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Kettlebell GTG "Press" + S&S?

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somanaut

somanaut

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Has anyone tried GTG with for example the military press and S&S?
So that each day you do your military presses through out the day and then do the swings and get ups together as per usual S&S?
 
Thanks for the reply. Good to hear that it worked.
However I meant GTG every day + a regular S&S session aswell, sorry if that wasn’t clear.
 
Mark Limbaga said:
Yes..

I am assuming you need a structure for the GTG press?
Click to expand...
Yes that would be great!
Some background info: I started doing the military press because I could not do TGU due to an injured wrist (note: I have completed Simple several times before injury). Picked a 5x5 structure, started with the 16kg at 5x1 and worked my way up to 5x5, switched to the 20kg and have started the process again (currently at 5x4).

For the last month my training has looked like this (Swings always 10x10):
Monday: Swings and TGU (5x1)
Tuesday: Press and Swings
Wednesday: Swings and TGU
Thursday: Press and Swings
Friday: Swings and TGU
Saturday: Off
Sunday: Press and Swings

As my old 1RM is 24kg, I started thinking about how I would approach the 24kg once I have completed 5x5 (at least 5 times) with the 20kg (note: I have not tested my RM with the 24kg yet). And it occurred to me, that if I could achieve a 2-3RM with the 24kg then there might be a basis for doing 50% of that RM GTG style, while continuing with the S&S program (which is coming along nice and easy).

In order for the GTG format to give the desired volume I figured that I have to do 3-5 sets a day, how does that sound?

Edit:
So either I could continue with the program I have been running for the last month or so, or I could change to:

Monday: GTG Press (3-5 sets) + S&S
Tuesday: GTG Press (3-5 sets) + S&S
Wednesday: GTG Press (3-5 sets) + S&S
Thursday: GTG Press (3-5 sets) + S&S
Friday: GTG Press (3-5 sets) + S&S
Saturday: Off
Sunday: GTG Press (3-5 sets) + S&S

Perhaps not switching to the 24kg for presses but staying with the 20kg (I am actually leaning towards this set up, I think that working the 24kg will be too much). Perhaps focusing on bringing S&S up to 32kg (currently at a mix of 24kg and 28kg), while testing the 24kg RM once every 2 weeks and see how that goes. Sounds like a more sustainable method. Thoughts?
 
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your setup looks good.. I would also focus on adding a 2-3 second pause in the rack before pressing while keeping tension
 
Mark Limbaga said:
your setup looks good.. I would also focus on adding a 2-3 second pause in the rack before pressing while keeping tension
Click to expand...

Good tip, it adresses one of the problems with pressing the 20kg, namely that I was rushing it.

Is there a rule of thumb for how long one has to wait between GTG sets? I remember Pavel saying something about 1 hour.

I tried 2x3 GTG (20kg is my 6RM) sets yesterday, one before my S&S and one a few hours later. Both felt really good, I was able to focus much more on technique than when I do them as a "condensed" practise (i.e 1 set rest a few min. next set etc.). Today I will try 3x3, 2 sets before S&S and one after (the morning set went fine, which was the one I was most worried about).

Method
1) Every 2 weeks, before my S&S test I will test my RM with the 20kg, take 50% of that and do that as my max reps during GTG work sets.
2) I will do 3-5 sets a day, for a minimum of 5 days a week.
3) Once I hit 10RM on test day I (and thus max 5 reps during GTG work sets) I will start looking towards the 24kg.

Does this sound reasonable?

I want to have the same relationship with the 20kg as I now do with the 16kg. You could wake me up in the middle of the night and ask me to do 5 reps with the 16kg, and it would not be a problem.
The classic 5x5 session is a good format, tried and true. However I was as I said, rushing it. Just trying to get the reps in as fast as possible before fatigue set in. I didn't feel comfortable with the 20kg. I believe that a GTG format will be more conductive towards owning the 20kg.

