Kettlebell "Giant 1.0"

[Hrungnir]

Question: How does everyone manage “getting more reps each time”? Could you do that over a week and just increase the training period? It seems like a bad idea to try and push for more reps every session. Especially with 3.0.

I think you shouldn’t sweat getting more, it should be a goal but you shouldn’t structure your training to ensure you do. I think by undulating the time to make sure you get the most reps in week 4, you’re also ensuring you get LESS reps in the other weeks. Go for the most you can do every week, that’ll get you the most out of the program. If that means you don’t PR every workout, or even go backwards, that’s completely fine and still better than intentionally holding yourself back.

I’ve also found that I’ll have periods of stagnation where I don’t increase my reps for 4-5 weeks and then suddenly I’ll break through the plateau and PR every week for the next 4-5 weeks.

 

[mightstone2k]

I’m two weeks in and noticing a trend. On 4-rep days, I can go every two minutes fairly easily. On 5-rep days, it ranges from 2.5 to 3 minutes. And on 6-rep days, I’m going about every four minutes and not feeling bad about it. I never thought I’d want to rest that long

 

[John Grahill]

I’m two weeks in and noticing a trend. On 4-rep days, I can go every two minutes fairly easily. On 5-rep days, it ranges from 2.5 to 3 minutes. And on 6-rep days, I’m going about every four minutes and not feeling bad about it. I never thought I’d want to rest that long

I did same the thing and agree with you. If you train with a heavy enough set of bells you need to regroup after each work set. I ended up working up to 10x10 with a pair of 32s and took five minutes between sets. I absolutely needed it!!! No shame at all.

 

[Halfakneecap]

I just started 3.0 with DLCCJ. I have an interesting observation:
Last week I did 5 sets of DLCCJ with the 32s. I did sets of x5, 2, 2, 3, 5 for 17 total reps. I was doing this with the ambition of getting to 5x5 with the 32's. I was thinking I could progess one rep a week until I was at 5x5. This was a stupid idea. 5 CJ reps with double 32's really smoked me.

Today I started The Giant 3.0. With reps of 2 I got to 20 total reps and I am not smoked at all, though I did get a nice feeling. It's such a beastly exercise and it feels so good to throw that weight around. The Giant seems well suited for the exercise because the reps are programmed to push you "just right."

I have only done 3.0. Love it, love the fact it’s only a month, and with low reps, you can always push for more sets when you adapt

Doing Strong now ( love it too ), but it’s a long long commitment. I aim to use 3.0 with push press to get me ready for the next run of Strong with heavier bells.

 

[blad51]

I did same the thing and agree with you. If you train with a heavy enough set of bells you need to regroup after each work set. I ended up working up to 10x10 with a pair of 32s and took five minutes between sets. I absolutely needed it!!! No shame at all.

I always love the wisdom of a John Grahill post!

 

[John Grahill]

I always love the wisdom of a John Grahill post!

@blad51 you are too kind. I'm just an everyday jacka**!

 

[blad51]

Hahahaha!

Me too!

 

[Anja]

Today i started the Giant program and did the first workout of phase 1.0. Looking forward to Wednesdays workout.

 

[blad51]

Today i started the Giant program and did the first workout of phase 1.0. Looking forward to Wednesdays workout.

Nice work! Make sure you keep posting your progress. I find that sharing my progress helps me stay on plan. You will find the encouragement and fellowship of the online Strong First community is so valuable to your success.

 

[LarryB]

I’m sorry if this has been asked before, but what do people do on their off days? I’m sure i’ll hear to take it easy, walk, ruck, mobility/os resets etc. I love all of those things but guess i am wondering if theres a way to work squats into the program. I’ve never run giant before and plan to cycle it with KSK in blocks. Any ideas or input are appreciated.

 

[John Grahill]

I’m sorry if this has been asked before, but what do people do on their off days? I’m sure i’ll hear to take it easy, walk, ruck, mobility/os resets etc. I love all of those things but guess i am wondering if theres a way to work squats into the program. I’ve never run giant before and plan to cycle it with KSK in blocks. Any ideas or input are appreciated.

