I began a 6-week session of Simple & Sinister kettlebell training last week. I started easy to recover from a 6 week heavy swing protocol that left me beat up the week before. I met the time goals of the S&S workout using a 20-kg bell for swings and a 16-kg bell for get-ups easily.

The Simple & Sinister kettlebell workout includes a warm-up of goblet squats, short bridges, and halos in three sets of five reps. The ultimate workout is 100 one-handed swings alternating left and right in sets of 10, and then 10 get-ups. The plan is to workout 5 to 6 days per week. The Simple goal for a man is to complete 100 swings in 5 minutes, and then, after one minute of rest, to complete 10 get-ups in 10 minutes using a 32-kg kettlebell.

This week, I continued S&S training using a 24-kg bell for swings and a 20-kg bell for get-ups. I focused on technique and allowed my heart rate to come down substantially between sets. I took about 10 minutes to complete 100 swings and 15 minutes to complete 10 get-ups.

Swings with the 24-kg (53 pound) kettlebell feel light, but my conditioning must improve substantially before I can complete 100 swings in 5 minutes.

Get-ups with the 20-kg (44 pound) kettlebell are challenging. I might be able to get up with a 24-kg bell once on a good day soon, but I think I will need 3-4 months of steady work before I own get-ups with the 20-kg bell and become ready to train with the 24-kg bell.

I expect to be doing swings with the 24 and get-ups with the 20 kg bells until March/April unless I surprise myself.

S&S training can be completed in about 30 minutes, but I workout Monday through Friday and rest on Saturday and Sunday most weeks. Training 5 days in a row demands maintaining a measured effort. Pushing too hard can make workouts counter-productive due to accumulated fatigue, so I allow myself only a little play with other activities.

I added a few pull-ups (1 x 3, 1 x 2, 1 x 1 = 6) and a few push-ups (1 x 7, 1 x 5, 1 x 3 = 15) as a finisher today. Other favorite activities that I may include from time to time include hill sprints, military presses, single leg deadlifts, and suitcase carries.