Heavens! Was there wimpering?

I tried a single kettlebell in a personal training session.

The first time I swung that baby I whooped outloud with exuberance -- it was thrilling. I try very hard to have good form, and I was bending my knees, working my hammies and butt rather than my back, yadda, yadda. But the second session, when we increased the weight, I hurt my back. I guess I'm a just an over-ambitious flower.

I do the swings with lighter weight dumbbells now, but not half as joyfully.

I hope you keep it up and show really superwoman what you're made of.

I've had a couple of kettlebells for a few years. I have a 15lb and a 20 lb. I found a 6 minute routine on Youtube that I used to do regularly - I have to get into that again!

Got em about 4 months ago. With a DVD. Still sitting on my basement floor in the box. Maybe I'll give them a try now that it's 2011.

If anyone is interested, here is the 6 minute kettlebell workout.

Here is a link that might be useful: 6 minute Kettlebell workout

Was there whimpering? More like weeping and wailing & gnashing of teeth -- in my head! I suffered in silence :) The instructor kept saying, "You're a strong girl, let's do 18 lbs." And I kept saying, "I think 10 is good to start with." And she'd let me do 10 lbs. for a few reps, then she'd switch it with the 18. I think someone said she's ex-army from some Scandinavian country. Ay yi yi... Anyway, I'm very impressed with the workout & the instructor too, all joking aside. And terriks, if you do 15 & 20 lb. kbs, you are a better woman than I!

Actually, I don't remember if I have 10 lb and 15 lb or 15lb and 20lb. I think the one I use the most is 15 lbs.

This is the first time I've heard of kettlebells. After watching the video, I think I would have to have 911 on speed dial if I were to even attempt using it.

Out of curiousity, I just tried to swing a kitten litter jug which weighs 16 lbs. It was hard and I'm use to using much heavier hand weights. It felt more like killerbells.

Never seen a kettle bell workout quite like that one but am will to bet there's knee and/or shoulder surgery in his future!

My exercises were more along the line of this beginner's video below. The instructor spent a lot of time making sure my form was right. I can see how one could easily injure joints with kettlebells, so it's good that she's so careful. One exercise, the Turkish something, is very convoluted, so she had me do it with a shoe instead of the weights until I get the motion down pat.

Anyway, I feel great if a little sore! I can see getting into this seriously this year. I turn 56 next week, and I could tell my strength sure isn't what it used to be. And some micromuscles were going too (balance & all that). I'd started some Pilates last fall & can see that's helped a lot. I never thought I needed the strength training & stretching stuff, but cardio evidently doesn't do everything, and your body sure starts to decline fast if you don't put in the work. Oh the hard facts of aging!

Here is a link that might be useful: Youtube beginning kettlebells.

Yowsh...just looking at those videos made my knees ache and my back twinge! My chiropractor would go bananas if he saw those videos. Looks interesting, but yeah, I'd say the joints would be taking a beating with all that jerky movement and locking the knees.

Hope you all using those torture devices are doing ok!

Actually, you lift, pull or push with your butt, legs, abdominals & lats, then let the momentum of the kettlebell do the rest. It should be a fluid movement. My wrists, knees & back aren't sore at all today because Fraulein Trainer was so strict about form. But my glutes, hamstrings & abdominals -- holy moly!

Proper form is so important with kettlebells, you can easily screw up your back if you try to lift with it or don't keep it perfectly straight. I would be very very careful about an at-home kettlebell workout where there's no one to check your form.

I had to look at the video to see what a kettlebell was. When I read the title of the post I thought you were working out with Salvation Army kettle bells.