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Kettlebell Shadow Swings

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Lew

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I read with interest the section on Shadow Swings in S&S. Harald M and several others have referenced these. I now understand what they are.

I am new to S&S, but I feel my form and technique coming together.

When I feel I can do 10 nearly perfect swings, could I convert to shadow swings while I am doing two-handed swings?
 
Lew, citing Kettlebell. Simple & Sinister:
" Employ overspeed eccentrics or shadow swings only with light kettlebells - 30% of your bodyweight or less - and only in two-arm swings. Hike the bell back with all-out acceleration and aggression. Hard style!
 
Pavel also recommends not doing them until you are working the 32. As always, for good reason! Not wishing to discourage you but you should put that idea on the back burner for a while. Get your swing volume and weight up to the 32.....so that's at least 10x10 with the 24 before you start using the 32.
 
Harald,
I am currently swinging 16kg, so up to 30% of my current weight would be up to ~44kg.

But 30% of what I should weigh would be a little less than 32kg.

I was wondering since I'm new and starting light, if I would get more out of two handed shadow swing within the context of S&S.

Ali,
I found the 32kg reference for high volume swing tests in S&S, but not for shadow swings.
Does this mean I can't do shadow swings once my weight dips below ~230lbs if I can't start until I'm swinging 32kg and that can't be more than 30% of my weight?
 
Lew, I'm not sure if they are the same thing just with different names, or if they are different. There is a swing variation with a partner who chucks it back and with a band to add resistance and some recoil on the backswing or you do it yourself by stopping the bell before the float, engaging the lats and chucking it back on the downswing. So I don't know if they are the same, or the same but different. If a normal float is about 90 degrees, my continuos swings are halted at about 30/45 degrees.....so I don't know if they are also called shadow swings? I remember Al Ciampa saying to stop the bell's ascent abruptly and throw it back. It is a lot more violent than regular swings but are they shadow or continuos swings, I'm really not sure.....anyway I do them.

Also, third bodyweight is a approximation, clearly people are different and bells only come in certain weights.....it is the ideal bell for power generation, according to the book. Or just drop a bell size from your working bell, use a 24 if working the 32. Guess you could go heavier/lighter to get a closer match to your weight but the advice is don't do them until you work the 32 anyway.

You say you can do 10.....10 sets or one set of ten....2 hand or singles? If 16 is your start bell work at doing 10 sets of 10 2 handed swings, then work in single hands. No need to consider continuos or shadow or any other type of swing just yet.
 
@ali
Lew talks about the MaxRep Swing Test described in S&S (Chapter: Simple & Sinister Summarized, Point 10). Every two weeks take a lighter KB than you're currently using and go for a non-stop MaxRep. Only do this after you began training with the 32Kg.

@Lew
You can introduce shadow swings whenever you want. Pavel doesn't give any particular advise on when to do start on them. Of course if you're currently training with a 24Kg and the 24Kg would be 30% of your bodyweight you shouldn't use it for the shadow swings. IMO they should be significantly lighter than your current training weight, e.g. if your training weight is 24Kg don't go heavier than 16Kg for the shadow swings. Pavel recommends them for days when you don't feel that good and just want to get in your session for the day, so i interpret that as they shouldn't be too taxing.
 
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