Lately my life anthem has been Ms. Britney Spears' song "Work B*tch". Every time it comes on my playlist, that line "look hot in a bikini" gets me going. Britney knows me so well, because I DO want to look hot in a bikini. And since I'm probably never going to live in a big mansion or party in France, then I'm gonna "work b*tch" for a hot body… and hopefully just in time for my vacation to Tybee Island, GA this summer!
Enter my husband – Crossfit extraordinaire and man beast. He’s been doing Crossfit for ages and finally convinced me that I needed to do some WODs with him (for the Crossfit illiterate like me, that means “workout of the day”). So I participated in his WODs for a day or two before retreating back to my T25 DVDs (I so love Shaun T). During one of our WODs, my attempt at pull-ups was the most amusing thing for my husband and quite possibly the most embarrassing thing ever for me. It went something like this…
Hubs: Try to do a pull-up.
Me: …. <groans>
Hubs: Did you try to do a pull-up?
Me: Yes, did you not see my struggle?!
Hubs: Okay, try a flexed arm hang. <demonstrates flexed arm hang like a boss>
Me: <hangs like a retarded chimpanzee, zero flexed arm>
Hubs: <laughing> Okay, let’s try something else.
Crossfit is not for the weak spirited or anyone who values the use of their limbs. However in the midst of me trying to WOD, my husband bought me a kettlebell. In all sincerity, the kettlebell workouts were the only part of my WOD that I liked. There is something magical about kettlebells. The workouts are hard, but not unbearable, and at the same time your ENTIRE body is doing major work. {On a side note, can we all just laugh for a minute at the word WOD? Every. Single. Time. someone says it, I die laughing like a 12 year old who made a poop joke.}
In March I started running, but almost immediately destroyed one of my knees. I so badly wanted to be a runner, and I really enjoyed it, but my body (devil knees) just couldn’t handle it. So my husband started trying to modify my WODs so that I could exercise without feeling like a complete dumbo and that wouldn’t injure my knee any further. One of the things we started incorporating was the kettlebell because… well… I didn’t hate it. I started out doing shorter workouts with lots of repetitions of the same moves. Then last night, at the suggestion of one of my fellow kettlebell loving friends, I tried the Jillian Michaels kettlebell workout on the BeFit YouTube channel. Holy criminy, y’all. It was a mix of cardio and kettlebell, and it was AWESOME! It was only 25 minutes and once I was done, I felt like the baddest b*&^% on the block (bring it, Britney).
Just so y’all know, I’m not what one would call strong. In fact, I have tiny baby arms. I look like no muscle ever actually formed on my bones. I can’t even open pickle jars without assistance. So the fact that I was able to do this kettlebell workouts is 1. Amazing and 2. Inspiring! If my baby bird arms can do this work out, then I truly think anyone can do it. Not to say it’s not challenging… it is, but it’s also very effective. I woke up this morning with sore abs, legs and arms, and I burned enough calories to eat a small bowl of S’mores ice cream. WINNING! So if you have considered getting into kettlebell workouts, I say GET IT, GIRL.
Kettlebells are relatively inexpensive, plus you can buy them individually or in a pack so that you can easily move up to the next weight once you’ve mastered the lower weight level. I use a 15 pounder that my husband lovingly calls my "baby bell"… he uses some obscenely heavy bell from hell. It's inhuman how much that man can lift. Anyway, 15 lbs seems to be a good weight for me and I'm 5'3", 130 lbs, but I do suggest that most people who are just starting out grab a bell a little below that. Not sure what size you need? Hit up almost any sporting goods/athletic gear store and they’ll have some out for you to pick up and test out.
Here’s a link to a 30 lb set that I found online at Academy Sports. Also, added bonus, they are gray and pastel colored! Let’s be honest, you would look totally adorable swinging these things around.
And here's the Jillian Michael's kettle bell workout that kicked my rear end last night… disclaimer: I did this workout last night, wrote 90% of this post this morning, then at about 2:00pm the real soreness creeped in. Be careful on how much weight you use or you'll be like me at 2:00, trying to ease your butt out of your office chair like your 90 year old grandma.
If you decide to try out the kettlebell workout, let me know how you like it! Happy training, y’all!
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