Kettlebell Timeless Simple in the bag, further progress?

[Crixor]

Hello lads/ladies,

I have been doing S&S program for, well, not long honestly, it's 4-5 months when I think about it. For the last month I have done Timeless Simple every day without rest, and don't feel spent or exhausted when I finish it. Not sure if I should start doing the timed versions at this point, because it doesn't specify the course of action in the book.

Now, I wasn't an out-of-shape person before I started this, because I've been doing wrestling/submission grappling for the last 15 years of my life (28 now), and have always been a big lad 195cm/6'3 or 6'4 (not good with imperial measures) and around 100kgs (220ish pounds), so 16kg kettlebell which I started with always seemed so light, but I followed the advice and got the movements down before stepping up to 24kg (which still seemed light for swings, I worked up to getups) and eventually 32kg.

At this point I can do the Simple with 32kgs and still have plenty in the tank when I finish. My question is, do I branch onto different movements now or continue doing swings and getups?

It's not that I am bored, but snatches and clean&press seem really fun to do (until you start crying), and I could use some variety I guess, while on the other hand I don't want to impede my progress. So what I am asking is, would it be ok to slow down with the swings/getups every day and implement other movements or just stick to the basics?

What's the best course of action here?

Bless up.

 

[John sardos]

In my opinion I think you could cut down the S&S program to 2-3 days a week now that you have hit simple. This will allow you to continue to work towards sinister. I think in the book it also recommends cutting down to 2-3 days once you have attained simple as well. Other days you can practice snatches and follow it with some type of strength protocol like a 2kb clean, press, and squat program. Below is the article for KB complex. You could mix this in 2x a week. Just remember when doing something new you will have increased soreness so may be wise to have a day off or a very lisght S&S session after completing the new days

The CPSq Kettlebell Workout | StrongFirst

This kettlebell workout is performed 1 clean, 1 press, 1 squat. Here are suggestions on how to endlessly manipulate this workout to achieve your goals.

www.strongfirst.com

 

[Mark Limbaga]

Congratulations on your accomplishment.

Perhaps it's time you started introducing a bell up to your regular practice??

On a day you feel extra strong, then feel free to test the timed standard

 

[Papa Georgio]

Hello lads/ladies,

I have been doing S&S program for, well, not long honestly, it's 4-5 months when I think about it. For the last month I have done Timeless Simple every day without rest, and don't feel spent or exhausted when I finish it. Not sure if I should start doing the timed versions at this point, because it doesn't specify the course of action in the book.

Now, I wasn't an out-of-shape person before I started this, because I've been doing wrestling/submission grappling for the last 15 years of my life (28 now), and have always been a big lad 195cm/6'3 or 6'4 (not good with imperial measures) and around 100kgs (220ish pounds), so 16kg kettlebell which I started with always seemed so light, but I followed the advice and got the movements down before stepping up to 24kg (which still seemed light for swings, I worked up to getups) and eventually 32kg.

At this point I can do the Simple with 32kgs and still have plenty in the tank when I finish. My question is, do I branch onto different movements now or continue doing swings and getups?

It's not that I am bored, but snatches and clean&press seem really fun to do (until you start crying), and I could use some variety I guess, while on the other hand I don't want to impede my progress. So what I am asking is, would it be ok to slow down with the swings/getups every day and implement other movements or just stick to the basics?

What's the best course of action here?

Bless up.

Well, I guess you could actually try to hit the timed simple standard (which I thought was the major goal of the program).
* Start practicing the "fun" Friday's as outlined in the book to prepare for timed test.
* Start slowly adding heavier sets on your untimed sessions
* Add in rest days if needed to support the above 2 efforts.

A lot of people will bail out after they hit "timeless" simple, but I think they're missing out on the most fruitful part of the program.

Good luck in whatever you decide.

 

[John sardos]

In my opinion I think you could cut down the S&S program to 2-3 days a week now that you have hit simple. This will allow you to continue to work towards sinister. I think in the book it also recommends cutting down to 2-3 days once you have attained simple as well. Other days you can practice snatches and follow it with some type of strength protocol like a 2kb clean, press, and squat program. Below is the article for KB complex. You could mix this in 2x a week. Just remember when doing something new you will have increased soreness so may be wise to have a day off or a very lisght S&S session after completing the new days

The CPSq Kettlebell Workout | StrongFirst

This kettlebell workout is performed 1 clean, 1 press, 1 squat. Here are suggestions on how to endlessly manipulate this workout to achieve your goals.

www.strongfirst.com

Sorry I misspoke. This outline would allow you to continue to work towards timed simple before advancing to sinister!!!

 

[Nacho]

I feel like I have made lot of progress since I hit timeless simple a couple of months ago. And it blends well together with your grappling as its such a flexible program. I would consider buying a 40kg bell and keep swinging. ?

