Kettlebell "Giant 1.0"

[Kettlebellguy]

Another four weeks completed, Giant 1.1 done, now starting 1.2.
No body weight change this time, due to having a family holiday (fish and chips and many icecreams) and generally haven't been trying to keep in calorie deficit.
Moving into Giant 1.2 and I'm tempted to try adding more Protein to my diet to see what effect that would have over four weeks.

Quick question: After Giant 1.0, 1.1. 1.2 and 2.0, could I expect to be able to move up a bell size, for example from double 20kgs to double 24kgs and start again with 1.0 ?

I am in your situation I just completed 1.0 and 2.0 with double 20s and am doing 1.1 now and will do 1.2 after. I will test with double 24s and if I get 5-6 I will do 3.0 but if I get 8-10 or more I will be doing 1.0

 

[Hrungnir]

@Essexman I went from 24kg to 27kg without issue. I would assume the extra kg won’t be an impediment. Lots of guys on the kettlebell subreddit make that exact jump.

 

[blad51]

@Essexman Here is another opinion. I progress the heavy bells slowly.

I feel like Giant and Strong are complimentary programs for progressing to heavier kettlebells.

Last year I did all 3 phases of Strong! with 24s. I then participated in the Giant X Beta test with the 24s.

After Giant X, I tested the DCP with the 28s. I got 8 reps

I then ran Maximorum and got 11 reps with 28s.

I am finishing Giant 1 next week with 2x28k bells.

I plan to do the remaining Giant phases: 2, 1.1 and then 1.2 with the 28s.

I then plan to begin Strong! with 32s around the holidays. After all 3 phases of Strong! I plan to run Maximorum, and then Giant.

 

[Kettlebellguy]

I just finished week 2 of Giant 1.1 with double 20s and here are my numbers:
25:00 of work this week

W2D1: 60 Reps
W2D2: 56 Reps
W2 D3: 56 Reps

Next Week is gonna be 30:00 minutes of work and then week 4 is going to be deload back to 20:00.

I am very happy with my results so far

 

[HarryBergers]

Not sure if 36s are my 10rm but I started giant 1.0 on Monday. Stopping Maximorum because the rm requirements really do need good form.

W1d1 50 reps, felt harder than I thought at first, but started coasting after 10 minutes.
W1d2 54 reps, felt easier than Monday but didn't want to push too hard week 1.
I look forward to tomorrow morning!

Question about breathing, I've been able to do 1 breath per c&p for most of my sets(exhale pressing, inhale on the way back to the rack) I'm wondering what kind of breathing cadence that folks prefer, especially as I increase density?

 

[lais817]

Not sure if 36s are my 10rm but I started giant 1.0 on Monday. Stopping Maximorum because the rm requirements really do need good form.

W1d1 50 reps, felt harder than I thought at first, but started coasting after 10 minutes.
W1d2 54 reps, felt easier than Monday but didn't want to push too hard week 1.
I look forward to tomorrow morning!

Question about breathing, I've been able to do 1 breath per c&p for most of my sets(exhale pressing, inhale on the way back to the rack) I'm wondering what kind of breathing cadence that folks prefer, especially as I increase density?

Brett Jones talks about breathing in his Iron Cardio literature, I think he advocates inhaling throughout the clean, holding at the start of the press, then power breath to lockout. Have a search around and you might find more details, he also talks about it in his podcast The minimum effective dose.

 

[Essexman]

@John Grahill @Kettlebellguy @Hrungnir @blad51 Thank you all for the replies, very much appreciate the feed back and advice. This is such a useful thread, the notes and advice here have made a big difference.

 

[Geoff Neupert]

Question about breathing, I've been able to do 1 breath per c&p for most of my sets(exhale pressing, inhale on the way back to the rack) I'm wondering what kind of breathing cadence that folks prefer, especially as I increase density?

Test this out:

1. Inhale before the Clean.
2. Exhale through the Press.
3. Inhale while in the lockout.
4. Exhale in rack.
5. Inhale in rack and repeat 2-4.

 

[TedM]

Geoff lays out how you can deload if you wish to. It’s basically start out with medium reps week 1 add to them each week. Week 3 will be the hardest week, then deload week 4 using 20 min sets likely…rest week 5

A deload isn't a handicap or limitation; it's a way of matching training and recovery to facilitate long term progress.

I'm trying to better understand deloading in the context of doing Giant with a single bell, as a 63 year old who's been working with kettlebells for only 18 months.

Specifically, would completing a 4 week cycle of Giant, and then doing swings and TGU's for 2 weeks (also only 3x/week) - be considered deloading?
Or .... not??

 

[Pete L]

I'm trying to better understand deloading in the context of doing Giant with a single bell, as a 63 year old who's been working with kettlebells for only 18 months.

