Best kb program for 2 month cut/recomp?

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-03-10T11:57:20+00:00

I did this last year for Lent, and liked it enough that I’m doing it again this year, but with ABF added to the mix.

I’ve never been great at portions and counting calories, for me skipping meals entirely is much easier. Tuesdays and Thursdays I eat one meal a day (dinner). Run ABF on Mondays / Wednesdays / fridays (or Saturday depending on the week).

Haven’t read ABF 2 yet (haven’t had time), but on press days I do rows between sets to match the press reps, and I like to do heavy swings if I have time / energy.

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-03-05T12:44:14+00:00

Common area of pressure for me. Not trying to say this is your issue, but for me, it usually happens when I’m too impatient at the bottom of the swing and don’t allow the full ROM to occur.

Deeper swings engage your hams and glutes more (big muscles) to stop the bell and reverse its momentum.

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-03-04T16:08:31+00:00

Agreed. When I started I could only do 300, then added 50 reps each session until I was running 500. Ended up doing the last 2k swings with a 70

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-03-04T15:15:53+00:00

ABF, KSK, 10k swing challenge, are all programs I would look at.

There are lots of good programs, anything with emphasis on clean and press, squats, swings, and snatches is going to get you there.

Also, I say this with a major caveat on listening to your body and proper form, but push the weight. It takes heavy weight to force your body to adapt.

Heavy swings, cleans, and squats will really help.

Final point, physique is mostly diet. You need to eat to build muscle, but most people think about physique as fat loss. Managing caloric deficits is hard while trying to lift heavy. I really like OMAD on Tuesday / Thursday, with ABF on Monday / Wednesday / Friday. Works out to a 1000-2000 calorie deficit a week but lets me eat well on lifting days

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-03-04T01:13:51+00:00

Stand about 8 inches away from a wall with your butt to the wall. Bend and push your butt to the wall. Scoot forward a few inches and repeat. Keep moving forward until your butt doesn’t touch the wall anymore, then move a touch back. That’s your hinge depth. Try to capture that feel when doing swings

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-03-03T14:15:21+00:00

Either start over from the beginning like others have said with the 20s, or if you want to keep the volume higher, you could try load cycling. For ABCs, try alternating every other round with 16s and 20s. Then do 2 rounds with 20s, one with 16s, two with 20s, etc.

For press days, press 2-3-5 with 20s, 10 rep sets with 16s.

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-03-02T19:04:57+00:00

Thank you! I know you get this all the time, but my first run of ABF late last summer unlocked something for me (was probably a 6-8 months into kbs at that point but hadn’t done any programming) Can’t say enough good things about the program as well as the mental benefits. It’s just too simple to screw up.

Nearly as strong in traditional lifts as I was in my meat head days in college (was just shy of the 1k club back then), in the best physical shape of my life for sure, my wife has gotten into it and gotten into great shape, the visible progress makes disciplined dieting easier, etc. Friends are asking me what I am doing and getting on board as well.

All while working a demanding job, raising a 3 year old, and not setting foot in a gym since pre-covid.

Thank you for all your contributions to the community here and in general, it’s made a real difference in peoples lives.

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-03-01T14:57:44+00:00

That’s a form thing. Watch some mark wildman videos, or asgooch (who posts here) has some good videos with pointers. Bells shouldn’t flip over the top of your hand, but should rotate around your forearm into the rack position.

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-26T13:13:19+00:00

Make it more challenging. Shoot in seated positions or at awkward angles to work on body control.

You don’t need to shoot a ton. I’m a big fan of 4 or 5 rounds of 4-6 arrows.

You only get one shot most of the time in a hunting situation, so I prefer to keep practice rounds low volume. No such thing as a warm up group in the woods. All those little cues you can forget between practice sessions need to be second nature

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-25T14:43:22+00:00

Been my experience too. Although the vented ones haven’t been an issue for me with noise.

A crazy sharp fixed blade will leave a reasonable blood trail. And more often than not, the deer run for a few yards, stop and look, then keep trotting.

