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Kettlebell "Giant 1.0"

How about when they went for it on fourth and two instead of kicking to go up seven, and then running a hopeless quarterback sneak needing two full yards.

Evidently the sneak call had an option for Wilson to run or hand the ball off to Braxton Berrios on an end around, and Wilson made a bad decision. Then Saleh threw his OC (Mike LaFleur) under the bus for not making it clear to Wilson that the ball should go to Berrios no matter what.

Don't get me started on the Giants...
The Giant are farther away than the Jets. They literally have nothing other than Leonard Williams.
 
The Giant are farther away than the Jets. They literally have nothing other than Leonard Williams.
They have a few decent defenders in addition to Leonard Williams. James Bradberry and Blake Martinez (out for the year) are solid vets, Xavier McKinney is good young safety, and Azeez Ojulari is having a great rookie year. But I'm all the way out on both Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley, and the offensive line has been a disaster for years.

When the offense literally can't gain a yard (minus 10 yards net passing for the game against the Bears, including sack yardage, with 2 interceptions), the defense is going to crack. Joe Judge seems increasingly delusional and downright unhinged, but being a losing NFL coach is hard on the mental health -- as is being a Giants fan >:-(((.

But to stay on topic, The Giant is a good program ;-)
 
Happy New Year John, I can't believe the Jets blew that game Sunday. Where was the safety coverage?

Speaking of jerks and not me, I've pulled out Herky Jerky out of MKM/Kettlebell Hard. Running it 6 days a week with 45s as a chain. I'm did week 3 of medium day 5 rounds. It will put some extra hair on your chest for 15 minutes.

This is in the top 3 of my favorite programs in that book.
@BrianCF you're too much! ......you learn as a Mets/Jets fan to be let down every year! Herky Jerky is a great one!
 
but being a losing NFL coach is hard on the mental health -- as is being a Giants fan >:-(((.


Really? Try the Jets!

Both teams still tied for worst records in the NFL since 2017.

Of course the Giants last won a Super Bowl in 2012 and the Jets haven't won since 1969 so I feel you.
Yup, 1969! I was 5 and noticed all the uproar about some guy named Namath and then the Mets won....well been a fan of both since then!
 
Did the 1.0 Week 4's heavy day today. I'm wiped out but feeling like I accomplished something! For me managing 66 reps in 25 minutes was exhausting but I feel great! I'm pretty sure this is my best pounds per minute output in a long long time!

The 20/25/30/25 time template is going to stay in my toolbox for a long time!
 
Did the 1.0 Week 4's heavy day today. I'm wiped out but feeling like I accomplished something! For me managing 66 reps in 25 minutes was exhausting but I feel great! I'm pretty sure this is my best pounds per minute output in a long long time!

The 20/25/30/25 time template is going to stay in my toolbox for a long time!
Impressive stuff mate.

Appreciate you keeping us updated aswell.
 
@Cearball that's very kind of you to say!

I got 66 reps in 30 minutes last week. Felt super energetic today and just went after it!

Looking forward to starting the 1.1 next week!

Now next week I'll start the 1.1. This heavy day is going to be next week's light day! Unless I do the 2.0 as a bridge to the 1.1...I ll see on Monday!
 
Ok finished the 1.0 today using the 20/25/30/25 time template and another little twist. On the "light" rep days I used 36s and 32s on the medium and heavy days. It started out as an accident and ended up being a great way for me to hit up the Giant again. I "may" use this method as I progress through them again. If I do I'll start up the 2.0 on Monday. If not I'll stick with the 1.1 and just use the 32s....I'll know more in two days....I need the weekend to recover.

I'll say this, using the 32s I was able to get a little more in the "density week" (week 4) than I did previously.....dividing pounds per minute! It was a great suggestion from Geoff. Weight is the same but I'm definitely "tighter".....more vascularity again!

10x10 here I come again but this time I'm gonna be lighter and it'll be done faster!
 
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Ok finished the 1.0 today using the 20/25/30/25 time template and another little twist. On the "light" rep days I used 36s and 32s on the medium and heavy days. It started out as an accident and ended up being a great way for me to hitvup the Giant again.
I used a similar twist, based on an idea from a PlanStrong-based program here in the articles section. On the low rep day I still used my working weight, but interspersed singles with heavier bells. I used heavier bells that would be too much to crank out sets of 4 with, but were very manageable for singles.

