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Kettlebell Transitioning from 24 to 32 kilos in S&S

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Anders

Anders

Level 6 Valued Member
I am a 30 year old man, who has been active with strength training on and off since I was 15. I am 188 cm, or 6 feet and 2 inches. Not particularly strong.

I am currently doing the S&S program five times a week. I have been doing this for three months.

I have tried reaching the time goal with the 24 kilo kettlebell, that is I managed to swing 24 kilos 10*10 in fives minutes, and I managed to do 10 reps of TGU in ten minutes.

I have tested out TGU with 32 kilos and I am able to perform it two reps on each side.

My problem is the 32 kilo kettlebell swing. It is simply too heavy for me, and I loose balance and it simply feels too heavy. It is especially the grip that is difficult for me. I am currently using cotton gloves to protect my hands.

Is the solution just to continue with the 24 kilo kettlebell until I am strong enough to start with the 32 kilo kettlebell swing or should I invest in a 28 kilo kettlebell ?

Any experiences with this ?

All responses would be welcome.
 
Anders, Welcome to StrongFirst.

Try the 24 kg without gloves for a while.

Are your 10*10 24 kg swings with one hand or two?

-S-
 
It is kind of comforting reading this... it is actually the opposite for me: almost no problems two-hand swinging a 32kg KB, but doing some serious efforts to get that 24kg KB up on the TGU. Thus, I have currently gone back to the 16kg KB for my TGUs, incorporating a count-till-10 pause at each stage: on the way up as well as on the way down. Seems to be working, so far.

As per the swings, concentrating efforts on making them one-hand only. We'll see!
 
I am doing it one handed. Doing one left and then one right. Maybe I could try to do five right and then five left to train more of my grip strength since that seems to be a weakness ?

I got an epiphany. I normaly do the swing with a slight bend in the swing arm, but then I tried to stretch the arm out. The result of this slight adjustment was that the movement became much smoother. Maybe this will help me swinging the 32 kilo.

***

Glad I could cheer your up Mvorchard, but I have to admit that 32 kilo double handed swing has already been somewhat mastered. Actually I achieved that goal some month ago, because I thought that was the Simple goal for S & S, I have no problem doing a couple 10 reps and five sets with the 40 kilo either, but the problem seems to be to swing the kettlebell with one arm.

Thanks for the responses so far :)

***

I tried not using gloves, and I am getting some serious calluses. In the past these calluses have become so big that they broke and got water inside and all sorts of problems.
 
Anders,
Regarding your calluses; did you work on grinding them down with an emory board or one of those battery powered callus removers, then use a good hand salve? It really helps to keep them from getting too thick. I am constantly attending to my calluses (especially the ones that develop on the palm at the base of the fingers) and using Bert's Bees hand slave or Corn Huskers Lotion. I've never had a problem with my hands...so far.
 
I think Pavel Macek said he takes his trainees through the intermediate bells on the one arm swings (16-20-24-28-32) when doing S&S. He stays with the standard size jumps for the TGUs (16-24-32).
I can't remember which thread that's on, but I'm pretty sure it was him.
 
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I tried using gloves once when I had a torn callus - my 32 kg bell slipped right out of my hand and made a ding on the garage floor. Gloves add a very significant challenge to grip in my opinion - I am not surprised you are finding grip to be an issue. I would try and ditch the gloves - start with 24 to get your hands to toughen up a bit and keep the calluses ground down.
 
Generic advice (not from experience because I've only done up to 24kg one handed) - make sure you aren't crushing the grip, or anything close to crushing. Fishhook the grip. Strength is used to keep the hand in the correct shape, not to actively squeeze the bell.

I use Cornhuskers Lotion as recommended by Pavel in S&S and others on the forum when my hands feel dry after a session.
 
Good hand tips from all, above... My favorite "secret weapon" for keeping the calluses down is a round sanding disk, 120 grit. My husband gave me one as I was on my way to the SFG cert when I was looking for some sandpaper to bring witih me. Turns out that it's just the right amount of thickness and flexibility so that you can really use it to target any thickness on the hands. Then Gold Bond Healing Hand Cream after. I also use a pumice stone in the shower.

Regarding some of the other things you mentioned, Anders -- I'd definitely stick to the standard sets: 10 swings right... rest... 10 swings left... rest... 10 swings right, rest... etc. And yes, let the arm be straight, not bent... and shoulder packed. Pay close attention to your grip setup when you go to start the set, before you hike the bell back. Is the handle firmly held in your fingers, without your palm being part of the grip? That's what you're looking for. It's a good thing to practice when doing carries, too. And your thumb wraps around the opposite direction to assist. Use a little chalk, but not too much.

Continued practice makes the biggest difference. Earlier this year I had a hard time gripping the 32kg for 1H swings, and now it's not a problem.
 
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Anders said:
Glad I could cheer your up Mvorchard, but I have to admit that 32 kilo double handed swing has already been somewhat mastered. Actually I achieved that goal some month ago, because I thought that was the Simple goal for S & S, I have no problem doing a couple 10 reps and five sets with the 40 kilo either, but the problem seems to be to swing the kettlebell with one arm.
Click to expand...

And I was so happy... :confused: :( :(... :D

I guess I'm correct in stepping back a bit, and concentrating my efforts in making the swing one-hand only. I kind of (completely) overlooked that part of the book, as I thought it was optional :D :D :D. Don't kill me, please.


Cheers!

MO
 
I had a similar issue, the 32kg was just heavy and hardest on my grip. I ended up doing two sets of 5/5 (really 5L/5R, then another 5L/5R) in place of one of the sets of 10 (really 10L/10R). Within a session or two, I bumped it to two sets of 7/7 in place of one of the sets of 10 (didn't matter that I really did 14 reps instead of 10). After a few sessions of that, I was able to do one set of 10 (10L/10R), per standard S&S protocol.

