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Kettlebell Thread for the Newbies...

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@Lew

Interesting about you balance in the shower. I tried it today and felt steady. In the past I have felt wobbly rinsing my hair with my eyes closed. I will pay attention more the next few days.

Monday night I did one set of halos with a light kettlebell at bedtime and it was very relaxing. I have done it every night this week and it is great. It might not be for everyone but it was good for me.
 
Two weeks into S&S and the results are showing up. I wore the HR belt today and there is a big improvement in the HR numbers. The max HR is better than it looks. It peaks on the first three swings and drops in a few seconds. After the third set the peaks average 125. This is for 16kg 2H 5x10 swings. There is also improvement in breathing. There has been no soreness or fatigue after a practice.

1st Day MHR 138 AHR 122 - Breathing hard and used breath test to swing.

14th Day MHR 142 AHR 106 – Breathing almost normal and waiting on HR to drop.

Tomorrow I will start 7x10 swings.

Very nice.

If I have learned nothing else, I have learned this...

Patience.

Don't rush it.

Take your time.

You'll make no progress while injured.

Better to make consistent, steady progress than to injure yourself into doing nothing at all.

I am still doing 2H swings after 5 weeks at the same weight (16kg).

Every time I start 1H swings they are sloppy and poor.

I try again the next week.

Feels a little better, but not better enough.

I wait another week.

Just keep going....
 
@Lew

Interesting about you balance in the shower. I tried it today and felt steady. In the past I have felt wobbly rinsing my hair with my eyes closed. I will pay attention more the next few days.

Monday night I did one set of halos with a light kettlebell at bedtime and it was very relaxing. I have done it every night this week and it is great. It might not be for everyone but it was good for me.

I read somewhere someone thought the halo's were a strength practice and may have hurt themselves doing it.

"Monday night I did one set of halos with a light kettlebell.."

From S&S:
Hold a light kettlebell upside down by its horns or grab a light barbell plate. Lock your knees. Tense the glutes to protect your back.
Tsatsouline, Pavel (2015-01-02). Kettlebell Simple & Sinister (Kindle Locations 310-311). . Kindle Edition.

"It might not be for everyone but it was good for me."
BINGO!! And you are doing it right!

Do you do the QL straddle and 90/90 stretch at night?

I didn't the first 4 weeks.

Now I do.

Cleared up the sore glutes!

I'm a program believer!

The ENTIRE program!!
 
Lew, do you have Audible? I think you would like that version. Read by Pavel. Listen while driving. It is great.
 
Lew, do you have Audible? I think you would like that version. Read by Pavel. Listen while driving. It is great.

I don't know what Audible is.

I'm guessing books read out loud by the Author?
 
I read somewhere someone thought the halo's were a strength practice and may have hurt themselves doing it.

"Monday night I did one set of halos with a light kettlebell.."
From S&S:
Hold a light kettlebell upside down by its horns or grab a light barbell plate. Lock your knees. Tense the glutes to protect your back.
Tsatsouline, Pavel (2015-01-02). Kettlebell Simple & Sinister (Kindle Locations 310-311). . Kindle Edition.
"It might not be for everyone but it was good for me."
BINGO!! And you are doing it right!
Do you do the QL straddle and 90/90 stretch at night?
I didn't the first 4 weeks.
Now I do.
Cleared up the sore glutes!
I'm a program believer!
The ENTIRE program!!

For me 12kg halos are light and 16kg would be strength practice. I hold the plank and only take a short release after five rotations to change directions. I also "breath through the shield" and use the slow breathing to time the rotations.

So far I haven't done the QL straddle and 90/90 stretching. Today I am increasing to 7x10 swings so it may be useful.
 
Very nice.

If I have learned nothing else, I have learned this...
Patience.
Don't rush it.
Take your time.
You'll make no progress while injured.
Better to make consistent, steady progress than to injure yourself into doing nothing at all.
I am still doing 2H swings after 5 weeks at the same weight (16kg).
Every time I start 1H swings they are sloppy and poor.
I try again the next week.
Feels a little better, but not better enough.
I wait another week.
Just keep going....

Looking at how quickly my pulse rate dropped I could have practiced quicker. Looking at the progress I will continue just by listening to my body. I agree there isn't a rush to do 1H swings. We have to build up our body core before adding the twisting of 1H swings. In either or both S&S and RTK one hand swings should be started in a couple of months by one set a day and slowly adding sets.

