Kettlebell S&S, PM, PttP and Double FSQ?

[305pelusa]

To me this looks just like the often mentioned guy who comes into the gym, does his sets couple of sets of bench, curl and abs with the same weight and leaves...and never making progress

Well said. I think fitness writers will always create their own examples to prove their own points.

While I agree Easy Strength is an excellent program, I think it should be used with the variability Dan intended (some sets harder, some easy singles, etc). If you run the Easy Strength template with KBs, and literally use the same weights every day... isn't that the definition of insanity?

Let's move this in another direction.
Do you think goblet squats in the warmup, the lunge part of the TGU, the kind of half squat in the bent press (I have to get down almost to 90° for a BnP), rucking & running (especially running is more quad dominant) and the (compared to the swing and conventional DL) increased utilisation of the quads in the snatch and sumo DL are enough to balance the leg (keeping the right balance between posterior and anterior chain)?

Depends what you mean by balance. I don't think you'll get injured, but you're certainly de-training the quads compared to your glutes and hamstrings.
Every movement you mentioned trains the hamstrings and glutes more. And aside from the Goblets (which are just a warm-up), none of them have full knee ROM anyways.

I don't think it's a bad idea to have an actual heavy deep knee bend movement 1-2 times a week (I don't think you need it daily though). Then again, I'm not a minimalist so I have a different viewpoint in that sense.

 

[damogari]

The rep schemes I used as example were taken from Even Easier Strength.

I found this a couple of minutes ago The Forty Day Workout…Again
At the bottom is a routine from Pat Flynn based on Dan's Easy Strength principles.

It's Push-Pull-Hinge-Squat-Loaded Carry, 5 days/week, (1,2,3)x2 for every movement, used up to 3 months without changing the weight. The theory is after some time the 2 ladders will feel extremely easy without any change to reps, sets, weight or density and after they feel light you can bump up the weight.

There are more ideas about doing EES with kettlebells :

KB "Even Easier Strength"

Generally you would need more kettlebells and mix weights and reps a little, but as far as I know you have quite nice collection

 

[Oscar]

@Kettlebelephant Im interested in seeing how the squats will affect the recovery of S&S, so please keep us posted!

 

[JZB]

What?

 

[kodo kb]

If you want a time constraint, why not use that and use density training? Add 10-15 minutes and track your volume and density. When 40ish reps are pretty easy you can probably jump the weight up. Remember that you can always just go up one bell at a time, you just gotta switch sides every set or session.

 

[Kettlebelephant]

If you want a time constraint, why not use that and use density training? Add 10-15 minutes and track your volume and density. When 40ish reps are pretty easy you can probably jump the weight up. Remember that you can always just go up one bell at a time, you just gotta switch sides every set or session.

In general a good approach. A lot of the routines in Geoff Neuperts KB Express and Express Ultra are similar to EDT.
In the context I mentioned I don't think it works. Squats in a EDT format will definitely cut into the recovery for S&S/PM and the runs.

 

[Kettlebelephant]

@Kettlebelephant Im interested in seeing how the squats will affect the recovery of S&S, so please keep us posted!

I just finished my 7th session including the 2x(1,2,3) ladders. The first week was tough. At the end of the sessions I was like "Do I really want to do those squats now?" But only 2 ladders are done quickly, so I kept doing them. By friday the last rung of 3 was really tough. On monday and today the FSQs felt a lot easier though. This was after 2 days of rest on the weekend.
The approach seems to work, but I wouldn't consider the first week as "Easy Strength", because they took something away from me instead of leaving me refreshed and stronger than before the session.

 

[Mirek]

KB "Even Easier Strength"

 

[Oscar]

@Kettlebelephant thats interesting. I have been prescrived to do squats due to a patellar tendinosis, so I´m thinking on adding KB front squats two times a week after S&S. Maybe on those days I will only do 1 set of prying goblet squats as warmup to keep the session short.

It appears that you are doing the squats every session. Have you considered doing them only a few times a week?

 

[Kettlebelephant]

It appears that you are doing the squats every session. Have you considered doing them only a few times a week?

Of course, but I commited to at least 4 weeks of 5x/week to test it.

 

[Kettlebelephant]

Two days ago I completed the 4 weeks of 2x (1,2,3) double FSQ ladders 5 days per week.
I used a 28+32 which although not a true 5RM felt really heavy for 5 reps. I would rate the RPE for the 5 reps at the beginning as a 9-10. Now it's down to a 5. To reach an RPE of 9-10 with the same weight I now need to do 10 reps.
So I can say that it works.
Would I say it is Easy Strength? Maybe. It's get's easier over time. Week 2 feels easy, Week 3 and 4 even easier. Week 1 was hard though.

 

[Oscar]

@Kettlebelephant that's an interesting an thorough experiment you have carried out. I'm particularly interested since I have been prescribed squats to deal with a patellar tendinosis I have. A couple (a lot) of questions if I may:

1. How much time did it take you in addition to S&S?

2. How long were the rest periods?

3. How much it affected your recovery?

4. Did you experience any other adaptations? Like hypertrophy or anything else?

5. If you had to add squats to s&s long term, how would you do it? Maybe 1, 2, 3 X2 two times per week?

6. Did you still do the goblet squats at the beginning?

 

[Kettlebelephant]

1. How much time did it take you in addition to S&S?

5-10min max. Week 1 more like 10min. Week 4 and a good day and you're done in 3min.

2. How long were the rest periods?

I didn't track those, but because of the ladder style not that long. You can always squeeze in the 1 rung and only need to rest a bit before the 3 rung.

3. How much it affected your recovery?

Not that much in the later weeks, in the first week I experienced some DOMS though. But no negative change in hunger, sleep or performance in my other training, so I think recovery was fine.

4. Did you experience any other adaptations? Like hypertrophy or anything else?

No visible hypertrophy, maybe a bit more density. My midsection feels stronger.

5. If you had to add squats to s&s long term, how would you do it? Maybe 1, 2, 3 X2 two times per week?

I'm fine with the 2x (1,2,3) 5x per week. As I mentioned the first week will be hard, but if you go on for 6 or 8 weeks instead of 4 and then increase the weight by only 4-8Kg and start all over I don't image the first week with the new weight to be that hard. You can go on like that until it stops working.
Maybe 2-3x per week works. That's something you need to try.

6. Did you still do the goblet squats at the beginning?

Yes, but using the guidelines from here: Goblet Squat: How To Use It To Move Better, To Become Stronger, and When Not To Use It At All
I don't use my swing weight, but a very light KB, because my goal is a better squat pattern and as a final goal to be able to squat without weight but with the same form as a medium-heavy goblet squat.