Kettlebell "Giant 1.0"

[Anth]

The first time I ran Giant I used an 8RM and @Geoff Neupert recommended 2.0 after 1.0 to help ease into the higher reps.

So 2.0 gets you accustomed to higher volume so you can do more sets of higher reps, am I stating that correctly?

I love the high rep sets, but I can't do too many of them without getting too worn out. Theoretically, 2.0 would help with that?

 

[John K]

So 2.0 gets you accustomed to higher volume so you can do more sets of higher reps, am I stating that correctly?

I love the high rep sets, but I can't do too many of them without getting too worn out. Theoretically, 2.0 would help with that?

No, the ladders help you by doing less high rep sets before going back to 1.1/1.2 where all you’re doing are the higher rep sets. If you’re using a bell slightly too heavy, it gives you the chance to get strong enough to use it in 1.1/1.2.

Unless you address why you can’t handle high rep sets I’m not sure if it’ll help.

 

[Anth]

No, the ladders help you by doing less high rep sets before going back to 1.1/1.2 where all you’re doing are the higher rep sets. If you’re using a bell slightly too heavy, it gives you the chance to get strong enough to use it in 1.1/1.2.

Unless you address why you can’t handle high rep sets I’m not sure if it’ll help.

Okay, that makes sense. I can handle the high rep sets, I love them actually, I just really need to rest a long time (3-5 minutes), so I don't get a lot of total reps per session.

 

[John K]

Okay, that makes sense. I can handle the high rep sets, I love them actually, I just really need to rest a long time (3-5 minutes), so I don't get a lot of total reps per session.

I don't think that's a problem. I needed long rests between high rep sets too. Usually week 1 I'd take 5 minutes rest between the sets, just to give me a base. Usually meant only 5-6 sets (0, 5, 10,15, 20, 25) if the rep quality was still there. I remember the first time I ran Giant was with 28s and when I did 8s I got 5 sets even still resting 5 min and I knew I couldn't get another set. (I chose 5 minutes as I know more rest doesn't help me and can actually start to be a negative.)

Similar situation when I ran Easy Muscle over the summer with barbells. As the reps got higher I usually got less volume per session. I wouldn't fret about it - its about progressing from where YOU start and not about comparing volumes that you get vs me vs whoever.

 

[Anth]

I don't think that's a problem. I needed long rests between high rep sets too. Usually week 1 I'd take 5 minutes rest between the sets, just to give me a base. Usually meant only 5-6 sets (0, 5, 10,15, 20, 25) if the rep quality was still there. I remember the first time I ran Giant was with 28s and when I did 8s I got 5 sets even still resting 5 min and I knew I couldn't get another set. (I chose 5 minutes as I know more rest doesn't help me and can actually start to be a negative.)

Similar situation when I ran Easy Muscle over the summer with barbells. As the reps got higher I usually got less volume per session. I wouldn't fret about it - it’s about progressing from where YOU start and not about comparing volumes that you get vs me vs whoever.

I agree. Often times, I feel better when I rest longer and get fewer reps, but funny how deeply the “one more rep” mentality is ingrained in me from my youth.

 

[John K]

I agree. Often times, I feel better when I rest longer and get fewer reps, but funny how deeply the “one more rep” mentality is ingrained in me from my youth.

There is definitely a time to push, but I think that's why Geoff has the RPE 7, REP8, RPE9 weeks - cruise, push it a little, push it more. Really only one week of the cycle are you trying to go even close to all out.

This summer (on Easy Muscle) I had a real hard time getting more reps or sets, and sometimes the "best" I could do was a "density PR" - the exact same reps as the previous session but in a little less time. However, after that I needed some "time off" from autoregulated/density work and did something much more similar to Strong! in that each week the goal was to add a set - more reps and more time. I found that there were days I could focus on CRUSHING the density (usually the lowest rep day) and the other day I'd often take 4 minutes between sets and each week just focus on getting 1 more set.

When 3s was my highest rep day, that mean a slow steady progression - 5x3 this week, 6x3 next, etc. - while my singles day was all about working on that density. But then when I started working in 4s and 5s, I had the strength to push the density of the 3s. This looked like going from 5x3 to 10x3 over the course of 5 weeks (and going from 20 minutes to 40 minutes), but then (when 3s was now my low-rep-day) started working on density and compressing that back into 20 minutes.

