all posts post new thread

I am not smarter than Brett Jones: My SFG 2 training journal.

Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
The 10,000 Swing Challenge: A Report From the Halfway Point

Testing is not training

Testing is not training, and a challenge is neither.

A challenge is something very different. It is not “reasonable” by definition. If it is going to be a meaningful challenge it must be “nearly too much”. And 10,000 swings in a month is very nearly too much.

In fact, the challenge as written was too much for me. I hated it. My skin was tearing and my motivation was nil. I had challenged myself though and needed to find a way to succeed.

I settled on a mixed approach: mostly two-hand swings with a minority of snatches, one-hand swings and cleans to mix it up. I wanted to keep some presses and squats in the mix but the total workload doesn’t leave a lot of room. I saved them for days when I was feeling fresh. My days are not balanced, but that is the nature of a challenge.

5,095 Reps Down

Today I crossed the halfway point. I am two-and-a-half weeks in, which means I am on pace to finish in five weeks. I would like to finish faster and I’ll be glad when I am done. These past few weeks have made me tougher and more disciplined but also left me longing for more variety and intensity along with shorter sessions.

I will have a lot more to say once I am done with this. For now, remember that a challenge is not training, but it does have a lot of value.

Blake Nelson
 
10,000 Swing Challenge Day 14
Thursday, April 16, 2020

Snatch 16 kg x10 > windmill x1 Right
Snatch 16 kg x10 > windmill x1 Left

10 Rounds: 200 total reps

Bent Press 36 kg x 3+3

1500/2000 swing goal this week
5295/10000 rep goal

Notes: This was a nice aerobic session. It was a good way to get my blood flowing while taking an easy day.

Blake Nelson
 
10,000 Swing Challenge Day 15
Friday, April 17, 2020

2HS x12 EMOM
35 minutes

Then:
Clean + Press 4x(5+5)

460 total “swings”
1960/2000 rep goal this week
5755/10000 rep goal

Notes: This is another way to get the volume. The majority of reps are coming from two-handers, with a handful coming from symmetry/variety movements. I like it.

Blake Nelson
 
10,000 Swing Challenge Day 16
Saturday, April 18, 2020

2HS x15 EMOM
30 minutes - tough by the end!

Then: Clean + Push Press 3x(10+10)

510 reps today
2470/2000 rep goal this week
6265/10000 total rep goal

Notes: Increasing the density of the swings is feeling good. I think this means I am adapting to the volume. On that note, my skin is feeling a lot better lately. The only exception is that I have a strange callus developing on the ring finger of my left hand. Most of the time I train without my wedding ring on but I wonder if the times I have worn it (it is a silicone ring) has lead to this unusual callus.

Blake Nelson
 
10,000 Swing Challenge Day 17
Monday, April 20, 2020

2HS 10-15-25-50
5 Rounds

500/2000 rep goal this week
6765/10000 total rep goal

Notes: This was much better than the first time I did it. My skin is better conditioned and the volume was not so shocking. The long sets still sucked.

Blake Nelson
 
10,000 Swing Challenge Day 18
Tuesday, April 21, 2020

2HS x10
1HS x10 Right
1HS x10 Left
Snatch x5+5

EMOM 10 rounds

900/2000 rep goal this week
7165/10000 total rep goal

Notes: Something I have learned: I don’t need a lot of variety in my training, but I need some.

Blake Nelson
 
10,000 Swing Challenge Day 19
Wednesday, April 22, 2020

Snatch 10x(5+5)
Push-ups 3x10

1000/2000 rep goal this week
7265/10000 total rep goal

Notes: Quick, easy, nice. This was refreshing. I also took an extra long walk this morning, the sunshine felt good.

Blake Nelson
 
10,000 Swing Challenge Day 19 pt.2
(I had a chill afternoon and felt like doing a little bit more work, go figure)

Long Cycle Clean + Jerk 1x(10+10)
LC Snatch + Windmill 1x(10+10)
LC Clean + Bent Press 1x(10+10)

60 more “swings”
(why not?)
Blake Nelson
 
I switched back to the standard protocol this week, but I was too busy to post my journal. This is what I’ve done:

10-15-25-50 swings for 5 rounds



Thursday: swings plus goblet squats 3x10

Friday: off

Saturday: Swings plus push-ups 4x10

Sunday: Swings plus bent press 5x(5+5)



Notes: My body has acclimated to the volume, I still hate sets of 50 but I can do them. This rep scheme helps me get the volume done in less time, which is helpful as I have been busy with work for the last few days. I plan on doing a lighter day tomorrow (I’ll shoot for 175 reps) and then I’ll finish up the challenge with 500 swings each Tuesday and Wednesday. The end is in sight and I am excited for a change of pace.



