A bigger bell?

[Flianbrian]

I've been doing Simple and Sinister for about five weeks now. I started with 40 pounds for the swings and moved up to 53 pounds as soon as the 53-pounder arrived in the mail.

At 53 pounds, the swings seem somewhat casual. I usually finish them in seven minutes, easily passing the talk test. I've started to experiment with doing sets of 20 instead of 10.

Should I get a heavier kettlebell, rest less, do sets of 20 or more? Or is it okay to be only slightly challenged in the swings?

For the get-ups, I started at 20, worked my way up to 25, and am experimenting with 30. That seems like a pretty good challenge. I don't need iron crashing through my skull.

 

[John K]

Should I get a heavier kettlebell, rest less, do sets of 20 or more? Or is it okay to be only slightly challenged in the swings?

All are good ideas. Are you doing them all single handed or double handed? Do you have “extra” money to buy another bell? Do you want to keep pushing “just” simple and sinister and reach the Simple goals (necessitating a bigger bell) or are you interested in learning other movements?

 

[serjetto]

I've been doing Simple and Sinister for about five weeks now. I started with 40 pounds for the swings and moved up to 53 pounds as soon as the 53-pounder arrived in the mail.

At 53 pounds, the swings seem somewhat casual. I usually finish them in seven minutes, easily passing the talk test. I've started to experiment with doing sets of 20 instead of 10.

Should I get a heavier kettlebell, rest less, do sets of 20 or more? Or is it okay to be only slightly challenged in the swings?

For the get-ups, I started at 20, worked my way up to 25, and am experimenting with 30. That seems like a pretty good challenge. I don't need iron crashing through my skull.

I like to maximize the potential of one kettlebell. How I did it:
- when 10X10 becomes easy - it will be an easy day
- a little harder - do 5 swings, put the kettlebell on the floor and do 5 swings again without rest - that's one set.
- a little more difficult - make 3 dead stop swing + 7 regular ones
- even more difficult - 5 dead stop swing + 5 regular swings
- another option is to alternate sets of 5 dead stop swing and 10 regular swings
- another option, ladders. Make 1 dead stop swing + 9 normal swings, 2+8, 3+7, 4+6, 5+5
- another option, 8 dead +2 regular swings, 6+4, 4+6, 2+8, and at the end 10 regular swings. ladders can also be done in reverse order.
These are some of the possible options. In addition to this, to make it more difficult, during the movement down, actively pull the kettlebell with your lats and hips.
This is not canonical S&S, but the principles are the same. You'd be surprised how heavy a regular kettlebell can become)

 

[Steve Freides]

I've been doing Simple and Sinister for about five weeks now. I started with 40 pounds for the swings and moved up to 53 pounds as soon as the 53-pounder arrived in the mail.

@Flianbrian, welcome to the StrongFirst forum.

Keep going until you can do 10 sets of 10 one-handed swings with a 32 kg bell - this is Simple as explained in the book.

Until your 32 kg kettlebell arrives, try to get your 10 sets of 10 one-handed swings with 24 kg time down to 5 minutes. IOW, to answer your question, Yes, get a heavier kettlebell, and until you have one, Yes, work on resting less.

-S-

 

[Flianbrian]

All are good ideas. Are you doing them all single handed or double handed? Do you have “extra” money to buy another bell? Do you want to keep pushing “just” simple and sinister and reach the Simple goals (necessitating a bigger bell) or are you interested in learning other movements?

I’m following the program - 2 or three days of single hand, then a day of two hand, then a rest day.

I’m trying to be frugal, but I could find the money for another bell if it would be beneficial.

I’ve learned other movements, but happy to be doing S & S for now.

 

[John K]

I’m following the program - 2 or three days of single hand, then a day of two hand, then a rest day.

I’m trying to be frugal, but I could find the money for another bell if it would be beneficial.

I’ve learned other movements, but happy to be doing S & S for now.

Then yes, a bigger bell would likely serve your current goals.

 

[Flianbrian]

I like to maximize the potential of one kettlebell. How I did it:
- when 10X10 becomes easy - it will be an easy day
- a little harder - do 5 swings, put the kettlebell on the floor and do 5 swings again without rest - that's one set.
- a little more difficult - make 3 dead stop swing + 7 regular ones
- even more difficult - 5 dead stop swing + 5 regular swings
- another option is to alternate sets of 5 dead stop swing and 10 regular swings
- another option, ladders. Make 1 dead stop swing + 9 normal swings, 2+8, 3+7, 4+6, 5+5
- another option, 8 dead +2 regular swings, 6+4, 4+6, 2+8, and at the end 10 regular swings. ladders can also be done in reverse order.
These are some of the possible options. In addition to this, to make it more difficult, during the movement down, actively pull the kettlebell with your lats and hips.
This is not canonical S&S, but the principles are the same. You'd be surprised how heavy a regular kettlebell can become)

What is a dead stop swing?

 

[Flianbrian]

@Flianbrian, welcome to the StrongFirst forum.

Keep going until you can do 10 sets of 10 one-handed swings with a 32 kg bell - this is Simple as explained in the book.

Until your 32 kg kettlebell arrives, try to get your 10 sets of 10 one-handed swings with 24 kg time down to 5 minutes. IOW, to answer your question, Yes, get a heavier kettlebell, and until you have one, Yes, work on resting less.

-S-

Thank you!

 

[serjetto]

What is a dead stop swing?

 

[Flianbrian]

So a dead stop swing is a power swing?

 

[Flianbrian]

I did my swings today in 4:52. That was a bit of a push, but passed the talk test within 15 seconds after.

32 kg is coming Sunday! Thank you for the advice!

 

[serjetto]

So a dead stop swing is a power swing?

Yes

 

[Anna C]

Should I get a heavier kettlebell, rest less, do sets of 20 or more? Or is it okay to be only slightly challenged in the swings?

Late to the thread. But I didn't see this: Be more explosive. Most of us have a lot more quality training to eke out of any given weight of kettlebell by chasing explosiveness. "Virtual weight" is a thing with kettlebell ballistics (quick lifts) that is not a thing with many other types of resistance training.