It isn't a must to start before you are ready so if it is longer so be be it. Even a strain will set us back a few days and an injury much longer. Slow and steady wins the race.
 
I realized my toes have extended and I have sensations on the bottom of them. I think this the result of swings working them straight in the first two weeks of S&S. Now I have the "rooted to the ground" sensation when doing swings.
 
I realized my toes have extended and I have sensations on the bottom of them. I think this the result of swings working them straight in the first two weeks of S&S. Now I have the "rooted to the ground" sensation when doing swings.

I was thinking about that the other day. Get the same thing when doing my TGU's, almost feel like a Gecko.
 
This is the end of my first month of S&S. My heart rate looks much better and I am able to maintain recommended rates. My weight and waist are unchanged. I have not made any changes in my lifestyle and diet other than S&S practice. My body is much more solid and I am building a strong foundation for the program. I plan to attend the SFG Course in Prague 27 Feb 2016.

I use a heart rate belt and the Endomondo app. I have access to other medical equipment through a family member and only use it because I can. I see big improvement in blood sugar and blood pressure readings. I do not recommend any medical tests and my results are the history of a 67 year old under-tall man who is, and progressing to was, out of shape and not a recommendation.

Starting swing numbers using 16 kg 5x10 in about 30 minutes on 29 Oct 2015.

Fasting blood sugar 6.3 two hours after meal 6.8 – Blood pressure 129/84

Max heart rate 138 – average heart rate 122

Breathing very hard and used talk test for sets.

Swing numbers using 16 kg 7x10 in 20 minutes on 28 Nov 2015.

Fasting blood sugar 5.6 two hours after meal 5.7 – Blood pressure 128/75

Max heart rate 126 – average heart rate 111

Breathing slightly heaver so using self pacing for sets to ensure proper resting.
 
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When I increased from 5x10 to 7x10 swings using 16 kg two weeks into S&S I was very tired the rest of the day and still feeling it the next day so I took a rest day. I completed the swings in about 14 minutes so the intensity level was higher. My breathing and heart rate were ok so I was surprised by the reaction. I then had another practice day and then a rest day which made me unhappy. After the third tough day I saw a posting about increased rests between sets so I gave it a try. I had to take a couple of rest days to fully recover and then an easy 5x10 with long breaks day to get back in the grove. This week the 7x10s in 20 minutes have gone well. This made me think about what was going on.

The simplest way to look at this is weight and number of swings in a period of time. I was doing 50 swings at 16 kg in 14 minutes. This is 800 kg at 57.1 kg per minute. I increased to 70 swings at 16 kg in 14 minutes which was 1120 kg total. The rate increased to 80 kg per minute. This was too much for me at this point. I increased the practice time to 20 minutes which is 56 kg per minute with good results. As soon as a practice is refreshing I will cut the time by two minutes until I am at 14 minutes then I will increase to 10x10 swings and increase the time to 20 minutes. Both of these are 80 kg a minute then cut by two from practice until the goal time to increase to 24 kg. I think this will work for me.
 
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I downloaded Gymboss, free and simple, to my phone yesterday and timed my 7x10 swings practice with two minute reps today. It takes about 16 seconds to complete the seven swings. I like using the rep timer and can think more about good form instead of “Has it been two minutes?”. This will greatly help as going to 18 minutes is only 12 seconds less rest. Twelve seconds less rest is about 10% more effort so it will be noticeable even though it doesn't sound like much.
 
I downloaded Gymboss, free and simple, to my phone yesterday and timed my 7x10 swings practice with two minute reps today. It takes about 16 seconds to complete the seven swings. I like using the rep timer and can think more about good form instead of “Has it been two minutes?”. This will greatly help as going to 18 minutes is only 12 seconds less rest. Twelve seconds less rest is about 10% more effort so it will be noticeable even though it doesn't sound like much.

Is this like a regular app?
 
This is the end of my first month of S&S. My heart rate looks much better and I am able to maintain recommended rates. My weight and waist are unchanged. I have not made any changes in my lifestyle and diet other than S&S practice. My body is much more solid and I am building a strong foundation for the program. I plan to attend the SFG Course in Prague 27 Feb 2016.

I use a heart rate belt and the Endomondo app. I have access to other medical equipment through a family member and only use it because I can. I see big improvement in blood sugar and blood pressure readings. I do not recommend any medical tests and my results are the history of a 67 year old under-tall man who is, and progressing to was, out of shape and not a recommendation.