Well, just me, but when I did the Giant Series I did nothing else on off days other than a walk or some such. I found the same benefit with not adding things to the Strong program too. I remember when I started doing Strong way back when I figured I needed s bunch of extra things. Turns out when I eliminated the extras my gains took off! Understand I'm not a bodybuilder or powerlifter nor am I an Olympic lifter so for me it was fine. I was simply an aging LEO trying to stay in decent enough shape. It worked well for me. I eventually obtained a double beast press in my 50s using Geoff's programming and cutting out extra stuff.

Your mileage may vary. Give it a shot and see how it goes.

 

[Hrungnir]

For my first run through I did nothing, just as written and had great results. Second run through I added LISS on off days, also great results. On this third run I’ve started squatting and still having great results.

My success with the Giant has been in making sure it is the main focus, if I have to drop a day it is always one of the other days and just pounding away with consistency. I think the LISS actively benefited the program for me, but Geoff feels very differently about LISS in one of his latest emails. Without a year of running the giant I doubt I could have squat without having back issues with the total volume, but that year of C&P made my back strong. (I also went Hatfield to help manage the lower back load)

With all that said, I think it’s still best to run the plan as written and not make additions until you have gone through 1.2 once. You need the context of what the program is before you can make changes that will be beneficial to you. I also didn’t lose much squat strength at all despite not doing it. Lifetime PR is 355#, I’ve made my way up to 295#x10 in under two months of returning.

 

[John Grahill]

.....another thought. If you are using a heavy enough set of kettlebells you may not really have much left in the tank after a half hour of playing with them.

 

[Hrungnir]

.....another thought. If you are using a heavy enough set of kettlebells you may not really have much left in the tank after a half hour of playing with them.

This seems like a “no true Scotsman” sort of statement, what is considered heavy enough?

 

[LarryB]

For my first run through I did nothing, just as written and had great results. Second run through I added LISS on off days, also great results. On this third run I’ve started squatting and still having great results.

My success with the Giant has been in making sure it is the main focus, if I have to drop a day it is always one of the other days and just pounding away with consistency. I think the LISS actively benefited the program for me, but Geoff feels very differently about LISS in one of his latest emails. Without a year of running the giant I doubt I could have squat without having back issues with the total volume, but that year of C&P made my back strong. (I also went Hatfield to help manage the lower back load)

With all that said, I think it’s still best to run the plan as written and not make additions until you have gone through 1.2 once. You need the context of what the program is before you can make changes that will be beneficial to you. I also didn’t lose much squat strength at all despite not doing it. Lifetime PR is 355#, I’ve made my way up to 295#x10 in under two months of returning.

LISS/running is high on my list of off day activities. I’m a fairly experienced runner with some marathons under my belt so nothing thats going to stress the body too much.

I ran maximorum before switching to ROP (just finished a full run through with the 32k) and wanted to do Giant next but i guess am just missing the front squat a bit. I suppose ill be missing snatches soon enough too.

Starting 1.0 today, looking forward to it.

 

[Bkb]

LISS/running is high on my list of off day activities. I’m a fairly experienced runner with some marathons under my belt so nothing thats going to stress the body too much.

I ran maximorum before switching to ROP (just finished a full run through with the 32k) and wanted to do Giant next but i guess am just missing the front squat a bit. I suppose ill be missing snatches soon enough too.

Starting 1.0 today, looking forward to it.

Easy Muscle was created for this reason.

 

[LarryB]

Easy Muscle was created for this reason.

Definitely on my radar, i have steered away from it since i use exclusively kb or bw exercise though.

 

[Halfakneecap]

This seems like a “no true Scotsman” sort of statement, what is considered heavy enough?

When you’re genuinely worried in the last few repsvthat the bells are going to destroy your skull when you drop them.

Depends on your strength level really.

 

[Hrungnir]

When you’re genuinely worried in the last few repsvthat the bells are going to destroy your skull when you drop them

Except that isn’t definable as well. When I hit 19 rounds of 5 with double 30kgs, I had to hover around a garbage can for fifteen minutes, got a migraine and was a zombie the rest of the day from the level of exertion.

I also squatted the next day.

 

[Halfakneecap]

Except that isn’t definable as well. When I hit 19 rounds of 5 with double 30kgs, I had to hover around a garbage can for fifteen minutes, got a migraine and was a zombie the rest of the day from the level of exertion.

I also squatted the next day.

You should use 28’s for 1.0.