Getting a good cardio workout can be difficult, especially if you're not a runner.
Developing explosive strength can also be difficult, especially if you are not capable of performing power-strengthening exercises with heavier weights.
These are two big training problems…thankfully there is an exercise that addresses both of them.
Kettlebell swings!
In addition to solving these problems even short sessions performed only two to three times per week are sufficient for building power and endurance (Meigh et al., 2019).
However, knowing exactly how many swings to perform to achieve desired results can be somewhat…difficult to define. Let's take a look at the number of reps involved in the most popular training programs to help determine how many kettlebell swings you should do.
What is a Kettlebell Swing?
The kettlebell swing is one of the most comprehensive, full-body exercises. It involves positioning the feet shoulder-width apart, grasping the kettlebell, swinging it back and forth between the legs, and “popping” the hips to power the small cannonball to full extension.
Kettlebell swing training works many muscle groups throughout the upper body, core muscles, and lower body (particularly the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back) and also has cardio-enhancing capabilities. Even 30 seconds of kettlebell swings are sufficient for raising the heart rate, even if relatively lighter weights are used for the exercise (Jaiswal et al., 2024).
What Are the Most Common Kettlebell Swing Workouts?
Starting with even four sets of 15 to 20 reps is admirable, especially if you are able to increase the weight over time. Here's some programs to look at upon achieving these initial kettlebell swing milestones.
100 Kettlebell Swings a Day Workout
The "100 Kettlebell Swings a Day" workout has been popularized by personal trainers and strength training enthusiasts alike. Athletes who partake in the workout end up completing 700 two-handed swings per week while also getting in multiple full-body conditioning sessions.
During each workout, the 100 swings can be completed in multiple sets, with beginners often performing 10 sets of 10 swings and more advanced athletes completing all 100 swings in three sets or less.
Kettlebell trainees participating in this challenge have shown improved grip strength, skeletal lean mass, and other measures of health-related physical fitness (Meigh et al., 2022).
10,000 Kettlebell Swings Challenge
Don't worry; you aren't expected to perform 10,000 kettlebell swings in a single workout! The 10,000 Kettlebell Swings Challenge involves 20 workouts performed over the course of 4 or 5 weeks. During each workout, athletes perform 500 kettlebell swings in multiple sets of between 15 reps and 50 reps.
Athletes have the option of performing only kettlebell swings during their workouts (which is enough to work the majority of the body's muscle groups and strengthen the posterior chain), but can perform other exercises between sets for additional variety. Common supplemental exercises are goblet squats, kettlebell shoulder presses, and pull-ups (Rabaud, 2022).
500 kettlebell swings is a lot of work for a single workout, but multiple rest days each week make the workout more attainable for all lifters.
Grab a 'bell and Start Swinging
Consistently performing kettlebell swing workouts is more important than being too hyper focused on a precise number of swings to perform each session. You will receive optimal benefits from swinging your kettlebell 99 times each day or from completing a 10,001 kettlebell swing challenge.
So why not get started?
Perform a few deadlifts with the kettlebell...just to get used to what the grip feels like. Start with 30 seconds of swinging and progress to 60 seconds of kettlebell swings without stopping.
Before you know it, you’ll be taking on some of the most popular kettlebell swing challenges out there…whether you’ve decided to hit 100 a day or 10,000 a month!
Frequently Asked Questions
Knowing things like how much weight to swing and how many swings might be too many can result in much more effective workouts. Let's cover these questions now:
Is it difficult to do big rep sets with kettlebells?
This depends mainly on three things:
- The kettlebell weight you are using. The heavier the kettlebell is, the more difficult the sets will be.
- Your grip strength. Once your grip starts to give out, it is very difficult to continue your set.
- Your pain tolerance. As with any kind of fitness endeavor, athletes who are able to remain uncomfortable for longer periods of time will be able to perform bigger sets.
Of course, the definition of "big rep sets" will differ from person to person and don't feel like you need to perform overly long sets when you're still getting used to the exercise.
What is a good weight to use for kettlebell swing workouts?
Kettlebell weight selection is impacted by a number of factors, some which include the number of sets of kettlebell swings that are to be performed, the number of kettlebell swings each set and whether the swings are single-arm kettlebell swings or two-handed kettlebell swings.
Ultimately, deciding how much weight to use is dependent on your experience and fitness level. "Standard" weights for many kettlebell swing workouts are 53 pounds for men and 35 pounds for women (Lake & Lauder, 2011).
Is it possible to do too many kettlebell swings in a workout?
Like any exercise, it is possible to go overboard during kettlebell workouts. When athletes find it becoming impossible to keep the core engaged, to maintain proper posture, or to generate explosive power during the hip hinge portion of the movement, they may need to lower the weight of the kettlebell or terminate the workout.
Also, if the swing technique is compromised or if the athlete is experiencing physical injury or discomfort (such as significant tearing of the hands) it is time to call it a day.
References
Jaiswal, P., Ramteke, S., Shedge, S. (2024). Enhancing athletic performance: A comprehensive review on kettlebell training. Cureus, 16(2). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10910645/
Lake, J., Lauder, M. (2011). Mechanical demands of kettlebell swing exercise. The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(12) . https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51970898_ Mechanical_Demands_of_Kettlebell_Swing_Exercise
Meigh, N., Keogh, J., Schram, B., Hing, W. (2019). Kettlebell training in clinical practice: A scoping review. BMC Sports Science, Medicine and Rehabilitation, 11(19). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6719359/
Meigh, N., Keogh, J., Schram, B., Hing, W., Rathbone, E. (2022). Effects of supervised high-intensity hardstyle kettlebell training on grip strength and health-related physical fitness in insufficiently active older adults: the BELL pragmatic controlled trial. BMC Geriatrics, 22(1). https://bmcgeriatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12877-022-02958-z
Rabaud, D. (2022, June 12). I did 10,000 kettlebell swings in 30 days - Here’s what happened. Damien Lifts. https://damienlifts.co.nz/blog/2021/12/22/10000-kettlebell-swings
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