Kettlebell "Giant 1.0"

[Geoff Neupert]

Began the program at 6’4” 275lbs, shoulder surgery year prior. Began phase 1 using a 24kg for strength portions of workouts and had to use it for metabolic section because I was sucking wind. The finishers I had to do swings as able because of work/rest intervals. Phase 2 I took longer rests and used a 32kg for strength (3x3 each arm on TGU, and 4-7 sets of 3 on C&P) but still had to use a 24 for the reps/Metabolic. Grip got stronger and was doing sets of 10-15 for 10 minutes as finisher.
Phase three snatching 32 and SLDL ladders in strength. 32 for metabolic and sets of 10-15 as finisher. I started eating more protein to recover more in phase 4 and weight loss stalled. I didn’t follow the nutrition advice (wish I had). I have the last week or so and have much more energy. On last week of phase 4, kind of sad because it changed my life.
I’m 235 now and have 4 abs sticking out of the top, and veins in my hands forearm I haven’t seen in a long time.
I haven’t tested a deadlift, snatch or pull up but carrying timber’s on a job sight or playing outside w kids is a LOT easier. My wife is pays me more attention also.
Very, good program.

@John Rhodes - FANTASTIC WORK! ? ? ?

 

[dwjohnson]

Can anyone recommend a diet/nutrition thread in the forum? Specifically I’m trying to decide if I should eat heavy and build the muscle to burn the fat or just try to cut cal to lose the fat first. Currently at about 18% BF and don’t want to get much higher. Training wise I plan to continue with DFW and then repeat 3.0 or start 1.0.

 

[Dayz]

Can anyone recommend a diet/nutrition thread in the forum? Specifically I’m trying to decide if I should eat heavy and build the muscle to burn the fat or just try to cut cal to lose the fat first. Currently at about 18% BF and don’t want to get much higher. Training wise I plan to continue with DFW and then repeat 3.0 or start 1.0.

I think at that percentage definitely cut. Your body does a better job gaining muscle when you are leaner anyway. Follow DFW or the Giant and aim to slowly lose bodyweight. With that training stimulus + correct nutrition you should lose primarily fat and maintain your existing muscle. Then when ready reverse the process and slowly gain.

 

[Dan S]

Believe 18 sets of 4,5 or 6 reps are a lot, are you using your truly 10 Rep Max??

Yeah. With the 20kg I can only get a solid 8… I could probably force 9 or 10 but it would be ugly….I try to follow Pavels thing about not missing a rep…I got 16 sets on my 6 rep day and we will see how many I get tomorrow. I am in decent shape, pressing is just not something I have ever really done regularly… I relied on swings, getups, and goblet squats for the majority of my kettlebell work over the last 4 years… I am just now starting to experiment with double kettlebells..

 

[Chris Mills]

Yeah. With the 20kg I can only get a solid 8… I could probably force 9 or 10 but it would be ugly….I try to follow Pavels thing about not missing a rep…I got 16 sets on my 6 rep day and we will see how many I get tomorrow. I am in decent shape, pressing is just not something I have ever really done regularly… I relied on swings, getups, and goblet squats for the majority of my kettlebell work over the last 4 years… I am just now starting to experiment with double kettlebells..

I was going to make the same comment @Eyetic did a few days back. To that end, I’d go with the 20s and just take longer rests. I suspect you will get more out of the program using an 8rm than a weight you can do 18 sets of 6 with right out of the gate.

 

[John Grahill]

I was going to make the same comment @Eyetic did a few days back. To that end, I’d go with the 20s and just take longer rests. I suspect you will get more out of the program using an 8rm than a weight you can do 18 sets of 6 with right out of the gate.

I agree with @Reardon55 and I might add trying a bout of the 3.0 and if it's been run already try another round of it and make the 20s a 10RM.

