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Kettlebell Soju & Tuba

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NormanOsborn

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Has anyone run a six week cycle of this program? If you have, what were your results in terms of strength and hypertrophy?

Thanks.
 
I’m 4 weeks in (just finished 8 sets of 2) with the 24kg kb. Haven’t really paid attention to hypertrophy, but I’m noticing it going up easier and easier each day, despite the additional reps (almost) every session. My pressing groove also seems to be getting better with each practice session, too.

I’ve got a 28kg kettlebell coming this week, so I can update (if you’re interested) once I finish the cycle with my RM on both the 28 and the 24 (for reference, never pressed 28, and my RM with the 24 was 4 on the right, 3 on the left when I started S&T).
 
I did a few months ago. Went from a single rep with the 32kg before S&T on either side to 2 reps on the left side and 3 reps on the right side (my stronger side.) No real hypertrophy. Those gains may not seem earth shattering, but I've been pressing kettlebells for a while. In fact, I did a program since then that resulted in a loss of strength. If you take that into consideration, adding a few reps to the 32kg is good progress.
 
I did a few months ago. Went from a single rep with the 32kg before S&T on either side to 2 reps on the left side and 3 reps on the right side (my stronger side.) No real hypertrophy. Those gains may not seem earth shattering, but I've been pressing kettlebells for a while. In fact, I did a program since then that resulted in a loss of strength. If you take that into consideration, adding a few reps to the 32kg is good progress.

What was the program that resulted in a loss of strength?
 
What was the program that resulted in a loss of strength?

Didn't work for me. Not sure why but it seemed very easy both in terms of volume and intensity - so I wasn't surprised when I didn't make gains. So either I got my percentages wrong, or I respond better to more volume or higher intensity.
 
Didn't work for me. Not sure why but it seemed very easy both in terms of volume and intensity - so I wasn't surprised when I didn't make gains. So either I got my percentages wrong, or I respond better to more volume or higher intensity.

Same here, got disappointing results when I ran the press program. I think the volume was way too low for me. I would have been better off with ladders and such.

Edit to clarify that my comment is in reference to the Science-Based Plan in this quoted article, not the Soju & Tuba Plan.
 
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I’m running S&T right now with 20 kg. Tomorrow I start week 3. I started the program with maxes of 2L and 1R with 24 kg. And I think the second rep on the left was ugly, if I remember correctly. Let me circle back to you in a month.
 
I did S&T last year with a single 40kg kb as a 2 rep max and ended up with 6 reps each arm. Great program! I can't remember about any hypertrophy, but I was very happy with the strength progression!
Currently I'm working on the 48kg (multiple sets of 1) until I can do sets of 2 or 3, so I can start a new S&T cycle with that weight.
 
Hello,

S&T worked relatively well for me. I went from 24 to 28 on both side. However, comparing to RoP for instance, it would be considered as a small increase.

Usually, presses require more reps to progress: 50-100 reps a week based on this article The Best Press Exercise | StrongFirst

If I had to do it again, I would use ladders of 2 or 3 instead of the regular repetitions, but I would keep the same number of sets. That way I'd get more volume, but it would still follow a wave.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
Hello,

S&T worked relatively well for me. I went from 24 to 28 on both side. However, comparing to RoP for instance, it would be considered as a small increase.

Usually, presses require more reps to progress: 50-100 reps a week based on this article
The Best Press Exercise | StrongFirst

If I had to do it again, I would use ladders of 2 or 3 instead of the regular repetitions, but I would keep the same number of sets. That way I'd get more volume, but it would still follow a wave.

Kind regards,

Pet'

Is that the same for all types of Presses? For example does the Push-Press require as much volume to progress on as the Military?
 
Hello,

I tend to think that the push-press could be a slightly higher volume because you use some sort of "impulse", which makes the press per se easier. This is not "cheating", this is another move. Often, it is used as a way to break a plateau, to transition from a bell to the next one.

Kind regards,

Pet'
 
I really liked S&T, I started it with 32kg and did a couple of the sessions with 36kg, but 32kg was my workhorse. I was able to press a 40kg bell easily with my left, and was able to grind one out on the right with 40kg as well. That being said, my single presses of 36kg were easy-peasy. Small gains on a percentage basis with the press make things much more difficult. As far as hypertrophy goes, I think that depends a lot more on what you're eating and how much you are squatting and swinging to put some meat on the chassis. S&T strikes me as more of a "finishing program" with the emphasis on lower rep sets. It does force you to really "lock in" when pressing.
 
Hello,

S&T worked relatively well for me. I went from 24 to 28 on both side. However, comparing to RoP for instance, it would be considered as a small increase.

Usually, presses require more reps to progress: 50-100 reps a week based on this article The Best Press Exercise | StrongFirst

If I had to do it again, I would use ladders of 2 or 3 instead of the regular repetitions, but I would keep the same number of sets. That way I'd get more volume, but it would still follow a wave.

Kind regards,

Pet'

You might, then, be interested in this rung-a-day ladder:

Chinese Food for Rapid Pressing Gains | StrongFirst
 
hello,

I was reading the S&T protocol and I am not sure to understand the number of sets.

For Day 1, for exemple is it :

A - 4 sets of 1, R/L 2 times (4 reps)
B - 4 sets of 1, R/L 4 times (8 reps)

Thx.
 
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hello,

I was reading the S&T protocol and I am not sure to understand the number of sets.

For Day 1, for exemple is it :

A - 4 sets of 1, R/L 2 times (4 reps)
B - 4 sets of 1, R/L 4 times (8 reps)

Thx.

I believe the first day of S&T is 4 sets of 1 rep, both sides. So eight reps in total.
 
I ran it with 24 kg and went from a 1-rep max on each side to a 5-rep max. I did it as a grease the groove program where I’d do sets periodically throughout the day. I did not notice any hypertrophy, which is not surprising as that isn’t really the point of the program. I looked at it more as a way to increase my pressing reps with the 24 kg bell to a range where I could use that bell in some other program like the Rite of Passage—Rite of Passage with the 24 kg pre-S&T would have been too heavy, but post-S&T it was just about right.
 
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