Kettlebell S&S: Introducing the One-hand swing

[Orestis F]

Hello Everybody
Happy & healthy 2022!
It took me around one year to recover from an AC-joint injury and reach the level of the S&S progress I had before the injury.
Meaning 10x10 two-hand swings and 10 TGUs both in 10min with a 24kg Kettlebell and training 3-4 times per week.
After that, the last few months, I kept it stable.
I tried to introduce one-hand swing from time to time but the 24kg KB is challenging and -most important- every time I do a couple of reps I feel my AC-joint a bit too sensitive after. It might be something not serious but since I'm very careful with it, I wouldn't like to risk it.
On the other hand, with a 16kg Kettlebell things are much lighter for my shoulder but the weight feels too light for the lower body-part and doesn't help me with the right hip "explosion".
I was thinking, how if I go further with a 32kg Kettlebell two-hand swings and later introduce the one-hand with 24kg?
As far as I know this is not recommended by the program but is there a reason for that?
What is your opinion?
Thank you in advance for every recommendation
Power to You!

 

[Anna C]

the 24kg KB is challenging and -most important- every time I do a couple of reps I feel my AC-joint a bit too sensitive after.

Let's do a form check! Do you have a video you can link?

 

[Orestis F]

Let's do a form check! Do you have a video you can link?

I haven’t any but I can make one.
You mean 2 arm swing or 1 arm swing?

 

[Anna C]

I haven’t any but I can make one.
You mean 2 arm swing or 1 arm swing?

Both would be great.

I have some A/C joint issues currently myself, so I can sympathize... And might have some other ideas for you based on my current physical therapy for it.

 

[Orestis F]

So here we are:
S&S Two-arm Swings @24kg - Form check
S&S One-arm Swings @16kg - Form check

 

[Orestis F]

I have some A/C joint issues currently myself, so I can sympathize... And might have some other ideas for you based on my current physical therapy for it.

I wish you go over it safe and quickly. I was lucky the doc sent me to a physiotherapist who knew about Kettlebells and actually he even recommended TGU for RH.

 

[Anna C]

So here we are:
S&S Two-arm Swings @24kg - Form check
S&S One-arm Swings @16kg - Form check

I think those swings look good, @Orestis F . Set-up is correct, timing is good, good power breath, nice explosive upswing.

Your arms have a slight bend -- practice keeping them long and relaxed, like ropes. You want a solid grip, and a solid connection of arms to torso, but the arms themselves to be relaxed. Tight at the ends and loose in the middle. If that makes sense.

On that tight connection of arms to torso, that's where I think you should focus, especially with the A/C joint issue. On your setup, practice getting really tight in anti-shrugging your shoulders. Shoulder away from ear. Shoulder blades in back pockets. On your one-hand swing, square the shoulders -- in fact, set up like a two-hand swing, then take one hand away without moving the body. Then hike the kettlebell. Try to stay square throughout, just like a 2H swing.

Practice that tight connection of arm to shoulder at the top of the swing, too. I pattern it without the kettlebell. Standing tall, arm out, as if at the top of the swing -- squeeze the lat and draw the shoulder down, anti-shrugged. Practice keeping that throughout the swing.

Overall on the swing, you might think of letting the kettlbell go farther down and back at the bottom. Don't collapse the chest to get there -- you do have a good chest position now and you don't want to change that -- but let the arms be relaxed and sit back a bit more to find a deeper backswing.

Let me know if any of that doesn't make sense or if you find that it helps...

 

[Orestis F]

I think those swings look good, @Orestis F . Set-up is correct, timing is good, good power breath, nice explosive upswing.

Your arms have a slight bend -- practice keeping them long and relaxed, like ropes. You want a solid grip, and a solid connection of arms to torso, but the arms themselves to be relaxed. Tight at the ends and loose in the middle. If that makes sense.

On that tight connection of arms to torso, that's where I think you should focus, especially with the A/C joint issue. On your setup, practice getting really tight in anti-shrugging your shoulders. Shoulder away from ear. Shoulder blades in back pockets. On your one-hand swing, square the shoulders -- in fact, set up like a two-hand swing, then take one hand away without moving the body. Then hike the kettlebell. Try to stay square throughout, just like a 2H swing.

Practice that tight connection of arm to shoulder at the top of the swing, too. I pattern it without the kettlebell. Standing tall, arm out, as if at the top of the swing -- squeeze the lat and draw the shoulder down, anti-shrugged. Practice keeping that throughout the swing.

Overall on the swing, you might think of letting the kettlbell go farther down and back at the bottom. Don't collapse the chest to get there -- you do have a good chest position now and you don't want to change that -- but let the arms be relaxed and sit back a bit more to find a deeper backswing.

Let me know if any of that doesn't make sense or if you find that it helps...

@Anna C thank you so much for your detailed description! I definitely find it very helpful.
Especially that "like ropes" made lots of things clear
About the slight bend of the arms, I have the same impression but I have the feeling my arms are always at least a bit bended, not only in swings but in any type of exercise.
So from my understanding your recommendation would be that I should keep on one-arm swings with 16kg until I develop my technique, right?
And what is your opinion about two-arm swings with 32kg? Would it be also beneficial in the current stage or should I let it for later?

