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Kettlebell Swings as Finishers?

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MarkSch

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I'm currently working through 'KettleBell Burn 2.0', by Geoff Nuepert.In it he uses swings as 'finishers', for varying rest/work periods, after a fair amount of strength-based work.

I'll admit that I am pretty wiped out by the time these come due, and so they feel very different from the S&S and Kettlebell Muscle methods that I am more used to. Often they wind up fairly soft, compared to S&S when i am fresh.

I'm trying to focus on breathing well, clenching those glutes to protect my back, and basically just surviving the set. Can anyone suggest other cues to help me do meaningful swings when they are 'finishers'? Thanks in advance.
 
Perhaps go lighter with the bell? By the time I've finished a bench/squat/chin up session I find it tough to get motivated for swings so I usually go for a loaded carry as a finisher. Then again...I am probably weak in mind and body!
 
This is similar to swings/snatches in Rite of Passage, which follow the grind session. I would say go light (lighter than you can swing 10 x 10 powerfully). If you want to focus on power, do the swings on another day (S&S style, fresh and crisp) instead of as a finisher.
 
@KIWI5
Heh, I am actually going light: 24K in this case. It's still pretty rough. 16K wouldn't feel useful, IMO.

@Sean M
Good idea, but "Burn 2.0" runs the finisher after the strength work. I am trying to do it just as written the first time through, which I gather is popular 'round these parts.
 
I finally picked up a 20kg bell the other week- it is a fun weight, I'm using it to help me get to the 24kg press, but I can see using it as a finisher bell.
 
MarkSch said:
Often they wind up fairly soft, compared to S&S when i am fresh.
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I'll have to check my copy of the program when I get to it, but I'm thinking that "fairly soft" is OK in this context. As a finisher it's about doing the glycolytic work, not about developing power.

Search for threads about S&S non-stop swings or continuous swings and you'll probably find some tips and tricks.

Dialing back the volume knob on the swing, plus making sure to really sniff a good breath of air in on the downswing, are the two that come to my mind as most important when doing longer sets of swings.
 
Anna C said:
I'll have to check my copy of the program when I get to it, but I'm thinking that "fairly soft" is OK in this context. As a finisher it's about doing the glycolytic work, not about developing power.
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I'll second that.
IMO the swings in the finishers are not there to develop anything really. They are used to make you feel the burn, to expend some additional calories. It's a fat loss routine after all.
Just use a weight that you know you can do the whole 10min with and don't sweat whether it's too light or not.
 
Yes, I find powerful shadow swings with a light bell really helps me find my "stretch reflex" right before barbell deadlift.

Ballistic hinges (swings) under fatigue is a bad idea for me. If I lose form I can risk throwing out my troublesome back.
 
What you do should depends on your goal. If your goal is strength, take a longer rest before you get to the KB swings, and between sets, so that you can keep the weight, reps, and power up. If your goal is to maintain a high heart rate and condition your cardiovascular system, then keep up the pace.

Regardless, if your form starts to give way, stop the set. If you didn't get near as many reps as intended, then lower the weight. KB swings are dangerous, especially to the lower back, if not performed correctly.
 
Mark Limbaga said:
Do your swings later that day or the following day
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Wouldn't that defeat the purpose? It's called a Finisher because it's supposed to be at the end of a hard workout, and basically deplete your energy. The program says, "As the name suggests, this portion of the workout is designed to gas you - to make you work as hard as possible in a give period of time. ... designed to strengthen and fortify your body, and making you resilient while stripping the fat off your body."

Seems like doing the swings later in the day would be trying to meet a different objective.
 
Anna C said:
Wouldn't that defeat the purpose? It's called a Finisher because it's supposed to be at the end of a hard workout, and basically deplete your energy. The program says, "As the name suggests, this portion of the workout is designed to gas you - to make you work as hard as possible in a give period of time. ... designed to strengthen and fortify your body, and making you resilient while stripping the fat off your body."

Seems like doing the swings later in the day would be trying to meet a different objective.
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Not necessarily, the updated "kettlebell burn" has this explanation

In the original Kettlebell Burn you were performing grinds and ballistics the same day. Many cases, by the time you get to the ballistics - known as “finishers” there was already a great deal of fatigue that had accumulated. And fatigue decreases the ability to produce force. And reducing force production means you’re reducing the amount of work being performed. And that means you’re burning less calories than you could be. Contrasts. Therefore, we are going to change the way the program is designed - we are going to contrast our strength training and our metabolic conditioning, by putting them into separate workouts. Contrasting strength with metabolic workouts speeds up recovery, stimulates greater adaptation by the nervous system (i.e. more fat loss) and allows for greater mental focus, which in turn produces greater effort, and in turn a higher quality workout. There is one caveat: Our strength workouts will have a slight metabolic bias to part of them. Why? To build muscle.
 
So this would apply to all 'finishers' post strength training- do the 'finisher' on another day, or later in the same day? (if you have the luxury of being able to train at any point on any given day!). The summary being- separating strength and metcons' training provides optimal adaption potential....? I'm not too sure about this- the logic regarding energy systems would indicate that performing a 'finisher' metcon' post strength training would clearly provide a fat burning/cardiovascular benefit....? Doing the 'Finisher' on another day or time makes it a separate training session.
 
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Mark Limbaga said:
Not necessarily, the updated "kettlebell burn" has this explanation
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Do you mean Kettlebell Burn Reloaded? I still do not understand exactly what the differences are between all these programs. I will try KB Burn 2.0 soon. Is the Burn Reloaded generally the same program, but for six days instead of three, or are there other differences as well?

If I have the possibility to train on three or six days, which one is to prefer and why?

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences. :)
 
Brookes said:
Do you mean Kettlebell Burn Reloaded? I still do not understand exactly what the differences are between all these programs. I will try KB Burn 2.0 soon. Is the Burn Reloaded generally the same program, but for six days instead of three, or are there other differences as well?

If I have the possibility to train on three or six days, which one is to prefer and why?

Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and experiences. :)
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Yes I meant burn reloaded.

the swing segments were also updated.

Remember, the less fatigued you are, the better quality reps you execute
 
Anna C said:
Dialing back the volume knob on the swing, plus making sure to really sniff a good breath of air in on the downswing, are the two that come to my mind as most important when doing longer sets of swings.
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When I am not doing more HS style swings or longer sets (which is how I most often make use of them) I often flip breathing to exhale on the downswing. This alone will make a big difference.

I also will time my hips to the bell, so it doesn't really float from a jolt, but the entire travel is slower - fast enough I don't have to do any powering with the arms or shoulders, but the glutes and hams are under tension the entire way up and down.
 
@Mark Limbaga
Interesting suggestions, thanks. I only have KB Run 2.0, which I gather precedes Reloaded. So many programs!
>Remember, the less fatigued you are, the better quality reps you execute
This is the nub of it: If you;re going hard on the strength segment, the swings are tough, even if they are only 10 minutes. Like @william bad butt , swings while fatigued are a little scary for me.


@Brookes
Like you, I have KB Burn 2.0.

@North Coast Miller
Also interesting, but i can;t really visualize the changes--might be something to try next week, This week the program eliminates finishers, which is fine with me.

Thanks to all res ponders, by the way.
 
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