John Grahill
Level 8 Valued Member
Too funny! They wouldn't know what was meant by that!
Kettlebell "Giant 1.0"
- Thread starter John Grahill
- Start date
I'd run 1.0, 1.1, and 1.2 with your 28kg, then re-test your 10RM. Either find a new 10RM with one of your other bells, or do a RM test with your 28kg.
Excellent! Great to hear!
Creamkrackered
Level 4 Valued Member
Ok so I finally committed to the giant with 2x20kg (light I know!) and I am on week 4 or the giant 1.0
My numbers have been as follows;
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Feel week 4 is a stall and I will struggle to get more reps but looking forward to increasing reps!
My numbers have been as follows;
Week 1
- Sets of x - 17 sets = 85 reps
- Sets of x - 14 sets = 84 reps
- Sets of x - 21 sets = 84 reps
Week 2
- Sets of x - 18 sets = 90 reps
- Sets of x - 15 sets = 90 reps
- Sets of x - 23 sets = 92 reps
Week 3
- Sets of X - 21 sets = 105 reps
- Sets of X - 18 sets = 108 reps
- Sets of X - 25 sets = 100 reps
Week 4
- Sets of X - 21 sets = 105 reps
Feel week 4 is a stall and I will struggle to get more reps but looking forward to increasing reps!
Hrungnir
Level 7 Valued Member
If you make it through 1.2, I would bet you can get 8-10RM on the 24s with the volume you’re pushing homie!
I would also bet you can beat your weekly total to cap it!! Not as big as your other jumps but for sure 1-2 sets
Creamkrackered
Level 4 Valued Member
Thank you mate! Yeah I’m hoping to complete all cycles with the 20kgs then go into it again with 2x24 and hopefully will be a 10 rep max by the end! I reckon it’s about 7 atm! Started 1.1 this week and done the first two workouts. Feels good!
HandsomeSquidward
Level 3 Valued Member
Just finished 1.0 today, thought I'd share how my first two cycles went (3.0 then 1.0):
3.0:
aaand 1.0:
* I was traveling these days and used dumbbells at hotel gyms, cleaning the pair from the floor each rep. It was tougher than kettlebells, but fun. I'll continue to do this when I travel.
I also ordered a pair of adjustable comp bells, and couldn't help myself from bumping to 17kg when they arrived.
I'm very happy with this program so far. I got my hair cut the other day and the barber said I looked like I worked out, which was cool. Shirts are tighter.
I feel in need of a deload - I failed on the last rep of today's final set (I didn't count that set) and still fell short of last week's Day 3 total.
So my question is this: should I simply treat the first week of 1.1 as a deload, aiming to keep my volume pretty low, or should I do something else for a week before starting 1.1?
3.0:
| kg | Reps | W / D | Weekly Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | 26 | W1D1 | 84 |
| 16 | 27 | W1D2 | |
| 16 | 31 | W1D3 | |
| 16 | 46 | W2D1 | 141 |
| 16 | 51 | W2D2 | |
| 16 | 44 | W2D3 | |
| 16 | 50 | W3D1 | 152 |
| 16 | 57 | W3D2 | |
| 16 | 45 | W3D3 | |
| 16 | 66 | W4D1 | 143 |
| 15* | 39 | W4D2 | |
| 14* | 38 | W4D3 |
aaand 1.0:
| kg | Reps | W / D | Weekly Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14* | 50 | W1D1 | 164 |
| 14* | 54 | W1D2 | |
| 14* | 60 | W1D3 | |
| 16 | 65 | W2 D1 | 201 |
| 16 | 60 | W2 D2 | |
| 16 | 76 | W2 D3 | |
| 16 | 75 | W3 D1 | 245 |
| 17 | 66 | W3 D2 | |
| 17 | 104 | W3 D3 | |
| 17 | 80 | W4 D1 | 260 |
| 17 | 84 | W4 D2 | |
| 17 | 96 | W4 D3 |
* I was traveling these days and used dumbbells at hotel gyms, cleaning the pair from the floor each rep. It was tougher than kettlebells, but fun. I'll continue to do this when I travel.
I also ordered a pair of adjustable comp bells, and couldn't help myself from bumping to 17kg when they arrived.
I'm very happy with this program so far. I got my hair cut the other day and the barber said I looked like I worked out, which was cool. Shirts are tighter.
I feel in need of a deload - I failed on the last rep of today's final set (I didn't count that set) and still fell short of last week's Day 3 total.
So my question is this: should I simply treat the first week of 1.1 as a deload, aiming to keep my volume pretty low, or should I do something else for a week before starting 1.1?
blad51
Level 8 Valued Member
I treated the first weeks of the Giant as a deload. I think it worked well because I was also using the 20, 25, 30, 25 timing scheme.
I have also used dumbbells on the road. It is interesting how different they feel than kettlebells.
This is a great way of staying consistent. Geoff has another similar program called Easy Muscle that is "tool agnostic" - usable with barbells, dumbbells, or kettlebells; and @John Grahill has done entire blocks of Giant with only dumbbells.
Progress is not linear. You are not always going to be able to add a rep or a set or even cut down on the time (increase density) week to week. Let the gains come when they're ready to come. I've spent an entire month just doing the same 5x5 on my heavy day, not even able to progress time. But that's OK.
