Old Forum Why the 32 K?

[banzaiengr]

Guessing that this has been answered before but since there's no search engine, please forgive my redundancy.  Why is the 32 Kg KB the simple goal of S&S?  Since it's not based on bodyweight or age, why 32, why not 24, or 40, or 48?

 

 

[TravisS]

If I remember right, Pavel mentions it in the book.... something about 32kg being the ideal weight that most men can reach in a moderate amount of time.

Personally I believe that most men can gain enough strength using S&S to own the 32kg without too much time dedicated.   The truly devoted and dedicated ones may reach the sinister goal.

 

[apa]

My own empirical evidence has concluded that the 24kg is too light and the 40kg is too heavy for the average joe. I wrote earlier somewhere that everyone can lift at least 20kg with their natural strength, that is, at their jobs or something similar. 32kg on the other hand sends a signal to your body that you have to get stronger, or else! ..So it serves as a middleground and a good stepping stone before you move to a more advanced program (powerlifting/strongman/etc) or going for a specific KB personal best (TSC comes to mind.)

That's just my own hypothesis though.

 

[apa]

edit. If I recall correctly, someone much smarter than I concluded that the best power production during Swings is somewhere around 1/3rd of your bodyweight. I don't know if that is true or relevant though.

 

[MikeMoran]

After working with S&S for a bit now all I know is the 24kg feels like a toy now compared to the 32kg. (I am 6' 195lbs)

 

[Mike S]

Brandon Hetzler has done research about the ideal size of the KB for top power production is a 1/3 of the person's bodyweight.

 

[banzaiengr]

Thanks gentlemen, that all makes sense.  I'm just about ready to advance to the 32.  I have a decent amount of lifting experience and I too believe that the 32 would be a good goal for the average joe.  I was just curious if anyone knew how Pavel came to that.  Just experience or is there something more that happens when the average joe starts pushing the 32 around.  1/3 your body weight sounds like a reasonable explanation also.

 

[TravisS]

banzaiengr,

I would consider myself an average joe.  I'm 5'10" and weigh 172lb.  I'm an office worker and have very little weight lifting experience.  I haven't truly worked out in the last 7 years prior to starting working with kettlebells about 60 days ago.     The only weight lifting experience I have, I did in high school.  I"m in my early 30s and a few weeks ago started adding in the 32kg.

This week I've been completing all my swings/getups with a 32kg and expect to reach the simple goal no later than the end of July.

Good luck!

 

[Jason Ginsberg]

Banzaiengr, 16kg is 1 pood, an archaic Russian measure of weight. 24kg is 1.5 pood, and 32kg is 2 pood. This is why these are the original standard kettlebell sizes.

 

[Bill Been]

The results of Brandon Hetzler's nifty force plate analysis of the swing are here:

http://scienceoftheswing.blogspot.com

 

 

[banzaiengr]

Bill, interesting read.  So, what is the KB drill, other than the swing that with the same load results in significantly more power?

 

[Pavel]

Banzai, there is no science, just decades if not centuries of observation.  As soon as a man starts showing a 32kg kettlebell who is the boss, he dramatically changes.