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Kettlebell Simple easy, beyond... not so much (grip issues with swings beyond 32kg)

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sizzlefuzz

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Okay so, I've been using (& loving S&S) for some time now and regularly do 'Simple' timeless a couple of times a week and time myself doing it now and then to make sure I haven't "lost it" over the past couple of years. So far, things are very good in this department.

Additionally, I have ventured into the heavier weights of 36 & 40kg with the eventual goals of achieving "Solid" and possibly "Sinister".

When it comes to bell speed and snap in the swings, I think I've got it, and in terms of get ups, I've done some fairly regularly @ 36 & 40kg and the get ups aren't so bad. Also considering trying some with the Beast, soon.

That brings me to my challenging aspect of the swings. When I go beyond 32kg, grip is a large point of failure for me. Do you have any tactical advice on how to approach it? Even the "half step" of 32-36kg for swings makes things much more difficult.
 
Really need to know how you are currently gripping.
It's a possibility that you are over gripping bell.
Are you using standard grip (in palm and thumb wrapped) or hook grip (out in fingers, no thumb)
Do you relax the grip on the float?
Do you use chalk?

It's kind of hard, but sometimes grip issues are evident in form videos if you have one.
 
Really need to know how you are currently gripping.
It's a possibility that you are over gripping bell.
Are you using standard grip (in palm and thumb wrapped) or hook grip (out in fingers, no thumb)
Do you relax the grip on the float?
Do you use chalk?

It's kind of hard, but sometimes grip issues are evident in form videos if you have one.

Standard grip, I suppose I sort of relax the grip on the float? Don't use chalk.
 
Like @piratebum says, reducing reps per set and using chalk may help. If you're death-gripping bell then you're gonna run out steam no matter what you do. Pay attention to how much you have to grip the bell a various points of the swing. Play around with hand-to-hand swings with the 32kg to make sure you're comfortable with the float.

Learning to use the thumbless hook grip is not essential, but can definitely help too. You can't really overgrip with it, and it's easier on calluses.

Good Luck!
 
Okay so, I've been using (& loving S&S) for some time now and regularly do 'Simple' timeless a couple of times a week and time myself doing it now and then to make sure I haven't "lost it" over the past couple of years. So far, things are very good in this department.

Additionally, I have ventured into the heavier weights of 36 & 40kg with the eventual goals of achieving "Solid" and possibly "Sinister".

When it comes to bell speed and snap in the swings, I think I've got it, and in terms of get ups, I've done some fairly regularly @ 36 & 40kg and the get ups aren't so bad. Also considering trying some with the Beast, soon.

That brings me to my challenging aspect of the swings. When I go beyond 32kg, grip is a large point of failure for me. Do you have any tactical advice on how to approach it? Even the "half step" of 32-36kg for swings makes things much more difficult.

Being kind of in the same territory, I also wonder about that. Considering what Herald Motz said on heavy snatches grip on a different thread, I wonder if there is really a limit of weight that you can do swings with a hook grip, no overgripping.

That said, I never tried chalk, maybe it’s time.
 
I think in the end the only answer is more time spent holding the bell. Carries might be a good way to build some grip volume. Once you've hit the point where it doesn't feel safe swing that heavier bell, just spend some time holding / walking around with it.

I will try this, thanks.
 
I find snatches to help my grip on swings incredibly. Especially snatching within the Q&D programming. Power snatching the 32kg allowed me to handle the 40kg with ease for 1H swings. Now working in snatches with the 40kg and finding similar benefits swinging the Beast. The power snatching also builds hip drive and body control, pulling energy from the floor and exploding. This transfers well to swings even though the ultimate movement plane is not the same.
 
S&S does warn against additional training for grip, and advises pauses in your sets, to allow the strength to return . Seems it's described as being more neurologically involved.

If your grip challenges you in heavier one-arm swings, stop the set before compromising quality. Rest for 10–30 seconds while loosening up your forearm by pretending to shake water off your fingertips, then finish the set.

Also, don't be afraid of changing over to two handed swings for a set or two. Rest and recovery is a component of training. Just like the talk test gauges pacing of practice take a gauge of rest for your grip. Shake it out. Let your forearm get more fully refreshed. Build it up slowly. We all have our biological limitations. Almost all of which can be stretched a little more as we find those edges of performance.

