crazycanuck
Level 9 Valued Member
I totally agree.
My first 2 sets I need like 30 seconds, but the last set might take me up to 2 minutes to normalize breathing.
Matts, you are right with your interpretation, you shold stick with rhe weight until you own it (maybe several months). The 1 month suggestion in the book is how long the transition takes from one bell to the next, not how long you have to stay with a given weight before starting the transition.
Yes to both of these! I think when you are working in a heavier bell, it is going to be harder, irregardless. Especially at first. It took me a little over 2 years to reach Simple. Some of that was due to injury, some stretches where I needed more rest, some due to just needing longer time to own the bell...and yes that took several months at some weights . Looking back, the heavier bell always felt a tougher at first, especially with grip, and with endurance for swings (getups were my stronger exercise as far as progression rate).
Overall, I found that keeping notes was helpful (like how I slept, if I worked overtime, for example), and over time I was able to see the changes in how easier the bell felt....less rest time needed between sets of swings, passing the talk test quicker, feeling recovered, getting to the point that I would pick the bell up for a practice and realize that lately, it felt as easy and light as the previous weight, that overall each practice my 10th set was just as good and crisp as my first ones, etc . For the heavier bells (new one I was working with), if I needed more time between sets, at first, I think that was to be expected....I could see over time, time and time again through past experience, that it got easier.
I never preplanned when I was going to test myself to a time standard (in moving up to the next weight by adding a set at a time, like the book describes), but would just get a overall sense that "today was the day" to do it, it just felt like it was time when I would evaluate how the last several weeks/months felt. I think we all deep down have a sense of what "owning the bell" means....of course you will breathe harder, maybe have a bit of a hard time talking between sets when testing yourself, but if you are struggling halfway through testing yourself to even get a powerful hip snap you may need to spend more time with said bell.
For just everyday practice....I found this article by Pavel T. to be a very helpful guide .... the pushing a little harder, once a week, was a great strategy.
Simple & Sinister Progression Tactic | StrongFirst