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Kettlebell S&S Physique (humorous, but not really joking)

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That's great man. I just feel so heavy and weighed down with meat and was looking for a sound alternative. Thanks for the information, I appreciate it.
 
Thank you all for your many replies! It has been fascinating to hear what people have noticed about their physique and how you each eat to support your training and lifestyles.

I'm thrilled. :)
 
While I cannot claim to have achieved S&S, I can claim a lot of KB work responsible for my results.


Last lifted cast iron in my early 30s, heydey was in my mid 20s. When my kids were born in 08 I dropped weight and was only running 15 minutes three times a week, a few minutes of medicine ball, bodyweight 156.

Since then I have trained almost exclusively KB. Am back up to my fighting weight of 186, a gain of 30lbs - could actually stand to drop a couple but me and ice cream have a complex relationship...

Anyway, here's the pic I surreptitiously swapped on my wife's phone for my contact pic. No before and after, but at 156 I was mighty skinny - two belt holes down. If only there was a KB equivalent for helping my face!

101200159_zpsdz91rzz1.jpg
 
I want to thank everyone for sharing, and encourage more. SF certainly isn't a body building mindset, but I suspect if we are honest, physique is important to many of us. On pure aesthetics, I have to say the lean kettlebeller / fighter physique is my goal. I have little desire for the typical body builder physique, either the pro "ideal" nor what I see on the local bros.
 
If you have strength it is fairly easy to create physique or make changes, but not generally with the same protocol as normally used in KB training. Without strength, no real size gains can be made, though you can get some pump related hypertrophy. Done right its a slow walk, strength leads to size increase, larger functionally powerful muscles translate to solid strength gains. Improved unit recruitment helps everything.

One thing I noticed is how the core heavy emphasis in my case leads to a thickening of the torso in all dimensions. As long as it stays inside the iliac crest on the sides and doesn't get out of hand fore and aft I'm happy.

I also am set enough in my ways that I still do crunches...but only as active recovery, which I believe is still OK even by KB norms...
 
@Joshua - As a vegetarian do you have to be careful about protein consumption while strength training? Where do you turn for vegetarian protein sources? I've often thought about going vegetarian for ethical/political reasons but when I looked at vegetarian protein sources it looked near impossible to get to the 1-1.5 gms per kg of body weight that some people recommend for strength training.
 
Best sources for me are nuts, Lentils/legumes, pea protein sometimes. You will be surprised how much protein can be found in natural items.
Tempeh is another good source, some vegetarians still eat eggs ( I don't), there's plenty plant protein about thats reliable too.

I don't really aim for any kind of caloric goals per day, I just stick to being healthy and I figure thats by eating healthy. Go figure that I've gained a little muscle already on s&s. The foods I personally stick to for protein is nut butter, nuts & legumes/lentils. Hope this helps you :)
 
My strength is sound, still pulling 200kg@68 (my max being 215@66). I did a getup with a 32 this morning and that felt fine even though I rarely do them (osteo arthritis in my ankles makes getups ferociously painful). I followed much the same diet when I wrestled Greco (albeit no fish, meat or milk whatsoever) and i still threw guys that were 30kg+ heavier than me around like rag dolls.
I find I feel calmer, more energised and lighter on my feet with this diet. I feel fairly strong.
My swings feel stronger, I dont feel so heavy in my lungs either and I've noticed already this diet coupled with a modified S&S has made me stronger than I was; especially on the grappling mat.

* apologies I cant tag you guys in this (got a new phone today) hope you dont miss it


What is your modified S&S?
 
What is your modified S&S?
I do Side Press instead of Getups.
I have osteo arthritis in my ankles which can make the getup very painful to do.
I love the Side Press though, great movement.
Rep ranges and swings are still the same as S&S.
 
I do Side Press instead of Getups.
I have osteo arthritis in my ankles which can make the getup very painful to do.
I love the Side Press though, great movement.
Rep ranges and swings are still the same as S&S.
Sorry to hear that getups are hurtful to you. I might have to replace getups for some time too, because of my knee. Rehabbing is going well, so I'm confident that I can do getups some day next year. I have planned to use either bent press or side press.
 
I have planned to use either bent press or side press.

+1 for the bent press

I've been bent pressing for the last 3 weeks and like they way it affect my body. Different beast than TGU, with different demands from the mind/body, but with some major common benefit (full body lifts with high demands of rotary stability and are somewhat a form of loaded resets). I'll keep bent pressing for a while until my progress stalls and than move back to TGUs.
 
+1 for the bent press

I've been bent pressing for the last 3 weeks and like they way it affect my body. Different beast than TGU, with different demands from the mind/body, but with some major common benefit (full body lifts with high demands of rotary stability and are somewhat a form of loaded resets). I'll keep bent pressing for a while until my progress stalls and than move back to TGUs.
Sounds like you have a solid plan. I did some bent presses in the past and liked them. I never went to a sort of max with them. It was more like practicing and learning.
 
+1 for the bent press

I've been bent pressing for the last 3 weeks and like they way it affect my body. Different beast than TGU, with different demands from the mind/body, but with some major common benefit (full body lifts with high demands of rotary stability and are somewhat a form of loaded resets). I'll keep bent pressing for a while until my progress stalls and than move back to TGUs.

I agree, I think Bent/Side Presses are one of the greatest lifts one can do. Once one can get extremely heavy weights overhead in this fashion I believe that, that person can become a different kind of beast.
I'm also adding in chins at the end, just a small ladder not to failure.

I strongly believe in the quote ' Strong Back, Strong man"
 
As long as you have sound carbohydrate sources the strength should be there in my opinion


This has long been my opinion and experience as well.

I shake my head watching one of the now common survival shows where the protagonists constantly proclaim the dire need for protein to keep their energy levels up. They then kill some hapless critter a half hour before their "rescue".

I can see where, in an unfamiliar environment, eating small game might very well be safer than eating plant matter of unknown character. But, seeking it out over possibly easier to obtain carbs that require less water to digest and immediately replenish energy levels, makes no sense. In an emergency situation one could easily go several days with very little protein if their water and carbs are in order, and be none the worse for it.
 
@Joshua I am little busy now - just came from SFG2 in Italy, and this weekend we have SFL in Prague, but I will make some more pics and videos, no prob. For time being, check out this video - few months old.



And here a video from September, my 40th birthday celebration - 20+20 one arm swings with the Beast.

 
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@Joshua I am little busy now - just came from SFG2 in Italy, and this weekend we have SFL in Prague, but I will make some more pics and videos, no prob. For time being, check out this video - few months old.



And here a video from September, my 40th birthday celebration - 20+20 one arm swings with the Beast.



Man you're a beast!! Very strong
 
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