Addendum: GTG is only possible because I am currently unemployed and will be for the next 3 months, until I start electrician school and apprenticeship. When works starts up it will be hard to maintain, and I may have to abandon the GTG method, since I can't carry a KB around with me. Hopefully I will have made some progress with the 24kg by then and perhaps do S&T for presses. I thought about S&T for the 20kg, but since my 20kg was at 4RM at the time, it did not seem to me to be able to provide the needed stimulus.
 
IMHO you need to have a 15 minute interval between attempts to make it count as GTG

I personally enjoy something of a GTG-easy strength hybrid (my jack russell terrier on 3 espressos can't handle the long waits) wherein I do clusters where I rest 3-10 minutes between attempts, that comprises one cluster.. I space clusters 1-2 hours apart
 
Mike Mahler has a GTG program on his website. I like the old article here. 10 x 1, throughout the day every 1/2 hour-hour. Then 10 x 2, 10 x 3
 
somanaut said:
Has anyone tried GTG with for example the military press and S&S?
So that each day you do your military presses through out the day and then do the swings and get ups together as per usual S&S?
Click to expand...
Yes, all the time! I even bought another barbell yesterday and put almost 100lbs on it to do just this! I highly recommend it!
 
somanaut said:
Has anyone tried GTG with for example the military press and S&S?
So that each day you do your military presses through out the day and then do the swings and get ups together as per usual S&S?
Click to expand...

Imho a great plan. I recommend:

- 2-3 reps with 5RM
- 15+ mins between "sets"
- wave the load - some days more "sets", some days less
- 2-3 days in a row, then 1 day rest (no presses)
 
Pavel Macek said:
Imho a great plan. I recommend:

- 2-3 reps with 5RM
- 15+ mins between "sets"
- wave the load - some days more "sets", some days less
- 2-3 days in a row, then 1 day rest (no presses)
Click to expand...

identical framework to what I did with my OAP GTG experiment during my US vacation.. this will work well

another "wave" is to vary the length you pause in the rack before pressing
 
later, when GTG is not an option, you could use Dan John's framework from this post:
KB "Even Easier Strength"

Five Days a week of One Arm Press, Pull Ups, Swings, Goblet Squats and TGUs. I was rebuilding after a total hip replacement. I was also doing Tim Anderson's Pressing Reset (6 Point Rocks, Nods, Rolls, March in Place). I kept the Press and Goblet Squats in the 15-25 range, if memory serves but it seems right, Pull Ups at a total of ten (never miss!), Swings 75-250 per workout, and, at most, 5 + 5 in the TGU. (Or just a part of them on an easy day.

(...)
· If it takes one or two sets to do the fifteen to twenty-five reps, the load is light.
· If it takes three, four, five or perhaps six sets to do the fifteen to twenty-five reps, the load is just right.
· If it takes more than seven sets, the load is too heavy.
(...)
There are days you’ll want to go light, days you’ll want to go medium, and days you’ll want to challenge your clients with the heaviest load possible.
(...)
I have believed for a long time now that reps and sets are great, but they don't reflect what is really going on with KBs and the O lifts. One "bad" rep can damage you in the KB, O lift and powerlifting world, so get out the notion of magic numbers. Strive for mastery on every single rep and let quality feedback tell you when to end the set.
Click to expand...

To me this sounds a lot like a remix of S+S with a press and pullups, and with more freedom in rep ranges and bell selection.
 
somanaut said:
Has anyone tried GTG with for example the military press and S&S?
So that each day you do your military presses through out the day and then do the swings and get ups together as per usual S&S?
Click to expand...


When I took the PlanStrong seminar, Fabio Zonin. just as an aside. remarked that some trainers spread their sets throughout the day and this did not matter. If your goal is purely strength rather than hypertrophy then long rest periods are not a problem. In fact, you will be able to increase the volume. Just calibrate it to whatever you can recover from. The main limitation is recovery. If you have time, then recovery would most likely be the limiting factor. Do as much as you can recover and maintain quality form. I did presses in my office through out the work day. Everyone who has some privacy/freedom at work should do this. You can press in a suit even. Goblet squat, not so well. I keep a light KB in my office for bottom up holds or presses whenever the mood takes me.
 
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