It may seem counterintuitive, but like a Chinese finger trap I think the book reads like this grip problem is something that you're going to have to back off in order to let it grow.

Use chalk. Going without would severely limit the size of the kettlebell you can swing powerfully. I will say it again: Use chalk. If you train at home and are worried about getting your nice carpet dirty, reevaluate your priorities. If you train at a gym and they do not allow chalk, quit that sissy establishment and find a respectable one.

i think the book says something like that too.
 
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I find snatches to help my grip on swings incredibly. Especially snatching within the Q&D programming. Power snatching the 32kg allowed me to handle the 40kg with ease for 1H swings. Now working in snatches with the 40kg and finding similar benefits swinging the Beast. The power snatching also builds hip drive and body control, pulling energy from the floor and exploding. This transfers well to swings even though the ultimate movement plane is not the same.

Same here.. When I could manage snatching the 32 I was able to one arm swing the 48kg for sets of 10
 
Personally, I'm not a fan of chalk... I don't see the point. Even *if* it does improve your grip, it strikes me as "fake"... in my sport, I can't use chalk, so what's the point?
 
Personally, I'm not a fan of chalk... I don't see the point. Even *if* it does improve your grip, it strikes me as "fake"... in my sport, I can't use chalk, so what's the point?
Well.. it’s like DL with straps. At some point you are just too limited by grip. If the overall training effect is what your looking for then one might need to deal with not being so authentic. There are also many sports where chalk is common in competition.
 
Personally, I'm not a fan of chalk... I don't see the point. Even *if* it does improve your grip, it strikes me as "fake"... in my sport, I can't use chalk, so what's the point?

I used to believe this and went over a decade without using chalk. Until I started using chalk with my kbell A&A snatches late last year. My hip hinges got a lot crisper. After using chalk, I realized my hip hinges were much crisper with heavy bells, almost as if I was subconsciously applying the brakes. This is especially true if I got sweaty.

Try it, on a heavy bell, trust me.

Regards,

Eric
 
When I started working about the 32 to the 36 I made 2 sessions a week 20 rounds of 5 reps with the 36. I still got my 100 reps with the 36 and gave my grip a chance to build up. I eventually was doing 30 rounds of 5 and then dropped to 18 rounds of 6. It’s a bit slower but was able to get my grip strength up.
 
Personally, I'm not a fan of chalk... I don't see the point. Even *if* it does improve your grip, it strikes me as "fake"... in my sport, I can't use chalk, so what's the point?

I'd say the point is to not allow your grip to be the thing that limits the rest of your training. If using a grip aid enables you to develop more power in your posterior chain, that's a good thing. Your grip will still be challenged, because you'll be able to use a heavier bell sooner.
 
Personally, I'm not a fan of chalk... I don't see the point. Even *if* it does improve your grip, it strikes me as "fake"... in my sport, I can't use chalk, so what's the point?
Well.. it’s like DL with straps. At some point you are just too limited by grip. If the overall training effect is what your looking for then one might need to deal with not being so authentic. There are also many sports where chalk is common in competition.
I'm reminded of something I heard Mark Rippetoe say when someone told him that squatting was more natural with bare feet and lifted shoes were like cheating. He said, "squatting a barbell on your back isn't 'natural', use shoes!"

Swinging a kettlebell isn't 'natural', use chalk.

//

I think if a person is using the swing to train athleticism, the two-hand swing is where it's at. The additional power and acceleration of the two hand swing I think builds more functional athleticism than the anti-rotational and grip development of the one-arm swing. I feel like the one-arm swing is somewhat of a self-imposed compromise when multiple movements used for each task and purpose would be better.
 
Personally, I'm not a fan of chalk... I don't see the point. Even *if* it does improve your grip, it strikes me as "fake"... in my sport, I can't use chalk, so what's the point?

My sport (weightlifting) does allow the use of chalk.

But......

I eschew chalk during my competition training cycles, including KB work, until the last ~2 weeks before competition.

Mainly because of how it effects my hands. Tearing a callus at a meet is a big downer and can ruin a performance if it's a bad one.
 
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