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Kettlebell ROP Rest and Workout Timeline

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When I did ROP, it usually took about 10-12 minutes per ladder on heavy day. I used a 70 lb bell. In the 4th and 5th ladder, I found that, I would start to stiffen up if I rested too long. There was a great post on the DD forum back in the day by Faizal, who suggested not to rest too long between the 5th rung and the first rung of the next ladder. I thought this was sage advice. Save your rest for between rungs 3, 4, 5. Get rungs 1-2 out of the way, with good form.

I think the ROP is a great program however, I don't think it's sustainable. It needs to be cycled. With the 70, I would start getting nicked up here and there. However, if you go hard and heavy enough with the swings, (using an 88), your snatch numbers do go up. I prefer 2 hand swings.
 
I gotta say I love the ROP. I used to get very nutty about the rest periods between rungs and ladders. Found that doing them without worrying and focusing on the time worked best. Some ladders were faster than others.

I am currently doing a 44 and 40 hybrid ROP press and pullup program and it is kicking my rear end.

I'm not being pedantic (if that's an appropriate term) I'm just going when I feel ready. I am finding that the first ladder is the slowest.



Don't sweat 'em, just do 'em.
 
This thread is pure gold for me since I’m considering doing ROP after achieving Simple. Lots of interesting things to consider. Question though, does lower body growth lag behind on ROP? It seems like as a beginner after Simple that ROP would add some nice bulk to your upper body but not the lower.
 
Geoduck said:
This thread is pure gold for me since I’m considering doing ROP after achieving Simple. Lots of interesting things to consider. Question though, does lower body growth lag behind on ROP? It seems like as a beginner after Simple that ROP would add some nice bulk to your upper body but not the lower.
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Perhaps, but I imagine heavy swings would help at least maintain? You could front squat on variety days.
 
Geoduck said:
This thread is pure gold for me since I’m considering doing ROP after achieving Simple. Lots of interesting things to consider. Question though, does lower body growth lag behind on ROP? It seems like as a beginner after Simple that ROP would add some nice bulk to your upper body but not the lower.
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the ballistics strengthen the legs without bulking them up. its mentioned in ETK somewhere. i wouldnt worry about it. You can always do some easy squatting on variety days
 
Just to add my times for general info, the fastest I have done a 5x5 MP ladder was around 32 minutes (with a heavy bell) and that was working very hard. In fact, I had nothing left to finish my second exercise so had to call it a day, so in my opinion better taking the rest time you need (within the 45-60m recommended) to ensure you can do the all the work you set out to do at the start of the session. I think most of the time I would clock in around 40-45 mins for a 5x5 ladder depending on how I was feeling on that particular session, leaving 10-15 minutes for other work.
 
I tried implementing thoughts garnered from this thread over the weekend to predictable results. I took 50 minutes to complete my heavy day and completed the full 150 reps without much issue. As I said on my workout log, I'm happy to have finished at my current weight, but a little disappointed with the challenge as a 5x5ladder day in 50:00 was less challenging than a 5x4ladder in 26:40 that I'd finished three days prior. Deload then bumping weight. Repeat until strong...

It does make me wonder if there is a "most effective" continuum for building strength while following ROP. On one end of the spectrum, you could ostensibly finish a full 5x5ladder only setting the bell down between ladders or without setting the bell down at all, finishing your Heaviest Day AFAP. But this is certainly not ROP in word or spirit, since you could likely only complete this feat with a bell far lighter than the prescribed 5-8RM bell. On the other end, you could take all day do finish your presses in order to keep fresh for every rung. In my mind, this follows ROP in word but not in spirit as there's little challenge in its completion. With virtually limitless rest you would need relatively little training to complete the Heaviest Day with a weight with which you can already complete 5-8 C&P. You WOULD be getting stronger by developing your strength as a skill, but is it the most effective way to build strength and reach the ROP goals?
 
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Brian Johnston said:
With virtually limitless rest you would need relatively little training to complete the Heaviest Day with a weight with which you can already complete 5-8 C&P. You WOULD be getting stronger by developing your strength as a skill, but is it the most effective way to build strength and reach the ROP goals?
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I think each program uses a particular variable to create adaptation. Simple & Sinister uses the variable of daily consistency. ROP uses the variable of volume, you are doing a lot of presses in one day. Some other program might have you peak to about 90% 1RM, so in that case the variable is intensity.

I´m not experienced, but it appears to me that if you are complying with the program, you are good. No need to add additional stress by compressing the rest periods, specially on the heavy-heavy day.
 
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