I just saw this article and the end of Feb. I have been doing mostly cardio and some strength training for a year now. I have lost 35 pounds and after my yearly with bot primary care physician and cardiologist, needless to say they are very pleased. I discovered Kettleball a few months ago and love them. I decided to try this challenge though I have modified it a bit.
Started the first of the month and already notice a change in my body. This is a great workout. Can’t wait to see how I look and feel after the 20 days. I turn 62 in May.
I will keep updates here as
I continue this challenge…
Because of some of the restrictions that have been given to me by my cardiologist, he doesn’t want me to do to much weight in my workouts, I do what I think is safe but still a challenge. I have been diagnosed with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy BUT the good news is that I went on a Med. Diet and between loosing the 35 pounds so far, I also went from 150 mg of atenolol to 25 mg and in reality I have been able to increase the amount of weight I can lift/squat/etc.
On one exercise I started out at about 50 pounds on the squat (could only do maybe 2 sets of 20) machine and am now at 120 pounds 4X20. Probably sounds like not very much but for me and the condition I was in, I am impressed. I started out with a trainer who evaluated me and in a score of 1 to 10, 1 being worse I scored about a 4. Better than he expected.
Anyway, he put me on a workout for strength training, cardio, and especially to build up my core. I discovered Kettlebells and love them. Because the Kettle bells are in a different area of the gym I attend, weight room in another, I am using the kettle bells to do the (of course the squats) but also the sorta military press and then I do either pushups or crunches.
Example, 1) I did 100 each direction of swinging the bell around my abs then 2)I did 100 ea lt/rt arm swings with 20 pound bell, 3) then did 20 bell presses with the 15 pound bell in each hand, 4) then did the swings but I mix it up, doing maybe 25 x4 or 30 x 3 then 10, sometimes 25 x 4 or the 10, 15, 25, 50 but I do 100 swings with about a 15 to 30 second rest between each group and then I did 20 of the Dbl bell press in between each set.
So I did a total of 500 plus swings and stopped at 60 presses. What I like is the cardio I get and strength improvement. Because the area is locked up some days when staff isn’t in I bought a kettlebell so I can do these at home. I do 400 swings with the 30 pound (if at gym) and last 100 with a 40 pound.
Good job on your progress so far. Actually great job.
Especially on getting your hypertension in check, (making that assumption based on your atenolol.)
If you don’t mind me asking how much as your lipid panel improved?
Again I just can’t praise you enough on the great work you’ve done with your self.
Health is the first priority.
I have a question for you; has your Dr. (cardiologist) told you not to go over a certain heart rate? You mentioned light weights or something regarding weights, but nothing about have your heart rate in a certain range or not letting it exceed a certain number.
If you don’t mind me asking how much as your lipid panel improved?
My good cholesterol is 1 point from being at the levels wanted and the bad side has come down, but I still have a ways to go. I do not want to take statins at this time so I will stay on the Mediterranean Diet which is what has helped me loose the weight AND I am sure helped in the cholesterol.
I have a question for you; has your Dr. (cardiologist) told you not to go over a certain heart rate?
Now that’s kind of a funny story… when I was first diagnosed I went to the Cardiology Rehab Gym at the hospital. At that time they, under Dr. instruction, didn’t want my heart rate to go over 20 beats from resting. So I assumed that was where I was supposed to stay. I had been going to the gym for almost 5 years under that assumption. Last year I really wanted to get serious about my weight and health. I told the doctor what I wanted to do, but wanted to know about how high I could get my heart rate. I explained what instructions were given in the past and he says to me, “Well that’s not fast enough for you to burn calories and loose weight. You can get it up to 120 and be fine.” I was floored and then “happy as a clam”.
So my workouts previous were, chest, abs, and cardio on Monday, Cardio and abs on Tuesday, Lower body and abs and cardio on Wednesday, Thursday off, arms and back and abs and more cardio on Friday and then I was taking weekends off. But then I discovered the Kettlebell and I have been doing those with added strength and abs (planks, crunches, and array of other ab work I have found on the web) I actually got my cardio up where I wanted and fairly quickly. I feel like I am doing HIIT training. So, 2013 was a very successful year and I am looking forward to this year and the changes that are occurring.