Anyways, I know that's a far cry from talking about Giant, but maybe a takeaway from you - use the low rep days as a time to crush density and push for volume PRs (still playing by Geoff's RPE guidelines), and let the volume from the high rep days come in time (similar to the 20-25-30 min progression some people use).

 

[blad51]

Week one of Giant 1.1 is done!

I will tell you that the reps on Heavy Day are no joke!

I felt like I accomplished something this week.

Bring on Week 2!

 

[HarryBergers]

The Giant 1.1 // DBL 36kg // 30min	Day 1 #C&P	Day 2 #C&P	Day 3 #C&P
Week 1	66	64	70
Week 2	66	72	77
Week 3	72	72	77
Week 4	72	72	77

Just finished 1.1 this morning.

I felt like crap this morning. I actually reset my alarm without thinking and before I could fall asleep again said to myself "WTF am I doing, its the last day!" I was anticipating just showing up, but was able to keep pace without too much more effort.

I really like this program. I didn't measure myself before I started 1.0, but I took a pic that I'll refer back to later. My scale says I gained ~9lbs. of lean mass and lost ~3.5lbs. of fat over the last month, however accurate that is.

I would like to say to the haters that think you can't grow your quads with the clean and press, is that you must be doing it wrong, because my quads thickened and became more dense in the last 8 weeks of The Giant than they did in the same amount of time attempting Maximorum.

 

[Bill Lets]

The Giant 1.1 // DBL 36kg // 30min

There I go comparing myself to others again. I go now. Nice work

 

[blad51]

There I go comparing myself to others again. I go now. Nice work

I understand what you're saying. But I feel like I have to write it. . .

You know that we are only lifting for ourselves and coming here for the fellowship. We're all on the same journey. We're just at different mile markers

 

[Bill Lets]

@blad51 it was humor directed at myself. Nevertheless what you wrote is true, thanks.

 

[Bkb]

The Giant 1.1 // DBL 36kg // 30min	Day 1 #C&P	Day 2 #C&P	Day 3 #C&P
Week 1	66	64	70
Week 2	66	72	77
Week 3	72	72	77
Week 4	72	72	77

Just finished 1.1 this morning.

I felt like crap this morning. I actually reset my alarm without thinking and before I could fall asleep again said to myself "WTF am I doing, its the last day!" I was anticipating just showing up, but was able to keep pace without too much more effort.

I really like this program. I didn't measure myself before I started 1.0, but I took a pic that I'll refer back to later. My scale says I gained ~9lbs. of lean mass and lost ~3.5lbs. of fat over the last month, however accurate that is.

I would like to say to the haters that think you can't grow your quads with the clean and press, is that you must be doing it wrong, because my quads thickened and became more dense in the last 8 weeks of The Giant than they did in the same amount of time attempting Maximorum.

Great stuff?

We’re you in a major caloric surplus? I’d assume so by the quad growth and monster compositional changes…

 

[Essexman]

There I go comparing myself to others again. I go now. Nice work

Remember: Comparison is the thief of joy

 

[HarryBergers]

There I go comparing myself to others again. I go now. Nice work

Thank you. It sucked and I loved every minute of it.

(Point of fact is it is less than half of my bodyweight, and I can't walk up hills without them being like a HIIT session. Anybody would be lying if they said having a lot of bodyweight doesn't help them move heavier weight--I'm basically cheating.)

Great stuff?

We’re you in a major caloric surplus? I’d assume so by the quad growth and monster compositional changes…

Weird thing is that I've been eating less and less the last 4 weeks. Only thing I can think of is how I must be actually absorbing more of my food. It's reminding me of how Stan Efferding feeds his athletes, but I had been giving myself a ridiculous surplus and didn't even know it. I'm trying to lower my intake to where I feel hungry between meals for a few days in a row.

I suppose I should point out my scale calls me Class III Obese(morbidly obese fyi). I'm 6'1" and weighed in at 343lbs yesterday. These gains and weights aren't super significant. Well, I guess looking more like 20%bf than 35+% is something I'm enjoying..