Starting swing numbers using 16 kg 5x10 in about 30 minutes on 29 Oct 2015.

Fasting blood sugar 6.3 two hours after meal 6.8 – Blood pressure 129/84

Max heart rate 138 – average heart rate 122

Breathing very hard and used talk test for sets.

Swing numbers using 16 kg 7x10 in 20 minutes on 28 Nov 2015.

Fasting blood sugar 5.6 two hours after meal 5.7 – Blood pressure 128/75

Max heart rate 126 – average heart rate 111

Breathing slightly heaver so using self pacing for sets to ensure proper resting.

As a recovering T2 diabetic, I understand the meaning of these numbers and understand the significance of them.

Great job!!
 
Is this like a regular app?

Hi Lew, it is a regular app and it works great. I have an Android phone and it it also available for iPhone. Gymboss Interval Timer - Android Apps on Google Play

There isn't any help or instructions I could find. I fiddled with it and made a new event named Kettelbell. I gave it a five second countdown, one interval, 10 rounds, total time 20 minutes. The countdown only works when the event starts. Each round fills the screen with a color, I used the default green, and it gets smaller as the round times out. There is also a round timer but the color bar is easier to see as you walk around. When it gets very low I check the timer and get ready for the next swings. It also has a large round counter so that is one less thing to worry about.

Yesterday was the first time to use the timer and I am very much a supporter already. I can concentrate on good form and a self-critique of the last reps. No stress about correct rest time or set count
 
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So for my birthday today I saw my eye doctor and got a clean bill of health.
This is very good news for a T2Diabetic. No signs of Diabetes in the system.
For those of you who don't know, the eyes are where it usually manifests first as a disease.

Second I went to my primary care doc and he gave me a clean bill of health as well.
Diabetes is under control. Lose the last 50lbs (~23kg) and I'll be cured.

So I asked him about an FMS and my squat issues.
He told me I don't want to squat below 90* because it causes damage to some thingy that will press against my kneecap in a dangerous way that will cause damage.

"Oh, ok," I said.

I spent the next 3 hours on the net reading about knee usage and squatting past 90*.

So....

Thoughts?

"I know that whatever you say is not medical advice and cannot be taken in place of my doctor's advice."

"I know that the information I receive is for entertainment purposes only."

So...

Entertain me...

;)
 
Squatting only to 90 degrees is harder on your knees than squatting deep.

Squatting deep is a fundamental human movement pattern that we were all able to execute with ease and grace when we were young; there is no reason not to be able to do it as an adult other than sloth or injury.

If your doctor tells you not to squat past 90 degrees, find another doctor - this time, one who works with athletes.

My advice isn't medical advice and isn't intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease, but it sure will make you move better and, when you move better, you'll feel better, and when you feel better, all kinds of heck might break loose when it comes to improving your physical condition.

-S-
 
Squatting only to 90 degrees is harder on your knees than squatting deep.

Squatting deep is a fundamental human movement pattern that we were all able to execute with ease and grace when we were young; there is no reason not to be able to do it as an adult other than sloth or injury.

If your doctor tells you not to squat past 90 degrees, find another doctor - this time, one who works with athletes.

My advice isn't medical advice and isn't intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease, but it sure will make you move better and, when you move better, you'll feel better, and when you feel better, all kinds of heck might break loose when it comes to improving your physical condition.

-S-

Preach it brother!

I like the sound of that!!

:eek:o_O;):):D
 
I'm not giving any advice, just want to share my experience.

Most of my life I have followed the advice of not squatting lower than 90 degree ... and most of my life I have had knee pain and worse in periods with sedentary lifestyle. The pain makes frequent visits when walking down steep descents or stairs. I have always been worried that my knees will get worse by age.

At the age of 42 I started 2015 with a lot of walking, actually a serious amount of walking, normally finishing the week with 2 hours walk in the park.

Then I slowly got a hunger for something more. Found my dusty kettlebell from a previous attempt on ETK, did some research and found the S&S protocol.

Today exactly eight weeks of easing into the S&S protocol where full goblet squat is one the exercises and where I get down into the hole with a 16 kg bell. 495 reps logged. In addition to squatting on the hard floor in most variations when I look at TV or play with my son. It feels right, it feels nice and I enjoy the three curls at that position.

The pain is gone...

It worked for me. Make your own decisions and be mindful when training.
 
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