The Challenge
Ten thousand kettlebell swings in four weeks.
500 swings per workout, five days a week, for an entire month.
Most people think it's impossible.
But it's one of the most effective conditioning programs ever created.
Dan John designed this minimalist program around a single kettlebell and five days of work per week.
No complicated equipment or confusing schemes.
Just swings paired with basic strength movements.
It builds serious conditioning, burns fat, and forges mental toughness.
Use the Kettlebell Craft Training app to track your swing count, monitor daily progress, and stay on pace to hit 10,000.
Program Overview
- Duration: 4 weeks
- Frequency: 5 days per week
- Session length: 30-40 minutes
- Daily volume: 500 swings
- Total volume: 10,000 swings
- Equipment: Single kettlebell (men: 24-32 kg, women: 16-24 kg)
The Circuit Structure
Each workout consists of 5 circuits.
Each circuit contains 100 swings broken into clusters:
Circuit Pattern (repeat 5 times):
- 10 swings → 1 rep of strength exercise
- 15 swings → 2 reps
- 25 swings → 3 reps
- 50 swings → Rest 60-90 seconds
That's 100 swings per circuit × 5 circuits = 500 swings.
Optionally, perform a strength exercise (goblet squats, push-ups, or presses) between swing clusters to maintain muscle while focusing on conditioning.
Weight Selection
Choose a weight you can swing for 50 consecutive reps:
- Men: 24-32 kg (53-70 lbs)
- Women: 16-24 kg (35-53 lbs)
If in doubt, go lighter.
This is a conditioning program, not a maximal strength test.
Why It Works
Conditioning
500 swings per session builds cardiovascular endurance.
Your heart rate stays elevated throughout.
Week by week, your body adapts.
What felt impossible becomes manageable.
Fat Loss
High volume plus explosive movement equals substantial calorie burn.
Most people lose noticeable body fat as a side effect.
Technique Mastery
10,000 repetitions refines your swing through sheer exposure.
Bad habits get exposed and corrected.
You can't fake 500 swings per session.
Mental Resilience
The hardest part is showing up when your hands are torn and you're tired.
This builds discipline that transfers to everything else in life.
Who Should Try This
Prerequisites:
- Proper kettlebell swing technique
- Comfortable doing 100+ swings in a workout
- Solid cardiovascular base
- Healthy hands for daily grip work
Who Should Skip:
- Complete beginners without swing mastery
- Anyone with lower back issues during hip hinge movements
- People with hand or grip injuries
- Athletes in-season needing to peak
- Anyone unable to commit five days per week