Simple And Sinister Test
This article is a follow-up to the original Kettlebell Simple And Sinister article I recently posted.
In the previous article, I outline what the Simple And Sinister program is, how it works, and what you can expect from it.
I break down in detail what’s involved and the two challenges you may undertake to “complete” the program. The ‘levels’ are as follows;
Simple
Sinister
To discover more about the Simple and Sinister program, I highly encourage you to pick up a copy of the book.
Buy yourself the revised and updated edition of Kettlebell Simple and Sinister, by Pavel Tsatsouline (pictured).
Today, I want to share with you my experience doing the Simple And Sinister test.
What I noticed and felt was a huge step up in intensity.
A typical kettlebell session is something I treat like a practice. My regular kettlebell training in Perth is one thing, testing is another.
It’s when you have to put all your skills and abilities on the line. To see how your strength, power, and efficiency stack up against the standard or benchmark.
The Test Is Just That — Simple And Sinister!
Now comes the time when I put my nine months of practice and preparation to the test.
Below is the video of my testing session from beginning to end.
Enjoy watching me suffer for 16 minutes.
The night before, I was both nervous and excited about testing myself on the Simple and Sinister program.
To see how I measured up and what level of strength and conditioning I had developed.
An honest self-assessment now allows me to say that strength-wise, I was close to meeting the standard.
For both the swings and get-ups, I used the recommended ‘talk test’ to determine my rest intervals.
What let me down was my lack of conditioning and muscular endurance. As I’d not practised my get-ups with such short rest periods between reps.
I’ll learn from that and hopefully be successful with another attempt at Simple and Sinister down the line.
That’s The Beauty Of Hindsight And Doing A Post-mortem
After an unsuccessful attempt, you need to look at why.
It gives you a chance to reflect on what went well, what didn’t, and what you can do better in the future.
The one-arm swings went well for the first 2-3 rounds before they became taxing.
And as you saw, the last 2 get-ups on each side pushed me to my limit — and beyond.
Even though I am disappointed to have not achieved the status of achieving “Simple”, I will learn and grow from the experience.
The journey of following the Simple and Sinister program to a tee for 9 months helped to build a solid foundation.
I now feel comfortable doing one-arm 32kg bell for 100 reps, without much drop-off in power or technique, and not shredding my hands in the process.
As well as performing strong get-ups with a weight that I first perceived as being too heavy for me.
I didn’t think 32kg was possible when I first started Simple and Sinister.
A ‘What The Heck Effect’ In Action Right There!
I Loved Following The Simple And Sinister Program For Its Direct And No-nonsense Approach.
Graduating from a light to heavy kettlebell (24 to 32kg).
Two movements only (one ballistic and one grind).
Total-body training (lower body power & upper body strength).
A short time investment per training session (less than one hour).
What more could someone want from their kettlebell training?
It lived up to its name and I feel fortunate enough to have documented most of my progress and journey.
I want to pay it forward to you, and others, who might want to travel the same path.
So you can use my experience to learn from, troubleshoot problems in advance, and give you the best chance of success on Simple and Sinister.
Want To Try The Simple And Sinister Program But Need Some Help With Your Technique?
Would you like help learning and mastering the movements so you know how to do them correctly?
Allow me to show you the right kettlebell techniques with my expert kettlebell coaching in Perth.
My kettlebell training in Perth is the best and quickest way for you to learn, practice, and refine the movements.
You’ll feel confident knowing your technique is strong, solid, and safe.
Don’t live in Western Australia? Not a problem.
My online course, Kettlebell Training Essentials can teach you everything you need to know, from anywhere in the world!
I hope to work with you soon and help you on your kettlebell journey.
All the best following Simple and Sinister, whether you live in Perth or on the other side of the world.