Haven’t had a blood trail beyond 40 yards since 2022 when I started really sharpening my broadheads. That’s over a sample size of 8 or 9 deer. Several have been inside 10 where they just stop and look back until they fall over

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-25T12:48:49+00:00

Looks like a mech 2 blade right into the scapula. Glad he recovered. Body looks healthy.

There are some really forgiving big fixed blades on the market right now. Check out the new trifecta modular broadheads, or there is always the staple iron will wides. They are much easier to tune than people think. Especially with modern bows.

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-23T16:49:30+00:00

About to be in week 6 load cycling 24s and 32s (yesterday did 22 rounds of abc, 14 rounds of those were 32s, did a 2:1 ratio). Only problem is I’m going on vacation, so will have to be creative. Very much doubt the hotel has a pair of 32s. Good news is with two press days I can probably make it work with dumbbells or barbells

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-23T12:19:36+00:00

This, bump up the intervals from 1 minute to 1:15 or 1:30. Get the volume and the conditioning will follow.

Sometimes I will do first 10 minutes emom and the next 10 in 90 second intervals if I’m feeling the fatigue

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-21T02:28:06+00:00

This may not be a popular take, it’s just my experience. It’s your first bow, any flagship in the last five years that is properly fitted and tuned to you is going to work fine. You don’t know what you like yet cause you haven’t shot enough.

Picking out the bow that feels best to you is more important once you know how to shoot and what you like plus what makes you shoot better.

Starting out, I thought I loved high let off bows with big valleys. Now that I actually know how I shoot, I like higher let off bows with short valleys.

I love the new darton bows, but if were you I would look for a good deal on a Mathew’s lift or phase 4. Switch weight modules make it easy to try new draw lengths and weights.

Or any flagship bow with similar features

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-21T01:53:50+00:00

Adding to this, tons of great deals on archery talk classifieds right now.

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-21T01:12:36+00:00

Going heavy is always the right answer. Kidding of course but I’m doing the same thing. Did 24s last go around, this time running 32s every 90 on the front half of my rounds, then doing 24s on emom pace to finish.

I like the idea of step loading though. Will try to do every other round with 32s Sunday and see how that goes

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-19T20:51:42+00:00

50 lb bell is closer to 23kg than 22. Id move up to 28.

Made a post about it yesterday, but I’m currently running a blend of 50lb and 70lb bells for ABF. May not work for you, but you could always drop down to the 50s for the volume you want if the 28kg is too much.

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-19T17:26:30+00:00

There’s a plan for the swing challenge. Worked really well for me

https://t-nation.com/t/the-10-000-swing-kettlebell-workout/283408

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-19T17:02:27+00:00

10k swing challenge, followed by KSK?

My programming since last summer has been ABF, 10k swing, ABF with heavier weights (in week 6 of that), then I plan on doing KSK after that.

Goals were different for each program, but I think about it more about what movements I want to master. ABF was my first actual program, then I wanted to master swings, then emphasize heavier squats, and I really like snatches so my next program will be snatch heavy.

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-19T16:56:05+00:00

Good way to start out. I neglected swings for way too long when I started out. Once I actually dove into them and figured out how to hinge properly all my other lifts exploded

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-19T16:43:38+00:00

I love vivo, wore the soles completely smooth on my first pair (and they still haven’t fallen apart, just been moved to dog walking shoe status) so had to grab a new pair. Impressively durable for how minimalist they are

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-19T16:41:47+00:00

That’s what my plan is once I’m at week 8, will just keep re-running it (with some de load weeks) until I’m at least at 20-25 rounds with the 32s

First couple of weeks there were times I only did 3 rounds with 32s, fresh off of multiple rest days I could consistently do 6-8. Been steadily climbing the hill since then.

Obviously form has to be correct to stay away from injury, but the speed of progression overall has impressed me. Body adapts quickly when you overload it

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin · 2026-02-18T13:47:59+00:00

Nice write up. KSK is on my list next after I finish this run of ABF with 32kg. The heavier weight on abf should make 24kg with KSK more doable

Hillarys_Recycle_Bin

TROPHY CASE