So the 10000 swings in 10 day challenge is done!
10365 swings completed; 140,752 kg moved in 10 days!
Thanks to @iamasinkingship, @kris8585, @hunter101, and many others from here and r/kettleballs for encouraging me..
I ordered my first 16kg KB in Feb 2022, and posted my first swing form check on March 17th. Today I finished 10365 swings in ten days with the 12kg and 16kg bells.
I read reports from folks doing the 10000 swings in 30 days Dan John challenge and used to be in awe of how folks were able to do so much volume. I then read /@ant0099 absolutely bonkers attempt at 10,000 in a day**
So doing 10000 was always a challenge I wanted to do, and by June I slowly ramped up to 1000 swings in a day - 2 sessions of 500, and then 1000 in one session, by following progressions from Bud Jeffries' book "I will be Iron" - BTW an excellent read, I'd suggest buying all his books in a cost effective bundle*.
When @iamasinkingship decided to do a deload week of 10000 swings in 7 days, I thought I should jump on that bandwagon too
Mind you it was a challenge for me with 12/16kg and a deload for him with 24kg
I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will continue to have a long swing Saturday session for sure. Made me very hungry and I ate a more than usual, but with no weight added. I feel a lot stronger now, and a bit more better put together, if that makes sense.
I would strongly recommend that folks try to do 1000 swings in a day at some point, will be an excellent way to find out your mental and physical limits with KB. And once you do a 1000 swings - many of you with endurance experience, and most of you who are strong will be able to do it with some effort - you might find doing 10000 swings in 10 days not unimaginable
Damage
Zero DOMS, calluses, or any other pain. Ate a lot more, no change in weight!
First couple of days, traps & forearms were mildly sore - some self-massage helped.
Results
Forearms are stronger, conditioning obviously improved a lot as well. Hams and glutes are rock solid now.
Doing swings with bent arms has given biceps a tremendous pump It's weird since the biceps are mostly just holding the swing, and not actually moving the weight?
Left forearm is still the bottleneck for going to heavier weights, but I know now that swinging long for a few days leads to substantial improvements fast.
30min unbroken with 12kg was probably between 165-175 HR and I was comfortable for the most part breathing through the nose. Great cardio work.
Today was 42min of swings, with HR starting at ~130 and getting to 170 by the end. I could have gone on longer without a break.
Once grip is strong, it's a very mental game. Going for 1000+ would be like running a marathon. Mind over matter basically.
Huge respect for Bud Jeffries doing 4000 swings with 24kg in 2:50:00 - incredible mental fortitude!
Tips
If you're doing a very long set, a plate of chalk nearby will help. Headband or bandanna mandatory for sweat control - armband won't be enough. Music helped a lot. "On Lies"*** by Mythical helped as well.
Folks who do GS already would find doing 30min or 60 min non stop not as taxing. /@kris8585 did 30 minutes, 24kg, 1000 swings non stop.
Looking ahead
I'll do some random stuff for the next week, then off for travel till early October. Won't have access to KB.
I can see myself running this with 20, 24, etc, i.e. my T-handle and each step up in weight would be making me a lot stronger.. For my bodyweight (65kg) doing 1000 swings with 24kg would be a crazy strength builder.
On the other end I did 40kg swings 10x10 EMOM two weeks ago -- that really smoked me overall... Will try again now, with improved grip & conditioning. I'm guessing I could do 300-400 swings in an hour or less.
Let's all SWING MORE!
Today's log
16kg today; 1000 16kg swings in 42:45m. Down from 50m yday & 60m ten days ago.
Went for simple today - 20 sets of 50 in 2:15 each. Approx 55s rest, 1:25 work. Did more swings in the last few sets to close at 19 sets.
Doing some of them with bent arms results in a wicked bicep pump.
HR max was 170. I could probably push for 40min soon.
Day
Weight
Swings
Time
Scheme
Comments
1
12
1000
49m
10x100
Set every 5m
2
16
1053
60m
117x9
Set every 30s
3
12
1000
42m
5x200
Set every 9m
4
16
1000
58m
100x10
Set every 30s
5
12
1073
36m
20m+4m+5m
continuous for time
6
12
1008
22:50 morn + 14:30 eve
just do it
7
12
1036
31m
24m+4m
continuous for time
8
12
1155
30m
30m unbroken
continuous for time
9
16
1040
50m
224+90+13*50+70
AMRAP + sets of 50
10
16
1000
42:45m
17*50+70+80
sets of 50 every 2:15
Today's video:
**
*** http://mythicalstrength.blogspot.com/2020/12/on-lies.html
10365 swings completed; 140,752 kg moved in 10 days!
Thanks to @iamasinkingship, @kris8585, @hunter101, and many others from here and r/kettleballs for encouraging me..
