Kettlebell Heavy deadlifts vs heavy kB swings

[Colby]

+1

There is also a serious opportunity cost to heavy deadlifts in terms of recovery debt and impact on other training.

I don't find equivalent weight farmer's walks to nearly as taxing, although my hypotheses as to 'why' are fuzzy.

As a result, I've swapped in more farmer's walk for general 'back strengthening' (along with GMs/RDLs), and reserved my clean pulls for weight ranges closer to what I can clean and jerk, i.e. instead of DLing 1.5-2x bodyweight, I'll do clean pulls for 0.8-1.2x bodyweight.

Net result: I can keep my total training volume tonnage higher.

interesting point about why you dont find deadlift equivalent farmers walks as taxing. I have wondered this myself. I came up with this as the reason:

1. farmers walks are usually picked up off the ground from a neutral stance( hands at the side) so its less taxing on the back.

2. if using farmers bars or trap bar, the weight is higher off the ground from the handles, so you dont have to go as deep as dead lifts.

3. eccentric component is much easier to control in a neutral stance.

You can also pick up a significant more amount of weight off the ground using farmers bars or a trap bar, usually at least 50 pounds more, sometimes 100. So if you can dead lift 405, you may be able to pull closer to 500 with trap bar or farmers bars

 

[watchnerd]

interesting point about why you dont find deadlift equivalent farmers walks as taxing. I have wondered this myself. I came up with this as the reason:

1. farmers walks are usually picked up off the ground from a neutral stance( hands at the side) so its less taxing on the back.

2. if using farmers bars or trap bar, the weight is higher off the ground from the handles, so you dont have to go as deep as dead lifts.

3. eccentric component is much easier to control in a neutral stance.

You can also pick up a significant more amount of weight off the ground using farmers bars or a trap bar, usually at least 50 pounds more, sometimes 100. So if you can dead lift 405, you may be able to pull closer to 500 with trap bar or farmers bars

Yeah, my take on your take:

1. Agree -- and it allows one to ergonomically adapt using whatever back angle one likes (more upright torso, or more horizontal) according to body geometry. And elimination of mandatory internal rotation.

2. In my case, my trapbar (Eleiko Oppen) doesn't have high handles, but I still find it easier because the definition of what is "too deep" changes dramatically as a result of #1, and with an open trap bar, there is even room to maneuver for lunges, RDLs, and other moves.

3. Yes, the eccentric is much easier on the spinal erectors. It's not zero impact, but it feels more balanced.

 

[WhatWouldHulkDo]

What is heavy?

You'll know it when you pick it up. ?

But seriously... I would say a swing is heavy when you hit it with max power and excellent form out of the hole, and it doesn't get to chest height. You don't get to spend much time in the standing plank, because the bell is ready to get moving again before you are.