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Kettlebell Progressing to heavier bells in a double clean

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RobbieF

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Hi guys, I'm currently performing 24kg double kettlebell front squats 2 times a week in my program. Within the next month or so I plan to transition to the 32kg bells for my front squats. The only problem is I really struggle to clean the bells in place to perform the front squats with the 32s! I feel like my form is reasonably good in the 24kg cleans: I get a good hike back, I load my hips, my arm stays connected to my body and I don't bang my wrists at the top of the movement. However, when I try to double clean or swing the 32s my form completely breaks down: I don't feel routed to the floor, I feel the weight load my lower back opposed to my glutes and hamstrings which then forces me to muscle it up. Unfortunately I can't upload a video and show you my form. As for progressing towards the 32kg bells I thought I could implement this progression:

- More cleans with the 24kg
- Practice double kettlebell deadlifts with the 32kg
- Transition from deadlifts to low swings with the 32kg
- Low swings to regular double swings with the 32kg
- Finally, a full clean

I know I'm making this hard for people to assess this problem without a video but I would really appreciate everyone's advice on this problem. Any tricks, exercises, cues or areas I need to work on would be great.
 
I expect you'll get better advise I expect, as I've just started working doubles practice in over the past couple weeks. But a couple things I noticed cleaning double 24s and 32s to practice rack holds: 1) the difference in full body tension required when moving up to 32s is huge. I really had to pressurize the torso - think power breathing. 2) it's a challenge on the grip, I noticed I was able to get more power for the clean when I squeezed hard. 3) it's a lot of weight, 64kgs. I felt like I was calling on a lot of what I picked up doing 2h swings with 48kg. Maybe a set of that before would help?
 
I think that practicing your rack holds with the 32's would be a great idea. From there, either doing some double front squats (as Geoff Neupert says, the DFSQ is a moving rack hold) or also doing farmer's walks in the rack position to help learn the power breathing and bracing. From there, once your rack position is locked in, the clean may be easier.

also @MikeMoran I think your math may be slightly off... 64kg = ~140 lbs (though still challenging of course!!)
 
Have you tried cleaning one 24 and one 32? That will decrease the weight about 18 lbs. Swap hands once your weaker arm is up to it.
 
A couple of general principles that hopefully will be helpful:

Read this article by Brett Jones:

Understanding Center of Mass in Kettlebell Training - StrongFirst

With heavy doubles that are a high percentage of bodyweight, you have to be skilled at the "dance of mass," as Brett calls it in the article, making sure that the center of mass of you and the kettlebell stays centered over your base of support (also know as your "feet"). With lighter bells you can rely on your relatively high body mass and muscle power to correct deviations when you get a little out of balance. You swing the bells; they don't swing you. With heavier doubles, you have to move more precisely WITH the bells so they don't end up swinging you. You swing WITH the bells or they WILL swing you.

Related to this, you also have to be more precise with the rhythm of looseness and tightness/straightness of your arms. When the bell is going to be pulling on you, you want your arm straight and your body in position to counterbalance the force. When you are in the process of bending or straightening your arm, you want the bell to be floating. You have a lot less leeway to muscle the bell into position or absorb force with the strength of your biceps rather than the mass of your body.

Finally, grip can be an issue that goes beyond just hanging onto the bells. If your grip is not totally secure, you will be inhibited from exerting power on the bell. Your form will get distorted in all kinds of ways in a subconcious attempt to minimize the stress on your grip.

Hope this helps.
 
@RobbieF, do some higher-rep sets of cleans w/ a pair of 24's. Stop before you lose crispness but aim to stay crisp for 10-12 reps in a single set - build up to that as gradually as you need. When you feel like you've done your last crisp rep, keep the bells in the rack and do a FSQ, then put them down.

-S-
 
I really appreciate all the advice guys, I did some carries in the rack position tonight with 24kg and I see what you all mean about generating tension! Right now I think racked carries with 2 32kg is a bit beyond me, currently I'm focusing on my grip and maximal tension with farmers carries with the 32kg due to @Steve W. said. @Steve Freides I'm doing double front squats in a ladder format two times a week, this week I'll perform 21 reps of cleans, do you think I should accumulate more volume and "grease the groove"?

I watched @marklimbaga perform a double clean today and realised one of my technique flaws: On the hike back on the double clean I realised my torso angle was staying the pretty much the same – essentially limiting my use of the stretch shortening cycle by not eccentrically loading my hamstrings. At the start position, when the bells are out in front of me my torso should remain in a more upright position, then when I hike the bells back should I initiate a big hinge at the hips. Basically, I was starting in a position where I was fully "hinged" which was making it a lot harder because I essentially had to reverse the weight up.

mark limbaga on Instagram: “last rung of my 5th set of double jerks and resets. 32s looked better than they felt. @ric_garcia_ #pillarofpower #kettlebellstrong…”


Anyway, thank you for the advice guys, this really is one of the most accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable lifting forums online - it really is a credit to those forum users who take there time out of their day to help those who are less in the know. Cheers Strongfirst!
 
I really appreciate all the advice guys, I did some carries in the rack position tonight with 24kg and I see what you all mean about generating tension! Right now I think racked carries with 2 32kg is a bit beyond me, currently I'm focusing on my grip and maximal tension with farmers carries with the 32kg due to @Steve W. said. @Steve Freides I'm doing double front squats in a ladder format two times a week, this week I'll perform 21 reps of cleans, do you think I should accumulate more volume and "grease the groove"?

I watched @marklimbaga perform a double clean today and realised one of my technique flaws: On the hike back on the double clean I realised my torso angle was staying the pretty much the same – essentially limiting my use of the stretch shortening cycle by not eccentrically loading my hamstrings. At the start position, when the bells are out in front of me my torso should remain in a more upright position, then when I hike the bells back should I initiate a big hinge at the hips. Basically, I was starting in a position where I was fully "hinged" which was making it a lot harder because I essentially had to reverse the weight up.

mark limbaga on Instagram: “last rung of my 5th set of double jerks and resets. 32s looked better than they felt. @ric_garcia_ #pillarofpower #kettlebellstrong…”


Anyway, thank you for the advice guys, this really is one of the most accommodating, friendly and knowledgeable lifting forums online - it really is a credit to those forum users who take there time out of their day to help those who are less in the know. Cheers Strongfirst!

Humbled by the kind words. My technique got field-stripped and further polished after attending the Kettlebell Strong workshop by @Geoff Neupert last year in Singapore..

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask
 
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