Looking for my Brother in Arms

[Cast Iron Ken]

I am a middle school math teacher looking to my fitness my new career. I currently have a USAW level 1 coaching cert as well as a personal training certification from ACTION. I am currently studying to get my personal training certification from ACE so I am more hirable, as well as get my StrongFirst kettlebell certification. I have just put myself back on the autoimmune protocol as I have hypothyroidism and celiac's disease and have been run down and prone to the cold the past couple of months. Of course I have some pounds that I would like to drop, but I am more concerned with my goal of getting the kettlebell certification. If there is a fellow AIPer or KB swinger looking for an accountability partner, let me know.

[Machete]

Machete, CSCS, SFG II at your service.

[Cast Iron Ken]

Thank you. I do have a quick question. Still working on different ways to catch the bell on the down swing of the snatch. So far the best for me is to have my thumb hooked on top of my index fingers. I'm still getting some pull against my hand and I am working to get the down swing catch onto the fingers. Any suggestions?

[Machete]

 

Here's a video from KB Girl, who I believe is a national champion and world competitor in Girevoy Sport. It takes a lot more grip strength to keep the 'bell in control, but it prevents rips. I try to do it as much as I can during training to preserve my hands, but on Snatch Test day, the chips are down and I just try to blast through it.

[Elastigirl]

Hey there! My kettlebell goals are on the backburner this summer, as I am mainly focusing on ring for a few months. Still working on swings at least twice a week though. I'm working toward the SImple goals from Pavel's Simple and Sinister.  

[Cast Iron Ken]

On 6/18/2016 at 7:56 PM, Machete said:

 

Here's a video from KB Girl, who I believe is a national champion and world competitor in Girevoy Sport. It takes a lot more grip strength to keep the 'bell in control, but it prevents rips. I try to do it as much as I can during training to preserve my hands, but on Snatch Test day, the chips are down and I just try to blast through it.

 

Yes, I have half assed tried it. I say half ass because I haven't let the grip go like she says. I have as a result ripped skin off my pinky and ring finger.

[Cast Iron Ken]

On 6/21/2016 at 8:23 PM, Elastigirl said:

Hey there! My kettlebell goals are on the backburner this summer, as I am mainly focusing on ring for a few months. Still working on swings at least twice a week though. I'm working toward the SImple goals from Pavel's Simple and Sinister.  

 

I too have the Simple and Sinister book. I haven't gone through and read it yet. Saw the KB goals. I took my warm-up and cool down from it. His work makes the most sense to me. I prefer to have a more progressive workout and not one that is jumping all over the place in the name of GPP and randomization.

[Elastigirl]

1 hour ago, Cast Iron Ken said:

 

I too have the Simple and Sinister book. I haven't gone through and read it yet. Saw the KB goals. I took my warm-up and cool down from it. His work makes the most sense to me. I prefer to have a more progressive workout and not one that is jumping all over the place in the name of GPP and randomization.

The warm up and cool down are excellent. The workout is easy to follow, and I've found it to be  very effective.

[Machete]

19 hours ago, Cast Iron Ken said:

 

Yes, I have half assed tried it. I say half ass because I haven't let the grip go like she says. I have as a result ripped skin off my pinky and ring finger.

 

Yeah it tends to transfer the calluses over to the fingers. I'm not entirely sure it applies as well to cast iron 'bells as it does on competition 'bells. I still don't have it down for the 24s, but it's definitely good to practice.

 

19 hours ago, Cast Iron Ken said:

 

I too have the Simple and Sinister book. I haven't gone through and read it yet. Saw the KB goals. I took my warm-up and cool down from it. His work makes the most sense to me. I prefer to have a more progressive workout and not one that is jumping all over the place in the name of GPP and randomization.

 

It's an excellent reference. Getting the Simple Goal was pretty much the majority of how I prepared for my L1. Instructors often say they prefer someone showing up at a cert who's strong and mobile over someone who practiced the movements, as they properly teach you the movements there anyway. (Because they want you strong first.)

 

Simple & Sinister though (and it seems kettlebell work in general) has a lot less progression than barbell work, which you can micro-load. Jumps between kettlebell sizes are pretty high, and one has to really concentrate on "owning" a movement before eventually moving up in weight. (Kind of like the middle ground between bodyweight and barbell work.) There tends to be a lot of patient people who gravitate towards it. In general though GPP is the goal, and in Enter The Kettlebell there is even a randomized element where you roll a pair of dice and it dictates the number of sets you do (I believe to further simulate the "waviness" in programming) in addition to two "variety" days.

[Cast Iron Ken]

On 6/24/2016 at 0:25 AM, Machete said:

 

Yeah it tends to transfer the calluses over to the fingers. I'm not entirely sure it applies as well to cast iron 'bells as it does on competition 'bells. I still don't have it down for the 24s, but it's definitely good to practice.

 

 

It's an excellent reference. Getting the Simple Goal was pretty much the majority of how I prepared for my L1. Instructors often say they prefer someone showing up at a cert who's strong and mobile over someone who practiced the movements, as they properly teach you the movements there anyway. (Because they want you strong first.)

 

Simple & Sinister though (and it seems kettlebell work in general) has a lot less progression than barbell work, which you can micro-load. Jumps between kettlebell sizes are pretty high, and one has to really concentrate on "owning" a movement before eventually moving up in weight. (Kind of like the middle ground between bodyweight and barbell work.) There tends to be a lot of patient people who gravitate towards it. In general though GPP is the goal, and in Enter The Kettlebell there is even a randomized element where you roll a pair of dice and it dictates the number of sets you do (I believe to further simulate the "waviness" in programming) in addition to two "variety" days.

Because of the jumps in weight, I am taking the approach to progress in reps, and then resent the reps with a heavier bell. As body weight work tends to be increase in reps and barbell is increase in weights, this is the middle ground and the combination of both.