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Kettlebell Swings, moving up in weight. Go back to 2 handed swings?

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Statia

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Hello,

I'm 39 and new to kettlebells and training overall. I do walk quite a lot, but I'm generally unfit and a wiry ectomorph. I started S&S with a 12kg bell and soon got to the point where I needed to move to a 16kg, which I have.

Now that I've stepped up the weight, should I go back to swinging two handed for a while to get used to the new weight, or should I continuie one handed swings with the 12 and slowly integrate the 16kg bell into my one handed swing sets?
 
I believe the general idea is that once you have learnt the 2 handed swings and comfortable with the technique, you transition to 1 handed swings. From then on you stay with the 1H swings on S&S when transitioning between weights.
 
@Statia, welcome to StrongFirst and welcome to our forum!

@Faisal, I must disagree somewhat.

We prefer the one-arm swing for the resilience it builds into a body, but "prefer" doesn't mean you need to do them exclusively. And there is no "it's this way or it's wrong" approach to transition from one weight to the next - if you are more comfortable doing two-hand swings with your new weight, that's fine. Every S&S trainee ought to return to the two-hand swing from time to time because it builds different attributes - not as much work in stabilizing the body against an asymmetrical load, but more opportunity for maximum explosiveness, maximum float time in your swings, minimum turnaround time at the back, and also an opportunity to use a heavier weight than you might be able to manage with one hand only.

Those are the principles; apply them using your own good judgement.

-S-
 
I am swinging 1H swings using 24kg these days as part of S&S. I am wondering if it is a good idea to start practicing 2H swings with a 32kg couple of times a week outside S&S.
 
I am swinging 1H swings using 24kg these days as part of S&S. I am wondering if it is a good idea to start practicing 2H swings with a 32kg couple of times a week outside S&S.
Why outside of S&S? They can count towards your volume for the day.

-S-
 
Thanks @Steve Freides My 1H volume using 24kg is going to be low at this point, for me really honor the HR-based training (to rest longer and recover aerobically). So it make sense to do this to increase my swing volume for the day.
 
Faisal, I had the same impression too, and I think it is the most natural reading from this sentence:
"A couple of months down the road when your one-arm swing is solid, it will be the only version you will be using."
As I reread S&S (I'm sure I'm over a dozen times), I notice the brilliant flexibility even in the midst of minimalist simplicitity:
"Why would you do two-arm swings at all if the one-arm version is so great? Because two-arm swings generate more power.... With reduced stabilization demands, you can really let it rip. Hence, do both types of swings."
Cool. So for the goals, its definitely all about the 1-handed swing, but in your day to day training, use a combination that works for you (still emphasizing the one-arm). I still almost exclusively with the one arm most days because of the value of practicing that specific motor pattern (strength is a skill), but for brushing up on hinge mechanics and trying heavier weight, I'm using the two-handed again.
 
Why would you do two-arm swings at all if the one-arm version is so great? Because two-arm swings generate more power.... With reduced stabilization demands, you can really let it rip. Hence, do both types of swings."

Yes I understand the flexibility. From my reading of the book, I understood that this part was referencing doing 2H non-stop swings every couple of week once you are working with 32 for all sets (for males).

I appreciate @Steve Freides point that the volume is important and you can mix things up.
 
When I began to transition from 32 to 40 kg bell, I incorporated 2H swings to help me get a feel for the weight and the muscle tension that was going to be required to swing the 40. I would do a couple of sets with each hand with 32, then a 2H set with 40. After a few days of this I started in with 1H swings with 40. If I had just jumped from 32 to 40, I think there was a legit possibility of injury. The heavier bell just tries so much harder to pull your body apart that I firmly believe that 2H swings can and probably should be an integral part of the transition.
 
I've found going from 1 hand to the next bell with 1 hand too much of a jump, especially grip strength and the rotary force of the new bell shocking the system. So, yes, I used 2h for transitions too.
 
Is using fives an acceptable strategy for moving up a bell? I can currently do five, but not ten, one handed swings with the bigger size, so my swing practice looks like this right now:

2 sets of 10 @24kg
4 sets of 5 @32kg
6 sets of 10 @24kg
 
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