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Kettlebell Get Up... or scale back ?

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Lehrskov

Lehrskov

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Certified Instructor
Hi Everyone - I have a TGU phenomenon that I could really use some advice on.

I'm following S&S and having a blast. I'm @32kg on the Getup, which has been quite easy for a while. I can do the 10 reps in 7mins on any given day. I can also do them slowly (which I like), and I'm pretty confident that I have at least decent technique (having been under the caring eye of several SF instructors).

Now: recently the reps started to feel a little 'unsure' or 'sloppy'. Not hard, just... off somehow. Sometimes it felt as if I had to spend more strength doing the reps than just a few weeks back. I was weird.

I considered scaling back to the @24kg, but something in me wanted to test something else: so yesterday I did the 3rd and 4th reps with the @40kg, which I've never done before. And it was easy. Strong. Focused. Crisp. Felt heavy, but not hard. The 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th etc. reps with the @32kg were still 'weird'.

So what's going on and what should I do ?
 
That's really interesting. I have experienced similar. I really don't know, but my guess would be mental focus. Sometimes when the weight gets too easy the mind drifts or checks out of the practice. Pushing forward to that edge of ability really calls "all hands on deck" and your mind has to become laser focused on the task again.

Not sure what to advise to do from here, but maybe if it is mental focus, you can put an effort on bringing that back to your 32kg get-ups.
 
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I am just an SFG 0 (zero) - some freakin' guy that knows nothing - but I've had that happen as well. Have had pretty good luck with cycling both up and down. Maybe down a size to emphasize speed and technique and up to begin to build the strength for the next level (so mix in sets of 5 l/r with the next heaviest bell). But I do tend to get a bit stale staying exclusively at one bell size for too long.
 
Lehrskov said:
So what's going on and what should I do ?
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You're getting lazy, that's what. :) Seriously, you won't generally, without planning carefully in terms of variety of sets, reps, rests, etc., stay at the same strength level with the same weight - you'll get stronger, or you'll get weaker. Your ability to use a heavier weight with good form proves the point. You need to change things up like that, and if you're going to stick with a 32 kg, try things like 2 reps at a time on the same side or other ways to get yourself moving forward with that weight again.

-S-
 
Lehrskov said:
Hi Everyone - I have a TGU phenomenon that I could really use some advice on.

I'm following S&S and having a blast. I'm @32kg on the Getup, which has been quite easy for a while. I can do the 10 reps in 7mins on any given day. I can also do them slowly (which I like), and I'm pretty confident that I have at least decent technique (having been under the caring eye of several SF instructors).

Now: recently the reps started to feel a little 'unsure' or 'sloppy'. Not hard, just... off somehow. Sometimes it felt as if I had to spend more strength doing the reps than just a few weeks back. I was weird.

I considered scaling back to the @24kg, but something in me wanted to test something else: so yesterday I did the 3rd and 4th reps with the @40kg, which I've never done before. And it was easy. Strong. Focused. Crisp. Felt heavy, but not hard. The 1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th etc. reps with the @32kg were still 'weird'.

So what's going on and what should I do ?
Click to expand...
I am familiar with this phenomenon, but by far not playing in your size league. I am doing the TGU with humble 16 kg on - good days :)
@Steve Freides: this!
 
May I suggest a rotation of loads that has worked good for me, session 1 TGU 32K, session 2 32K and sets 3,4, and when you feel ready sets 7,& 8 with the 40, session 3 32K, and session 4 24K. Adjust as needed if you do 5 or 6 sessions per week.

Mr. Ciampa put me on a similar rotation which worked well so all credit goes to A.C.
 
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@Lehrskov

+1 to @Anna C , @Steve Freides , & @banzaiengr .

There is a stage where one owns the weight, which lasts for a given durationbn. Then (in my experience) form begins to break down due to boredown, as Steve Freides noted above. A heavier weight or otherwise increased load provides a new challenge that alleviates boredom. Heavy TGUs becoming easy? A good problem to have.
 
Okay, the forum seems very close to unanimous on this :)

Let me reiterate to sort of have it 'sink in': When training with a given weight the perceived load will start to get smaller as I get stronger, at some point crossing the line to 'easy'. At this point a 'use it or loose it' phenomenon sets in as (I'm guessing now) the neural pathways will start to get sloppy since they don't have to fire that hard to work the load (still a little iffy on how to understand this part).

When this happens it's not only time, but even a little too late, to step up in weight to 'lock in' the new strength OR change rep scheme OR add another type of planning to keep moving ahead.

Thanks everyone: this helps a lot!
 
I think of it like this.

Scans have shown that when learning any new skill (this also applies to lifting a heavier weight in a technical lift) causes the brain to light up like Christmas tree where many areas of the brain are engaged to perform the task. After the skill has been learned subsequent scans typically show that only a minimal amount of grey matter is engaged & in fewer areas. So our brains need to do much less to perform a task once it has been learned or mastered.

So when we master a lift we create a situation where our mind no longer needs the laser focus to pull it off and it can wander like it would any other time we didn't make a make concerted effort to stay focused. With the TGU we have more time for our mind to wander off into no mans land and lose focus than most lifts. We could be thinking about anything else that's going on in our lives (for me it's invariably girls in hot pants) in the back of our minds and that comes to the fore midway through a lift like the TGU with a weight I've owned for a while. I've come close to dropping heavy bells on myself with such thoughts more than once in the past.

For me the best way to regain focus for the TGU is to do a few using my kids in place of a kettlebell. There no room for hot pants there.

Another cue for me is to think of the TGU as a form of controlled aggression, controlled to the point where the bell is all I'm thinking about and aggression as a state of laser focus & determination - not anger.
 
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@Lehrskov "Not every day is a Sunday" (Dutch saying). It is normal.

I suggest to use the light day option from SAS, i.e. lighter get-ups with 10 seconds pause. I am now doing get-ups with 40, but when I feel tired, I grab 24 and just take it easy.
 
Maybe you are tight, and less flexible in some area causing you to be out of position a bit, making you work harder to hit to proper positions. Could be the cause of your "sloppy" get ups.

Has happened to me before. Assess yourself to see if you have any restrictions.
 
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