After a couple of sessions of that, I was able to add another full set of 10 (10L/10R). From there on, I just progressed as prescribed in S&S.

Regarding the grip issue, I would probably say to lose the gloves. I would think they would definitely make gripping the kettlebell more difficult. In addition, I would say to add some chalk. I had never used chalk before, and finally got some and it helps a lot - and it doesn't take much to make a difference.

Also, I want to agree with what Anna says about gripping in your fingers without part of your palm involved. I posted something similar a while back and am copying here:

Try not to pinch the callouses with the handle. This can be difficult because doing so helps your grip last a little longer, but as you found out, it can also tear up your hands. It uses the "meat" of the callouses to help your grip. Again, that's not what you want.

So, your line of callouses runs at the base of the fingers. Position the handle so it lies on the finger side of the callous line, not on the palm side. This puts the handle in the hook of the fingers.

When you put the handle on the palm side, it pinches the "meat" of the callouses and makes a tear more likely.

I hope this makes sense in text. It will make more sense if you get a kettlebell and follow along.​

Hope that helps,
Jason
 
Anders, here's what I did when going from a 55 lb. to the 32K:

Swings: 55/10, 32/10, 55/10, 55/10, 55/10 and added sets with the 32K as I became able. Once I was comfortable to do 10x10 with the 32 I began a rotation that even included one day per week with a 45 lb. It looked like this for 5 days per week 55, 32K, 55, 45, 55.
The grip will come along. I've yet to find an exercise that builds the grip like swings.

TGU's: Pretty much the same thing. 55/2, 32/2, 55/6 working up the sets of the 32K and when I could get 10 with the 32 went to what I described above. Then just begin adding days with the 32.

One thing I did wrong was to push to hard always trying to use the time limits without giving myself rest between sets. Use the talk test between sets and only push for the timed sets once every week or two.

Take care of your hands, don't be afraid to up the volume on your sets of swings with the 24 to 150 to 250 swings per session either. That will build up your hands.

I'm not a trainer, but I had lots of help from some guy named Al.
 
Hi Anders:

You've already had some great advice on this thread. I had exactly your problem, so I'll chime in, too.

-I agree that gloves are probably making your grip harder to maintain, and that really affects your swing form. I found a little chalk very helpful with confidence in my grip, without being too hard on my hands, which are naturally very dry and prone to cracking.
-For callouses, I had an odd solution from my ROP attempts: duct tape. Tear a strip in half , and lay it over your sore spots. That gives you a little slide over these parts, but still allows the rest of your hand to condition. I did this with light chalk successfully, too.
-It also helps to 'sand' down callouses lightly in the shower every day or so. Look for pumice or metal cheese grater like items in the skin care section of the grocery or pharmacy.

-What helped me the most was making a 'semi 28k' by strapping an 8-lb weight to the bottom of the 24. I just couldn't manage the 32 with proper grip and explosive hard style form, after owning the 24k . However, going through the entire cycle, - aka 'owning' the 'semi 28k' for 10x10 one handed, in under 5 minutes, without undue effort -- really set me up to work in the 32k. It took longer, but I think I was better overall for it.

Good luck to you.
 
Thank you for all the good replies. I think I will try using the 24 for some more weeks, and then gradually transition to more and more sets with the 32.
 
How had this gone, @Anders??

I'm doing 1H swings @ 24kg almost comfortably, and moving up in the getup from 16 to 24kg.

My dilemma is as follows: I'm able to do the 24kg TGU, but I'm far from owning this kettlebell. Whereas in the case of the swing, I feel I should move to the 32kg kettlebell already. Should I concentrate in actually owning the 24kg TGU, before moving up on the swing? Or I should keep progressing on the latter, independent on where am I on the TGU at?? Will the TGU benefit from the tougher swing? Or the more tired I will be, it's going to make the TGU more difficult to be done?

Your input will be much appreciated.


Cheers!

MO
 
MarkSch said:
-What helped me the most was making a 'semi 28k' by strapping an 8-lb weight to the bottom of the 24. I just couldn't manage the 32 with proper grip and explosive hard style form, after owning the 24k . However, going through the entire cycle, - aka 'owning' the 'semi 28k' for 10x10 one handed, in under 5 minutes, without undue effort -- really set me up to work in the 32k. It took longer, but I think I was better overall for it.
Click to expand...

I'm just wondering what you used to strap the 8 lb weight on the bottom of the 24 kg bell? I'm using my gym's bells and I'm pretty sure they don't want me using duct tape to stick the weight on. Plus I would be afraid the weights would come flying out or something.
 
@dnguyen411

Well, these are my personal kettlebells, so I just have to worry about damaging myself or my basement. ;)

At first, I tried some straps formerly used to attach my kayaks to a rack on a car roof. This was OK, but hard to set up and get tight.

Nowadays, for ROP, I am using a combined method:

-Tough camping cord threaded through the hole in the plate, and tied off around each horn of the bell. Use two cords--it's hard to keep one tight enough when going from horn to horn. I don't want a plate flying off during swings, and it's unlikely two cords will give way at once.
-Duct tape between the horns and passing around the entire bell a few times. This keeps the plate nice and steady, since the cords have a little give in them.

I'm happy with the result. I'll try to remember to post a picture.
 
MarkSch said:
@MattM

I never thought of that, but it's a great idea.
Click to expand...
Been a godsend for me. The hd ones are rated at 175lb each, use 2 and its not going anywhere.

I also use them attach my elite fts grenade balls to my doorway pullup bar. I weigh almost 250 and I've never thought they were about to break.

I also use them for farmers walks. Attach a 26kg to a 40kg.
 
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