Kettlebell Thoughts after 21 months of S&S

[Kozushi]

@Kozushi did you reach Simple? I´ve only briefly looked at your log, and can't remember? Im on the same pursuit .. 7 weeks into S&S.




Love it!

I got to Simple long ago. I'm still working at that weight, interestingly enough. It's all I need for success in life. I'm in no hurry to advance. I do believe the 24kg bell was too light, just as the book says. But, the 32kg bell is perfect for all kinds of practical strength, mobility and endurance.

 

[Kozushi]

It's an ancient movement dating back hundreds of years so I don't think we'll ever know who invented it, although I believe it was Steve Maxwell who brought it to the attention of Pavel Tsatsouline in the late 1990s or early 2000s with regards to its use in kettlebell training.
I can't imagine training without it now; it just seems to make everything stronger.

Me neither. It's too practical a movement for just about anything to not do.

 

[Kozushi]

I am on my 11th month of S&S. The simplicity (monotony) used to scare me away but now I love it. It is one of the few true constants of my life: with all the unpredictability and changes of life and work and busy calendar I always know one thing for sure - between 6 and 7 am I do swings and I getup with a kettlebell. No news, no music, no phone - simple in all senses.

I agree. Instead of doing exercises that leave me fat or strong in only a few directions, S&S I know with confidence maintains my heart, my entire body, my flexibility, and great strength for judo and other things. The 30 minutes I enjoy as a calm break from the hassles of the day, and it all feels like a nice sauna bath, let alone how interesting the TGUs are to do and to hold the various weird postures of it.

 

[Kozushi]

I'm impressed with the overall strength and confidence the program builds. A couple months ago I struggled to even hold a 32kg bell in the 1st position of a TGU. "There's no way I'll ever be able to perform a get up with this weight", I told myself. "It'll kill me!"

Now I'm performing all five get ups per arm with the 32kg and it feels easy!

Before I hurt my shoulder I was doing the TGUs with the 40kg bell and I expect to be back at it soon. I'd rather do S&S with a heavier weight than a lighter one for obvious reasons, although I'm not having much luck moving up past the 32 in swings - and I suppose I actually don't care. I'm more than strong and fit enough as things stand.

 

[Snowman]

I’ve had issues with S&S and honestly being a 6’2” male just now getting to the 24kg makes me feel weak (I am) but I realize that doesn’t matter. Only getting stronger and more proficient.

I can definitely relate to this. It was a few years ago that I finally realized that my biggest physical weakness was literally just physical weakness (as opposed to poor endurance, or something else). After that, I spent a lot of time bouncing around different exercises and programs so that I wouldn't have to acknowledge how weak I actually was. It wasn't all bad, since I was able to expose myself to many different training modalities, and I even got a little stronger (it turns out that a weak person can make progress just by lifting anything heavy on a regular basis). I didn't make real progress, though, until I sucked it up and started doing real programs. I discovered S&S not too long after I ate my humble pie, and it started me down a path with my physical training that has been incredibly beneficial, to say the least.

 

[Im out]

Its good to read other people (also "big "guys) bump a wall on 24kg. Im getting frustrated at the rate my swings progress. So slow its hardly notice-able. 1h swings 24 kg is stil too much for my child size hands

TGU is going surprisingly well. Making my mid-section thick and solid!

But there is no giving up on the program. Its so effective i noticed very early on (1st month) Besides, it seems the perfect program minimum for ROP etc. 1h swings the "double" should enable me to snatch 24kg

Only time i dip in motivation is the day after an offday..

 

[Kozushi]

Its good to read other people (also "big "guys) bump a wall on 24kg. Im getting frustrated at the rate my swings progress. So slow its hardly notice-able. 1h swings 24 kg is stil too much for my child size hands

TGU is going surprisingly well. Making my mid-section thick and solid!

But there is no giving up on the program. Its so effective i noticed very early on (1st month) Besides, it seems the perfect program minimum for ROP etc. 1h swings the "double" should enable me to snatch 24kg

Only time i dip in motivation is the day after an offday..

If you're getting a good workout with the 16kg then that is heavy enough! Strength is only 1/3rd of S&S. S&S is cardio, mobility and strength mixed. The cardio and mobility work just as well with lighter weights as with heavier ones.

 

[Im out]

If you're getting a good workout with the 16kg then that is heavy enough!

Actually it is not. I just refuse to use chalk. So I bought an intermediate 20 kg, and worked it up to 10 x 10 one-arm swings. Took a few weeks. First 20 sets of 5, because sets of 7 resulted in too much sweaty hands. Slowly build it up to 10.

But in your log I read you used 2 handed swings with a heavier bell to help your one-arm swings. So I'd rather work up to 2 hand swinging 40 kg, before getting back to one-armers

 

[Antti]

I just refuse to use chalk.

In a word; why?

 

[Im out]

In a word; why?

in 3 words; too much friction

 

[Kozushi]

Actually it is not. I just refuse to use chalk. So I bought an intermediate 20 kg, and worked it up to 10 x 10 one-arm swings. Took a few weeks. First 20 sets of 5, because sets of 7 resulted in too much sweaty hands. Slowly build it up to 10.

But in your log I read you used 2 handed swings with a heavier bell to help your one-arm swings. So I'd rather work up to 2 hand swinging 40 kg, before getting back to one-armers

Yes, but I've given up on it. I've hit a plateau with the 32kg for the 1h swings, and that's perfectly fine by me. I'll either naturally progress to the 40 or not. I don't care. I do expect to be back at the 40kg for the TGUs though, maybe even today.

 

[Kettlebelephant]

in 3 words; too much friction

Gardening gloves. The kind with the rubbery palm. Almost the same grip "improvement" like chalk, but without the friction.

EDIT: I feel the need to add this. At first I felt like cheating when I sometimes used the gloves, because I could immediately use a heavier KB, but after alternating between chalk and gloves in the past I can say that they are the same for added grip.
If you're an absolut purist who says chalking is cheating than don't go for the gloves, but if you feel chalking is ok then the gloves should be ok for you, too.

 

[Kozushi]

I've put duct tape on kettlebell handles before.