I really appreciate the encouragement you have given me. I feel soooo much better after loosing the weight and building my strength up. Oh, here is the only thing my cardiologist really is holding me to. If I have to grunt to lift a weight, I am lifting too much. I took his advice and did light weight lots of reps, but I am finding that my strength has improved so much that now I can add more weight because it is easier to handle.
I have completed 500/day Kettlebell swings for seven days.
2 days on, 1 day rest as suggested by the challenge. In between swing sets I have done either military lifts, squats, push ups, single arm lift (left and right),I have been able to decrease the time for these workouts from 50 minutes to 35 minutes for the total workout. I purchased a Kettlebell for use at home so I do not miss a day when I can’t get to the gym.
I actually have been doing Kettlebell swings for about 3 or 4 months prior to trying the 10,000 swing challenge. So I think I was already advanced farther than expected. Some days all I do are the swings and call it good. I think I did that once in the 7 days because I was at home and just wanted to get the swings in.
I have not tracked my heart rate while doing these. One of the days I did take my pulse and I was at about 105. It probably would have been higher but I am on atenolol which will regulate heart beat. When I was on 150 mg prior to getting fitter I could hardly get it over 85 to 90. Now I am only at 25 mg as stated in previous post and I am able to get it higher. All I know is I am sweating like crazing, huffing and puffing and by the time I am at the end of the workout I am feeling spent. I would expect that the 30 pound ball will be not enough as I keep this up. When at the gym I do the last 100 with the 40 pound.
Some days in the past 7 days of exercise it took me closer to 45 to 50 minutes to get the job done. I guess it is the type of movement I do in between the swings that will dteremine how fast I can do the workout.
I really like the swings and the squats together. Especially the “sumo squat” I think its called. I use the bell held in front of my chest, do a low squate but when I come up I also add something like an upright row with it. So on the upward movement I keep the bell more at waiste level and then bring it up to my chin. The thing is, using the 30 pound bell it isn’t to hard, so sometimes I just hold the bell at waist and then do the rows, 20 at a time, but I put those at the end of the 50 first swings of each set.
This has been a great challenge. Glad I am trying it.
100 round about swings left and right ea. This is swinging the bell around the body (abs) catching it behind back and continuing the swing around and around. That is 100 left and 100 right.
Then I did three sets of 10, 15, 25, 50 swings with 30lb bell and adding with the first set doing 25lb bell in left and right 5 press between the 10,15, and 25 swings, finish with the 50 swings then rest for 60 to 90 seconds.
2nd set with 15lb bell in each hand and pressing 15 times between each set, 3rd set 25 each with 30lb bell upright rows, finishing each set with the 50 swings. Next set 50 x 2 swings, last set 40lb bell 25 x 4. So 200 roundabout and 500 swings. This one took me a little longer, 52 minutes. Pooped after this one. Spent 15 minutes in the sauna afterwards… whew.
Thanks young n… I actually was thinking after finishing this week out I would try all 500 with the 40lb bell next week. So if I don’t report in… send the medics… lol
200 swings around the body - 100 left and 100 right
600 swings
Time : 30 minutes
I am noticing a big difference in my strength tonight. I did the swings only, no strength lifts or squats, etc., but I did the swings 50 swings at a time . The effort didn’t seem as hard. I guess I need to increase the weight of the bell.
Wow you’re whipping through those swings. Keep it up.
If you wanted, you could try adding some lower Rep sets with the heavier weight to gradually work it in. For example, test the waters on sets of ten with the current weight plus 5 and do the other sets with the current weight. Then, whenever you’re comfortable, add the sets of 15 with the heavier weight, etc. There’s no rush in this approach.
But you may have thought of that already or have a better idea.
Thanks for the recommendations. I hadn’t thought of that. I actually usually do the last 100 at the gym with the 40 pounder. I could maybe just add that weight to the last 50 of the 400 swings. I have to say, I have noticed a big change in how my body looks. Actually, my wife noticed it.
My legs are getting to the point where I have very little “fat jiggle” to them, my forearms especially are getting tighter and I have finally started to loose weight. I had gotten down to 195, but then all of a sudden was up to 198 without changing my eating habit. So I assumed I must have put on more muscle density. Today I was back down to 196. Of course I am burning up tons of calories with this challenge. Lovin’ it!!!