Hello everybody,
I did it : I reached simple standard this summer.
Here is a flashback in my personnal story.
I’m a 36 years old, BJJ teacher. So I’m in good shape but not an advanced practitioner in strength training. My weight : between 66 and 69 kg.
I bought simple and sinister and my first kettlebells in april 2016 : first a A 16kg, a 20kg, and after one month a 24 kg and a 28 kg (that I didn’t use at that time).
I trained a few month with 20kg for the swing. It was faster for the TGU. During the summer of 2016, I tried to swing the 24kg, but my technic was awful, and I was not symmetric. So I decided to come back to the 16kg and I took a video of each training. After a few weeks, I corrected most of the critical errors and came back with the 24kg.
In aout 2016 I bought the 32 kg bell for my TGU (the progress were fast compare to the swing). The transition to the 32kg was very hard ! (heavy !!!)
Until the end 2016, I used the 24 bell for the swing and the 32kg for the TGU, then I started to use the 32 kg for the swing.
I reach the simple standard for the TGU at the beginning of 2017, So I bought a 40kg bell in march and started training with It for the TGU. it was heavy but curiously It was less difficult than the transition from the 24kg to the 32 kg.
Until that time, I trained with the help of the online video, and I spend some time to compare the video of my training with the strongfirst videos to correct myself. After a short time of reflection, I decided to participate in a strongfirst course : 40kg was heavy (my weight was 67 kg) and I didn’t want to hurt myself with a bad technic. I participated in two training courses with Alexey, in june and in october. It was very very interesting and helpful.
Then I continued with the 40kg for the TGU (for all the rep of each sessions, except for light sessions of course) and the 32 kg for the swing. (90% of my training was simple and sinister)
In february 2018, I had a little problem, due to my BJJ practice : an hygroma in the knee. Not very critical but impossible to do a correct TGU. So I decided to move to the ROP (even if I didn’t reach the simple goal in the swing).
I reach the simple standard of the swing in an ROP session in june (YES !).
After 6 month of ROP, I started Soju and Tuba press program (I started last week). Then I will come back to simple and sinister at the end of september (my hygroma is healed but it took a lot of time !).
Las week, I tested myself in the conditions of a simple and sinister session (just to be really sure that I have really reached the simple goal !).
A 5 minute swing test, and 10 TGU (32-40-40-32-32)
And YES I did it ! 4minutes and 50 seconds, 100 crisp swings.
The s&s effects in my BJJ practice : a very very strong grip in BJJ without training it specifically, a method that increase my strength a lot in my practice without tire me. A lot of strength in my hips movements.
And maybe the more important : this method is really compatible with a the rest of my life (professional life and family life). It’s simple, doesn’t take two hours in a fitness room… I can do it during the lunch time and come back to work.
Thanks a lot Strongfirst !
Matthieu
PS. Sorry for the mistakes in english... (that's the problem of a lot of french people