 

[John Grahill]

Hey SFG’s,
I am wrapping up KB Burn 2.0’s 16 week routine and have a week of no lifting after. I have been snatching, TGU, pressing/squatting w a 32 and doing construction work. I bought The Giant and was looking at doing 1.0-2.0 for the next few months and focusing on hypertrophy. I have a set of 24’s and a set of 32s and a single 40kg.
Everyone adapts at a different rate depending on sleep, food, age training history etc. I have a teething baby girl and a two year old tornado son and liked the idea of a 20-30 minute punch the clock and train routine for busy times. I walk the dog, or play outside with my older son and 2 year old to stay loose.
1). Any recovery strategies for a lot of rack holds and overhead work?
2) would I outgrow the 24s after 12-16 weeks assuming I recover/get ideal sleep?
3) anyone have warm ups they like for The Giant?

John, from my experience with the Giant:

best recovery I found was just walking, sometimes on training days, sometimes off days.

Outgrowing the 24s....well look at it this way. You may outgrow them or you may down the road look to try the same program, with the same set of bells with better form......rejuvenates the "used" bells if you know what I mean so I guess you never outgrow any bells.

My Giant warm up was usually a few minutes or so of lighter c+p's....for example 2/24s for 5, 2/28s for 3 and 2/32s for 2 then hit the 36s for the work sets for 30 minutes.

 

[jhpowers]

I'm doing Giant 3.0 with 24kg right now.

In terms of warm up....

Standing downward dog with diaphragmatic breathing as described in the C & J section of KB Strong then

3 quick rounds of

(1) windshield wipers
(2) arm bars
(3) Dead bugs
(4) OS nods and rocking
(5) Light halos
(6) Light goblet squat
(7) C& P with lighter bells building up to my work out weight (e.g. 16 kg x5/20kg x 3/24kg x 1)

My warm up is getting longer than my workout, but if I do less than this I end up with knee/shoulder/neck issues...getting old, ya know.

 

[Dan S]

I agree with @Reardon55 and I might add trying a bout of the 3.0 and if it's been run already try another round of it and make the 20s a 10RM.

Ok. I just got the program the other day…I just started with 1.0.. I will do the 20s tomorrow and see how it goes.
Thanks for your input.

 

[Stefan Olsson]

AWESOME WORK!

Wolf heavy day weeks 3 and 6 are NASTY!!!

I love that you always bring that dread up in every forum you are active in! ? Have not done the Wolf yet, but perhaps I should!?

 

[Dan S]

I agree with @Reardon55 and I might add trying a bout of the 3.0 and if it's been run already try another round of it and make the 20s a 10RM.

Ok John, @Eyetic @Reardon55 I did day 3 of the Giant Today with 20kg bells, It was only the 4 rep day. I got 16 sets in 30 minutes. It was much harder though, I guess as to be expected. I will see how it goes on Monday when I start over with 5 reps again.

 

[Cearball]

I'm currently running giant 3.0 with two X 24's.

Started it with a 20+24kg which was an 8RM but was gifted a 24KG bell.

Finished the giant 3 & am having a week off with a RM test in it.

Imagine I will need to run the giant 3.0 a few more times until it's a 10RM

Switched from 20+24kg bells to the double 24kg about halfway through the giant 3.

Tested my RM today & got 5 reps.

I will run the giant 3 again & see what my results are.

 

[ThinkFast]

Just finished week 3 of the Giant 1.0. I'm really pretty stoked about this program. I did the 2.0 first as I felt a "break in period" with higher reps than I was used to would be a good idea and the ladders made it a bit more tolerable.

Geoff Neupert advised me that although that idea of using the 2.0 first using ladders was certainly doable, I'd probably be shocked at the difficulty of straight sets.....he was dead right! Straight sets in a density type plan just plain suck! To give an idea, today was day three of week three. On day three of week one I got 50 total reps in 30:00. Today I got 80 reps! In addition, my heart rate today actually stayed lower than it did a couple of weeks ago doing much less volume! I gotta say I'm my mind that's great progress!

Next week is the final week of 1.0 and I'm going to do a deload of sorts, just going for 20 minutes rather than 30.

This program (s) rocks!

EDIT: See also this thread about the Giant program: Geoff Neupert "THE GIANT" ??

That's really cool. I'm starting this program on Monday.

 

[John Grahill]

@ThinkFast welcome to the madness! You will like the results I'm sure.

 

[Dayz]

Thoughts during Week 1 of 1.0, after running 3.0.

