The Greatest Single Kettlebell Program

 Did the title hook you to click?  

My experience with running the The Giant is over.  Using double 55 lb./25 kg kettlebells, I completed all 5 programs of 4 weeks apiece. What I loved about it, was set the clock from 20-30 minutes and do cleans and presses.  No timed rest periods, just auto-regulate and do the work. On days that, I didn't have it, all I had to do was get through the 30 minutes.

The issue, I have, is it is a minimalist approach.  Do one exercise for 20 weeks.  I like variety.  What I loved about the Rite of Passage program, is it also involves swings, snatches and 2 variety days.  As if the author is saying, "I know you're not going to do the program as written, so here are 2 days to do other work."

I freely admit that I was doing pullups, dips, chest presses and running on off days from The Giant.  So what now? 

Well, I combined the things I liked about both of the programs above combined them and added an exercise.

1. Use a single kettlebell

I like changing up between singles and doubles.  ROP is a single kettlebell program and The Giant can be done using a single bell.

2. Set the clock for 30 minutes and do clean and press on each side

I'll pass on doing 5 ladders, 75 repetitions per side and taking over an hour to complete heavy day.  Sweet spot for me is between 25 and 50 repetitions. 

3. ADD A SQUAT

Here is where I am traveling off the reservation.  My biggest complaint with both programs is the lack of squatting.  You can do them on variety days with the ROP, but it's never stated in the program.  I'm also a fan of single kettlebell squats in the rack.  One of the most UNDERRATED exercises. You need to stay tight so the bell doesn't fall out of the rack and it works the side abdominal wall as well.  This is not to be confused with a goblet squat, which you hold with both hands.  

It looks like this.  Medium day is sets of 2.  Clean and Press, Clean and Press, lower bell back to rack, squat 2 times, switch hands and repeat.

4. Swings and Snatches after completing 30 minutes.

I always loved this addition to the ROP for conditioning.  Using a dice roll, from 2-12, calculate the number of minutes to do ballistics.  On medium days, one hand swings, heavy days two hand swings, light days, snatches.  Depending how you feel effort level should be 75-100%.

Perform this program 3 days a week for 4 weeks. On off days, yoga, walk, do a 2-3 mile run, some pullups and dips. Walk on all off days.  I don't see walking as a workout.  I look at it as movement for your heart and to burn calories. 

Putting it all together, it looks like this, I'm using a 61.6 lb./28 kg bell for everything except snatches.  For snatches a 55 lb./25 kg bell.

BELL SIZE 5-6 REP MAX.  

SUNDAY MEDIUM DAY

30 minutes

Sets of 2 Clean and Press/Squat left, then a set of 2 Clean and Press/Squat right

One hand swings

Roll a pair of dice or go to RANDOM.ORG and press the button for a dice roll.  Take sum of roll and do sets of 10 left then 10 right of one hand swings as many sets as possible.  For example, dice roll is 10.  For 10 minutes, do sets of one hand swings, rest as necessary.  No rest between left and right hand.  Park bell once 20 swings are completed.

MONDAY/WEDNESDAY/FRIDAY/SATURDAY VARIETY OR REST DAY

Walk, do some YouTube yoga for 30-45 minutes, go to gym and do a light workout or run. Walk EVERYDAY, but at LEAST one day week, do nothing more than walk. 

TUESDAY HEAVY DAY

30 minutes

Sets of 3 Clean and Press/Squat left then a set of 3 Clean and Press/Squat right

Two hand swings

Same instructions as above with the dice roll.  I like doing a set of 10 ever 30 seconds.  So 15 seconds swings, 15 seconds rest. 

THURSDAY EASY DAY

30 minutes

Sets of 1 Clean and Press/Squat left, then a set of 1 Clean and Press/Squat right

One arm snatches

Same instructions as above with the dice roll.  Snatch left, snatch right, park bell. I like either doing a set of 5L, 5R and rest to the top of each minute. Or, a set of 10L, 10R, then rest a minute. Make sure to use impeccable form and take care of your hands to avoid blisters.

Do this for 4 weeks and test clean and press rep max. If the rep max is 7/8, try it using a 3, 4, 5 rep scheme.  If 9/10, do 4, 5, 6 rep scheme.

Happy New Year!

Enter the Kettlebell vs The Giant

 I wanted to right a comparison of Enter the Kettlebell's Rite of Passage vs. The Giant.  Having had experience running both programs, I will tell you the good, the bad, and the ugly of both.  How they are alike and how they are different.  

First, let's state the obvious:  Both are kettlebell programs in which you do the clean and press for 3 days a week. Both use auto-regulation for rest periods.  Both can be done with one kettlebell. The Rite of Passage and The Giant 2.0 both use a ladders repetition scheme. You will get strong doing either, guaranteed.  Both wave the reps schemes weekly; easy, medium, hard.

Now let's state the differences.