Week 1, I did three sets with the working weight and then a heavier single. Week 2, I did two sets with the working weight in between singles, and weeks 3 and 4 I alternated sets with the working weight and heavier singles.

I guess you could also do a heavier low rep day with all lower reps, like singles, doubles or 1-3 ladders, depending on the weight, almost like a 3.0 day within 1.x. If I did this, I'd keep the pace very relaxed and make it more a higher tension/lower volume day, and use the other days more for volume accumulation. It's getting a little bit away from the program as written, but I find that working with heavier bells really helps the working bells feel lighter, as opposed to just building volume with the same bells for weeks at a time. From experience with doing this in various contexts in the past, I just have to be careful to keep the heavier contrast work to a complementary volume that I can recover from and not just pile it on top of an already high volume of lighter work.
 
Just finished week one of The Giant 3.0 with a single 32kg bell and I’m really enjoying the change. I also switched it up and used a 36kg for my Friday session and I really enjoyed the extra weight. Some of the things I like about this version is the extra hand to hand swing and the extra time under tension.
 
Just finished week one of The Giant 3.0 with a single 32kg bell and I’m really enjoying the change. I also switched it up and used a 36kg for my Friday session and I really enjoyed the extra weight. Some of the things I like about this version is the extra hand to hand swing and the extra time under tension.
the heart rate gets pretty high with single bell clean and presses!
 
Just finished week one of The Giant 3.0 with a single 32kg bell and I’m really enjoying the change. I also switched it up and used a 36kg for my Friday session and I really enjoyed the extra weight. Some of the things I like about this version is the extra hand to hand swing and the extra time under tension.
I would assume higher conditioning as well ???
 
Today I concluded the fourth week of 3.0 with double 32s and I replaced the first half of the session with a rep max test. Very happy with the results!

My 5RM (admittedly fatigued after an 18-rep max test with double 24s) has turned into a 9RM. The last rep wasn’t hideous but it definitely took everything, and there’s no way I could I have done a 10th. That’s equal to the PR I managed after phase 1 of Strong! in 2020. There’s ‘muscle memory’ in there I know but to have achieved it in half the time is very pleasing.

While I was at it I thought I’d test my single 32 max. Again, I was fatigued from the double test but I got 7 on the left and 10 on the right (which had an extra 2 mins rest over the left). These are both lifetime PRs, and I was fresh last time I tested them years ago.

I ran it with 30-minute sessions and in week 4, I reduced the volume by 20% on week 3’s peak numbers.

Total weekly volume:
Week 1 = 84 (which included some sets of 5 push presses in my first session before deciding on 3.0 half way through, so would have been lower with strict presses from the start)
Week 2 = 96
Week 3 = 112
Week 4 = 90 (approx. 20% deload, and includes rep max tests)

Based on these results, I now have advice to ask for, please!

My ultimate goal is to strict press my 40 before my 40th birthday in August but I’d really like to milk the Giant first. As I see it, my options are:

1) 1.0 with double 32s, though this may be a little dicey on higher rep days. It’s probably my preference.

2) 1.0 with a single 32, as my goal centres on the single press. I feel I could delay the specificity until closer to the attempt but I do also feel my stability under the single could use some grooving.

3) 3.0 again with the double 32s to bring them up to a confident 10RM before 1.0.

4) 1.0 with CPP, at least on higher rep days or final reps within sets.

5) I have a 28 and a 36 coming this week so I’ve considered using the 28 and a 24 (with plates attached to bring it up to 28) and running 1.0 or 2.0.

6) Similar to the above but using the 28 and a 32 as an uneven pair for 1.0. I’ve never used uneven doubles though and I’m a little paranoid about my ‘touchy’ lower back.

7) 3.0 with the single 36 using CPP if necessary.

So many options, I realise; but I’m very glad to have them after a successful first shot at the Giant!

As an aside, body comp has remained very favourable, too. I’d just come off a long hypertrophy phase so I’m not sure I gained very much more muscle (especially using lower reps) but I retained every ounce of what I have. Only four weeks I know, but still.

Excited to keep running this wonderful, simple program! I love so many exercises, and the snatch nears the top, but I don’t think anything will ever steal my heart from the double clean-and-press.

EDIT: A couple of hours after I tested, I decided to have a shot at pressing the 40 on a whim. No luck on the left but it went up on the right!!! This was a total surprise and I credit my quick progress on it to the Giant. Unreal. Looks like my pressing goal timeline needs a little adjustment!
 
