A Genuine WTH effect(?)

[amandawithroses]

Hey people,

I just wanted to share a recent experience I had with the notorious "What-The-Hell Effect".

Yesterday I clocked a few PBs:

1) 80 Kg ATG back squat for 10 reps (up from 4 reps)

2) 85 Kg ATG back squat for 10 reps

3) 90 Kg ATG back squat for 6 reps (up from 2 reps)

4) 110 Kg SLDL for 3 sets of 7 w/o straps (up from 3 sets of 4 w/ straps)

At my current bodyweight (78 Kg), these numbers aren't spectacular by any means but the real interesting part is that I haven't done any proper barbell work for nearly half a year! My current training has revolved heavily around double half-snatch (thanks @loves2readya and @martincy for the inspo), specifically EMOM volume/density cycles. I'm currently at 12 rounds of 4 reps with 20s and 11 rounds of 7 reps with 16s (Heavy/Light) - again, nothing special.

Of course, I probably could've made these same gains (or even greater ones) with regular, structured barbell work but this goes to show that kettlebells are very much a viable and effective tool for not only maintaining strength but developing it. I know that I'm mostly preaching to the choir here but as a long-time lurker on this sub, I know there are still plenty of people who want to take up kettlebelling but are afraid that they'll melt their existing strength gains away and end up like some kind of emaciated ultra-endurance marathon runner. There are plenty of experienced kettlebellers in this sub who have already disproven this notion but I just wanted to chuck my experience out there to provide some inspiration and/or insight.

Cheers!

 

[googs]

@amandawithroses So you're telling me that if I train to get stronger, that I'll get stronger? Shocking.

Sarcasm aside, the so called wth effect is better known as the General Adaptation Syndrome and it basically says that you get good at the things that you do. As strength is a general quality for anyone but a competitive lifter, it doesn't matter what tool or lifts you use, as long as you get strong as it'll transfer to other tools/ lifts too.

When it comes to gaining strength, constantly bashing up against your limit is counter productive. The best lifters in the world got that way by having an average annual training intensity of ~70%. (72% - 75% actually). Density training with KBs is actually a great way to achieve this as the timing and bell sizes force you to stick with a load for a long period of time so that the CNS doesn't undergo the threat that comes from a limit load. Think of it like giving your body a hug/ positive reinforcement vs the usual giving it a kick/ negative reinforcement that comes from normal training where people either go to failure or operate at the limit of their abilities every set.

 

[ant0099]

@googs Very well said! Density work is amazing.

 

[premier3092]

@ant0099 So basically density work can be summarized with keeping the load constant for a considerable period of time and gradually reduce the amount of rest between sets (so increasing the total volume done in the allotted time)?
Can this apply also for other types of exercises like pull-ups or even minor exercises like biceps curls?

 

[ant0099]

@premier3092 You can apply it to anything. If you've seen how @princesscmc trains I use this format a lot with bells I'll do shit like

15 minutes - 28kg snatch to push press to Thruster x 1 each side. Record sets. Beat score next time it's programmed.

Then sometimes I'll mess with it and be like

15 minutes - 22kg snatch x 2 to push press to Thruster x 2 x 1 each side. Try to beat last week's score you had with 28.

That type of stuff. But yes it can be with anything. I recommend reading Alexander Bromley's Base & Peak Strength he goes over this. Sadly most kettlebell resources are horrendous at giving actual long term programming suggestions so you need to go into more barbell resources.

 

[premier3092]

@ant0099 Thanks you very much Sir, super informative as always

 

[googs]

@premier3092 There are 3 main programming variables: Intensity (how much weight is lifted as a percentage of 1RM), volume (how many times you lift that weight), and density (how many reps you get in a given time frame).

Clearly, in most strength training, you're constantly changing volume, intensity, or both to try to force progression. Density is an often overlooked way to do the same thing. It works very well with kettlebells because the intensity is often largely fixed because of the relatively big jumps between bells. So you usually use volume and/ or density instead.

 

[premier3092]

@googs Thank you too man, appreciate the help

 

[coma123]

@googs I think you're getting confused with the SAID principle. GAS just describes how you temporarily get worse before you get better, plus it's being called into question a lot recently

 

[googs]

@coma123 I'm not confused at all.

GAS says you place adequate stress on a system and it improves. Too much makes it worse, not enough does nothing. As strength is a general quality any strength stress will help the display of strength in any other form.

SAID says that you only get good at the exact thing you do. In this case, it would mean that lifting kettlebells only makes you good at lifting kettlebells in the exact lifts used.

 

[dawn16]

@amandawithroses Very cool! Keep up the great work.

Resistance is resistance. It doesn't matter what equipment is used.

The density principles and doing lots of volume with fairly heavy weights is a sure-fire way to make gains.

 

[jllcml]

@amandawithroses If you got these results doing nothing but kettlebell work that's pretty awesome. Especially since the heaviest weight you used was 40 kg (2x 20 kg) and focused on the double snatch.