Highly recommend swings for 531 SL work (but yes its not SL). You can do them supersetted to any lift (including squats) provided you keep the reps low, and easy to recover from.
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In 531 forever, Jim seems pretty loose with his list of single leg/core work, like SLDL, GMs, GHR and swings are in there, but assuming that’s because he classes them as core not single leg?
Either way I’m sure it’s in the spirit of the program.
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3/20/26
10,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge
Ball throws x 5
1500/10,000
5 Rounds
10 swings
1 pull-up
15 swings
1 pull-up
25 swings
1 pull-up
50 swings
3:00 break between rounds
Today was a rough one. My blisters have blisters. This was the hardest day to date. My energy was low and my hands were not enjoying life. I was unable to complete the last pull-up on rounds 4&5. Pull-ups suck. I’m hoping to sleep like the dead tonight and have a better showing tomorrow. It wasn’t my best work, but it was a completed workout so that’s what counts.
Today is a good day.
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Sounds like you’re doing it right—hang in there: Your body will adapt, I guarantee it.
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I know it will. I just wish it would do it faster. 
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I dislike pull ups more than squats. But I do squats.
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3/21/26
10,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge
2,000/10,000
Ball throws 5
5 Rounds
25 lb x 20
35 lb x 20
15 lb x 20
30 lb x 20
20 lb x 20
2:30 break between rounds
I timed my rounds just for fun.
3:01.91
2:55.37
2:52.08
2:54.49
2:47.9
I didn’t do any work between sets because I simply didn’t feel like it. I really felt like the 500 swings were enough for the day. Maybe I gave myself an easy out. Either way I’m feeling the work in my entire body. Tomorrow is an off day and I think I will try to get some mobility work in. Maybe a nice slow yoga session to loosen everything up a bit. Right now I would kind of like to dip my whole body into a vat of icy hot. Well, maybe not my whole body. That could get a bit uncomfortable.
Today is a good day.
12 Likes
3/23/26
10,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge
2,500/10,000
5 Rounds 25 lb
10 swings
1 push-up
15 swings
2 push-ups
25 swings
3 push-ups
50 swings
2:30 break between rounds
3:09.38
3:11.9
3:10.72
3:17.06
3:29.58
Well, I’m finally starting to hurt less, so that’s good. I’m starting to adjust to the work I think, but I won’t be sad when this is over. The co-owner at my gym was unhappy with the amount of mess that I made with regular chalk, so I am giving liquid chalk a shot. I still left a little bit of a mess, but not nearly as bad as the powder left.
I didn’t do any actual workout type stuff yesterday. I spent the majority of the day working with my husband in our fixer upper that we are trying to finish so we can move into it. It was a pretty productive day. I spent most of the time as a helper. Holding counter tops while he cut them, helping move the washer and dryer up stairs, placing a 6 foot slab of butcher’s block on the cabinets. It was nice to actually be useful while my husband is trying to get the work completed. I spent the rest of the time just cleaning up basic bullshit.
I’m planning to get my food prep done for the week and get some yummies for the kids made today. Also, apparently my husband has been reading quite a bit on this forum lately. A corned beef brisket showed up in my shopping cart on Saturday out of nowhere. So apparently I should have paid more attention to the cooking tips that were given. Now I’m gonna have to go back and reread the logs of @T3hPwnisher , @freshyfresh and @Frank_C so I don’t screw this up. Lol
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Don’t sweat it: you can’t screw this up. It’s a food that was traditionally boiled, and was STILL delicious then. Anything else you do to it will only make it better.
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The directions on it say to either boil it or put it in a roaster. Pretty sure the roaster is the way I’m gonna go. Worst case scenario I have leftover pizza and my husband has leftover chicken for dinner.
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If you have a slow cooker, those work really well too.
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Maybe I will do that. Thanks
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I put mine in the Instant Pot and used the slow cooking function. I figured it had plenty of salt since it’s corned beef so I didn’t even season it. I put two cans of beef stock in with it, put the lid on, and left it for eight hours. It was delicious!
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Today was meant to be a workout day. My low back is not having it. Today has become a stretching and therapy day. We will see how it goes.
I’ve been extremely fatigued for the last week. I am unclear if it is the workout or if there is something else that is happening that I am missing. My best guess is the workout.
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I’ve been extremely fatigued for the last week. I am unclear if it is the workout or if there is something else that is happening that I am missing. My best guess is the workout.
Might be a good idea to rotate in a few workouts that are just swings only: no strength work. Dan John’s “Easy Strength” has an approach like that, where 1 workout in the 5 is just a straight 1x10: the “easiest” strength.
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It’s funny how workouts like these always jump out to me when I’m feeling the effects of life’s demands. I feel like I’m in a time crunch all week (I’m mostly not, just the time that I typically use to work out is crunched) and that’s when I fall victim to program hopping. But I have to admit I love Dan John’s warm-ups: 30 sec deep squat, 30 sec hang, maybe a couple other things and then get after it.
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I love Dan John’s warm-ups: 30 sec deep squat, 30 sec hang, maybe a couple other things and then get after it.
Which, in the total duality that is Dan John, he also has “the warm up IS the workout” warm ups, where you do a TON of stuff and then the workout itself is like 2 worksets. He’s a tricksy Hobbit.
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Yup, crock pot is the way to go. I pour in a beer for moisture, always comes out moist and delicious.
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I actually did this last week. I forgot it was an option in the program and did it because I was just not wanting to do the extra work. I’ll be back to it tomorrow.
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Any particular type? I thought about that, but I only had Busch Light and I feel like if I’m using it for a marinade that it should be a little more robust…but maybe I’m overthinking cooking with alcohol.