Blake Nelson
 
10,000 Swing Challenge Day 25
Tuesday, April 28, 2020

2HS
10-15-25-50 x5 rounds

Notes: The weather is beautiful today so I rucked my 24 kg bell to the park. It is roughly half a mile away from my apartment. It is amazing how much heavier my pack felt on the walk home. Tomorrow is my the last day of the challenge for me and I am excited!

Blake Nelson
 
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Roll the Dice
Feeling good today, no modifier. Rolls: Press 3, Snatch 4, Squat 2.

Morning Recharge, then:
Military Press 24 kg 3x(5+5)
Snatch 24 kg 4x(10+10)
Goblet Squat 24 kg 2x5
Later: Nice long ruck in the sunshine.

Notes: I have been training this way since I finished the 10,000 Swing Challenge last week but somehow it slipped my mind to record it in this training journal. Oh well. Roll the Dice is my new super-flexible, autoregulated, minimalist program based on the works of Pavel Tsatsouline and Dan John (Simple & Sinister, Easy Strength, Power to the People, Naked Warrior). I have a kettlebell variation, which I will keep training until I return my borrowed kettlebell in a few weeks. Then I will practice the calisthenics version. Hopefully, I can get my hands on a barbell set before too terribly long!

Blake Nelson
 
Thursday, May 7, 2020

Roll the Dice

Feeling good today, no modifier. Rolls: Press 1, Snatch 2, Squat 5.

Like so:
Squat 2x5
Snatch x10+10
Squat x5
Press x5+5
Squat x5
Snatch x10+10
Squat x5

Notes: Another day, feeling healthy and energetic. The sun was shining so I rucked my 24 kg about ¾ of a mile to the park. Very nice.



Blake Nelson
 
Friday, May 8, 2020
Roll the Dice

It rained last night and the temperature dropped quite a bit. Sleepy sort of day. That, combined with the fact that it is the end of a long work-week has me feeling a bit tired.

I rolled with a -3 modifier today.
Press: 2-3= 0 sets
Snatch 4-3=1x(10+10)
Goblet Squat 4-3=1x5
All with 24 kg.
In total this took me one minute. I can handle that today! By the way, I posted an explanation of what the heck all this Roll the Dice stuff is, on my YouTube channel (first video I’ve posted there)
Link
Blake Nelson
 
Sunday, May 10, 2020
Roll the Dice

Took a rest day yesterday. Just a 2-hour rambling walk around town. Today I feel good, rolling without a modifier. 3, 6, 1.

Press: 3x(5+5)
Snatch: 6x (10+10)
Goblet Squat: 1x5

All with 24 kg.

Notes: This was fun. I am ten days into this program and I really enjoy it. I feel like I have control but not too much. Everything is averaging out to 3-4 sets per day with a lot of variability. Using one bell is fun, too. It lets me practice in the park when I feel like it.

Blake Nelson
 
Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Roll the Dice

Yesterday: Press 5x(5+5), Snatch 3x(10+10), Squat 2x5

Today: I rucked my 24 back to Barbell Strategy to drop it off. I’ll be without a bell for a week until I can pick up my new ones at Rep. In the meantime I will do the calisthenics version of Roll the Dice. My movements will be Handstand push-ups against the wall for doubles, Pistol squats for doubles, and “ledge” pull-ups for sets of one. I am using a 1.5” ledge in my apartment and sticking to singles until I see how my fingers respond.

Handstand push-ups (wall): 3x2
Pistols: 4x(2+2)
“Ledge”-ups: 5x1

All in a “grease the groove” fashion. The first set of HSPUs were quite tough, but they felt better as I went. Pistols felt good, I might move to triples. The pull-ups were weird, I’ll have to see how they feel over time.

Blake Nelson
 
Status
Closed Thread. (Continue Discussion of This Topic by Starting a New Thread.)
Back
Top Bottom