KIWI5
Level 4 Valued Member
And the winner is.....my home made T handle loaded with standard plates. I should note- I am referencing 2 handed swings, the kettlebell obviously wins for one handed swings.
During rehab for double tennis elbows, my physio reminded me that the power in my grip should come primarily from my pinkie and ring finger. Great advice that played a big part in recovering from tennis elbow. After spending over a year practising my swings (2 handed) I looked at my hand placement on the cast iron bells- both my pinkie and ring finger end up on the curved section of the bell in a cramped and less than optimal position for creating a powerful grip. In fact, it is a hugely inefficient grip that really makes itself felt when swinging 24kg bells and up. So I put together a t Handle and with 5x5kg standard weights clamped on (weighing 26.2kg total on my digital scales) I started training the new style . WOW. The T Handle is awesome for 2 handed swinging. Being able to use all the power in my hands on the straight handles of the T Handle, without the compromised position on the kettlebell made for the best session of swinging so far. I have a wider stance, a bit wider than when I'm practising double kettlebell movements, but this is a game changer. I can fit a total of 9x5kg plates on, so well over half my 81kg body weight. Perfect timing, I am just starting a deload from barbell training so I've got all week to pattern the new technique. My first set of swings was actually with 6x5 plates and I knew immediately that the T Handle was superior to the kettlebell for two handed swings- I call my T Handle the "Monster Maker"- I am going to go from being relatively "jacked" to......"Jacked AF". So the program will now be 2 days Wendler 5/3/1 , 2 days mobility/level 1 cardio and 2 days of modified S&S with TGUs practised first. All swings done with the "Monster Maker". Heck, I might even bring out a classic set play from Tactical Barbell and deploy swings as a finisher on 5/3/1 days.....
During rehab for double tennis elbows, my physio reminded me that the power in my grip should come primarily from my pinkie and ring finger. Great advice that played a big part in recovering from tennis elbow. After spending over a year practising my swings (2 handed) I looked at my hand placement on the cast iron bells- both my pinkie and ring finger end up on the curved section of the bell in a cramped and less than optimal position for creating a powerful grip. In fact, it is a hugely inefficient grip that really makes itself felt when swinging 24kg bells and up. So I put together a t Handle and with 5x5kg standard weights clamped on (weighing 26.2kg total on my digital scales) I started training the new style . WOW. The T Handle is awesome for 2 handed swinging. Being able to use all the power in my hands on the straight handles of the T Handle, without the compromised position on the kettlebell made for the best session of swinging so far. I have a wider stance, a bit wider than when I'm practising double kettlebell movements, but this is a game changer. I can fit a total of 9x5kg plates on, so well over half my 81kg body weight. Perfect timing, I am just starting a deload from barbell training so I've got all week to pattern the new technique. My first set of swings was actually with 6x5 plates and I knew immediately that the T Handle was superior to the kettlebell for two handed swings- I call my T Handle the "Monster Maker"- I am going to go from being relatively "jacked" to......"Jacked AF". So the program will now be 2 days Wendler 5/3/1 , 2 days mobility/level 1 cardio and 2 days of modified S&S with TGUs practised first. All swings done with the "Monster Maker". Heck, I might even bring out a classic set play from Tactical Barbell and deploy swings as a finisher on 5/3/1 days.....