Kettle Ball'd!!

As everyone who reads this knows, I have been trying to get a bit healthier.  I have started running again, on a treadmill, with a girl I work with, Val.  Val has been really good about it, and I have been a bit slack.  My goal is to finish the Week 5 of the program by the end of the month.  I missed a couple of runs this week.  Monday I missed because...well, I don't remember why.  I think it was just the overwhelming fatigue that I have been feeling lately.  It doesn't seem like I can get enough sleep. Ever.  Anyway, I didn't want to get up early, so I didn't.  :)  Fun.

Wednesday I missed because of my kettlebell class.  Actually, I missed it because of the fact that my back stopped working, due to the kettlebell class.

So, back in December, there was a Groupon for a kettlebell class at Make it Happen.  I don't remember the deal, but it was crazy awesome.  I got it, and so did Val.  With the holidays and everything else, we didn't get a chance to start until this week.  I chose Tuesdays and Thursdays, the 515pm  class.  This would work with running on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays.  There is even a Saturday kettlebell, if I was feeling particularily ambitious.

Since Val can't start until next week, I ventured in by myself on Tuesday.  Of course, I was nervous and awkward, but Jennifer, the owner and trainer, was very nice, and helped get me settled.  There was another couple of girls that were new too.  There was a student assistant there, who helped us learn how to swing the kettle bell, a straight swing, an alternate swing and a swing above your head (I don't remember what that is called.) We warmed up, and I was already sweating.  :)  Still excited at this point.

These are Kettlebells.

More and more people trickled in, including a guy that I knew from high school.  He has been posting about kettlebell, and he has lost 40 pounds in 3 months.  I couldn't help but notice that most of the people coming in were young (well, younger than me) and thin.  Yikes.  Intimidation factor is now up x3.   But still good.

Eventually the class gets going, about 10 minutes later than usual, becuase of all the newbies getting in and getting set up.  Jennifer explains the class, how there will be 4 "cardio blast" sections.  Each cardioblast consists of 5 exercises, which we will do for 30 seconds each, repeated twice, for a total of 5 minutes.  Ok, sounds good, sounds totally doable.

And then it started.

Most of it is a blur of pain and sweat and heaving breath.  I did kickbacks, and jump squats, and mountain climbers and burpies.  I did planks, and ab work, and swung the kettlebell for all I was worth.  I actually thought I was going to throw up at one point, and got really light headed at another.  It was probably the hardest that I have worked in years.  I felt a true sense of accomplishment when it was done, but man- it kicked my ass. 

At points during the class, I was getting discouraged and a little embarrassed by things I couldn't do.  I started feeling old, and horrible.  Started thinking-seriously- about quitting.  But then I looked around.  Those young, university girls were blowing just as hard as I was.  They had dropped to their knees during the planks too.  They were running in place slow like me.  It made me feel a bit better and made me keep going.  I am sure they will improve much faster than I will.  But right now, that doesn't matter.

So.  I was supposed to go back tonight, but since this morning, I have had difficulty touching my own head, and I brushed my teeth by leaning into my hand and moving my head back and forth.  So, I thought, for my own piece of mind and health, I should probably wait another day.

But something that hard, has to be good for you.  It has to work.  It has to.

Rosie N. Grey
The N stands for "new experiences".