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Kettlebell "Giant 1.0"

Embarking on Week 2 of 3.0 and it's already becoming a favorite of mine. Running 3.0 with 24kg's and I can feel myself getting stronger. I tested myself before and I was able to get 6 strict presses with the 24's with the last rep being pretty grindy. So I'm looking forward to seeing where I'm at after this.

I got a little ambitious on Day 1 of Week 1 and went with 30 mins. That was a mistake because the next day it felt like my lats were smashed by a meat tenderizer. Decided to run Day 1 and 2's at 20 minutes and Day 3's at 30.
 
The Giant always delivers.

Just completed a round of Giant 3.0 which was my first run through of any sort of cycle or program with 2x24kg bells though I've previously done the Giant 1.0 and Easy Muscle A with 2x16kg bells.

My goals were two fold with this really:

1. Complete the step up to 2x24kg bells, as in increase my strength enough to go beyond just singles or shaky doubles.

2. I'm trying to drop some body fat ahead of the Summer.

As mentioned I couldn't do a lot with these bells so I structured the pressing part of my days as below cleaning every rep as usual:

3 reps - 3 push presses
1 rep - strict press
2 reps - 1 push press and 1 strict press

I did 20 minute sessions and followed about half the sessions with 3 x 5-6 rows mostly because I enjoy the exercise.

Rep counts progressed as below:

W1 - 15, 9, 12 = 36 reps (15 strict)
W2 - 18, 11, 14 = 43 reps (18 strict)
W3 - 21, 12, 20 = 53 reps (22 strict)
W4 - 24, 15, 20 = 59 reps (25 strict)

My rep max before starting was a shaky 3 that had the tank empty after. Tested my new rep max today and got a solid 5.

Also dropped from 187lbs to 181lbs whilst my wife commented that my shoulders/back/ traps were looking significantly improved.

Worth me noting I had to pause and missed a week's training due to a bout of covid though I picked up where I left off in the last week pretty seamlessly so although it didnt help it didnt derail anything.

I'm pretty over the moon with these results. The bells (especially during the cleans) feel so much lighter and I suspect my core strength is up significantly. Thanks again Geoff for writing a superb program. I would suggest anyone looking to go from 2x16kg to 2x24kg could adopt this approach and even more so if eating in a surplus unlike me they'd get great results.

My plan next is to re-run 3.0 but with all clean and strict press, no push pressing and see how soon I can get onto 1.0.
Just as a courtesy to Geoff maybe leave the exact reps and days out even though most of us on this thread have purchased the program.
 
Just as a courtesy to Geoff maybe leave the exact reps and days out even though most of us on this thread have purchased the program.
Fair enough. Unfortunately I don't have an edit function but if a mod wants to remove the specifics they can feel free please.
 
Hi all,

Probably stupid question here and maybe even already addressed. I have a hard time with moderation in my life and know that auto-regulation could potentially become a problem for me. E.g. I would constantly seek to improve each week and do more than the previous week or else feel like a failure or cheating or anything like that. Does anyone else experience this? How do y'all handle auto regulation? As I said previously, maybe a simple question, but I'm looking for input from the collective wisdom.
 
When doing my first run of the Giant I tried hard and made sure that I do more reps than the previous workout. I ended up quite beat up in a short amount of time. I don't think I even finished the four weeks of Giant 3.0. After reading through this thread again I made sure that I rested more mindfully and accepted that the same work in a shorter amount of time is an improvement. Also, I returned to the Giant doing 20 min practice the 1st week, 25 min practice the 2nd week, 30 min practice the 3rd week, and 25 min pushing myself the 4th week.
Basically, read all of his posts and do as @John Grahill does!
 
Hi all,

Probably stupid question here and maybe even already addressed. I have a hard time with moderation in my life and know that auto-regulation could potentially become a problem for me. E.g. I would constantly seek to improve each week and do more than the previous week or else feel like a failure or cheating or anything like that. Does anyone else experience this? How do y'all handle auto regulation? As I said previously, maybe a simple question, but I'm looking for input from the collective wisdom.
It’ll sort itself out, eventually you’ll overshoot your ability and crash like Icarus in a workout. I have a similar personality and that’s how I learned.
 
Hi all,

Probably stupid question here and maybe even already addressed. I have a hard time with moderation in my life and know that auto-regulation could potentially become a problem for me. E.g. I would constantly seek to improve each week and do more than the previous week or else feel like a failure or cheating or anything like that. Does anyone else experience this? How do y'all handle auto regulation? As I said previously, maybe a simple question, but I'm looking for input from the collective wisdom.
I have that problem, and honestly don’t have a good track record with autoregulation. I find myself leaning towards programs that are more defined, like Reload, where every rep and set is laid out for 8 weeks.

Where some people struggle in that type of program is that the daily time to complete your practice varies, so if you’re constrained on time it’s something to consider. For my personality it seems to get better results with less overdoing it.
 