Specifically, would completing a 4 week cycle of Giant, and then doing swings and TGU's for 2 weeks (also only 3x/week) - be considered deloading?
Or .... not??

In other circles one might say "a change is as good as a rest". Not sure Churchill had kettlebells in mind though

 

[blad51]

@TedM I think the deload is built into The Giant programming. This is especially so if you follow the 4 Week session duration of 20, 25, 30, 25 minute sessions.

 

[TedM]

@TedM I think the deload is built into The Giant programming. This is especially so if you follow the 4 Week session duration of 20, 25, 30, 25 minute sessions.

I'm trying to avoid soreness which I feel now in my inner elbow and one spot in my shoulder (same side).

Since I've just started with c&p 2 months ago... I thought to take a break and switch motions for a period.

 

[sammal]

Specifically, would completing a 4 week cycle of Giant, and then doing swings and TGU's for 2 weeks (also only 3x/week) - be considered deloading?
Or .... not??

It depends how heavy or light you are going with your swings and get-ups. If you take it easy, then it is deload. But most likely you do not need 2 weeks of deload after 4 weeks of the Giant, one week would be fine.

 

[Chris Mills]

I'm trying to avoid soreness which I feel now in my inner elbow and one spot in my shoulder (same side).

Since I've just started with c&p 2 months ago... I thought to take a break and switch motions for a period.

Soreness in your inner elbow is probably tendinitis. Stop pressing for a couple weeks would be my advice. I kept going and it took a year (maybe more) to resolve itself.

 

[HarryBergers]

@TedM I think the deload is built into The Giant programming. This is especially so if you follow the 4 Week session duration of 20, 25, 30, 25 minute sessions.

I didn't see that as a recommendation in the PDF. Is that kind of programming recommended?

 

[blad51]

The 20, 25, 30, 25 structure is discussed in this thread. I can't tell you what page.

Maybe do a Google search with StrongFirst, The Giant and 20, 25, 30, 25 as search terms.

Sorry I'm not much help.

 

[Hrungnir]

I didn't see that as a recommendation in the PDF. Is that kind of programming recommended?

It is absolutely beloved in this thread. If it was truly a better approach you would have seen it in Easy Muscle or Giant Beta X IMO.

The program is escalating density with auto regulation, if you want to volumize you might as well do increasing sets weekly.

 

[Stuart Elliott]

I've finished a journey of C&J with 24s through the Giant. Prior to this I had participated in the Maximorum Beta test with a pair of 28s and had intended to use them for Giant C&Js but my form wasn't great, so I went back to the 24s.

I started on 3.0 to practice at low reps, then moved on to 2.0 then 1.0,1.1 and 1.2.
My total volume per session ranged between mid 30s to mid 60s depending on the reps. As an example in 1.2 week 3 I managed 63 on day 1 (7 reps) and 54 on day 2 (9 reps).

I didn't take any measurements , but at the end after completing 1.2 I definitely have more size across upper back and chest, arms look bigger, mid section is rock solid and I put more size all over my legs. The biggest plus has been how powerful and flexible I feel. I'm 47 and play cricket (loosely like baseball) in the UK summer. My reactions to the ball are quicker and more powerful than previous seasons , I would say more so than when i have been training other programmes such as S&S, ROP, Strong, Giant C&P etc.

I tested my press and also my max C&J rep tonight and was pleasantly surprised. I managed 16 good form reps of c&j , I could have pushed through a couple more if needed and was able to press the 32kg twice on my left (struggled to get 1 rep in the past) and 3 reps on my right (previously 1 single).

My sessions were mostly just the Giant , with OS and Mace 360s to warm up and the occasional low volume bent press.

I'm going to continue my journey with the C&J , next up is Giant with 28s, then hopefully RMF, which will lead into my next cricket season where I may try Giant with 32s or go A&A style for the summer, I'll see where I end up

Sorry for the long post, but it's been a great experience.

 

[CoreyW]

If you scan this thread Geoff lays out how you can deload if you wish to. It’s basically start out with medium reps week 1 add to them each week. Week 3 will be the hardest week, then deload week 4 using 20 min sets likely…rest week 5

Is this what everyone is doing? I assumed a 4th week deload and 5 week start the next round of the giant. Are most people taking the 5th week off?

 

[Bkb]

Soreness in your inner elbow is probably tendinitis. Stop pressing for a couple weeks would be my advice. I kept going and it took a year (maybe more) to resolve itself.

Can almost guarantee it’s from the cleans. This opinion will likely not get a lot of praise, but in my experience, double cleans for reps, multiple times a week + time always leads to elbow issues for me. The same is less true when using single bells. YMMV… I’m a tall dude with long levers and I’ve learned that (double) cleans are my Achilles heal.