Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

While the individual elements (24kg KB swings and burpees) are moderate in isolation, the combination of 10 rounds with no programmed rest creates significant cardiovascular fatigue. The burpees particularly compound the challenge, as they require full-body explosive movement when already taxed from the swings. Most athletes will complete this in 12-15 minutes of continuous work, making it a challenging metabolic conditioning piece.

Benchmark Times for Schwinger

• Elite: <6:00
• Advanced: 7:00-8:00
• Intermediate: 9:00-10:00
• Beginner: >18:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High volume of repetitive movements (100 KB swings, 50 burpees) challenges local muscular endurance, particularly in posterior chain and upper body.
• Endurance (7/10): Ten rounds of continuous work with minimal rest creates significant cardiovascular demand. The combination of swings and burpees keeps heart rate elevated throughout.
• Speed (7/10): Quick transitions and fast cycling of movements is crucial for good times. Both movements can be performed explosively.
• Power (6/10): Kettlebell swings are inherently a power movement, though fatigue will impact power output across rounds.
• Flexibility (5/10): Kettlebell swings demand good hip hinge mobility, while burpees require decent shoulder flexibility and hip/ankle range.
• Strength (4/10): Moderate kettlebell load requires some strength, but not maximal. Focus is more on repeated submaximal efforts than pure strength.

Movements

• Kettlebell Swing
• Burpee

Scaling Options

KB Weight: Scale to 20/12kg or 16/8kg while maintaining power. Movement Subs: KB swings to DB swings or Russian KB swings. Burpees to step-back burpees or no-push-up burpees. Volume: Reduce to 8 or 6 rounds. Can also cut KB swings to 8 reps while keeping 10 rounds.

Scaling Explanation

Scale if unable to complete 15+ unbroken KB swings at prescribed weight with full hip extension or if burpees take more than 15 seconds for 5 reps when fresh. Target time is 12-20 minutes - scale to stay in this window. Prioritize full range of motion on KB swings over weight or speed. Athletes should be able to maintain consistent work rate without extended breaks between rounds.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-length glycolytic workout (12-20 minutes) with oxidative system contribution. Primary focus is maintaining power output across multiple short intervals while managing cumulative fatigue. The relatively light load on KB swings makes this more of a conditioning test than strength challenge.

Coach Insight

Start controlled - aim for consistent 45-60 second rounds. Break up neither movement initially; reassess at round 5. Keep KB swings powerful but efficient - full hip extension but minimal arm pull. For burpees, focus on smooth transitions rather than explosive speed. Common mistake is going too fast in rounds 1-3 leading to significant slowdown. Consider 5/5 split on KB swings after round 6 if needed.

Benchmark Notes

Analysis based on Helen benchmark (3 rounds of KB swings + other work) but adjusted for more rounds and different movement pairing: 1. Movement breakdown per round: - 10 KB Swings at 24kg: ~20 sec (2 sec/rep) - 5 Burpees: ~20 sec (4 sec/rep) - Transition: ~3-5 sec Base round time: ~45 sec for elite Fatigue multipliers: - Rounds 1-2: 1.0x (45 sec) - Rounds 3-4: 1.1x (50 sec) - Rounds 5-6: 1.2x (54 sec) - Rounds 7-8: 1.3x (59 sec) - Rounds 9-10: 1.4x (63 sec) Total elite time: ~540 seconds (9:00) Compared to Helen benchmark (which takes elite ~8:00 for 3 rounds with heavier KB), this 10-round workout should take about 15% longer due to: - More total rounds (10 vs 3) - Burpees creating additional fatigue - But lighter KB (24/16kg vs 53/35kg) partially offsetting Final targets (M/F): L10: 6:00/8:00 L5: 10:00/12:00 L1: 18:00/20:00

Modality Profile

Burpee is a gymnastics (bodyweight) movement, while Kettlebell Swing is a weightlifting movement using external load. With two movements split across two modalities, this results in a 50/50 split between G and W.

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