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My first run through the Giant, I took note of the amounts of sets on the first H M and L day, and then worked out how long each set took me (duration÷sets), and then tried to fit in one more set each session by decreasing the time per set.

It worked for the first run through as my technique improved quite a bit (first c+p program), but running thru Giant X1 after that I started getting some shoulder niggles from rushing into sets that I wasn't ready for. The last 4 weeks of X1 I would set a 30min timer on my phone, then turn it over so I couldn't see the time. I saw somewhere someone (might have been Geoff himself) recommend not starting the next set until you could do 5 or so nasal belly breaths (talk test). I started to do this and found I started progressing again after easing off for a week or 2.

I've also heard of people not counting sets in the Giant, and just trusting the process, doing a test day at the start and at the end.

Auto regulation is definitely a skill you need to learn, and overcoming the need to push every time is a challenge as well.

I tell myself that it isn't going to make a difference if I managed to get one more set in 6 months time, but if I destroy myself trying to get it then I go backwards.
 
I tell myself that it isn't going to make a difference if I managed to get one more set in 6 months time, but if I destroy myself trying to get it then I go backwards.

I agree 100% with what you wrote.

The way I phrase this idea for myself is "How does pushing myself to do another set before I am fully recovered help me accomplish my goals?"
 
Don’t count sets and set a timer to go off after 20-30 mins and turn it face down during the session. You can probably feel progress by sets feeling easier, but only see your progress by doing an RM test afterwards.

Has anyone here done this?

I started incorporating into my Giant sessions but I waited too long and was fighting a losing battle against a shoulder niggle too.
 
When doing my first run of the Giant I tried hard and made sure that I do more reps than the previous workout. I ended up quite beat up in a short amount of time. I don't think I even finished the four weeks of Giant 3.0. After reading through this thread again I made sure that I rested more mindfully and accepted that the same work in a shorter amount of time is an improvement. Also, I returned to the Giant doing 20 min practice the 1st week, 25 min practice the 2nd week, 30 min practice the 3rd week, and 25 min pushing myself the 4th week.
Basically, read all of his posts and do as @John Grahill does!
Same here I have run the Giant before and injured myself but since then I have run multiple versions of it successfully. I have been more conservative in the first week in the number of sets and focus on good form. Every week I try to increase by one set only. I switch to a different program after four weeks.
 
Unfortunately I don't have an edit function
I believe you do but if it's not working for you, send me a PM with specifics - a link to the exact post #, and exactly what you'd like changed and I'll take care of it for you.

-S-
 
King-Sized Killer was my first run into the auto-regulation style. The first couple weeks I was definitely trying to hard to get in more reps/sets. After reading through here and some of Geoff's notes on auto-regulation I realized I had the wrong approach. Now I take each session at a time and try to get more quality reps in. If I get more than the last week I get more, if not no big deal I just continue on. After running KSK for 9 weeks and having great success with that I'm sold on auto-regulation.

Taking those learnings from KSK/auto I'm able to make sure I'm getting good quality reps and ending the session if I feel like I'm too gassed. One thing about the giant that has me a slightly confused because Geoff's mentions "20 or 30 minutes" for each session length. I'm definitely overthinking this, but I sometimes questions if/when to jump up to 30 minutes. I'm on week 3 of 3.0 right now and have been running the heavy and medium days at 20 then jumping up to 25 minutes. The light days I've been keeping consistent at 30 minutes. I'm thinking on Week 4 I'll jump to 30 minutes across the board and see what results I get from my RM test after.
 
Hi all,

Probably stupid question here and maybe even already addressed. I have a hard time with moderation in my life and know that auto-regulation could potentially become a problem for me. E.g. I would constantly seek to improve each week and do more than the previous week or else feel like a failure or cheating or anything like that. Does anyone else experience this? How do y'all handle auto regulation? As I said previously, maybe a simple question, but I'm looking for input from the collective wisdom.
I have been simply doing the workouts and not recording numbers or writing down sets. etc. It's been beneficial I think in not pushing myself too far trying to beat my last weeks effort et. I know if I show up and give it a good effort, over time my work capacity will increase and the program will work it's magic. Seeing great results already, just started Giant 1.1. Now the only challenge is staying consistent!
 
I believe you do but if it's not working for you, send me a PM with specifics - a link to the exact post #, and exactly what you'd like changed and I'll take care of it for you.

-S-
I can assure you I don't have an edit function on that post. I have it on all the ones since so I know where it is, but it is not present on that one.

It's post 2471 in this thread, if you can do me a favour and just delete it and anywhere it's been quoted that would be appreciated. Thanks Steve.
 
I can assure you I don't have an edit function on that post. I have it on all the ones since so I know where it is, but it is not present on that one.
I think there is some sort of time limit on editing posts, not 100% sure why.

It's post 2471 in this thread, if you can do me a favour and just delete it and anywhere it's been quoted that would be appreciated. Thanks Steve.

I will have a look later this evening or tomorrow AM. (Don't hesitate to remind me if it's still there 24 hours from now.)

-S-
 
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