Do not focus on keeping a tight lower back. This will force you to have an arch as you hinge and will place shearing force on your spine. Instead, focus on squeezing your glutes and your abs, and just push your hips back while maintaining that squeeze. Then, shoot your hips forward WITHOUT leaning back - you should be standing straight up with a neutral spine and your hips tucked under you at the top.
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Thanks for the advice, I think that’s what I’m doing with the exception of I’m only really bracing on the way up but I’ll give what you said a try.
I am hoping it was just a one off today.
09/08/19
10K Swing KB Challenge - Day 13
10 swings
1 press
15 swings
2 presses
25 swings
3 presses
50 swings
5 rounds of above
Time: 40 mins (20kg PR)
Forgot to log this yesterday. Grip was the limiting factor again, usually my right arm, but I pushed it hard so hopefully next time it will be stronger.
I’m fairly happy with the time - it’s a PR with 20kg and I find OHP the hardest exercise to superset with. I had to work hard in the last round to get 40 mins though and I only just made it.
10/08/19
10K Swing KB Challenge - Day 14
Swings only
Time: 30 mins (Big PR)
10 minutes off my last PR with 20kg and only 2 mins slower than my one with 16kg which in itself was a massive PR. From memory I think the next fastest time after this, even with 16kg, is 37 mins.
Mentally I felt good which meant I could push things physically. Grip held up longer than the day before; long enough for my posterior chain to start struggling. Was just a tough one all round but worth it for the time and I really smashed the last round.
Think I slept funny last night - my lower back has been aching all day. I did a lot of walking this morning which I hoped would help but I’ve just got home and sat down and it’s still just as bad.
Debating skipping today’s workout. Got an hour or so until I would normally go to decide.
13/08/19
10K Swing KB Challenge - Day 15
Swings only
Time: 40 mins
Ended up training but wasn’t sure if it was the correct decision a lot of the time and I took it slow. Afterwards, my back actually feels better so it was worth it.
Really fed up of kettlebell swings now, I’m looking forward to the end.
14/08/19
10K Swing KB Challenge - Day 16
Swings superset press ups
Time: 35 mins (PR for superset days, any weight)
Another one in the books - this is my third fastest time after my swing only PRs with 16kg and 20kg.
Only four more workouts left: a swings only with 24kg, overhead press, a swings only with 16kg then a swings only with 20kg.
well done getting here man.
Really impressive stuff those 10.000 swing in a month.
Have you noticed any body re comp or something during this month? Conditioning has definitely gone up
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Yeah definitely a change in body composition even after just the first half. It was interesting having that wedding halfway through because it meant seeing people I don’t often and a lot of those commented I looked like I had lost weight.
Everywhere looks ‘tighter’ even though my weight is about where i started. I’ve gone back to wearing some T-shirts I didn’t before because they were tight around my belly. I probably look the best I have since I started lifting.
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Forgot to add it onto yesterday’s workout but after the swings I did a couple sets each of curls, lateral raises, close grip bench and tricep extensions. I have some serious DOMs in my biceps today which is great because in the past I have always struggled to isolate them.
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16/08/19
10K Swing KB Challenge - Day 17
Swings only with 24kg
Time: 36 mins
Goal for the day was 40 mins which is just under what I got on my first 20kg workout so happy to beat that. The limiting factor was grip again, as I expected.
Towards the end of round 4 I realised I had a small chance of beating 35 mins, my third fastest time, but I just missed it. Either way, 4th fastest out of 17 workouts with a heavier KB is good news.
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17/08/19
10K Swing KB Challenge - Day 18
Swings only with 16kg
Time: 25 mins (PR)
Goal was 25 mins so I’m happy I got it. Grip was the limiting factor again - my conditioning didn’t really feel too challenged.
It was a good workout to show me how much I’ve progressed. At the beginning it took me an hour with this weight and I felt like I was dying. Today I did it in less than half the time and apart from my grip being wrecked I don’t feel too bad. I also remember it feeling heavy to start with, I think I mentioned it being more like high rep strength work than conditioning but today it felt like a toy.
Tomorrow’s a rest day then two more workouts left: first an overhead press one that I will take some what easy then a swings only to end on and shoot for a big PR.
@MarkKO hey, I have just been reading through some of the early entries in my log and I was shocked by how much help you gave me.
I don’t know if I thanked you properly at the time but I would like to now so, thank you, I appreciate it.
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I’m sure you did, but thank you for taking the time to make sure. I’m glad I could help.
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19/08/19
10K Swing KB Challenge - Day 19
Swings (20kg) superset overhead press
Time: 39 mins
Took it a bit easier today other than the last round. One more workout to go.
Got weighed again this morning and was 84.9kg. I don’t think I have been under 85kg for a couple of years. Quite a few people have asked me if I have lost weight these last few weeks too.
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20/08/19
10K Swing KB Challenge - Day 20
Swings only (20kg)
Time: 27 mins (PR)
DONE.
Glad to have finished and a great effort to do so with - this was one of the toughest sessions of the 20 days.
I went out for a big lunch before which kept trying to come back up and I think I’m coming down with cold so I wasn’t feeling my best but I made up for it with the effort.
I’ll take the next two days off then use Friday and Saturday as sort of deload/break in days going back to normal lifting. Next week I’m starting a new routine for five weeks until I’m back at university.
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Forgot to add I did a bit more stuff after I finished.
Hammer chest press:
2x8x20, then
x16 (6s eccentric) - 4 partials - 20s-30s static hold
Lateral raises: 2 sets to failure
Bicep curls: 1 set to fail, static hold
Tricep push downs: 1 set to fail
Well done on the 10.000 swings
Ending on a high note and it looks af if you were on top almost all the way.
The question that remains is: What to do next?
@mortdk thank you! As for what is next I am going to do:
- Lower
- Upper 1
- Off
- Hill Sprints
- Upper 2
- Off
- Off or easy conditioning
The exact exercises and sets etc I think i have sorted but I’ll wait until the first week is done to make sure before I put out a proper plan.
Both upper days will have conditioning and I will be doing farmers walks on the lower day. I want to keep my conditioning at least where it is so I can do well in athletics once I get back to uni. Plus, it’s good to be fit and lean.
My other focus is bench press. The first week back at uni my friends and I are going to meet up and go to the gym together for the first time in over a year. Of course we will want to see who can bench the most and I have hardly done any in the last few months. One upper day will be 2 AMRAP sets and the other I’ll work up to a heavy but good set of 8 one week, 5 the next, then 3, 2 and 1 finally before maxing out the next week.
Diet I will keep similar to how it is now. Changing from kettlebell swings to this new plan I don’t know if I will be in a calorie deficit but I want to be either recomping or losing weight a little bit. Once I am at uni I’ll slowly start to increase things again.
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