Get to 100 two-handed Kettlebell Swings in 30 days. Simple isn’t it? Well, not so fast. The Kettlebell Swing is a challenging movement. But it is one of the best exercises you can do on a regular basis.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on fitness equipment or simply don’t have the space, purchasing a kettlebell is one of the best investments you could make.
In this primer on how to tackle high-rep Kettlebell Swings we will look at developing the movement with a solid foundation first and then some repetition schemes to get you to a 100 or more in 30 days. Join our 30 Day Kettlebell Challenge!
Laying the Platform
Before trying to tackle the Kettlebell Swing for high reps, first perfect your form. When the reps get high and fatigue sets in the last thing you want to be doing is compromising your lower back by performing the swing incorrectly.
Make sure you start out with a light weight that will allow you to swing with relative ease.
If you need guidance on buying a kettlebell, follow this advice by Kettlebell trainer Mark Riverside: What Kettlebell size is right for me?
Here is the breakdown of the movement.
- Get set: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed out, and knees slightly bent; look straight ahead. Hold the Kettlebell between your legs using a two-handed, overhand grip.
- Swing it: Keeping the arch in your lower back, bend your hips back until the Kettlebell is between and behind your legs; squeeze your glutes to extend your hips and swing the weight up.
- Bring it down: Let the weight swing back between your legs as you bend your hips and slightly bend your knees; if it hits you in the butt, you’re doing it right. Extend your hips and knees to reverse the momentum as you immediately begin the next rep.
Building Endurance
If a 50 rep set is hard (is is for most people) then we’re clearly going to need to work to get to a 100 nonstop reps. Thankfully, there are some cool techniques you can use to get to your magic number of reps quickly. Think of the rep schemes below as “marathon training” for the Kettlebell Swing.
Reverse Pyramid Sets
Start with a high number of reps and work down. Structuring your workout this way ensures you’re able to keep going set after set without destroying yourself too much later in the set. Fatigue will set in but since you’re dropping the reps every set, you’re able to manage the workload much easier than straight set routines. After each set, have 10-20 seconds rest.
Example: 15, 10, 5 = A grand total of 30 reps.
Intervals/Tabata Training
Tabata intervals (20 seconds of exercise, 10 seconds rest between efforts) is a nice way to develop the cardio stamina and muscle endurance for marathon sets of 100+ reps of Swings.
Feel free to tweak the interval parameters where necessary to dial the intensity of effort up or down. Start with 20:20 work-to-rest ratio and work down to 10 seconds rest only. Then increase the work time to 30 seconds.
Max Sets
Instead of some of the fancier set routines outlined above, simply swing the kettlebell as many times as you can manage, stop, and catch your breath and go again. Kettlebell sets to failure or near failure are easier to manage than exercises that place a lot of tension on muscles (such as barbell and dumbbell exercises).
You will be using them to extend the reach of our endurance and gauge progress on the way to 100 reps.
You’re more likely to run out of puff than tax any group of muscles, as the swings emphasise movement and explosiveness, making them great cardiovascular exercises.
The 30 Day Kettlebell Swing Challenge
Join us in the Kettlebell Challenge!
Our goal is 100 Swings. What’s yours?
We propose this formula. Start with how many reps you can do today and as your goal, double it in 30 days. So if you can do 30 reps in one set today, let’s shoot for 60 reps in one set in 30 days.
Challenge Progression
In 30 days you can achieve a lot. It is just right amount of time to achieve a significant result in performance — especially in terms of endurance. Over the 30 days we’ll start simply and then gradually ramp the effort up until you and the kettlebell become one!
Warm-up: Jumping jacks – 2 x 30 seconds / Bodyweight squats – 1 x 20 / Bodyweight only single leg deadlifts 1 x 10
[table]| Day | Workout | Day | Workout |
| 1 | 1x 50 reps | 16 | 2x reverse pyramid sets: 20, 15, 10 |
| 2 | Off | 17 | Tabata intervals: 8 rounds, 20s work; 10s rest |
| 3 | Tabata intervals: 8 rounds, 20s work; 30s rest | 18 | Off |
| 4 | Off | 19 | Intense sets (20s rest only): 1x 50, 25, 10 |
| 5 | 1x 50 reps, 1x 20 reps | 20 | Off |
| 6 | off | 21 | 2x Tabata intervals: 8 rounds, 20s work; 10s rest |
| 7 | Tabata intervals: 8 rounds, 20s work, 30s rest | 22 | Marathon set: 75 reps; |
| 8 | Off | 23 | Off |
| 9 | 2x reverse pyramid sets: 15, 10, 5 | 24 | 2x reverse pyramid sets: 25, 20,10 |
| 10 | Off | 25 | Off |
| 11 | Tabata intervals: 8 rounds, 20s work, 20s rest | 26 | 2x reverse pyramid sets: 25, 20,15 |
| 12 | 1x 50 reps, 1x 30 reps | 27 | 2x Tabata intervals: 8 rounds, 20s work; 10s rest |
| 13 | Off | 28 | Intense sets (20s rest only): 1x 60, 30, 10 |
| 14 | Intense sets (20s rest only): 1x 50, 20, 10 | 29 | Off |
| 15 | Off | 30 | Marathon set: 100 reps! |
The 30th Day: Finals!
The final day of the challenge should be your main event. Make sure you’re refreshed and full of energy because the amount of work your body is putting forth is huge.
And that’s it! At the end of 30 days you have achieved something quite awesome.
Take the 30 Day Kettlebell Challenge
Let your friends know that you are participating!
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30 Day Kettlebell Swing Challenge
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