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(In-)Consistently Simple

lais817

lais817

Level 7 Valued Member
About me, I'm 34, 174cm 68kg from Victoria Australia. I've always been skinny but not strong or fit. Consistent small tweaks due to muscle weakness and lack of mobility.

The purpose of this log is to track my journey towards Simple (and beyond), at least with the 24kg by Dec 31 2022.

My approach this time (3rd attempt) towards Simple is to really try and nail my technique and hopefully the weight will follow.

Starting with the one hand swing, as it is something I have never been able to do well, so I've dropped back to the 12kg for both one and 2 hand swings. TGU have always felt "easy" for me, at least with the 16kg, so I'll keep the 16kg for those.

Hopefully this log keeps me on track, and if it helps other along the way, so much the better.

Short term Goals:
Timed Simple with: 12 16 24 32
Solid BW Pistol squat

Long Term Goals:
Military press with the 36kg by my 36th birthday (June 2023)
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Edit 01/07/22
Started PTTP, lost motivation with S&S, and want some hypertrophy
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Edited 04/12/22
Times change, and so has this log. Currently doing Easy Muscle/The Giant with 2x16kg. Simple is still on the horizon, but I've decided to work on putting on some lean mass between then and now. Currently up 3-4kg, and after a month or more of clean + pressing everything feels "easier". Will finish Easy Muscle A then The Giant X1 with 2x16kg and see what happens. The 36kg press by June 23 might be too far gone, but you never know.
/Edit
 
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S&S is the best choice you could made for incoming 2022. I'm also going to follow S&S all year long, and hopefully achieve Sinister standards in Swings, since I do Tactical Get up instead TGU. Nonetheless, thumbs up for you.

Stay Strong. Stay Hard, and Get After It.
 
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Fellow Victorian here. I keep meaning to book a session with one of the Melbourne instructors ......... but am waiting for all the covid issues to settle down. Might be an option for you too depending upon where you live. You mention mobility causing muscle tweaks, is it worth asking a physiotherapist for mobility exercise advice ? I have found them to be quite helpful and useful.
 
BillSteamshovel said:
Fellow Victorian here. I keep meaning to book a session with one of the Melbourne instructors ......... but am waiting for all the covid issues to settle down. Might be an option for you too depending upon where you live. You mention mobility causing muscle tweaks, is it worth asking a physiotherapist for mobility exercise advice ? I have found them to be quite helpful and useful.
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I'm a bit the same, have you been in touch with any of the Melbourne guys? I'm in Geelong so it's around an hour or so to get into them.
 
Am on the other side approx 3 hours away. No I have not contacted any Melb instructors yet. Think I'd rather have a liv session than a video session.
 
26/12/21 16:10 S+S #1
Coming back to S+S, this time with 12kg OHS.

I will take more care of my forearms this time. No more tennis elbow.

Swings 5x 10L @12kg
5x 10R
TGU 5L, 5R @16KG

Then 3x8 one arm row @16kg each side. To strengthen rhomboids/lats

TGU felt good, OHS still not 100% with technique. Need to work on "waiting" for the bell to stop the backswing before starting next rep.

Did a few sets of finger extensions with yellow band after session.
 
29/12/21 1030 S+S #2
Swings 5x 10R, 5x 10L@12kg
TGU 5R, 5L @16KG

Finger extension after each swing set w yellow band.

3x8 one arm row @16kg

All felt good, OHS felt better today.
 
30/12/21 S+S #3
Swings 10x 10T @12kg
TGU 5L, 5R @16KG

Really focused on Lat engagement during swings, did a few pendulum swings to practice really throwing the bell back and holding tight against ribs.

TGU felt effortless, Lat engagement much more noticeable for probably first time ever.
 
7/1/22 0900 S+S#5
5x10R @12kg
5x 10L @12kg
5/5 TGU @16KG

Hot and humid, but felt good. Did 3 rounds of mobility as warm up with 12kg, then 3 round of lunge stretch/kettlebell good morning and 1x round tactical frog before hand. Felt a bit more puffed between swings and first few TGU today, not sure if from heat or more power developed in swings.

TGU are feeling really good, tempted to try one @24kg, which have always felt heavy before and hurt forearms where the body of the bell rests. Will hold off for now.

Unsure on what progression I should do for weight. If I introduce the 16kg over 20 weeks per the book after spending 4 weeks with the 12kg, I won't be close to achieving simple weights before the end of the year. On the other hand, a gradual introduction of the 16kg MAY help ease into the work and avoid tendon issues....
 
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8/1/22 1530 s+s #6
S+S warm up x3 @12kg
8x10T@12kg
2x10T@16kg (set 2&3)
2/2 TGU @ 16kg (set 1&5)
3/3 TGU with press @ each step @12kg (set 2/3/4)

Felt like pushing a little today as I've been feeling good and am planning a rest day tomorrow.

Incorporated the 16kg swings as I felt they wouldn't overly tax the grip and would be a good little step up for power generation after just doing the 12kg for a bit. Felt good.

TGU 16kg Felt good, so instead of doing a set @24kg, I thought I'd try the press at each step suggested somewhere, to see if I truly own the weight. Realised straight away that I couldn't do 9 reps @16kg each side, so went down to the 12kg.

