Other/Mixed Geoff Neupert's C&P programs with DBs?

[barna284]

Hi! I've been following Geoff Neupert for some some and I'm intrigued by his autoregulated, C&P based programs like Strong!, The Giant and the new Easy Muscle. My KB C&P technique is nonexistent, however, and I don't see that changing soon.

I do have some experience with the DB C&P and fancy the movement quite a bit. Has anyone tried any of Geoff's programs with DBs instead of KBs? If so, what have been your results?

Thanks!

 

[Adachi]

Hi! I've been following Geoff Neupert for some some and I'm intrigued by his autoregulated, C&P based programs like Strong!, The Giant and the new Easy Muscle. My KB C&P technique is nonexistent, however, and I don't see that changing soon.

I do have some experience with the DB C&P and fancy the movement quite a bit. Has anyone tried any of Geoff's programs with DBs instead of KBs? If so, what have been your results?

Thanks!

Dumbell was cited and demoed in the Easy Muscle program.
This might be something I learn due to being able to reliably find racked dumbells in a hotel's gym room.

 

[GreenSoup]

I'm glad to see this thread. After I finished up a few things I plan to do Dry Fighting Weight. A pair of adjustable dumbbells with weight plates past 200lbs are cheaper than some considerably lighter kettlebells you can find.

Consideration of DB work for this kind of program made me wonder how to hold the rack. I feel like the weight is going to fall forward out of the rack position when I do that with heavier DBs. Any tips?

Edit: I meant the dumbbells fall forward during the front squat part of the combo move from DFW - the clean and press plus front squat. It is not a lot of weight for a squat but it takes muscular force for arms and shoudlers to hold the dumbells (or even kettlebells) up in the rack during the squat. Are my shoulders just getting wiped out? Is there a trick to cleaning and racking dumbbells to make the weight hold in place better for the front squat ?

 

[Hrungnir]

DB squats are different from double kettlebell squats in that you typically have one of the bell ends on your shoulder when you perform them. The shape of the dumbbell makes them really unwieldy to perform as you would a kettlebell.

Similarly, you press from a different starting position.

 

[ChiBill]

@John Grahill ran "Strong" with DB's a while back if I recall correctly.

 

[scilla]

I have frequently practised DB Clean, DB Clean & Press and DB FSQ. Both single DB and double DB.
My rack is not as described here or in Easy Muscle. It is like the top part of a curl, in front of my collarbone. I must say I haven't used DBs heavier than 20 kgs.
Also I don't start from outside my ankles, but between legs, much like with kettlebells.

 

[John Grahill]

@John Grahill ran "Strong" with DB's a while back if I recall correctly.

Yes I did. It worked really well.

 

[MikeTheBear]

For variety I'll sometimes use a barbell. Works just fine. However, you should have some competence in cleaning a barbell. I'm not saying you need superb Olympic weightlifting technique, just a general idea.

 

[GreenSoup]

I tried it out. I think cleaning and pressing like Scylla and then resting the bell end plates on my shoulder as Hrungnir suggested are the tips that work the best for me. Putting the plates from the DB on top of the mid-deltoid is not something I'd do for the clean and press but the front squat is very workable even immediately after pressing when the DBs are that high up.

When I start to use 25lb plates on each side of my adjustable DBs then that position may end up needing a change. Too much strength will be a nice problem to have.

 

[John Grahill]

I find the dumbbell clean and press feels more full-body than the kettlebell version done with a pre swing. The dumbbell version I like to do is each rep from the floor with the dumbbells outside of my feet. I feel this a bit more in the quads when initiating the clean. The rack position is a little more uncomfortable with dumbbells too. I can't do the same poundage with dumbbells as I can with kettlebells......for example "effort wise" for me, I use kettlebells that are about 10 pounds heavier than the same movement with dumbbells.

It's a great variation using two dumbbells.