Workout Description

Why This Workout Is Hard

The continuous 100 repetitions each of KB swings and pull-ups with no built-in rest creates significant grip fatigue accumulation. While individual movements are manageable, the grip-intensive combination becomes the limiting factor. Pull-ups deteriorate rapidly after multiple rounds of swings, forcing frequent breaks. Most athletes will struggle with unbroken sets after round 5-6, extending workout time to 12-18 minutes of sustained effort.

Benchmark Times for WOD

• Elite: <5:30
• Advanced: 6:00-6:30
• Intermediate: 7:00-8:00
• Beginner: >15:00

Training Focus

This workout develops the following fitness attributes:

• Stamina (8/10): High volume of 100 kettlebell swings and 100 pull-ups tests muscular endurance in posterior chain, grip, and pulling muscles.
• Endurance (7/10): Ten rounds of continuous work with minimal rest creates significant cardiovascular demand, requiring sustained aerobic capacity throughout the workout.
• Power (6/10): Kettlebell swings are inherently explosive hip extension movements, while pull-ups can be performed with kipping for power generation.
• Speed (6/10): Fast cycling between movements and maintaining high rep rates per round are crucial for minimizing overall workout time.
• Strength (4/10): Moderate kettlebell weight and bodyweight pull-ups require decent strength but not maximal force production capabilities.
• Flexibility (3/10): Hip hinge pattern in swings and full range pull-ups demand moderate mobility in hips, shoulders, and thoracic spine.

Movements

• Kettlebell Swing
• Pull-Up

Scaling Options

Reduce kettlebell to 35/26 lbs or 44/35 lbs. Substitute banded pull-ups, ring rows, or jumping pull-ups. Consider reducing to 8 rounds or 8 reps per movement. Advanced athletes can increase to 70/53 lbs on kettlebell or add weight vest for pull-ups.

Scaling Explanation

Scale kettlebell weight if you can't maintain proper hip hinge mechanics or complete 10 unbroken swings in early rounds. Scale pull-ups if you can't do at least 3-5 strict pull-ups or maintain consistent sets of 3-4 kipping reps. Target is maintaining similar time domain (12-20 minutes) regardless of scaling. Priority is movement quality and consistent pace over completing at prescribed weight.

Intended Stimulus

Moderate-to-high intensity workout targeting 12-18 minutes. Primarily glycolytic with some oxidative demands. Tests grip endurance, posterior chain stamina, and upper body pulling capacity under accumulating fatigue. The challenge is maintaining consistent pace as grip and lats fatigue through the rounds.

Coach Insight

Aim for 60-90 seconds per round early, expect 2+ minutes in later rounds. Break kettlebell swings into manageable sets (7-3 or 6-4) before grip fails. On pull-ups, use efficient kipping but don't rush - dead hangs waste energy. Keep transitions quick but controlled. Most athletes hit a wall around round 6-7 when grip and lats are compromised. Focus on breathing rhythm during swings and don't grip the bar too tightly.

Benchmark Notes

This workout involves 10 rounds of 10 KB swings (53/35) + 10 pull-ups. Base times per round: KB swings take ~1.5-2 sec per rep (15-20 sec total), pull-ups take ~1-2 sec per rep (10-20 sec total), plus ~3-5 sec transition between movements. Fresh round time: 28-45 sec. Applied fatigue multipliers: Rounds 1-2 (1.0x), Rounds 3-4 (1.15x), Rounds 5-6 (1.25x), Rounds 7-8 (1.4x), Rounds 9-10 (1.7x). Set breaking considerations: Pull-ups likely broken into 2-3 sets after round 4, adding 5-10 sec rest per round. KB swings generally unbroken but grip fatigue affects pull-ups significantly. Elite athletes maintain larger pull-up sets longer, recreational athletes break earlier and more frequently. Total calculated times: Elite ~5.5 min, Intermediate ~8-10 min, Recreational ~12-15 min.

Modality Profile

Two movements total: Pull-Up (Gymnastics bodyweight movement) and Kettlebell Swing (Weightlifting external load movement). Equal split between G and W modalities.