Any tips for mentally getting through the 50 rep sets? I did some practice swings today and had trouble getting through it even though the weight didn’t feel too heavy
Honestly, I’m a bit scared
I can almost guarantee you’ll have to take breaks for the first few workouts on the 50-rep sets. I just wrapped week 2 of the challenge and was only able to get through all of the 50 reps every time in the last couple workouts.
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Having done elements of the challenge a few times (I assume 10,000 swings challenge?), and gone through as written once, the bell you use makes a big difference. You need to be able to hold it comfortably and easily. Which means enough space to hold it and enough grip that it’s not slipping and sliding everywhere. My first time around I did it with a big, cheap plastic bell with a smooth plastic handle and I bailed after about 3 sessions I think.
Other than that, find something to focus on, count reps down, not up. Makes it mentally easier.
Also @mattjp who’s currently doing the challenge. He might have some more inspired insight.
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I just tried one round as a practice ( with kB push press) and it wasn’t the worst from a conditioning standpoint . My elbows were dying though
Grip was always the killer for me. I’m not smart enough to know what could be hurting your elbows I’m afraid.
Honestly probably technique- I’ll watch more videos
Pass, well outside my wheelhouse.
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Well first times you take breaks. I did some of the sets like 35 + 10 + 5 with 5 seconds rests.
How I deal mentally with stuff… well I just tell my self that I have to do it. I take failures lightly, but with the intention to keep trying.
With the swings I did concentrate on counting. See when you are swinging and counting to 50 and you are about to fail, you are thinking “I did 40 swings already I can fail”. However if you coint to 30 and then start again to 10 and the last set you say “10 more only” and you push trough it.
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I only have a 16kg kettlebell, which is 2/3 the size I “should” be using as a man.
I eased myself in a little, taking the full rest (even when I didn’t need it) in the first session and then increasing speed/decreasing rest from there. Grip is the limiting factor but I’ve not had to break up any sets yet.
You will find a lot of new ways to count to 50.
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10k swings week 1: day1
Time: 42min. Strength exercise: kB press
2x(10+1press/arm, 50, 25+3press/arm, 15+2 press/arm)
3x(10+1press/arm, 36+14, 25+3press/arm, 15+2 press/arm)
3min rests on all rounds
- definitely intense but not much worse than the mile repeats on Friday , i need to get used to the movement- forearms dead but couldn’t feel anything in my lower back so that’s a positive
Lever push-ups: 3x4/side
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Did you actually do these in this order? Or is that a typo?
How did you find it?
What size bell are you using?
I found that counting down by 2s really helps (ie 25,25,24,24…)
This is more of an annoyance but the kettlebell is rubbing the skin of my left pinky a bit raw. Is this a form issue?
That’s how I did it- mentally easier ( 10 as a warmup after rest, then reverse pyramid)
25lbs- strength and conditioning wise, I could probably handle 30, but I suck at swinging and my bicep tendon is not very happy
Should my traps feel sore or is that a form issue?
Interesting approach.
I tend to count in 5s on higher rep set. As in 5-4-3-2-1, repeat as many times as necessary. It involves some thought, which is perfect when you want to take your mind off things.
It could be a form issue in that the bell shouldn’t be sliding about in your hands too much. In an ideal world, you should have a pretty firm grip on it. I wouldn’t worry too much about it from a form point of view though, just try and find a way protect your hands. Try chalk, tape, adjusting grip etc. I’ve even known climbers use layers of dried glue on their hands as a shield to avoid damaging skin too much. Just be careful where you apply it, that stuff lessons grip in the wrong place, don’t want to make the grip challenge harder.
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Just curious, how did the 10k swing challenge affect your main lifts.
I’m hoping that all that glute and hamstring work might help preserve some semblance of lower body strength
Mine was doing that in the first session. I taped it for the second and it’s fine now.
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Pass. I only did the full challenge when I was focussed on conditioning and fat loss. I don’t think it had a massive effect on my main lifts one way or another or i’d remember.
Climbers do so much dumb shit to their hands. Basically turn their skin into glass by putting too much antihydral onto it for one. As a climber/lifter I like to compare the two groups with regards to how “developed” the “science” or acquired knowledge is and it’s very amusing because the disrepancy is huge.
If chalk and a firm grip doesn’t help, gloves will.
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Just seen your question. Similar answer to the other guys from me - I had to break the 50 rep sets up into ‘mini-sets’. I think it was only the last couple of workouts I could do 50 reps in one go. Every few workouts I’d increase the amount I would do per ‘mini-set’ so to start it was like: 20 swings, 5s rest, 15 swings, 5s rest, 10 swings, 5s rest, 5 swings then after a few workouts I’d do 25 reps in the first set instead and progress like that. Again, similarly to the others the limiting factor for me was grip.
I also had rubbing on my pinky. I think because the handle wasn’t wide enough to fit both hands side by side without them rubbing on it. After a couple sessions it started bleeding so I taped it for the next few and eventually it just sort of stopped rubbing and I was fine. If it’s bearable I’d say just tape it and carry on.
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It would also be easier to do 50 sets of 10, but that’s not the point. It’s a challenge. It’s not supposed to be done “easier”. I would suggest running it as written.
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