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Kettlebell How to plan transitioning to heavy double cleans

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Cobra

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I've got 2 x 16, 2x24 and 2x32 bells. I've no plans of buying intermediate bells for financial reasons and lack of room.

Currently nearing the end of STRONG with double 24:s, "Slow and steady". Hoping for a new 10RM after that.

I'm glancing ahead, curious as to how to transition into heavier cleans with my double 32's.

Got some good suggestions from this thread...

Progressing to heavier bells in a double clean

...and I also wanted to check with other's experience. What would be a good way to "groom" myself for this? Keep working the C&P with my 24's, like with the GIANT? How did you transition immediately from 24's to 32's?

/Tomas
 
What would be a good way to "groom" myself for this?

@Cobra, I'll give you my 2-cents worth. Some of my 2-cents worth is in the older thread to which you've linked.

In that older thread, I recommended working up to longer sets of cleans @ 2 x 24 kg and now I'll tell you why: I think the kettlebell clean is best performed without a shoulder shrug. I don't mean to sound too much like a purist, but I think a kettlebell clean should be driven by the hips like any other kettlebell ballistic. The force from the hips gets redirected by the arms. If you're going to shrug your cleans, grab a barbell and watch some Torokhtiy videos. :) Now of course, if you decide you're cool with shrugging your kettlebell cleans, that's a different story; I prefer not to.

Starting to shrug is where form can begin to change in the double kettlebell clean - the first few are all hips, then you start getting tired, and then you start shrugging.

If you follow my line of thinking, then you'll only clean for as many reps as you can perform without a shrug, and your hip drive will improve. If you can manage multiple sets of 10 cleans @ 2 x 24 kg without a shrug, I think you'll be ready to clean 2 x 32. Whether or not it's possible for you to clean 2 x 32 without a shrug is another question, but with 2 x 24 accomplished in good form, you could try low-rep sets of 2 x 32 and see how you do.

For feedback on the shrugginess of your cleans, a coach or training partner or video can be really helpful.

JMO, YMMV.

-S-
 
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@Cobra, I'll give you my 2-cents worth. Some of my 2-cents worth is in the older thread to which you've linked.

In that older thread, I recommended working up to longer sets of cleans @ 2 x 24 kg and now I'll tell you why: I think the kettlebell clean is best performed without a shoulder shrug. I don't mean to sound too much like a purist, but I think a kettlebell clean should be driven by the hips like any other kettlebell ballistic. The force from the hips gets redirected by the arms. If you're going to shrug your cleans, grab a barbell and watch some Torokhtiy videos. :) Now of course, if you decide you're cool with shrugging your kettlebell cleans, that's a different story; I prefer not to.

Starting to shrug is where form can begin to change in the double kettlebell clean - the first few are all hips, then you start getting tired, and then you start shrugging.

If you follow my line of thinking, then you'll only clean for as many reps as you can perform without a shrug, and your hip drive will improve. If you can manage multiple sets of 10 cleans @ 2 x 24 kg without a shrug, I think you'll be ready to clean 2 x 32. Whether or not it's possible for you to clean 2 x 32 without a shrug is another question, but with 2 x 24 accomplished in good form, you could try low-rep sets of 2 x 32 and see how you do.

For feedback on the shrugginess of your cleans, a coach or training partner or video can be really helpful.

JMO, YMMV.

-S-
This is solid advice. Yes, I noted your suggestion on the old thread and it does sound like great advice. Thanks!

Sincerely
Tomas
 
I remember starting with sets of 1 and 2's, 1's forced a strong hike, and 2's gave me a chance to practice the drop.
Stance will probably be wider, unless you are using comp bells. Short sets gave me a chance to get used to pushing the ground with a wider base.
 
Another perspective :

The clean and the snatch have a similar trajectory..

If you can get up to comfortably doing sets of 10 double 16 snatches, double 24 cleans will be more manageable..

My n=1 experience is I have gotten to a point I can double snatch 28s for 1 rep almost any given day (2-3 if I'm having a good day)

Definitely helped make double 32kg cleans less menacing
 
I remember that before doing double cleans at 32kg I started swinging them in sets of very low reps... 1 or 2 mainly in the beginning. I would do a few deadlifts first and then swings.
Make sure to take your time in the setup and brace properly as it will make a difference and also make some adjustments to your stance as you might need it to be wider.
Anyway as you can see we all have some different ways of achieving something and I hope you'll find yours.
 
What's wrong with un-even cleans as suggested in that thread (single 32K ==> 24K+32K ==> 2x32K)? Anti-rotation challenge is an added bonus.

Just holding a 32K in the rack is a big jump from 24K.
 
What's wrong with un-even cleans as suggested in that thread (single 32K ==> 24K+32K ==> 2x32K)? Anti-rotation challenge is an added bonus.

Just holding a 32K in the rack is a big jump from 24K.
Nothing wrong with them, I guess; when it comes to doubles I seem to prefer "symmetry" in the load, at least in the beginning. Anti-rotation stuff feels like something you build on top of that. I could be wrong, though.

I will give them a try though, see how they fell :) Thanks for replying!
 
Nothing wrong with them, I guess; when it comes to doubles I seem to prefer "symmetry" in the load, at least in the beginning. Anti-rotation stuff feels like something you build on top of that. I could be wrong, though.

I will give them a try though, see how they fell :) Thanks for replying!
Just so you know, both ROTK and ETK+ incorporate uneven bells as an integral part of their C+P programming.
 
I worked up to double 40kg cleans comfortably, as well as 68kg single arm cleans.

I have rarely treated them as a workout and see it more as practise/play time - simply because it's so fun.

With that in mind, just have fun with your bells. Get used to hinging with double 32. Hinge slow and steady first if you have to. Add more power over time. When you're swinging chest height, do double 32kg high pulls. By that point you will have the strength and ability to clean them.

 
So many different ways.
I would say - heavy swings, dbl32s in your case, as noted here - getting used to the wide stance, working the hinge. If you can clean 24s comfortably and technique is there, nothing else is necessary.
From my short experience with dbl32s clean, bracing much harder and pushing through the ground is the very important key to have it done, unlike with lighter bells. Even dbl28s is entire different story.
 
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