My First Kettlebell Workout

Way (way, way, way) back in late Sept 2007 I did a podcast about the fact that I was about to . Darlene was in Peru at the time and I had purchased a 20 pound Kettlebell while I was waiting her return. I acquired a little health challenge while she was away and stopped all my training (I was in the hospital the day she was flying home and wasn’t even sure if I’d make the airport to pick her up). I was all fired up when I wrote the article, just itching to get lifting asap as I learned about them from Pavel’s e-book and some online video’s of kettlebell training, but alas, it was not to be at that moment in time.

I was released from the hospital in time to meet Darlene’s plane (which ended up being delayed), got her home and we took the night off.

The very next day, Dar and I drove downtown in my new Jeep to buy a heavier Kettlebell. We got a 35 pounder and headed home. I unloaded it from the Jeep and was asked the fateful question:

How Do You Use A Kettlebell Anyway?

kettlebell workout
I did three swings (count them – 3 [!]) and suddenly stood up and said “Ow – That didn’t feel too good” and then went in to lay down on the couch. 10 minutes later I called Darlene and told her I couldn’t move.

I threw my back out after my first 3 kettlebell swings.


So here’s the deal… it wasn’t the kettlebells that did it, but rather they were the catalyst to my back going out because of the Jeep.

I had bought a Jeep from friend in July and after driving it for 2 months lifting my leg into it, then skootching my hip onto the seat and then lifting my other leg in, my lower spine was in such a state that it just needed a little stressor to finally move out of place.

it was the kettlebell swings that did it.

It could have been a deadlift, picking up some heavy groceries, Darlene’s luggage or any other host of things, but on that day, it was me showing Dar how to do swings.

I spent 2 days in bed and then finally got to a chiropractor early the next week.

Then I saw my Ultra Homeopath Physcian regarding the health challenge and did her gold test. I found out some more things about myself and was immediately taken off ALL exercise except for walking. I was not to train for at least 3 months and had to make some HUGE dietary changes.

OMG

I’m not sure if you understand the consequences of ending training for someone who does it week in week out.

I went through some interesting periods of depression for a few months until December 1st when I started training again. I had made the changes to my diet and my health improved considerably. What I had found out was that I was in a very catabolic state and needed to balance myself out through diet before I could train again. Training by it’s very nature is catabolic, which would just put my health deeper in the hole. I went back to my roots of whole food nutrition, began studying again, designed a very specific Sunrider food program for my current needs and simply took it easy focusing on my health.

I got a lot out of walking every day for 30 minutes and I have continued to do so. I did it years ago when I first started my weight loss journey and I’m finding it to be very good for me. I enjoy walking, so I’m going to continuing, along with sessions of HIIT.

so the other day while walking, I thought to myself that I should finish my walk with a short kettlebell session in the basement.

Today, I decided, was to be that day.

I wanted to do a short 10 minute session of swings and presses but what it turned out to be was 3 sets of 10 reps for each arm for 3 exercises which took a total of 14 minutes.

My First Kettlebell Workout

3 sets of one arm swings for 10 reps using 20 pound kettlebell (total 60 reps)
3 sets of one arm swings for 10 reps using 35 pound kettlebell (total 60 reps)
3 sets of clean and press for 10 reps using 20 pound kettlebell (total 60 reps)

Total: 180 reps, 14 minutes

It’s been just a few hours now since the swings and my traps, quads and glutes are defiantly talking to me that they were loaded (mind you, I did do a full body workout last night too)

I’m just beginning this Kettlebell training, so this is where I’m starting. I thoroughly enjoyed it and was dripping in sweat with a very elevated heart rate afterwards. It’s time for me to dive back into Pavel’s book about the Russian monsters and learn more. I’ll be posting what I find out from here on in.

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