10'000 swing challenge begun!

S

shawnmcg

New member
Thanks to a very good suggestion I received in this community a few weeks ago, I recently started Dan John’s 10’000 swing challenge (two-handed, 24 kg/ 52.9 pounds).

tl/dr: It’s a great routine!

Here’s Mr. John’s original article:

https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/10000-swing-kettlebell-workout

Here’re some additional comments from him about his workout.

https://www.davedraper.com/fusionbb/showpost.php?post/783846/

I finished Exercise 4 of 20 over lunch today. Sixteen more to go.

The daily exercise is structured like this. (2H = two-handed)

10 2H swings (24 kg). Press: 1 x L, 1 x R. Rest: 30 sec.

15 2H swings (24 kg). Press: 2 x L, 2 x R. Rest: 45 sec.

25 2H swings (24 kg). Press: 3 x L, 3 x R. Rest: 60 sec.

50 2H swings (24 kg). Rest: 3 minutes.

Do that five times in a row, for a total of 500 swings per workout. Two days of exercise. One day of rest. Type it all into a spreadsheet. Print it out. Bring your exercise clipboard into the gym with you. I use some app from the Android store to precisely time my rest periods.

I start with the left arm for the presses, as I'm right-handed. One each arm. Sometimes, they turn into jerks as opposed to perfectly crisp presses.

So far (Exercises 1 to 4), it’s taken me 46 minutes, 48 minutes, 45 minutes and 43 minutes to complete 500 swings.

Me: 44-year-old male. Drinks more than my peers. I’m not strong or fit like Pavel, but I am stronger and fitter than the two guys in the cubicles next to me. Women in their 40s and 50s are impressed. Women in their 10s and 20s are not impressed.

My exercise experience: I’m a casual exerciser. Have lifted light kettlebells (10kg, 12kg, 16kg, 20kg) since about 2006. Self-taught on Pavel’s first book. Own all the books. Have multiple kettlebells in multiple storage units. Have given away kettlebells to friends upon moving. Attended an officially licensed kettlebell gym with properly trained coaches from 2007 to 2012. Moved cities again. Since then, just exercised on my own. I’ve even jogged! (Dum, dum duuuu~mm!!) I’ve completed a 5K, which, to be honest, really helped with the cardio required in this 10’000 challenge.

This is my second Big Challenge with the 24kg. My first was the five minute kettlebell snatch test (100 snatches in 5 minutes, 24 kg) that I completed a week or so ago. This 10’000 challenge is my second Big Challenge.*

So...

I’ve done four of 20 exercises. Sixteen more to go.

Results so far?

Glutes are nice and tight. Upper shoulder backs are nice and tight. Posture has improved. Abs are, well, tight, I guess. Four workouts (over five days) is not enough to measure pants sizes or stomach fat loss. Can re-post final outcome after 2019-04-05/ April 5, 2019, after completing 20th workout.

Back of thighs are a little hurt: my bad. I might be “squatting” my swing now and then. Need to fix that. Hip hinge, no knee bend.

Has anyone else out there completed the 10’000 swing challenge?

All answers are much appreciated.

*What other Big Challenges are there? I've done... 1. Five Minute Kettlebell Snatch Test, now the 2. 10'000 Swings Challenge... maybe it could be 3. Simple & Sinister swings & getups? Or 3. Rite of Passage (is that cleans?). Any suggestions?
 
@shawnmcg Thanks for sharing. This sounds interesting. I might give it a shot.

I also enjoyed your self description. Not Pavelski but doing better than the guys in the cubicles next to you. Excellent!
 
@shawnmcg I do this program every year, in fact I just started yesterday! You'll figure out what you are doing wrong with the swings over the course of the program, sheer repetition will give you time to tweak things until they feel right. For me at least, for the first week or two, it's a conditioning exercise to get in shape and drop a few winter pounds. After the halfway mark, it becomes more a mental exercise in grit. I just focus on getting another day of swings in, and holding onto that bell no matter how tired your arms are. At the end, my back feels great, my wife appreciates my butt a little more, and I feel a renewed desire to go do anything other than swings for awhile. Good luck! Just stick with it!
 
@shawnmcg The back of your thighs are the hamstrings and those get used most when you hinge. Not when you squat. But having good form is rather imperative when you do a lot of reps, so still a good idea.

I think the press you are doing shouldn't be form breakingly heavy.
 
@shawnmcg I have completed the "10000 kb swings in four weeks" challenge with a 20kg and a 24kg bell, attempted with a 28kg kettlebell but could not finish - after around 300 swings I got so tired that I could not hold my form so I decided to stop before I injure myself.

I structured it like this:

15 swings, 3 pull ups

35 swings, 5 pull ups

15 swings, 3 pull ups

35 swings, 5 pull ups

I did not have a strict resting time. In the beginning the exercise took me more than 50 minutes to complete, towards the end it was around 33 minutes.

I want to try the 10-minute kettlebell long cycle. I think it's even more challenging than the 500 swings in one session.
 
@shawnmcg Hi and best of luck on your challenge.

Back of thighs are a little hurt: my bad. I might be “squatting” my swing now and then. Need to fix that. Hip hinge, no knee bend.
Click to expand...

Back of your thighs, hamstrings? You would feel those more if you do the hip hinge rather than squat. As for knee bend, the knees should bent, unless you're doing the stiff-legged swing, but they should stay above the ankles when looking side on.

Has anyone else out there completed the 10’000 swing challenge?
Click to expand...

Not completed this, have done the 28 day swing challenge and did 11,111 with a 28kg and the most unbroken swings was 200. Not had any soreness or pains anywhere. Key is to warm up and stretch properly. And of course enough rest. Stop if you feel any soreness in your lower back, rest till gone, 10k swings is a lot and great to complete, but not worth your health, i.e. put yourself first.
 
@shawnmcg The set of 50 is a killer, I've done the challenge a few times through. (at least 2, maybe 3 or more? I'd have to check my logs).

I think Dan recommends a different rep scheme now to keep away from the 50s, like 15/35.

Rite of passage is 200 snatches with a 24kg (M)/12kg (W) in 10 minutes, and a clean & press with 1/2 (M) or 1/4 (W) of your bodyweight.
 
@shawnmcg I did it last year.

Started with the 24 for first 6-7 training days, then travelled and only had a 28 where I was, so I did that for the next 5 training days, then finished with the 32 for all sets but the 50, which I did the 24. Times were between 30min - 50 min. Most days I chose supersetting exercises that were harder - I tried to keep to movements that kept my time around 45 min most of the time. When it was lighter swings and an easier superset movement time would get down to 30 or so.

Make sure to stay hydrated and keep your hands well cared for. When you get reps that high you've really gotta take care of the little things.

Not sure I'd do it again - felt more like a badge at the end than really having done anything practical. I guess it's a good way to torch calories because it's a simple high volume goal to work through. My cardio was good from running, I didn't have much fat to burn anyways and I didn't notice any improvement really. Swings were easier at the end but at what cost. That said it probably would have been a lot easier if I just stuck to the 24 and wasn't playing with the superset difficulty.
 
@shawnmcg Great post.

Word of advice, wrought from recent failure: nail your technique. I wish I'd have treated the swing like the very difficult, and ultimately dangerous, exercise it is to execute. (I commenced and bowed out of the challenge due to accumulated knee-joint stress from improper technique.)

Like most more-risky exercises, swings come with more benefits if done right. The results are fast, too!
 
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