Goals:

The Rite of Passage (ROP) goal is twofold: 

1. To press half of your bodyweight with a kettlebell on each side.

2. Be able to snatch the 24 kg for men 200 times in 10 minutes. 

The Giant is a 5 program set running 20 weeks where you start with either your 5 or 10 rep max and run through 4 or 5 of the sub-programs and advance the repetition scheme of each sub-program. Ideally each week, perform one more set than the previous week.

Number of kettlebells used during workout:

ROP is a single kettlebell clean and press. program, but you may use a heavier kettlebell for your swings or snatches.

The Giant is a single OR double kettlebell clean and press. 

Time:

ROP is to be run until you reach 1/2 bodyweight press and achieve 200 snatches.  The time of each workout is as long as necessary to finish your 5 ladders of cleans and presses and the number of minutes for the dice roll for snatches and swings.

The Giant is a 20 week program.  Each workout is 20-30 minutes long.  

Rep Scheme:

ROP 3 days, Easy, Medium, Heavy, 5 ladders of (1,2,3), (1,2,3,4), (1,2,3,4,5) 310 total reps per week.

The Giant 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 3.0 Reps run from 1-9.  Straight sets.  Meaning, as many sets of 1 or 9 in the 20-30 minutes you set.  The Giant 2.0, ladders run 3-8 reps.

Rest Days:

ROP recommends 2 full rest days and 2 "variety days" where you can practice other movements.  Squats, snatches, getups.  Basically Pavel is saying, "I know you're not going to rest like I'm telling you so have at it two other days."

The Giant recommends take 4 days off, recover and enjoy life.  If you must, 3 x 3 schemes on off days.  Or walk, yoga, just take it easy.

Extras:

ROP recommends doing pullups in between sets of ladders.  I don't have a pullup bar at home so I do one arm rows. Plus snatches and swings.  Number of minutes by rolling 2 dice.  I like the latter part.  The former is tough when doing pullups.  Especially when doing pullups in the 4th and 5th ladder.

The Giant, did I mention all you do is clean and press?  Just clean and press.

My take: Both are awesome programs. I've run both for over 20 weeks now or in the past.  I love the finisher of doing swings and snatches of the ROP.  It is truly a strength and conditioning program that covers a lot of bases.  The variety days are great for doing some squats, 5 x 5 will do, and practicing snatching.  I don't believe snatching once a week at 50-60% capacity is going to get you to pass the snatch test. 

It's a younger man's program if you have your sights set on the goals.  At 52, I'm not getting to 200 with a 24 kg bell.  I don't have the cardiovascular capacity.  That doesn't mean you can't run the program for 3 months, just it's not likely to happen.  I've also accepted the 1/2 body press is out of reach.  I have push pressed the 40 kg for reps, but never strict pressed.  

My all time best at 185-190 lb.

Clean and press 36 kg for ladders of (1,2,3) on each side.  160-165 snatches with a 25 kg bell in 10 minutes.  I have passed the 5 minute test of a 100 reps with a 25 kg bell.

Most people max out on this program with the 32 kg bell. Performing 75 reps of clean and press on each side with a 32 is no joke, and after running it for a little bit, I've found myself getting nicked up, injury-wise.  Best recommendation 3 months and switch.  You'll love the results, but for the mature kettlebeller, the chance of injury is increases as you progress.  

One last thing, the heavy day workouts are LONG, as in hitting it hard for 60-75 minutes.  25 sets each side + hard swings.

The Giant 

This program is a real winner.  Here's what I love about it.  Set the clock for 20-30 minutes, do the work.  If you're having a bad day and the bells feel heavy, just by showing up and doing 4-6 sets, you've finished your workout.  With the ROP, it's not done until the ladders are done.  It is recommended that you run it with doubles for best results.  You can even use mismatched bells (I don't)  You can run it with a single bell. 

I remember first starting it and using double 55's.  My rep max was 6.  Now in the 1.2 program where the heavy day is 9, I just blow right past 6 reps. I did 4 sets of 9 in 16 minutes and a set of 4 in 20 minutes.  By the time I finished 1.0, 10 reps clean and press with 55's. was no problem.  

The good news is, you get REALLY good at the clean and press. If you're using the right doubles weight, it's great for conditioning and with the correct diet, you'll trim down while packing on some muscle.  Bad news, is there is no variety. You can run other programs alongside it, but you'll stall, progression-wise as you get into weeks 9-20.

Right now, my off-days for 1.2 are 45 minutes of yoga and a 3 mile walk.  I'm not going to stray from this.  

I am looking forward to testing my rep max with double 32's when I'm done.

Conclusion:

You can't go wrong with either.  If you have the time to invest, are not high mileage, like variety and want to become a stud with a single kettlebell, than the ROP is for you.  If you want a minimalist, just do this for 60-90 minutes per week with time to recover and also use doubles, than go with The Giant.