Saturday, June 16, 2012

June's New To you Cross Training

I fell off the band wagon both in April and May with a new to me cross training challenge. It's not that I didn't care, but I've been getting good results with bootcamp, so replacing it with something else wasn't an option, and finding the time to add something else to my schedule wasn't happening.

Luckily work announced that they will be offering a Kettlebell class tuesdays at 7am, or Wednesdays @ 5:15pm. Considering I work at 7:30, my ONLY option is to go to the Wednesday class--- some times having too many options can be paralyzing for me, so this motivates me to actually go.


They had kettlebells ranging from 2# up to 20# 


The 2# were so adorable.... and funny. I wasn't quite sure what to do with my face in this pic- so you get this awkward mess. I settled for the 15# to do my workout.



This Wednesday was the first class, so everyone was pretty new and we went over some basic moves. Now it's not that I've never used a kettle bell-- its just that I know 2 moves and that's it.
Standard swing

and the 2 arm pull


For the actual class, most moves we did with one hand. 
1 hand kettle bell swing 

1 hand clean press
(apparently I think its important to look at the kettle bell when doing moves)

as well as a bunch of combo moves involving squats, figure 8s, jerks. tricep ext, bicep curls etc. (i'm bad with exact names)




It was surprisingly a total body workout. My hips, shoulders, and arms were the most sore. I learned that when doing a clean press you have to 'slow' the kettle bell so it doesn't smack into your forearm--- I'm really surprised I don't have a bruise. I also learned that 15# is pretty heavy after awhile for certain moves (hence why there is another kettle bell, 10# in front of me) 

This particular week I did bootcamp first, kettlebell class 2nd, then went for a run--- I really liked having just one "triple threat day" mid week, so I will continue on with this pattern until I learn / get better at enough moves, then I'll probably stop the class and just incorporate them at bootcamp! (2 birds, 1 stone) 

12 comments:

  1. I heard many good things about kettle ball, definitely something I want to try out one day,

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  2. I keep thinking I want to buy some kettlebells but in the end I decide they cost too much everytime I look at them. I think it does look like a great workout and I think I would keep my eyes on them too so they wouldn't smack me.

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  3. I've done a few exercises with kettleballs but the only one I really remember is the standard swing. I'd live to try a full workout with kettlebells. Looks like a good class!

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  4. You are a total bad ass to be able to do bootcamp, kettlebell, and THEN run. Running with a boot camp class is about enough to KILL ME!

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  5. Nice class. We used kettlebells at Fit Camp last week. The clean press was a challenge, I got corrected on my form. Oh well.

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  6. Now I want to try a triple threat day! A few friends said, even though they're what I consider fit, they were so sore after using the kettle balls.

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  7. Kettle bell workouts are no joke...especially since not stopping the kettle bell could lead to injury! Great job!!!

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  8. LOVE the kettle-bell pics. That's something I haven't tried, but I want to!!

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  9. I just got in my June cross training challenge, too! Still haven't done a kettlebell class- that's a good idea. Tripe threat day- whew! Impressive!

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  10. Kettlebells look amazing. I really need to try them.

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  11. kettlebells are definitely a full body workout! important to have an instructor like you did because it's easy to get hurt swinging them around

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  12. Oh! I hadn't thought of kettlebells as a "new to me" workout. I'll have to add that to my list for later this year. :)

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