"I've done one set of 4 and one set of 8 with this weight in my entire life. All of my other sets in my life were 1s, 2s, 3s...... now I'm doing 30 minutes of sets of 6 this is insane ?"

 

[barrak]

Thoughts during Week 1 of 1.0, after running 3.0.

"I've done one set of 4 and one set of 8 with this weight in my entire life. All of my other sets in my life were 1s, 2s, 3s...... now I'm doing 30 minutes of sets of 6 this is insane ?"

After concluding three consecutive ROP cycles a couple of years ago, I was only able to press a pair of 16s for 3 reps. I also felt like a wreck at that point and needed a long break from pressing.

After 12 weeks with The Giant, I'm now halfway through 1.1 with the same weight and can press a pair of 20s for 3 reps. (Late last year I injured my shoulder to the point that I had to lift my right arm with the other just so I could brush my teeth.)

I've also been feeling so energized during my Giant journey that last month I started a structured running program from scratch. Last time I did any serious running Reagan was still in the White House!

 

[Cearball]

After concluding three consecutive ROP cycles a couple of years ago, I was only able to press a pair of 16s for 3 reps. I also felt like a wreck at that point and needed a long break from pressing.

After 12 weeks with The Giant, I'm now halfway through 1.1 with the same weight and can press a pair of 20s for 3 reps. (Late last year I injured my shoulder to the point that I had to lift my right arm with the other just so I could brush my teeth.)

I've also been feeling so energized during my Giant journey that last month I started a structured running program from scratch. Last time I did any serious running Reagan was still in the White House!

I didn't actually find ROP that great for my pressing strength TBH.

It worked my conditioning/endurance more.
I did find it good for stripping fat & I would consider recommending it for that purpose.

Pressing strength I would recommend the giant.

 

[North]

I didn't actually find ROP that great for my pressing strength TBH.

It worked my conditioning/endurance more.
I did find it good for stripping fat & I would consider recommending it for that purpose.

Pressing strength I would recommend the giant.

I had the same experience. I did the ROP with a 24 and at the end couldn’t press the 32 (a bit disappointed).

I did the Giant with double 20s and could press the 32 with my right (stronger) arm. The ROP took me ~16 weeks given a deload week / S&S week here and there because life happens. ROP was hard to continue given how long the hard days were at the end*.

The Giant 1.0-1.2 series took me 14 weeks (I did a deload week of S&S between series) and the sessions fit my schedule. I improved.

There are numerous factors which I’m sure play a role in response (age/injury, technique — mine has improved since ROP, recovery/life fatigue).

*caveats to above: I stopped doing the snatches about half way through the ROP. Hence, I didn’t do the ROP program as written. Also, I practiced jerks and snatches during the Giant (not pushing it, just an easy practice to lean the movement) — jerks are new to me and I’d like to try the BJJ program so figured I ought to learn them.

 

[Cearball]

I had the same experience. I did the ROP with a 24 and at the end couldn’t press the 32 (a bit disappointed).

I did the Giant with double 20s and could press the 32 with my right (stronger) arm. The ROP took me ~16 weeks given a deload week / S&S week here and there because life happens. ROP was hard to continue given how long the hard days were at the end*.

The Giant 1.0-1.2 series took me 14 weeks (I did a deload week of S&S between series) and the sessions fit my schedule. I improved.

There are numerous factors which I’m sure play a role in response (age/injury, technique — mine has improved since ROP, recovery/life fatigue).

*caveats to above: I stopped doing the snatches about half way through the ROP. Hence, I didn’t do the ROP program as written. Also, I practiced jerks and snatches during the Giant (not pushing it, just an easy practice to lean the movement) — jerks are new to me and I’d like to try the BJJ program so figured I ought to learn them.

Did you do the pull ups aswell?

Maybe it's simply a case of too many extras....

I think the double C&P is working better for me ATM as my lazy right side (core) is forced to contribute more equally & I can't bias to my stronger side as much

 

[North]

Did you do the pull ups aswell?

Maybe it's simply a case of too many extras....

I think the double C&P is working better for me ATM as my lazy right side (core) is forced to contribute more equally & I can't bias to my stronger side as much

Yes, I did the pull ups in ROP, but dropped from the ladder to sets of two on hard days toward the end.