Old Forum Timing breathing while swinging, TGU duration and more...

[Horsey]

I am loving the S & S program but have a few Qs as to perfecting technique. I want to do this 100% 'properly', no corners cut:

1. Breathing while swinging:

i) in the past, I have forecfully and sharply exhaled just as the bell is entering the last stages of its ascent, before the 'float'. Should I, instead, be starting to forcefully exhale as soon as I begin the hip thrust forward, from the hinge position?

ii) also in the past I have tended to inhale just as the bell is passing the knees on the final stages of the downswing. I do find it difficult to inhale as soon as the bell starts to fall from the float (as I do when reaching forwards on a rowing machine) but is this more beneficial (and the correct way to inhale) as it strenthens the 'breathing' muscles?

2 TGU duration: I note on the strongfirst standards video on YouTube, as well as making the bell look like it weighs nothing, Mark Toomey  progresses through the TGU quite quickly (of course, always in control). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l5qB0nILpko 4.40 onwards

I am currently still only on the 16kg for most sets and could progress through quite quickly, if I wanted - what sort of duration should the trainee be looking at?

3. Weight for TGUs: I can relatively easily do 10 TGUs in ten mins with the 16kg bell. I cannot do them with my 24kg (frustrating, as it feels light to press, a carry-over from my ROP days). I feel that I am cheating a bit by using a 20kg bell that I have. Would I be better hanging fire and continuing with the 16kg before leaping to the 24kg?

Thanks for staying with me, this far.

 

[crt1]

#3 . .  I asked the same question a while back and Pavel said it is fine to work in the 20kg.

 

 

 

[Horsey]

Thanks, ctuzzolo. I am a bit relieved because I think the 24kg could be a few months away, yet.

 

[ali]

Neil - I went up to the 24 a couple of weeks ago from a 16. I did one left and one right and figured that it was way too much for me, my left side particularly was very weak and it was a struggle. I'm on 3 sets now. I will get to 5 this week probably, could have managed 4 to be honest yesterday but didn't want to overdo it. I'll work on smoothing it out and getting the time down. It works, no need to rush it and feel you have to nail it right away. It does seem a long way off I know especially when you watch someone effortlessly achieve a get up with the same weight you struggle with. Go at your own pace. I was surprised as anyone that I managed 2, then 3 when 1 in the previous week was very demanding. Magic happens, believe.

 

[Jason Ginsberg]

Don't use the 20, follow the book (and Pavel's article) and go straight to the 24.

 

[Jason Paul]

For breathing, I take a quick, sharp inhale right at the bottom of the swing, and let out a quick, sharp exhale right at the end of the exertion. There's still a slight bit of time after the exertion (and exhale) before the KB heads back down. So, I exhale right before the float.

As for the TGU, I don't rush the movement during my normal workouts. I used to hold the high bridge for 3-5 seconds. Now that I'm about to move up to the 32kg, I've been hitting the high bridge, but move through it without pausing.

If I'm timing myself (not very often), I move a bit faster, but not so fast as to feel unstable or unsafe. I timed myself tonight with the 24kg and got about 8:30, and didn't really feel rushed. I timed myself a month or two ago and tried to rush it a little more, and got about 7:30.