- 12kg PR - unbroken 30 mins 1155 swings (6 days)
- 16kg PR - 1000 swings in 42:45 (4 days)
I ordered my first 16kg KB in Feb 2022, and posted my first swing form check on March 17th. Today I finished 10365 swings in ten days with the 12kg and 16kg bells.
I read reports from folks doing the 10000 swings in 30 days Dan John challenge and used to be in awe of how folks were able to do so much volume. I then read /@ant0099 absolutely bonkers attempt at 10,000 in a day**
So doing 10000 was always a challenge I wanted to do, and by June I slowly ramped up to 1000 swings in a day - 2 sessions of 500, and then 1000 in one session, by following progressions from Bud Jeffries' book "I will be Iron" - BTW an excellent read, I'd suggest buying all his books in a cost effective bundle*.
When @iamasinkingship decided to do a deload week of 10000 swings in 7 days, I thought I should jump on that bandwagon too
Mind you it was a challenge for me with 12/16kg and a deload for him with 24kg I thoroughly enjoyed it, and will continue to have a long swing Saturday session for sure. Made me very hungry and I ate a more than usual, but with no weight added. I feel a lot stronger now, and a bit more better put together, if that makes sense.
I would strongly recommend that folks try to do 1000 swings in a day at some point, will be an excellent way to find out your mental and physical limits with KB. And once you do a 1000 swings - many of you with endurance experience, and most of you who are strong will be able to do it with some effort - you might find doing 10000 swings in 10 days not unimaginable
Damage
Zero DOMS, calluses, or any other pain. Ate a lot more, no change in weight!
First couple of days, traps & forearms were mildly sore - some self-massage helped.
Results
Forearms are stronger, conditioning obviously improved a lot as well. Hams and glutes are rock solid now.
Doing swings with bent arms has given biceps a tremendous pump
It's weird since the biceps are mostly just holding the swing, and not actually moving the weight?Left forearm is still the bottleneck for going to heavier weights, but I know now that swinging long for a few days leads to substantial improvements fast.
30min unbroken with 12kg was probably between 165-175 HR and I was comfortable for the most part breathing through the nose. Great cardio work.
Today was 42min of swings, with HR starting at ~130 and getting to 170 by the end. I could have gone on longer without a break.
Once grip is strong, it's a very mental game. Going for 1000+ would be like running a marathon. Mind over matter basically.
Huge respect for Bud Jeffries doing 4000 swings with 24kg in 2:50:00 - incredible mental fortitude!
Tips
If you're doing a very long set, a plate of chalk nearby will help. Headband or bandanna mandatory for sweat control - armband won't be enough. Music helped a lot. "On Lies"*** by Mythical helped as well.
Folks who do GS already would find doing 30min or 60 min non stop not as taxing. /@kris8585 did 30 minutes, 24kg, 1000 swings non stop.
Looking ahead
I'll do some random stuff for the next week, then off for travel till early October. Won't have access to KB.
I can see myself running this with 20, 24, etc, i.e. my T-handle and each step up in weight would be making me a lot stronger.. For my bodyweight (65kg) doing 1000 swings with 24kg would be a crazy strength builder.
On the other end I did 40kg swings 10x10 EMOM two weeks ago -- that really smoked me overall... Will try again now, with improved grip & conditioning. I'm guessing I could do 300-400 swings in an hour or less.
Let's all SWING MORE!
Today's log
16kg today; 1000 16kg swings in 42:45m. Down from 50m yday & 60m ten days ago.
Went for simple today - 20 sets of 50 in 2:15 each. Approx 55s rest, 1:25 work. Did more swings in the last few sets to close at 19 sets.
Doing some of them with bent arms results in a wicked bicep pump.
HR max was 170. I could probably push for 40min soon.
Day
Weight
Swings
Time
Scheme
Comments
1
12
1000
49m
10x100
Set every 5m
2
16
1053
60m
117x9
Set every 30s
3
12
1000
42m
5x200
Set every 9m
4
16
1000
58m
100x10
Set every 30s
5
12
1073
36m
20m+4m+5m
continuous for time
6
12
1008
22:50 morn + 14:30 eve
Code:
3*4m+4*3m+1m+2m7
12
1036
31m
24m+4m
continuous for time
8
12
1155
30m
30m unbroken
continuous for time
9
16
1040
50m
224+90+13*50+70
AMRAP + sets of 50
10
16
1000
42:45m
17*50+70+80
sets of 50 every 2:15
Today's video:
*** http://mythicalstrength.blogspot.com/2020/12/on-lies.html
Congrats on finishing strong. Seeing your posts recently has made me do evening Swings with the 16 before bed 
so thanks! 
I have 1 competition bell & it's the 16- I keep it in my living room so I'll often just start a flow or some Presses or Windmills or sit in a Goblet Squat & pry my hips open etc etc. I like it for Weighted stretching I guess 