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Today I concluded the fourth week of 3.0 with double 32s and I replaced the first half of the session with a rep max test. Very happy with the results!

My 5RM (admittedly fatigued after an 18-rep max test with double 24s) has turned into a 9RM. The last rep wasn’t hideous but it definitely took everything, and there’s no way I could I have done a 10th. That’s equal to the PR I managed after phase 1 of Strong! in 2020. There’s ‘muscle memory’ in there I know but to have achieved it in half the time is very pleasing.

While I was at it I thought I’d test my single 32 max. Again, I was fatigued from the double test but I got 7 on the left and 10 on the right (which had an extra 2 mins rest over the left). These are both lifetime PRs, and I was fresh last time I tested them years ago.

I ran it with 30-minute sessions and in week 4, I reduced the volume by 20% on week 3’s peak numbers.

Total weekly volume:
Week 1 = 84 (which included some sets of 5 push presses in my first session before deciding on 3.0 half way through, so would have been lower with strict presses from the start)
Week 2 = 96
Week 3 = 112
Week 4 = 90 (approx. 20% deload, and includes rep max tests)

Based on these results, I now have advice to ask for, please!

My ultimate goal is to strict press my 40 before my 40th birthday in August but I’d really like to milk the Giant first. As I see it, my options are:

1) 1.0 with double 32s, though this may be a little dicey on higher rep days. It’s probably my preference.

2) 1.0 with a single 32, as my goal centres on the single press. I feel I could delay the specificity until closer to the attempt but I do also feel my stability under the single could use some grooving.

3) 3.0 again with the double 32s to bring them up to a confident 10RM before 1.0.

4) 1.0 with CPP, at least on higher rep days or final reps within sets.

5) I have a 28 and a 36 coming this week so I’ve considered using the 28 and a 24 (with plates attached to bring it up to 28) and running 1.0 or 2.0.

6) Similar to the above but using the 28 and a 32 as an uneven pair for 1.0. I’ve never used uneven doubles though and I’m a little paranoid about my ‘touchy’ lower back.

7) 3.0 with the single 36 using CPP if necessary.

So many options, I realise; but I’m very glad to have them after a successful first shot at the Giant!

As an aside, body comp has remained very favourable, too. I’d just come off a long hypertrophy phase so I’m not sure I gained very much more muscle (especially using lower reps) but I retained every ounce of what I have. Only four weeks I know, but still.

Excited to keep running this wonderful, simple program! I love so many exercises, and the snatch nears the top, but I don’t think anything will ever steal my heart from the double clean-and-press.

EDIT: A couple of hours after I tested, I decided to have a shot at pressing the 40 on a whim. No luck on the left but it went up on the right!!! This was a total surprise and I credit my quick progress on it to the Giant. Unreal. Looks like my pressing goal timeline needs a little adjustment!
Congrats on the great progress you've made!
I'd start Giant 1.0 with the double 32's. I think it's doable with a (hard) 9 rep max. Maybe the transition to 1.1 will be a little harder, but you can always do the 1.0 for 2 runs.
After a single run through the 1.0 you will press the 40 for sure on both arms and maybe even for 2 reps!
 
Congrats on the great progress you've made!
I'd start Giant 1.0 with the double 32's. I think it's doable with a (hard) 9 rep max. Maybe the transition to 1.1 will be a little harder, but you can always do the 1.0 for 2 runs.
After a single run through the 1.0 you will press the 40 for sure on both arms and maybe even for 2 reps!
Instead of 1.0 for two consecutive runs it can be a bit more fun (and useful imo) to go 1.0 -> 2.0 -> 1.1.

2.0 is a nice change from 1.0 and will get you ready for the high rep sets, but with the reprieve of going back to a lower rep set next rung. I’m glad I did that personally.
 
Instead of 1.0 for two consecutive runs it can be a bit more fun (and useful imo) to go 1.0 -> 2.0 -> 1.1.

2.0 is a nice change from 1.0 and will get you ready for the high rep sets, but with the reprieve of going back to a lower rep set next rung. I’m glad I did that personally.
That's interesting! I thought the 2.0 was meant to be the last in the row (after 1.0; 1.1 and 1.2). Ladders with a rung of 8 on the heavy day with a 10 rep max seems pretty hard to me! ROP starts with ladders of 1,2,3 on a heavy day with a 5-8 rep max, which is way easier/ more doable than ladders to 8 reps with a 10 rep max I think.

When you did the 2.0, could you get the same daily training volume as when you were on the 1.0?
 
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