Yeah, just take that first week extra easy. There have been many times I've run Giant where I just used 5 minutes as the default rest between sets on the first week's heavy day.
daft21
Level 1 Valued Member
A Giant Journey
Started with Giant 3.0 and a single 20kg bell with more of a 6-7 RM
I slowly progressed to longer Workouttimes and am now doing 30mins for 3 weeks and 20mins for the recovery week. I could always progress and add a set from week to week. I just did week 3 of the Giant 1.1 with an average of about 60reps per session. After the recovery week I'll start with Giant 1.2 hoping for about 72 reps per session in week 3.
My only concern is how to progress after Giant 1.2 because now in week 3 of Giant 1.1 the 24kg bell still feels very heavy and I can only press it 2 times with my left and 3 times with my right. So I am not sure that at the end of Giant 1.2 my 24kg RM will be 5 to continue with Giant 3.0 and a heavier bell.
Another question if you guys did Giant 3.0 with a hard 4-5RM could your progress to Giant 1.0 after just 4 weeks?
Started with Giant 3.0 and a single 20kg bell with more of a 6-7 RM
I slowly progressed to longer Workouttimes and am now doing 30mins for 3 weeks and 20mins for the recovery week. I could always progress and add a set from week to week. I just did week 3 of the Giant 1.1 with an average of about 60reps per session. After the recovery week I'll start with Giant 1.2 hoping for about 72 reps per session in week 3.
My only concern is how to progress after Giant 1.2 because now in week 3 of Giant 1.1 the 24kg bell still feels very heavy and I can only press it 2 times with my left and 3 times with my right. So I am not sure that at the end of Giant 1.2 my 24kg RM will be 5 to continue with Giant 3.0 and a heavier bell.
Another question if you guys did Giant 3.0 with a hard 4-5RM could your progress to Giant 1.0 after just 4 weeks?
I could not. It took about 12 weeks or so to bring my 5RM to a 10RM. Your mileage may vary though.
kbgolf
Level 1 Valued Member
After I did Giant 3.0 (IIRC started with 6RM bells) I followed it with another Geoff Nuepert program "The Foundation ". After complete the bells were 9RM.
That program consists of Clean, press and double front squats done in set format, 3 days a week for 6 weeks. Then I was able to transition to Giant 1.0.
Davidlbn
Level 5 Valued Member
What was your path to get there?
I have done 3.0 with my 5RM. It didn't get me to a 10RM either. So not ready for 1.0. What's in between?
What has worked best was to create a “bridge” where for the new month I increase every day by 1 rep, making a 3.1 and 3.2. 1.0 then just flows right out of that. This almost looks like an auto regulated version of Strong!
Edit to add - I wouldn’t use a “bridge” until I was able to get 15 sets in 30 min on the heavy day. That was kind of my sign I was ready to move on. Whenever I was still having to rest more than about two minutes between sets on the heavy day I just wasn’t ready to jump up in reps.
I’ve also tried cranking the volume - I got up to 60 singles in 30 min and 20-22 triples in 30 min - but I’ve only done that once and am not sure I’d recommend it. The singles day was a rep every 30s, and the triples day was about 1 min rest between.
Chris Mills
Level 6 Valued Member
I would say it depends on how “newbie” you are at presses when you start. If really new (or off for a long time), jumping to 1.0 is likely doable in one block. If you don’t have any low hanging fruit to pull, it could take several blocks of 3.0……but you can get a lot out of 3.0 by squeezing the rest periods.
FWIW, I would do 1.0 with an 8rm after 3.0. Just take LONG rests to start.
blad51
Level 8 Valued Member
This is where Strong! comes in. You will spend some significant time with your 5RM. I think the whole program is 29 weeks, if you do all 3 phases with the Slow & Steady option. (if I remember correctly.) At the end of Phase 2, Slow and Steady, the 2x24s were more than my 10RM and I started testing 28s.
Strong! is designed for your situation.
Last edited:
Bill Lets
Level 6 Valued Member
@kbgolf Don’t despair about using the 24’s.
My 24kg and 28kg press still fluctuate after running 3.0 What I found was that running 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 using 20’s gave more hypertrophy. Initial gains are exciting and encouraging but owning a weight will give you longer lasting strength.
I presently started going to a new gym and it’s like being in the land of the giants. I’m 6’ and 190. You know who the giants are? They are the guys that have paid their dues. Guys who have plodded year after year doing the work of progressive resistance. I’m just saying not everyone one wants size.
My 24kg and 28kg press still fluctuate after running 3.0 What I found was that running 1.0, 1.1 and 1.2 using 20’s gave more hypertrophy. Initial gains are exciting and encouraging but owning a weight will give you longer lasting strength.
I presently started going to a new gym and it’s like being in the land of the giants. I’m 6’ and 190. You know who the giants are? They are the guys that have paid their dues. Guys who have plodded year after year doing the work of progressive resistance. I’m just saying not everyone one wants size.
Halfakneecap
Level 6 Valued Member
Redo 3.0, you’re almost certain to get more out of it.
Also Strong, as recommended above could work very well for owning the current bells.
daft21
Level 1 Valued Member
Redo 3.0 as written or adding reps to the sets?
Halfakneecap
Level 6 Valued Member
If you redo it, you’ll more than likely get more sets in. Keep reps the same, it’ll be easier to get more sets in.