Kettlebell S&S and Repetitive Motion

[L5S1]

I’m a 40 year old male who has been working on S&S every day for 1 year. I am currently up to 28kg all sets with 2nd set step loaded to 32kg.

I have been getting a crick behind my right shoulder blade I associate with tingling down my right arm which seems to have gotten better from doing shoulder stretches backwards. Next, I most recently have been getting a muscle cramp over my ribs in the middle of my back on the left side. I associate this with setting at work as I am an operator at a power plant. When I stand it seems to calm down.

Today, my chiropractor, a hard core power lifting fitness girl, told me I should take 3 months off from S&S because she is concerned about repetitive motion causing these issues. I really wanted to get to 32kg for all sets which I had hoped to reach by late August/ early September and then move to all S&S 32kg 3x/week and start working at the Axe program.

What do y’all think?

 

[Luis T. Gonzalez]

What do y’all think?

I would listen to your chiropractor. You could maintain your gains with the program's minimum. Two days of swings and 2 days of get ups, 5 minutes of each exercise. Do some iron cardio or Armor building complex. Or barbell work. I bet if you worked on your deadlift for a bit, you would come back in 3 months swinging 32kg pretty easily.

 

[jayjo]

Doing the same movement for that long, any movement, that long for that often, would give injury.
If you love Simple & Sinister you could do it once a week.
There are so many other things you can do with a Kettlebell.

 

[John K]

Today, my chiropractor, a hard core power lifting fitness girl, told me I should take 3 months off from S&S because she is concerned about repetitive motion causing these issues.

I would suggest listening to her until the symptoms are gone, and in the mean time address issues found. I don't think it is a repetitive motion issue so much as a improper loading issue. For instance, Pavel Macek did S&S for years until he hit Sinister and never developed these issues. However, if you progress too quickly, or your form has issues with a heavier weight, or something else you can very easily develop an issue. For instance, back when I was new to swinging kettlebells, I would move up a kettlebell weight and often get pain in my elbow. This was not an overuse issue but a technical issue - with the heavier weight I was pulling more with my arm, and then on the descent my arm would get jerked straight. Ouch. I had to fix that technical issue.

Doing the same movement for that long, any movement, that long for that often, would give injury.

Disagree very much with this sentiment. Repetitive motion can cause injury, but it doesn't necessarily cause injury.

 

[bluejeff]

I would listen to your chiropractor. You could maintain your gains with the program's minimum. Two days of swings and 2 days of get ups, 5 minutes of each exercise. Do some iron cardio or Armor building complex. Or barbell work. I bet if you worked on your deadlift for a bit, you would come back in 3 months swinging 32kg pretty easily.

+1 to this. Maybe try reducing your S&S practice for a bit and mixing in some other movements and see how that treats you. No need to stop it altogether.

I would also consider finding an SGF or at least posting a video for a form check. As @John K said, it might be a technical issue that could be cleaned up.

 

[silveraw]

For instance, Pavel Macek did S&S for years until he hit Sinister and never developed these issues.

I think it is also relevant that during those years he also had a morning Qigong recharge routine, ran a gym, and trained martial arts.

So his movement was varied day to day.

Might be a hot take, but I think S&S can be part of a well balanced fitness regiment, but not the whole thing. Sure it's better than not doing anything, but you probably should be doing other things along side of it if all you do is sit everyday and your only exercise is S&S for 30 minutes

 

[nickster]

Never had a pain bad enough to see a chiropractor, but when I was at similar weight, similar age on S&S needed to revisit this guidance from the book, page 93 of 250 of the current e book version.

(Hopefully this is not too much text to copy and paste from the source material.)

"... At the top of the rep, the kettlebell will surge forward, determined to twist your torso and to pull your shoulder out of its socket. Do not let it. Square your shoulders. Pull the working shoulder back into its socket—but do not shrug it up...."

 

[North Coast Miller]

I have been getting a crick behind my right shoulder blade I associate with tingling down my right arm which seems to have gotten better from doing shoulder stretches backwards.

That sounds like textbook cervical nerve impingement.

 

[Denys Carthusian]

That sounds like textbook cervical nerve impingement.

Yep.

 

[L5S1]

That sounds like textbook cervical nerve impingement.

I don’t think I have any neck pains boys.

 

[L5S1]

Nickster,

I go to a chiropractor for lower back issues which S&S has helped- terrified to quit it.

I think I have pretty decent form- I’ll try to have my girlfriend take a video tomorrow if I remember.

 

[Golder]

For what it’s worth, I’m at a similar point in my S&S path, closing in on the 32kg bell.

