10k Swings Review
In December I set out, and failed, to complete ten thousand kettlebell swings. The challenge was created by strength coach Dan John, and consists of completing 20-500 swing workouts throughout the month. The problem with those workouts is they would take 60-90 minutes to complete, and I usually don’t have that much time. Instead, I wanted to sneak in swings whenever I could, instead of them having to be in a formal workout. I would use the 53-pound kettlebell for most of my swings, until the last few days, but more on that later.
The first week had a great start. I was motivated, had other people doing it with me and felt like I could do a million swings. Then after the first week, I tallied up 2200 swings and felt drastically behind (even though I wasn’t), the enormity of 10,000 swings became clear. I had the idea that I would train as normal, plus do kettlebell swings throughout the day and during my workout. The second week I found that wasn’t going to work. I could not complete 500 swings in less than 30 minutes so I felt like I was battling the clock. Adding anything else to the workout would only slow down the swings. I ended the second week with 4700 swings and three 0 days.
The third week I needed to add some other things in, my body was craving it. So I did a bike and swing workout and a couple of swings and push up workouts. I took two 0 days this week and all in all was feeling good and really noticing some adaptations from the 6500 swings. My swing felt tighter, breathing better and they felt less taxing on my body. However, in practice that didn’t hold up. The following week, on Christmas Eve, I was doing swings on the minute and my left forearm got all nervy and weird. I couldn’t grip the kettlebell.
I took the next day off and on the following day after completing 100 swings my forearm was cranky again, and this time my hip joined the party too. I called it a day and had my lowest total day for the month. Two more 0 days and I was back to swinging, this time with a 44 pound kettlebell to see if that helps my arm out at all. It did, but I tried running and swinging while sick and this workout put me down and out for the rest of the day. This was the day, 26 or 27 days into the 30-day challenge that I thought I may not finish. I was running myself into the ground and getting a cold wasn’t helping the cause. The next day I do a measly 100 swings and end the week at 7800.
Monday the 30th, two days left, I plan on an epic day. I do 700 all with the 20 kilo bell. Wasn’t bad. The next day, final day of the challenge, I have 1500 swings left. In perhaps the hardest swing workout I did, I did EMOM 45 - 20 swings for a total of 900. I went about the rest of my day thinking I had 500 left but it was 600. When I retailed and realized I was 100 off, it took all the wind out of my sails, not to mention 900 swings is absurd.
After putting the kids down for bed and went a grabbed the kettlebell and decided, I’m done. I got what I set out for, accumulate a crazy amount of swings in a short period of time. I’m bummed and a bit disappointed that I missed the mark. Robert, who completed the challenge, gave me a push to finish out my final 600, and I had the intentions to, but I just couldn’t muster up what I needed to swing again. I was over it. I am feeling inspired though, the monotony of all the swings put me in a conditioning mood and I’ll take advantage of the motivation.
All in all, my swings improved drastically and this was a fun and rewarding challenge, though I’m not sure I’ll be rushing to take it on again any time soon.
Justin Miner
@justinminergain