 

[Anna C]

About the slight bend of the arms, I have the same impression but I have the feeling my arms are always at least a bit bended, not only in swings but in any type of exercise.

Yeah not too much of a concern and a little bend is OK. If you like the "like ropes" cue, that usually does it!

So from my understanding your recommendation would be that I should keep on one-arm swings with 16kg until I develop my technique, right?

Yes I would say 16 kg on the 1H swings until you feel pretty solid with the "squaring up" and with the packed (anti-shrugged) shoulder.

And what is your opinion about two-arm swings with 32kg? Would it be also beneficial in the current stage or should I let it for later?

I'd say go for it with the 32kg 2H swings. Work on that backswing -- let that heavier weight pull you into the hinge a bit more... long arms, loaded hamstrings, be patient... then come back up with the upswing just like you're doing already.

 

[Orestis F]

@Anna C I have one more question regarding the AC Joint troubles.
What is your opinion about KB military press? My physiotherapist recommended to avoid it because it puts pressure to AC Joint and use the simple press instead. At the moment I'm not practicing any press but just to know.
Any further advise about post AC Joint injury training/activity tips would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance

 

[Anna C]

@Anna C I have one more question regarding the AC Joint troubles.
What is your opinion about KB military press? My physiotherapist recommended to avoid it because it puts pressure to AC Joint and use the simple press instead. At the moment I'm not practicing any press but just to know.
Any further advise about post AC Joint injury training/activity tips would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance

It depends on a lot of things - primarily, whether your shoulders are currently irritated, how your mobility is at any given time, and how you're performing the press.

First of all, can you describe what you mean by "simple press"?

On mobility, let's say there's an arbitrary scale of 1 - 10 (as I like to do for illustration purposes)... where 1 is severely limited and terrible mobility, and 10 is picture perfect. With no current injury, I might assess my shoulders as a 6 when I walk into a training session. If I warm up properly, I can get myself to a 7 or 8. If I continued to work on stretching and mobility exercises persistently and longer-term, I might get my best to a 9... and then, I might be a baseline of 7 walking into a training session, which can warm up to a 9, or more easily get to an 8 with minimal warm-up. I probably won't ever get to 10. So if you notice, there are three aspects there. What is your potential "best" achievable mobility, as limited by your anthropometry, genetics, age, etc? Mine is a 9 in this illustration. What is your current "baseline" mobility? Mine is a 6 in this illustration. And what is your current "warmed up" mobility? Mine is a 7 or 8 in this illustration. So you might not able to affect your best, but you can affect your baseline with ongoing work, and you can always affect your warmed-up mobility with a proper warm-up. The reason I bring all this up is that t-spine and shoulder mobility VERY MUCH affects how a KB military press affects your shoulders, especially the AC joint! I can give you some of my favorite warm-ups as taught to me by @Karen Smith.

As for the other things - how much your shoulders are currently irritated - you might have to back off for a couple of weeks to let them calm down, or might need other treatment. Depends how bad the problem is. And how you're performing the press - easiest thing to do is upload a video of that also for a form check. Happy to help if I can.

My current AC joint rehab is mainly rotator cuff rehab. So any typical rotator cuff strengthening routines can be a good thing. In my case I knew of them but I was hesitant to add things to my already overworked shoulders... so going to PT has helped productively guide my efforts. I think I'm getting somewhere with it, but it's an ongoing saga.

 

[Orestis F]

Actually my injury has to do with the cartilage on AC joint. From the few things I understand, I wouldn't evaluate it as a serious injury so far but in case you go conservative everything needs time.
My shoulders are not irritated during the last months. Of course I'm careful and I'm doing always proper warming-up and trying to progress with a slow pace.
My mobility is currently good enough compared to mobility before injury. If I use your illustration (btw perfectly explained ) I would say if 10 is the mobility I could reach 20 years ago, just before injury my range was 6 to 8, now is 6 to 7.
Now there are only some less "ordinary" moves which still might give me pain kicks but have in mind that,
except S&S and a bit of hanging from the bar, I'm not lifting or doing other type of strength training and so my shoulders didn't have any seriously heavy training load to cope with.
So things were mild so far but I'm not sure what might happened if I go heavier or if I add something new i.e. a single arm swing or later enter further KB exercises etc.

About Press: "simple press" is actually my term, I'm sorry, I just didn't know how to call it. I know mainly 2 types of KB presses. The military press (i.e. as described from Pavel in Enter the KB) and another press, pushing the KB direct straight up.
I haven't practice any of both so far, maybe I could introduce it later in my training routine.

Thank you so much for the information you share, really valuable.
Let's wish a 2022 with no injuries!

 

[Anna C]

Sounds like continued mobility and maybe some light presses that don't irritate your shoulder would be a good addition. If that goes well, could work towards more pressing later.

Practice using your lat as you press, so it's not all a shoulder exercise. To me that's the #1 thing that distinguishes a StrongFirst kettlebell military press from most kettlebell presses or other presses I used to see in the gym.

Yes, let's keep the shoulders healthy! I have a new appreciation for them these past few months, that's for sure.