I’ve had a few points where my body was talking back about some of the training. Neck and shoulder issues, some tinglyness at night on occasion. Each time I used the feedback as an invite to tidy up my technique, focus more on explosive hip drive, more lat engagement, vertical planking harder, and at times focusing on relaxing neck or face thru reps. Each time I’ve gone back to re-examine technique, I’ve been able to resolve the soreness or tinglies or whatever the issue was.
Having a coach has helped me out in that area tremendously.

I don’t think 100 swings and 10 get ups is all that “repetitive.”

Maybe consider going down in weight (temporarily) to focus on tidying up technique.

And of course there is the holistic big picture: what else might you try to support your recovery process better ?

Just some thoughts. In your shoes I’d prolly trust the chiro more than a random interwebs dood who hasn’t hit Simple yet

 

[Tjerr]

Today, my chiropractor, a hard core power lifting fitness girl, told me I should take 3 months off from S&S because she is concerned about repetitive motion causing these issues.

Man, I need to stop walking then, been doing that daily for about 35 years!

But seriously, listen to the Chiro, she's probably smarter then I am. But afterwards, add some OS Resets as a daily maintenance or the Flexible steel mobility from Hardstyle Pro (YouTube).

 

[watchnerd]

I’m a 40 year old male who has been working on S&S every day for 1 year. I am currently up to 28kg all sets with 2nd set step loaded to 32kg.

I have been getting a crick behind my right shoulder blade I associate with tingling down my right arm which seems to have gotten better from doing shoulder stretches backwards. Next, I most recently have been getting a muscle cramp over my ribs in the middle of my back on the left side. I associate this with setting at work as I am an operator at a power plant. When I stand it seems to calm down.

Today, my chiropractor, a hard core power lifting fitness girl, told me I should take 3 months off from S&S because she is concerned about repetitive motion causing these issues. I really wanted to get to 32kg for all sets which I had hoped to reach by late August/ early September and then move to all S&S 32kg 3x/week and start working at the Axe program.

What do y’all think?

I would say it's a good idea to switch programs regardless of whether you're having a crick or not.

1 year of the same program every single day is a recipe for diminishing returns vs getting a novel stimulus by changing things up.

 

[North Coast Miller]

I don’t think I have any neck pains boys.

You very well might not. This:

crick behind my right shoulder blade I associate with tingling down my right arm

is a textbook impingement symptom. When mine 1st acted up there was zero neck pain. Persistent hitch under my shoulderblade was first symptom, tingling in arm was the second. Neck generally doesn't hurt aside maybe from a mild dullish ache like I've been watching fireworks for too long.

It could also be inflammation compressing a nerve, not sure. I'd def have it looked at by a Dr and not just a chiro as the Dr typically has access to many more diagnostic tools. Tough to make any reccs without more info.

 

[L5S1]

You very well might not. This:

is a textbook impingement symptom. When mine 1st acted up there was zero neck pain. Persistent hitch under my shoulderblade was first symptom, tingling in arm was the second. Neck generally doesn't hurt aside maybe from a mild dullish ache like I've been watching fireworks for too long.

It could also be inflammation compressing a nerve, not sure. I'd def have it looked at by a Dr and not just a chiro as the Dr typically has access to many more diagnostic tools. Tough to make any reccs without more info.

Yea I’ve had that issue off and on for 10 years. Switching to an ergonomic mouse helped and most recently stretching my arms backwards as I lean back has helped. I don’t think this issue for me is related to bells. Most likely from modernity forcing me to set behind a computer.

I was just telling you guys the issues my chiropractor was putting together.

 

[Denys Carthusian]

Yea I’ve had that issue off and on for 10 years. Switching to an ergonomic mouse helped and most recently stretching my arms backwards as I lean back has helped. I don’t think this issue for me is related to bells. Most likely from modernity forcing me to set behind a computer.

I was just telling you guys the issues my chiropractor was putting together.

When I finally saw a Gonstead guy and he went through a thorough set of x rays I could see the thoracic damage from being a desk jockey all these years.

 

[Anna C]

When I finally saw a Gonstead guy and he went through a thorough set of x rays I could see the thoracic damage from being a desk jockey all these years.

I recommend being very skeptical of this narrative. Here's a good debunking source, a chiropractor that challenges the regular chiropractor claims.

 

[Denys Carthusian]

I recommend being very skeptical of this narrative. Here's a good debunking source, a chiropractor that challenges the regular chiropractor claims.

I've been with him for a year, after going to other ones for 30 years, and everything he said has come true and he's worked miracles on my thoracic and my feet and lower legs. Anyone who is curious can watch another Gonstead guy, Dr. Rahim, do his stuff in full clinical sessions.

 

[Anna C]

I've been with him for a year, after going to other ones for 30 years, and everything he said has come true and he's worked miracles on my thoracic and my feet and lower legs. Anyone who is curious can watch another Gonstead guy, Dr. Rahim, do his stuff in full clinical sessions.

I'm a fan of finding solutions, so there's something good there.