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Kettlebell Simple or Sinister Standard: Who's going to do it in 2018?

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Aiming for Simple by the end of the year. 2nd attempt, sidelined 3 months earlier this by a hand fracture after 9 months on it and at 20kg swings. Restarted in April. Have been back at 16kg getups and all sets one arm with 20kg for a whIle now which is where I left off last time.

Not sure if it will be end of the year now, currently sidelined last 5 days or so with chiropractor visits and a rib strain on the right side although I cannot pinpoint an acute event precipitating it. Just woke up one morning with tip of the scapula discomfort which now resides in armpit/intercostal on the R and slowly got worse.

I think I will be out for a while. Even a bodyweight getup (like getting out of bed motion) is challenging at the moment although I do slowly feel better day by day especially after a chiropractor visit..

I tell ya, setbacks are discouraging and suck....I will be happy if I can make Simple in 2019 at this rate.
 
In 2015, when I trained 8 months (a few visits a month, with homework of 4 days of sessions a week at home) with an SFG instructor. I had some periodic visits with RKC and SFG instructors in the years prior but this was the first I had extensive work and a movement screen. My goal at the time was to improve my pressing. Cannot remember what my score was, but I do recall we worked on thoracic mobility especially as I was unable to get my bicep near my ear plus other red flags. I do make it a point when warming up for S&S to concentrate on various mobility exercises for the thoracic spine. I probably could be better at being more consistent doing more mobility outside of my sessions though.

My mobility has improved over the years in general eg: in breathing through a Bretzel exercise can lay the opposite shoulder flat on the ground on both sides, and laying on back can put arms overhead, and both forearms will touch the floor now. I also have a history (via MRI) of disc degeneration in T5-9 but am not sure if this is related. I have had a history of rib pain on this same side when coughing excessively like with bronchitis. Last visit to chiropractor for an acute episode of this was 2 yrs ago.


Steve Freides said:
@crazycanuck, have you had a movement screen?

-S-
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@crazycanuck, I ask because sometimes frequent injuries are due to poor underlying movement abilities. I am not a doctor and this is not medical advice, but it sounds like you've tried to find help when you've needed it and that's good.

-S-
 
Hello, I am also hoping to complete the Simple standard this year. I have been training now for about a year. I have recently started to do some swings and getups with the 32 kg. However I am a long way from the time standard...and actually I think I tweaked my shoulder a little bit with the one arm swing the other day. I am hoping to get back to it in a couple days...
 
Hit Simple in fall 2016, then spent a year deployed doing different programs. Was doing TGUs the other day and thought I would try one with the 40kg...managed to do that (a new PR) so figured that I might as well go for Sinister in 2018. Following Pavel’s From Simple to Sinister plan. Aiming to re-hit Simple early in the year and move on from there. If I make it, I’ll be strong. If I don’t make it, I’ll still be strong.
 
Robert Noftz said:
It was great to see all the discussion on the Simple or Sinister by December 2017 post. This might be a good time to start a post for 2018.

I achieved the Simple standard in 2017 and started practicing with the 40kg kettlebell. I took a couple of months off from doing S&S exclusively and added some variety.
Now I"m back on the S&S exclusively again. I"m going to work on hitting the time and rep standard with the 40kg in the next 3 months and then decide if I want to pursue the Sinister Standard by the end of the year.
Working on this has inspired me to be diligent in practice and to grow more in knowledge. I have signed up for Strong Endurance in Chicago next May.

Does anyone else have Simple or Sinister on the agenda for 2018?
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I am on day 2. Just doing 50 swings and 5 getups for now. Hey, what kind of body composition changes did you see through S&S. Congrats on your achievement @Robert Noftz
 
Derek Okahashi said:
I am on day 2. Just doing 50 swings and 5 getups for now. Hey, what kind of body composition changes did you see through S&S. Congrats on your achievement @Robert Noftz
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I definitely noticed an increase in muscle mass all over my body. I was most surprised with how my back developed. Before this I was doing calisthenics, very light weight training with high reps, and walking. My legs and glutes have grown and I needed to buy both new pants and shirts.
I did probably eat too much and gain a little too much fat but there is no doubt that my strength and muscle mass has improved greatly.
After I was comfortable doing swings and get ups with the 40kg I had a chance to use my new strength and endurance in the real world. The alternator on my car went out and the battery died before I could get it home to fix it. Luckily I live in a small town and was on a neighborhood road that doesn't get much traffic. I was a couple hundred yards from my fathers garage where he and I planned on fixing it. I jumped out of the car and started to push it. A gentleman that lives in the neighborhood saw me and came over to help. After pushing a short distance I looked back and it looked like the poor guy was starting to suffer. I was worried he might have a heart attack. My legs still felt strong and my endurance was good. I could have gone a little farther but to spare him I pulled the car into a spot where it could be jumped.
I recall thinking that the swings and get ups built a good level of conditioning that helped me in an emergency.
 
Based upon my experience I would highly recommend S&S to someone who is looking for a good all around strength and conditioning routine.
 
I think I'll get back to kettlebell training in the second half of the year. When I'll train with kettlebells, I'll use it to it's strengths, so that means exercises like swings or get-ups instead of presses, rows or squats. I'm thinking of power, conditioning and shoulder health instead of strength. So that means Simple could be a good goal for some time. I have previously done swings and get-ups comfortably with a 32kg kettlebell, but I have never tested myself with them. It will be nice and interesting to compare how I do with them now after my long break. I think it's been over a couple of years since I did anything that resembled S&S practice.
 
I'm planning on reaching Simple this year. I'm almost there as it is; once I can swing a 32kg bell one-handed, the rest should fall into place.

Realistically, I could hope to reach Sinister by 2021.
 
My goal is consistency this year (5+ days / wk), with Simple as a hopeful outcome. Have done mostly endurance in the past and amazed at the difference a little strength can make. Started from mostly scratch in November, and so far so good!
 
I'm in. I've experimented with kettlebells and S&S in the past but was unable to remain committed due to illness or injury. I've got that sorted out now and plan on sticking to this program with a slow and steady mentality (I think we call that the bus stop mentality around here?). So my real goal is consistency and injury avoidance. I'll be working toward Simple standards, but if I don't hit them this year - I'll still be good with it.
 
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