatically transfer to another.
Bee
Level 4 Valued Member
I meant two handed swings only.
I hold two 20-pound kettlebells and swing them that way, the way swings are done. Except that instead of just holding one heavier kettlebell, each of my hands have their own. You know what I mean?
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