 

[Anth]

I keep seeing this pyramid on @Geoff Neupert's instagram's posts. There are 5 levels of programming. At the top their are two "double kettlebell" spots. Where does "The Giant" fall? At the very top, or the 4th spot?

 

[Hrungnir]

I keep seeing this pyramid on @Geoff Neupert's instagram's posts. There are 5 levels of programming. At the top their are two "double kettlebell" spots. Where does "The Giant" fall? At the very top, or the 4th spot?

The fourth.

Sign up for his newsletter if you haven’t, he sends a lot of very detailed emails on it and other aspects of his ecosystem. He easily has one of the best newsletters as far as distilling information and not just pumping out emails

 

[Andrew H]

I keep seeing this pyramid on @Geoff Neupert's instagram's posts. There are 5 levels of programming. At the top their are two "double kettlebell" spots. Where does "The Giant" fall? At the very top, or the 4th spot?

I think as the higher rep sets get introduced it becomes a level 5 program. Like in the GIANT 1.2

 

[kitsu]

Been a long time since running the giant. Coming back to it for my accessory strength. Plan is to run 3 week waves of 3.0-3.2 with 2x36 C+J, to match my barbell waves (Alex's Bromley's Base/Peak Strength). Essential the 9 week plan is this:

W[1,2,3]D1 - Squat - Giant 3.0 [20min,25min,30min]... W[7,8,9]D1 - Squat - Giant 3.2 [20min,25min,30min]
W[1,2,3]D2 - Bench - Giant 3.0 [20min,25min,30min]... W[7,8,9]D2 - Bench- Giant 3.2 [20min,25min,30min]
W[1,2,3]D3 - Deadlift - Giant 3.0 [20min,25min,30min]... W[7,8,9]D3 - Deadlift- Giant 3.2 [20min,25min,30min]

Anyways, I generally like to do EMOM work with the Giant. My question is should my volume be about the same across all 3 days, or should there be more variance between the days? Essentially, I'm debating between:

Total volume (TV) roughly the same across all 3 days: e1mom on light day (1x TV), e2mom on medium days (1x TV), and e3mom on heavy days (1x TV)
or
Total volume (TV) varies across all 3 days: e1mom on light day (1x TV), e1.5mom on medium days (1.25x TV), and e2mom on heavy days (1.5x TV)

I just wanted to give an update with my experiment. I ended up using A+A instead of emom base. The wave loading was nice as well. I was able to increase my number of sets by 2 each week, without having to reduce my recovery time. Also every 3 weeks, when I increased the reps per set, I would reduce the number of sets completed by 1, from the previous series. I ended up with a pretty cool pattern on my spreadsheet. I started w1d2 with 8x3, and finished w9d2 with 10x5. That's a 205% increase in total tonnage! When I started I could not press the 2x36, After 9 weeks I retested and was able to press the 2x36 for a single pretty easily, I also tested my 5RM C+P to start Maximorum, and was able to get 2x32 for 5! It was a 2RM previously. I also tested my 1RM on the squat, bench, and deadlift. Squat = 160kg, Bench = 110kg, and Deadlift 180kg. Overall, I'm very happy with my numbers. I also am down 8 lbs from when I started. Started at 216, finished at 208. The only lift that I had that did not go up was my deadlift. It actually went down 20kg from the last time I went for a 1RM. But that could've been sleep related that day.

 

[Halfakneecap]

Bit off topic, but do you think you could do Giant with C&P&FSQ?

I’ve just started maximorum and really like the combo of C&P&FSQ. I’ve no intention of switching, just got me thinking.

I’ve done Giant 3.0 and loved the low rep/heavy bells and the strength gains and thought the combo of C&P&FSQ and low reps of 3.0 would work really well. Goal would purely be strength and I thought I’d use the heaviest bells I could.

Thoughts?

 

[Davidlbn]

Bit off topic, but do you think you could do Giant with C&P&FSQ?

I’ve just started maximorum and really like the combo of C&P&FSQ. I’ve no intention of switching, just got me thinking.

I’ve done Giant 3.0 and loved the low rep/heavy bells and the strength gains and thought the combo of C&P&FSQ and low reps of 3.0 would work really well. Goal would purely be strength and I thought I’d use the heaviest bells I could.

Thoughts?

Dry Fighting Weight