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Old Forum Kettlebell Muscle--Any experience with this?

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Faisal,

If you are completing KB Strong with 28s, I would test out with 20s before starting KB Muscle and see how you do. If you can get 10 solid MPs with the 20s, then you should be able to handle them for KB Muscle. If you are close, you might consider the break in plan below. If not, then go with 16s.

Personally, I find the 10 rep test to be very well-calibrated for the program. As much as I agree it makes sense to check your ego at the door in choosing the appropriate bell size, I also think you can sell yourself short and underbell yourself too much.

In his email newsletter, Geoff suggested the following break in progression if you are not quite ready for a given bell size.
“Keep the sets of KM the same for the
first 5-6 weeks.
Use the following rep scheme:
Week 1: 3 reps
Week 2: 4 reps
Week 3: 5 reps
Week 4: 4 reps
Week 5: 5 reps
Week 6: Off
Week 7: Break into true KM.”
So, again, after you finish your current program I'd recommend testing yourself and seeing where you stand.

 
 
Faisal,

Impressive that you are doing Kettlebell Strong now with a pair of 28's! I'm in the middle of the "Slow and Steady" with a pair of 24's and I'm really enjoying it. Are you keeping your reps low or do you go all the way to 6?

I'm toying with the idea of doing a KB Muscle complex programme after this, then buy another 28 and go back to Kettlebell Strong with a pair of 28's. Double 24's for KM may be too much as I did the Long Haul with a pair of 16's last year and it was brutal. I might just try it with lower reps (thanks Steve W. for sharing this option) as I feel some complexes with double 24's would be beneficial.

 
 
Steve, thanks for the advice. I will test the 16s this weekend to see how many reps I get, then I'll test the 20s at the end of STRONG and pick the appropriate weight as per your suggestion.

FP, thanks for the kind words, I'm doing "STRONG" part of the program so only low reps, some days even lower than prescribed.
 
I'd be interested to hear if you manage to do the 20's, I think you well might be able to. It's a very different way of training though! (very much bus bench, not that comfy park bench...)

I've only got double 24's at the moment so upon some further inspection think I may go for the “Total tension” kettlebell complex from http://www.strongfirst.com/total-tension-kettlebell-complex/ after this KB Strong cycle, then focus on lower rep strength again with double 28's.
 
@Faisal

 

Yes I did do 2 days of Fasting per Eat Sop Eat while on KBM, I still gained mass. My shoulders,arms,upper back and glutes all got a bit meatier and my waist shrunk.

Hard to say if I would have 'gained' more muscle by eating more. I did the fast days on the recovery days.

Really happy with how it turned out. Right now on a cycle of S&S then I will go to KB Strong again and then I want to try a program from More Kettlebell Muscle soon after that. So yeah I am planned out for the next 6-10 months already. :D
 
Faisal, thank you for being part of the thread! I am glad it was helpful in any and every way that it was.

Rest of the thread--thank you for all the feedback and support. This was an awesome program and I am looking forward to trying it again in three months with 20's, as the 16's kicked my a#@ but I am sure I will be stronger by then. Planning on the ROP when I get back from my trip.

Anyone looking to do KM--awesome program overall. I actually put on muscle and had to buy new clothes. My presses when from 24kg, with a push press of 28kg, to presses with the 28kg and push presses with the 32kg. Endurance is fantastic, and my snatches haven't been better. I definitely want to look into Kettlebell Strong in the near future as well, but my CNS needs some rest--which two weeks on the beach might afford!

 
 
I did it for the full 12 weeks. Don't get fooled by the low rounds in the first two weeks--it picks up and kicks your a#@. You think the first two weeks of the second portion will be easier, but how the exercises are arraigned continues to kick your a#@. Make sure you rest on the off days and eat! I easily could have eaten more, but the only other foods I would have had access to would have been crappy. Lots of sweet potatoes, bison, steak, chicken, veggies, and fruit. It was a perfect program to do during the holidays.
 
@FP: I did TTC in October with the 24s. Really enjoyed it and saw visible change in my arms and shoulders so a good choice indeed. I don't have 28s either so I made them, need to do the same for 20s (tip from Steve F, decent/expensive duct tape and small weight plates).

@Mike: Thanks for sharing that, very interesting.

@Kevin: Have a fab break
 
Faisal, as someone who has gone through KBM more than once, I can tell you that doing the 20 kgs your first time through could be brutal.  Consider the 16s and do not think it's too light. You ll appreciate it as the weeks and rounds increase!  although the working sets are a maximum of 7, they are longer in duration than what you're used to.

I think you'll like it.
 
Yes Weeks 6 and 12 will test your physical well being!! Good stuff. I recommend the full 12 weeks for best results. I want to do it again with 2x20kg at some point. It was fun even if some days were hard.
 
Anyone do any of the ones in MORE KB MUSCLE?

I am looking at The Shoulder Smoker and Clean Em Up.
 
Mike, the shoulder smoker was tough as was clean em up.  The extra rep per exercise is tough in the long run.   At some point I want to do "sir snatch a lot" possibly during the summer, or perhaps another heavier round of Kbm.
 
I finished my program on Friday, tested 16kg presses today, For warmup I pressed double 24kg for 5 reps then pressed the 16kg pair for a good 15 reps. I don't have a pair of 20kg to test but will tape on some plates to the 16s during the week and test how I get on.
 
My efforts to undertake the KBM mission have been somehow jinxed. The plan was, do the 12 weeks, have a week off then it would be start of Ramadan.

After testing the 20s and getting comfortable 10 presses, session 1 was an annihilator. Moved down to 18s but still really hard. From week 2 I was on 16s but still struggling, I had a cold during week 2 and 3 which didn’t help things.

Week 4, I decided not to shorten the rests so it became week 2 routine, this was a good week. Week 5 (week 3 routine), medium day was one of the best sessions yet (light sessions are always great). Light day, Wednesday, I get another viral infection with soar throat, temperature and crazy body aches so had to skip Wednesday and doubt I’ll be able to train tonight as still not recovered.

Now, wondering whether to restart from week 1 next week and do the 6 weeks or switch to a different program and pencil this in at a later point to re-visit. It’s a hard decision for me as I’ve mostly managed to stick to the programs until completion. I’m tending towards doing the KB Strong - Short Course over 6 weeks with a pair of 24s.

Not quite the update I was hoping to give at this stage.
 
Yeah its not an easy program. Sorry to hear about the viruses. It has been that season! I did have a few days under a virus between weeks 7 and 8 when I was doing KBM and luckily it hit bad on an off day and I generally get over them quickly so I did not suffer too much but there was a day there of KBM that was really really awful. Hope you feel better! You can always do it after Ramadan and eat all the foods! Good luck!
 
Hi guys

Short 2 questions Please coment if i Good understand

In kb musscle program we use clean plus jerk in strong clean and military press ?

Should i choose bells according to military press or Lccj

 

Ps i use strong with Lccj and geof aggred that's with realny heavy kb You can do it. I see real progress in MP. From 0 to 3 (32,32)

 

Michal

 
 
KB Muscle and KB Strong are very different programs.

 

STRONG will make you strong with low reps and heavy weights whether its LCCJ or C&P.

MUSCLE is made to make muscle grow using lighter weights and complexes. You measure your staring weight with a test of a set of KB you can Clean and Press 10 times without trouble(for me it was just barely the 2x16kg but I grinned my teeth and did it. )

So for KB MUSCLE you want to find you starting weight with a STRICT MP x10

For KB STRONG you can start with something you can only press or jerk 1-2 times and easily multiply that at the end of the cycle. Hope that helps.
 
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