Presses were challenging but completed 3/3 sets all with good form, but wouldn't have been able to do any more than 9 presses per side. Might incorporate this once a week or so when I start thinking I can roll into the next weight.

Edit- just watched Bret Jones do this, and realised that I skipped the floor press, and I pressed on the way back down as well as on the way up.... live and learn
 
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11/1/22 0840 S+S #7
3x s+s mobility @12kg
10T x10 @12kg
5/5 TGU @16kg

Was aiming to do 1HS today @12kg, but couldn't get into into groove due to distractions. Swapped to 2HS and got into it.

Consistency over Intensity

Added press on last 4 reps TGU @ floor, elbow, hand and kneeling on the way up only. Felt good, challenging but good. Might work up to doing this for each TGU rep before moving up to 24kg.
 
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12/1/22 1610 S+S #8

5x10R @12kg
5x 10L @12kg
Swings felt a bit unco today, still issues with bell flipping to some degreee on backswing. Starting to get more of a feel for waiting for it and getting deeper into the hinge, but on video it still looks mostly the same a previous days. Not quite sure what is going on

5/5 TGU @16KG
TGU felt good, did presses at floor, elbow, tall sit and kneeling on sets 2&3. Tried for press at standing but wasn't in it today. Had a bad sleep last night and food was a bit lacking as well. Will back off the presses for a few days and let everything catch back up.

Finished with wrist extensor stretch contract/relax on the floor ala relax into stretch. Seems to allow a deeper stretch.

Happy with today, not the best session performance wise, but I got it done and it's another one in the consistency bank.
 
13/1/22 1050 S&S #9

3x mobility @ 12kg, actually used a pair of shoes for bridges, felt good in adductors, might help resolve ongoing tightness I have been feeling above RHS medial knee area.

5x10R @12kg
5x 10L @12kg
Swings felt more co-ordinated today, especially on LHS, still not quire 100% feeling the lat on the RHS duing swings, unsure why. Might start next session with one arm pendulum or deadlift.

5/5 TGU @ 12kg
Light day with TGU today, another bad night's sleep, figured a light day wouldn't go astray. Consistency over Intensity.

Finished with 2 rounds of wrist extensor stretch, 90/90 and QL straddle on yoga block. Have been having some tightness in either medial hamstring or adductor, hard to nail down which it is.

Another in the bank.
 
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14/1/22 1610 S&S #10
3x Mobility @ 12kg
10x10T @ 16kg
5/5 TGU @ 16kg

Felt strong today, wanted to give the 16kg a spin again for 2 HS, as it's been a while. Swings felt powerful and solid, and I feel the extra 4kg helped in pulling me down and back to help eliminate some of the bell flipping issue. Few calluses I need to rebuild on my fingers though...

TGU felt solid, noticed a lot more lat and mid back engagement today, especially on the RHS which for some reason doesn't seem to fire as much as the left.

No stretches, went to the beach on a whim with the kids and walked the dog. Bit of cool water on the legs felt good.

Happy with that, got a good sweat with the heat too.

Another in the bank.
 
15/1/22 1615 S&S #11

3x Mobility @ 12kg
10x10 1HS @ 12kg
5/5 TGU @ 12kg
TGU reps 1->4 done consecutively on both sides as a "continuous set of 4" , supposedly a way to see if you "own" the weight. Could have managed all 5 reps, but felt like last would have been suss on LHS, so left it at 4. Shoulder stabilisers got a fair burn, interesting to see how I pull up tomorrow.

*tomorrow: bit stiff in the morning, went to the beach for Nippers and lifting the young fella over waves. Was expecting knots aplenty*

Stretches after shower and before bed, had movie night with the kids straight after practice.

2x Wrist extensors, 90/90 and QL straddle. Re read the stretching section in the book, fixed technique in both stretches.
 
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Have noticed I am getting a bit creative in my interpretation of the program as written, I think it is because I am not 100% sure of where I lie on the S&S "continuum" and wanting some validation through different exercises or "tests" to give me the go ahead to move up a bell to get closer to Simple.

I think I might try and leave the "variety day" for the last day before a rest, this should hopefully stop me pushing too hard without proper recovery at the least, and also keep me on track. I must admit I enjoy the variety though, its a bit of a "scratch the itch" sort of thing.
 
16/1/22 1615 S&S #12

5L/5R @ 12kg
5/4 @ 16kg (L x5)
1/1 @ 24kg after 16kg.

After saying I was a bit lost and looking for validation yesterday, I bit the bullet with the 24kg for the getups. I've done them previously but never 100% on the LHS, always had a bit of an issue with the bell rolling either in or out on the way down to elbow and prone. Today it was looking at me so I grabbed it, applied some "no nonsense" tension and put it up and down again on both sides.

Felt good. I will begin using it on the 2nd set from here on in. It is amazing how much extra tension it requires over the 16kg, but it wasn't unmanageable by any means. Felt like I could have done the 32 afterwards.

Also did a set of 10R with the 16kg well after today's practice. Felt good, I liked the way the weight pulled me into more of what I feel is the correct groove. I will beging bringing it in on the 2nd set for swings also.


Stretches 2x 90/90, QL on yoga block and wrist
 
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