Kettlebell Resistance/strength training + S&S

[candelas]

My thoughts: pick one program, stick to it.
The best program is the one you (want to) follow. Go for it!

Thanks!

 

[User 6372]

Have you reached simple status yet?

This!

I would do s&s to simple before adding. My legs added size on my calves from s&s and my upper legs did get.......denser looking (as well as my calves). You might find s&s is more than enough for legs. Again, depending on goals.

 

[candelas]

@Mark Kidd Thanks for your advise.
I should try. I have no proof to state the contrary. But IMO, given my body type I think squats would serve better.
So far I'm trying something else for a few months (it includes a couple of weeks of s&s alone).
After that I'm planning to stick to s&s to reach 'Simple'.
I'll give a try to my plan. I can always back off and do just s&s (I would add pull-ups and push-ups, taking it easy,more as a practice than as a training)

Thanks

 

[User 6372]

@candelas

My legs are the hard gainers on me. I learned that my body seemed to respond to the lunges more than squating. Weird.

 

[NoILSteve]

Same as @Mark Kidd, my legs seem to be responding to S&S very nicely.

 

[Deleted member 5559]

My goal? Overall fitness. It should be overall health.

You are wanting to do too many things. Pick a physical goal that is most important to you. Programs are not goals, they are tactics to help you reach goals. Pick your primary physical goal (one!) and choose tactics to get there.

I'm finally having some clarity with training after many years and programming for myself and I hope my slow evolution can speed up others.

A good way to hit a little of everything without a specific goal while staying focused on something is to do a couple programs in a specific order, then repeat.

1. Prep Phase (S&S)
   • Easy to recover
   • Easy to schedule
   • Strengthens vulnerable parts of the body
2. General Phase (Easy Strength, Starting Strength, or TTKC; + LSD Running)
   • Low heart rate cardio creates a body that can do more work
   • Easy to schedule
   • Eases the body into eccentric movements and increases planes of movement
3. Specific Phase (This program/goal should be easy to answer; if it's not, you don't need this phase)
   • All-in to attain maximum performance for ONE thing
   • Start competing at something (TSC?), pick a favorite physical hobby (?)
4. Maintenance Phase (Hybrid between the general phase and specific phase; if it's not obvious what you need, you probably don't need it)
   • Stop pushing hard in one direction
   • Don't stop pushing completely in that direction

I think the ratio for phase/program length should look something like - 1:4:1:2 (i.e., 1 month of a specific program should receive 1 month of prep and 4 months of a general program first).

 

[jca17]

Forum observation:
New poster: Here's a program I would like to do, any problems with it?
forum regular: What are your goals?
New poster: <shares goals>
forum regular: Why are those your goals? Your goal should be 100 32kg swings in 5 minutes and 10 32kg TGUs in 10. Hmmm. For that I think you should replace your plan with S&S.

I VERY much agree with the S&S first SF progression, but when I step back, I think it gets taken to an extreme. People got strong and healthy before S&S. People all over are getting strong and healthy without ever touching a kettlebell. Dan John, who coauthored with Mike Brown the article that is often referenced (and has become my own personal roadmap), no longer even trains clients with loaded getups the last I heard. He just wants to maintain movement competency with a half filled (half empty?) cup of water in the TGU. If your goal is mass, and you really want to barbell squat, work on technique then back squat!

I was a kettlebell purist after finding Pavel's writings. After running into a wall with S&S, I finally ended up with convenient access to a gym and started barbell training using Pavel's presentation of Faleev 5x5. I LOVED it! Very recognizable and immediate progress. Perhaps strangely, I never got tweaks or setbacks with barbell training, but with kettlebells I would find the slightest deviations in technique could tweak something and require a week or 2 layoff. Now I'm finally rearing to get back at S&S and the royal road through ROP, but I've learned to embrace the wide world of physical culture, and keep a journal along the way. The best programs for your own body will be found through experience. The only thing better than a tried and true program for the masses (like S&S) is a tried and true program that's been tailored to yourself.

Also, S&S feels so much better and easier after building some base strength with the barbell (granted I had also built base capacity with two years of kettebells), and I think I will cycle back into some barbell before I finish S&S.

 

[jef]

StrongFirst is about principles, not methods or tools.
S&S is an easy strength and easy endurance program that requires little equipment, is very flexible, and can be done while doing other activities. A perfect fir for many.
But it is just one program, not THE program.