JoshuaD
First Post
I read SS over a year ago and was immediately intrigued. Daily workouts? Only two exercises? Will this work? So I embarked on my SS journey ready to reap the benefits of increased cardio, strength gains, and that WTF factor everyone raves about. What sort of progress did I make you ask? None. I failed utterly and completely. But fear not that isn't where the story ends!
For some background I have been using kettlebells on and off in my exercise routine for about 6 years but never as the primary component. The barbell has always been my base with kettlebells being used for cardio (Due to a ankle injury in the army. No running for me boys!). I'm getting older now though, age 32. Now I know that's not "old" but I am looking forward and I just no longer feel the need to lift super heavy weights. I am much more interested in staying healthy for the long run rather than lifting the heaviest things I can. Plus the previously mention injury limits much of what I can do. Enter the kettlebell!
So the decision had been made to switch the base of my routine to kettlebells but what to do? Of course I went straight Pavel. I ordered my first kettlebell from dragondoor back in the day so I quickly found StrongFirst and the new SS program minimum. No need to buy any equipment either. Over the years I has ended up with two 35s, two 55s, and a 70. This is gonna be easy! NOPE. Failure on top of failure. Never sticking to the program for longer than 3 weeks. Not that it was too difficult or a over training issue. Just that it was boring. Like blow my brains out make it end please god BORING. Could not stick to it to save my life. So I set SS aside and moved towards a plethora of other routines for about a year that I won't detail here. Yet I never forgot about SS and it hung over my head like some beast I had yet to vanquish. Again and again I would return for another three to four weeks only to fail.
Two months ago browsing the forums I came across this gem S&C Training for MMA With Simple & Sinister. Hold on. He is doing push presses??! You are allowed to push press? This changes the game. Once more I steeled myself. This time I would get it right. I took a whole week of recovery and would start light. Two months later I am still at it! I continue to make progress. This was last weeks training.
Monday: 10x10 2h swings@55, 10x7 1hPP@55
Tuesday: 10x6 1h swings@55, 5x1 getups@55 each hand
Wednesday: 10x5 2h swings@70, 10x5 DblPP@55
Thursday: 10x10 2h swings@55, 4x1 getups@55, 1x1 getups@70
Friday: 10x6 1h swings@55, 10x2 1hPP@70
Saturday: 10x5 2h swings@70, 2x1 getups@55, 3x1 getups@70
Sunday: Rest
Is this SS? I no longer really care. I am moving forward and making progress. I am enjoying my workouts. What is the best workout? The best workout is the one you can stick to consistently over time. It might not be pure SS but workouts aren't religion and you have to find out what works for you. Sometimes all you need is a little tweak to get a routine in line with your own personality. I was a slave to doing things BY THE BOOK and it only resulted in failure. Now I am cruising along with no end in sight. Moral of the story, don't tie yourself to dogma. Find what works for you and give 100%. Happy lifting!
For some background I have been using kettlebells on and off in my exercise routine for about 6 years but never as the primary component. The barbell has always been my base with kettlebells being used for cardio (Due to a ankle injury in the army. No running for me boys!). I'm getting older now though, age 32. Now I know that's not "old" but I am looking forward and I just no longer feel the need to lift super heavy weights. I am much more interested in staying healthy for the long run rather than lifting the heaviest things I can. Plus the previously mention injury limits much of what I can do. Enter the kettlebell!
So the decision had been made to switch the base of my routine to kettlebells but what to do? Of course I went straight Pavel. I ordered my first kettlebell from dragondoor back in the day so I quickly found StrongFirst and the new SS program minimum. No need to buy any equipment either. Over the years I has ended up with two 35s, two 55s, and a 70. This is gonna be easy! NOPE. Failure on top of failure. Never sticking to the program for longer than 3 weeks. Not that it was too difficult or a over training issue. Just that it was boring. Like blow my brains out make it end please god BORING. Could not stick to it to save my life. So I set SS aside and moved towards a plethora of other routines for about a year that I won't detail here. Yet I never forgot about SS and it hung over my head like some beast I had yet to vanquish. Again and again I would return for another three to four weeks only to fail.
Two months ago browsing the forums I came across this gem S&C Training for MMA With Simple & Sinister. Hold on. He is doing push presses??! You are allowed to push press? This changes the game. Once more I steeled myself. This time I would get it right. I took a whole week of recovery and would start light. Two months later I am still at it! I continue to make progress. This was last weeks training.
Monday: 10x10 2h swings@55, 10x7 1hPP@55
Tuesday: 10x6 1h swings@55, 5x1 getups@55 each hand
Wednesday: 10x5 2h swings@70, 10x5 DblPP@55
Thursday: 10x10 2h swings@55, 4x1 getups@55, 1x1 getups@70
Friday: 10x6 1h swings@55, 10x2 1hPP@70
Saturday: 10x5 2h swings@70, 2x1 getups@55, 3x1 getups@70
Sunday: Rest
Is this SS? I no longer really care. I am moving forward and making progress. I am enjoying my workouts. What is the best workout? The best workout is the one you can stick to consistently over time. It might not be pure SS but workouts aren't religion and you have to find out what works for you. Sometimes all you need is a little tweak to get a routine in line with your own personality. I was a slave to doing things BY THE BOOK and it only resulted in failure. Now I am cruising along with no end in sight. Moral of the story, don't tie yourself to dogma. Find what works for you and give 100%. Happy lifting!