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Kettlebell KB Strong

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John Grahill

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The Giant is awesome and gave me excellent results. I do need a but of a change ..... after 7 months I took my "comfortable" 10 RM with 32s and now can get 12 with the 36s. (I didn't retest my RM after the 1.1 I recently completed).
I thought I'd be able to handle the 40s with no problem and start the Giant 3.0 with them. They were actually tougher than I thought! Using cast iron noncompetition kettlebells and increasing the weight adds increases in bell size that present a different and/or additional challenges. In other words it's not just the increased weight you have to contend with but the handle size, bell diameter, wider stance and the like that make them just that much tougher. I think it's a good thing as it adds more challenge. They are tougher to clean and bulkier in the rack. I need to work on the fundamentals with them.
So, starting Strong again with them (40s) today.... need some pure strength work with them and I wanna take them as far as I can go with them. Gotta admit that seeing the Dan Anderson still shot pressing beasts got me motivated again. One of my original goals was multiple reps of double beasts. Don't know if I'll ever make it, but I'm going to try.
 
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How is your one-arm strength compared to your two-arm strength ? Do you anything in particular to prevent injury in your elbows when you are doing all this heavy pressing ?
 
@Anders I guess my 1 arm strength is ok, I haven't really tested it in a while as my focus hasn't been on it. As heavy pressing goes, I find the kettlebell and its groove gives my joints less aggravation than other implements like barbells and dumbbells. Autoregulation helps too. Ample rests between sets. The biggest thing....on off days, treat them as off days and avoid overhead things like snatching.
 
The Giant is awesome and gave me excellent results. I do need a but of a change ..... after 7 months I took my "comfortable" 10 RM with 32s and now can get 12 with the 36s. (I didn't retest my RM after the 1.1 I recently completed).
I thought I'd be able to handle the 40s with no problem and start the Giant 3.0 with them. They were actually tougher than I thought! Using cast iron noncompetition kettlebells and increasing the weight adds increases in bell size that present a different and/or additional challenges. In other words it's not just the increased weight you have to contend with but the handle size, bell diameter, wider stance and the like that make them just that much tougher. I think it's a good thing as it adds more challenge. They are tougher to clean and bulkier in the rack. I need to work on the fundamentals with them.
So, starting Strong again with them (40s) today.... need some pure strength work with them and I wanna take them as far as I can go with them. Gotta admit that seeing the Dan Anderson still shot pressing beasts got me motivated again. One of my original goals was multiple reps of double beasts. Don't know if I'll ever make it, but I'm going to try.
Great goal John! Haven't you already had a successful go with the 40's through phase 1 and 2 in the past?
 
Great goal John! Haven't you already had a successful go with the 40's through phase 1 and 2 in the past?
Well, yes and no. I've never completed phase 2 with them. I want to finish up another go at phase 1 with better technique then pursue the Giant 3.0 or some such....time will tell. I'm thinking maybe using the 3.0 then maybe the slow and steady.....I'll have to see....
These darned things are heavy!!
 
@John Grahill, Strong with a pair of 40kg kettlebells is impressive ! For someone who have the two programs, Strong! and The giant, with a 5RM, would you recommend to start with Strong! or to do the Giant progression (starting with 3.0) first ? The goal is to increase press strength and keep conditioning level.
 
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@John Grahill, Strong with a pair of 40kg kettlebells is impressive ! For someone who have the two programs, Strong! and The giant, with a 5RM, would you recommend to start with Strong! or to do the Giant progression (starting with 3.0) first ? The goal is to increase press strength and keep conditioning level.
Well, the way I see it is the Strong program is better for a "tough" 4 to 5 reps, meaning not a "comfortable" 5 rep max that you'd need for a density styled program. The Giant 3.0, although a strength oriented program, still utilizes density.
In my case I felt that I needed more work with the 40s before making them a "comfortable" 5 RM to Start the Giant 3.0.

In a nutshell and in my uneducated opinion the Strong program is better to use if the kettlebells are a "difficult " 4 or 5 reps. The Giant 3.0 would be better for a "comfortable " 5 RM because of the density involved.

I am doing Strong with 40s now because I had some difficulties controlling them. Even though the 36s were "big" the 40s are bigger/bulkier and harder to use. Means for me a wider stance, a much tougher clean, etc. I would love to be able to run the Giant or finish phase 2 with them sometime ? but I need to rebuild the foundation with them.
 
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@Matthieu I apologize for that post coffee rush long winded answer to your question in my last post.

Now that I'm awake...my take on your question...If a trainee is struggling to get 4 or 5 good reps, use the Strong program. If the trainee can comfortably get 5 reps, use the Giant 3.0.
 
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@John Grahill, do not apologize ;)... thank you very much for the precision and for sharing experience ! That's very useful and informative. I will start my double kettlebell journey within 2 or 3 months (before, I have to finish what I started with S&S). Your post will help me free myself from the tyranny of choice... and the migraines that come with it ?
 
@John Grahill do you add some conditioning when going through phase 1 or the slow and stead phase?

In opposition to the Giant, it‘s strength focused and lacks in conditioning (if you don‘t shorten the breaks, which you shouldn‘t because of it‘s strength training). And I don‘t talk about phase 3 of course.

I love the idea of stretching it out to 24 weeks and build some agt training or something else around it.
 
@John Grahill do you add some conditioning when going through phase 1 or the slow and stead phase?

In opposition to the Giant, it‘s strength focused and lacks in conditioning (if you don‘t shorten the breaks, which you shouldn‘t because of it‘s strength training). And I don‘t talk about phase 3 of course.

I love the idea of stretching it out to 24 weeks and build some agt training or something else around it.
Also interested about all things @John Grahill training!

I'll share how I approached conditioning when doing Strong! I ran phase one back to back. First with 28s and then 32s. My son was born right as I finished with 32s so did not bother checking my new max reps but definitely felt stronger and had no difficulty with the final session of 10x3.
Essentially my weeks looked like this..
Day 1 - Strong!
Day 2 - A+A style one arm swings (5 reps EMOM with 40kg) Followed the template from From "Simple" to Serious Endurance | StrongFirst (I think my biggest day was 42x5 (210 reps)
Day 3 - 20-90min Cardio (rowing or bike trainer with HR 120-145)
Rinse and repeat. I typically took Fridays off and the odd day if feeling tired.

I made progress with both C&P and swings. I noticed if I went harder on cardio days it threw things off. Now I'm currently on week 3 on Giant with 24s.
 
@Xene being honest at this point I'm not doing a whole lot of traditional "conditioning" work. I'm concentrating on getting stronger/more efficient with heavier, bulkier bells. I just spent 7 months jacking up my heart rate super high for me! I do walk and ruck.
 
I'm wondering if doing Strong! utilizing C&J would cover some condition, along with strength.
 
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