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Old Forum Transition from Kettlebells to Barbells?

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Schrodingers Cat

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Greetings,

I have spent 2 years of consistent practice with kettlebells, and the deadlift.  I have progressed from single bell then to double bell work.  Injuries have been rehabilitated, strength imbalances have been corrected. I suppose I am an intermediate lifter in that I can deadlift over 2X body weight and can press roughly 83% bw with a pair of bells at a weight of 225lb.

I have been practicing the low bar back squat, bench press, and overhead press with light weight.  I feel passably competent in those lifts.  What type of barbell program would be best to progress into barbells?  Would I be a candidate for a linear progression 5x5 type program, or would Easy Strength 40 day template be best?

Thanks for your input.
 
You have a number of good choices.  I would start with purchasing Beyond Bodybuilding and Easy Strength, reading both, and seeing what strikes your fancy as a place to start.  You are "into barbells" already.

A StrongFirst Barbell User Course would, of course, benefit you immensely - you'd get in-person coaching in your lifts plus a chance to ask programming questions.

-S-
 
I agree with Steve. Easy Strength sounds like a very good choice for you, but take a look at a few things and see what appeals. Dan John's Never Let Go has some great barbell programs as well, including the one lift a day program. There's also 5/3/1, which I'm not familiar with, but many people who's opinion I trust, including Dan John, speak very highly of it.
 
Schrodinger,

I second what Steve & Jason said.  Lots of good choices. In October I transitioned into mainly barbell work after many years of only KB training.  I chose to give 5/3/1  a go after reading some favorable comments about it from Dan John.  It has been good for me.  One of the nice things about 5/3/1 is one can easily program KBs into it if you choose.   I like what Jason says about exploring a few programs and seeing what appeals to you.
 
why easy strength? i think its a great program but seems better for someone who is 1) stalling 2) personal stress 3) main focus is some other sport 4) doesnt have much time... and none of those criteria apply to the person posting here.  for him it seems like he can make more progress on a non easy strength program.  thoughts?
 
Thanks you all for your input.  This is a great community.

 

My main concern is the squat.  I have spent a good deal of time working the double kettlebell front squat relatively heavy.   The double FSQ  feels more like an anterior chain exercise as opposed to the low bar back squat which feels more like a posterior chain dominant exercise.  I wonder if I might be able to make beginner type gains in the back squat albeit for a short period of time.

Overall it is a strange spot to be.  I might be able to make fast linear gains in the squat and bench press.  The press and deadlift will require a periodization program for further gains.  That sounds like a mixed program and thats always a bad idea.

 
 
Another option would be Inverted Juggernaut 2.0.  It has a very well laid out progression and allows for lots of specialization in the accessory work to improve on imbalances and uses submaximal work to avoid premature burnout.  It takes about 5 months to do a cycle as you rotate through reps of 10, 8, 5, 3 and then you can retest your PRs.  I am just finishing my cycle of 3 and then will do a cycle of 2 and then a PR week.  Using a mixture of KB and traditional accessories has proven to be a great combination for me.
 
Cat,

I switched from kettlebells to barbells around 2 months ago, so I had the same questions and gained some experience by now.

What I did and would recommend:

Pick up the "beginner" linear gains (esp. for the squat and bench) first.

To do so I would use a simple, out-of-the-box program.

Personally I would recommend Rippetoe's "Novice Program" with the deadlift being trained 1 tim each week. You would cycle:

Week A/B

Monday

Squat, Bench/Press, ChinUps

Wednesday

Squat, Press/Bench, DL

Friday

Squat, Bench/Press, TPU

Why? Because it has a relatively simple structure, is hard to break, even if you have to miss one or several training days and you can progress fast, especially in the squat.

Meanwhile you can cycle the press and deadlift in linear cycles without having to change the program. The different volume and frequency (comapred to PttP or RoP-swings) allowed me to actually add weight to my RM, even though it was planned to be maintenance work while I milk the squat and the bench.

Once you hit the wall with this program in the squat, you can then think of either switching to slower linear gains (for example "Advanced Novice Program" by Rippetoe or the "MadCow" Template)

OR

you skip ahead to a periodized program such as Wendlers 5/3/1 or Juggernaut then.

Personally I would recommend 5/3/1 over the (Inverted) Juggernaut:

1.) 5/3/1 is less complicated and each cycle lasts "only" 4 weeks, so it's harder to break.

2.) Everyone I know that used the 5/3/1 reported good and steady gains. The feedback from those who tried Inverted Juggernaut is VERY mixed and mediocre. Not to even mention the classical Juggernaut. Most friends said they gained mass there, but actually lost maximum strength. Seems to be comparable to the effect of GVT.

Just my 0.02 of course...
 
PS. Easy Strength seems to be a great way to train, but if you want to train squats and bench in there I feel you need to establish a realistic RM to base your training on first. So ES might be another option for you, once you milk the first linear progress dry.
 
To add to what  Lt. mentioned, in Beyond 531, the option is laid out for 6 week cycles as well.  I personally have preferred the 6 week cycles over the 4 week.
 
Since this will be your first 'real' experience with barbells, I would keep it very simple.

Just do a linear periodisation plan, you will reap much benefits from it. One top set for each movement is more than enough for everyone, with some preceding warm-ups off course. I prefer a six sessions-cycle, in which I hit my previous 5RM in the fifth session and PR in the sixth. One top set makes you recover quicker, wich leaves you more days to train. If you do the powerlifts, I would take 3 days a week (this is the sweet spot for me).

To give you an example of how I train now: I do deadlift and overhead press (no squat stands yet). I do a linear cycle, always one top set for each movement. Top set is always 5reps. I work up to new 5RM in the sixth session. I jump 5kg in deadlift grom previous cycle, in overhead press 2,5kg
 
Ditto what Sieman Raets said, a linear progression built around the basic powerlifts and overhead press is best. Many excellent programs exist out there towards those ends, Starting Strength, the Greyskull Linear Progression and Justin Lascek's 70s Big are great barbell programs with linear gains emphasis for barbell newcomers. I've used the Greyskull program in the past with good results before I moved to a structured wave Power to the People cycle in 2011-2012.
 
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