Kettlebell S&S: Do 2A Swings ever go away?

[SuperGirevik]

Hello everyone!

I'm starting S&S again with a 24kg and I just finished listening to the Simple & Sinister audiobook (again). I just have one question. Once I'm doing 10 x 10 1A swings @ 24kg, is the next progression to add 2A or 1A 32kg swings? I ask because Pavel mentions that eventually only 1A swings will be used but I'm not sure when that moment comes.

Thanks in advance

 

[Bauer]

Here are some quotes from S+S. 2H Swings go away in regular practice once "you are competent" and get reintroduced for non-stop swings as well as for shadow swings once your are doing some sets of 1H swings with the 32kg.

When you are very competent in the two-arm swing, and not a moment sooner, add the one-arm swing to your practice.

Tsatsouline, Pavel. Kettlebell Simple & Sinister . Unknown. Kindle-Version.

Then do five sets of ten swings, mostly two-arm swings at this stage, occasionally adding a couple of sets of one-arm or hand-to-hand swings. A couple of months down the road when your one- arm swing is solid, it will be the only version you will be using.

Tsatsouline, Pavel. Kettlebell Simple & Sinister . Unknown. Kindle-Version.

But:

Every two weeks take a kettlebell one or more sizes lighter than the one you are currently swinging. Pick a swing variation—two-arm, one-arm, hand-to-hand, mixed—and enjoy the pain. Do not introduce non-stop swings into your training until your normal training weight is 24kg if you are a woman, or 32kg if you are a man.

Tsatsouline, Pavel. Kettlebell Simple & Sinister . Unknown. Kindle-Version.

Fatigue or stress are no excuse for skipping a training session. Have a light day: reduce the weight in one or both exercises, in all or in some sets. Do two-arm shadow swings with a kettlebell close to 30% of your bodyweight or lighter.

Tsatsouline, Pavel. Kettlebell Simple & Sinister . Unknown. Kindle-Version.

So, for your question, there seems to be no strict answer. Try to minimize the use of 2H swings.

However, I don't think there is something wrong with testing a heavier weight with 2H swings just to practice the heavier hinge.

 

[SuperGirevik]

Thanks @Bauer! So I guess 2H swings technically never go away. As for progression, seems like there is no strict guideline.

My concern was that perhaps going from 24kg OA swings to 32kg 2H swings would be a step down, rather than a step up. Similar to how doing 32kg barbell overhead presses would be easier than doing 24kg OA presses.

But since the swing is not a arm movement but rather a hip hinge movement, the other half of me feels that my hips would be powering an increase in weight (24kg -> 32kg) which would be an improvement. The only negative would be that my midsection, shoulders and grip would receive less of a workout.

How do you feel about this?

 

[Bunn]

What @Bauer said. In addition, how you progress between kettlebells is really on you and what you believe works best for you. Slowly integrate 32kg 1HS with your regular practice with the 24kg, go to the 32kg exclusively starting out with 2HS and slowly adding sets of 1HS, a combination of the two, or something else entirely. The goal is to progress, how you get there is less important.

 

[Dekapon]

I do two hand swings with a 48kg for heavy lower body training, one hand swings with a 32kg for "conditioning" and time, one hand swings with a 40kg with a lot of rest in between sets for grip and explosiveness... or something like that. I vary the weights because it's more fun. Usually I only use one kettlebell per training sessions.

Don't know if it's "correct" but I like the variety.

 

[Oscar]

Hello everyone!

I'm starting S&S again with a 24kg and I just finished listening to the Simple & Sinister audiobook (again). I just have one question. Once I'm doing 10 x 10 1A swings @ 24kg, is the next progression to add 2A or 1A 32kg swings? I ask because Pavel mentions that eventually only 1A swings will be used but I'm not sure when that moment comes.

Thanks in advance

The progression laid up in the book is 1HS with 24 ==> 1 HS with 32. Some people use 2HS with 32 as an intermediate step (which is not strictly by the book). I personally prefer doing sets of 5 1HS with the 32 or a 28 kg bell as an intermediate step (again, not strictly by the book).

Progressing from 24 to 32 is not easy.

 

[Molson]

2H swings go away when you decide not to do them. It is a slow progression with 1H swings from 24 to 32, but it is doable. Do 2Hs once or twice to get yourself familiar with that heavier weight, then switch to 1H, even if it’s a single rep at a time. You will feel challenged, but also empowered! 32kg is my 1/2 BW, so I know it takes time, but it is all about patience.

Obviously you can progress to 32kg 2H 10x10 and then to 1H. It had been reported here and nothing bad about it!

It is your training and you decide how to progress in detail.

Good luck!

 

[Molson]

Thanks @Bauer

Similar to how doing 32kg barbell overhead presses would be easier than doing 24kg OA presses.

This is a good comparison. You could also refer to what Pavel wrote in NW about push ups. Something like: ‘if you think that just by achieving 100 push ups you will automatically be able to do one arm push up, you’ve got another thing coming!’

 

[SuperGirevik]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I remembered that Pavel mentioned that the steep climb in weights was a great way to tell your body to get strong fast. So with that in mind, when I get to the point that I'm owning my 24kg OA swings, I will slowly introduce OA 32kg (but not on my first set). On a side note, I feel my TGUs will progress quicker than my swings. I just did 10 TGUs with a 24kg in under 9 min... although I still don't feel like I own that weight with the TGUs. Next time I'm going to pace myself by doing a TGU on the minute, instead of one after the other.

 

[Nate]

I think it depends on when a weight becomes a challenge to you. If it feels light, no big deal but I can't 1A a weight well if i can't 2A it well... I need that progression step on heavier weights.

 

[Dekapon]

And lets not forget that swinging a really heavy weight and then going back to your regular weight feels like you're swinging air.

That being said... don't go out buying expensive heavy weights you can't handle to soon.

 

[J Cox]

Thanks @Bauer! So I guess 2H swings technically never go away. As for progression, seems like there is no strict guideline.

My concern was that perhaps going from 24kg OA swings to 32kg 2H swings would be a step down, rather than a step up. Similar to how doing 32kg barbell overhead presses would be easier than doing 24kg OA presses.

But since the swing is not a arm movement but rather a hip hinge movement, the other half of me feels that my hips would be powering an increase in weight (24kg -> 32kg) which would be an improvement. The only negative would be that my midsection, shoulders and grip would receive less of a workout.

How do you feel about this?

Having made the jump recently, two hand swings really helped break me in on the new weight because it was more about bringing up my posterior chain. Once the glutes and hams could keep up I could then introduce antirotational force with the one arms. I felt like it was building the foundation before I started building the house on top.

 

[deviant]

For me they never go away - they were never there in the first place. I never warmed up to two-armed swings and pretty much never do them. I prefer snatches and double bell jerks.