 

[John K]

@Crixor - I think in ETK Pavel talks about introducing "play" in your sessions where you start practicing snatches and cleans with a light KB learning the form. My personal iteration of that after hitting Simple was to keep the goal the goal (Sinister) but to start playing with other lifts - learning the snatch, clean and jerk, and bent press. Doing more than just swinging and getting up is fun, and playing with the lifts in a way that allows me to practice and build proficiency has been something I've enjoyed, but it doesn't replace or detract from my "main course" of swings and get ups.

 

[Anth]

I feel like I have made lot of progress since I hit timeless simple a couple of months ago. And it blends well together with your grappling as its such a flexible program. I would consider buying a 40kg bell and keep swinging. ?

I have a follow up question: is there a reason that you recommend the 40 over the 36? I am nervous that I would not be able to do a full get up with the 40.

 

[Nacho]

I have a follow up question: is there a reason that you recommend the 40 over the 36? I am nervous that I would not be able to do a full get up with the 40.

Im not expert and actually I have only 36kg bell myself which Im currently getting used to! ? Its just that its very often recommended to go from 32 to 40 and it seems that @Crixor really owns the 32 and could probably start adding sets with 40.

 

[Crixor]

Congratulations on your accomplishment.

Perhaps it's time you started introducing a bell up to your regular practice??

On a day you feel extra strong, then feel free to test the timed standard

@Mark Limbaga Thanks friend.

Didn't quite understand the implication here. By "a bell up", did you mean add another bell of the same weight and do the double KB exercises or step up to 40kg bell? Perhaps the bell meant time the actual practice ahahah, I was really thrown off track with that, my bad, being a newbie is always tough on the lingo.

I will try timing it, I'd have to be careful as to not tax myself a lot and prevent doing what I actually love, which is grappling.

Im not expert and actually I have only 36kg bell myself which Im currently getting used to! ? Its just that its very often recommended to go from 32 to 40 and it seems that @Crixor really owns the 32 and could probably start adding sets with 40.

I actually only have one of each (24 and 32) kettlebell. In my country it's not as widespread and you can't get implements as easy. Not sure if 36kg's even exist here. But I have seen 40kg so that will most likely be the next step.

In my opinion I think you could cut down the S&S program to 2-3 days a week now that you have hit simple. This will allow you to continue to work towards sinister. I think in the book it also recommends cutting down to 2-3 days once you have attained simple as well. Other days you can practice snatches and follow it with some type of strength protocol like a 2kb clean, press, and squat program. Below is the article for KB complex. You could mix this in 2x a week. Just remember when doing something new you will have increased soreness so may be wise to have a day off or a very lisght S&S session after completing the new days

The CPSq Kettlebell Workout | StrongFirst

This kettlebell workout is performed 1 clean, 1 press, 1 squat. Here are suggestions on how to endlessly manipulate this workout to achieve your goals.

www.strongfirst.com

@John sardos if you don't mind me asking, what's the benefit of doing clean and press with two kettlebells at once as opposed to single presses? From what I have understood, having the imbalance of the weight on one side of the body engages your core and is precisely why it's so good? Wouldn't having two of them sort of balance each other? Sorry for the dumb questions, I have only done swings and getups as per the book, so I am clueless to other movements.

 

[Mark Limbaga]

@Mark Limbaga Thanks friend.

Didn't quite understand the implication here. By "a bell up", did you mean add another bell of the same weight and do the double KB exercises or step up to 40kg bell? Perhaps the bell meant time the actual practice ahahah, I was really thrown off track with that, my bad, being a newbie is always tough on the lingo.

I will try timing it, I'd have to be careful as to not tax myself a lot and prevent doing what I actually love, which is grappling.




I actually only have one of each (24 and 32) kettlebell. In my country it's not as widespread and you can't get implements as easy. Not sure if 36kg's even exist here. But I have seen 40kg so that will most likely be the next step.



@John sardos if you don't mind me asking, what's the benefit of doing clean and press with two kettlebells at once as opposed to single presses? From what I have understood, having the imbalance of the weight on one side of the body engages your core and is precisely why it's so good? Wouldn't having two of them sort of balance each other? Sorry for the dumb questions, I have only done swings and getups as per the book, so I am clueless to other movements.

What I was saying is you can start adding a set of 40kg once to twice a week

 

[John sardos]

@John sardos if you don't mind me asking, what's the benefit of doing clean and press with two kettlebells at once as opposed to single presses? From what I have understood, having the imbalance of the weight on one side of the body engages your core and is precisely why it's so good? Wouldn't having two of them sort of balance each other? Sorry for the dumb questions, I have only done swings and getups as per the book, so I am clueless to other movements.

Thats a good question, a couple things come into play. I don't think one is necessarily better than the other. I suggested the 2 bells because you are able to use more load. often times the OH press will restrict the weight you can use for this complex. By having a weight in each hand makes the clean and squat more challenging making this more of your strength work. You are also getting your 1 arm work with both the swings and the TGUs so that is already being covered. If you only have 1 bell then yes doing this circuit 1 arm would work as well.