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Quick Update

Angela C. — Fri, 14 May 2010 09:03:04 +0000

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kix54UibyVc

As I used to say, “It is what it is.”

No one can really explain what that means, but isn’t that the point of an overused cliche?

I look forward to hearing your comments, or at least, reading them!

TTYL!

Battle of the MCs

Angela C. — Fri, 14 May 2010 08:50:26 +0000

Hi, kettlepeeps, tweeps and f-beeps! (Is that what you facebookies are known as?)

Okay, so like a New Year’s Resolution gone bad, I have not blogged every day. But since Dwayne Perkins and I are in a little blog-a-thon here, I might as well spit some lyrics myself. Honolulu, What?!!!

I’m not the biggest loser

But I did come here to win

So let me begin

(Battle me? That’s a sin)

Ya Girl Ang C.

Ya can’t mess with me

In Honolulu, Hawaii

Blogging on my Triple e

My name ain’t L.L.

But I’m here to rock them bells

And if you couldn’t tell

I’m not here to sell

A d*mn thing-

I just came to swing

My 12 kg kettlebell and sometimes my 16!

Okay, word, that was just toooooooo hard. I’ll leave the rapping to Dwayne and keep myself occupied in the gym.

Peace! (and aloha!)

Welcome back to kettleworld!

Angela C. — Wed, 05 May 2010 16:26:11 +0000

Hi, everyone!

Angela C. here. I’m back in the game.

I’m looking forward to engaging in a blog-a-thon this month with my homie Dwayne Perkins. It’s a challenge of sorts, although he is an actual comedian while my trials and tribulations might be classified as just comedy.

Look for a daily post from me about my workouts, whether they are quickies or full-fledged, kettlebell swinging, heavy-rope-jumping sweat fests. I can’t wait to share my progress with you! Thanks for staying on the journey with me.

Kettletell's Updated Blogroll!

Angela C. — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 14:24:37 +0000

Hey, folks!

We finally put together a much more comprehensive list of websites of all things kettlecool. As you can see from the picture, I had a little help.

If you have a blog or website that’s related to mine, and you would like it to be featured here, just e-mail me at info@kettletell.com. Conversely, if your site is linked, but, hey, you don’t want random people checking you out, you can e-mail me, too!

Have a wonderful weekend, with lots of aloha!

Bye bye, back fat!

Angela C. — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 04:36:09 +0000

“Fear has a large shadow, but he himself is small.”

J. Ruth Gendler

Big girls- answer me this. Am I the only one having trouble finding good athletic gear? I mean, guys (and by “guys,” I do mean “men” only), it seems like all you have to do is find a great pair of shorts that fit and your preferred athletic brief and you’re good to go.

We have… how can I put this… other considerations. Which means that we have to buy extra gear. Like a sports bra.

Now, since I lost a few inches, I thought I would get out and buy some new workout gear. Well, that– and the sight of me jumping rope.

So I head to my favorite store– Liberty House. I know, I already checked out some of the local sporting goods stores, kids in tow. I wanted somewhere with a fitting room.

One exasperating hour later, I can’t say that I found anything good for less than $39. Oh, and this gem –>

Huh? So, somehow, I’m going to wear this product and my body will be magically transformed?

Okay, okay, I bought the darn thing. Because it was comfortable.

But I still think the only thing that will help me say “bye bye” to “back fat,” also known as the “back roll,” is a steady and consistent workout and healthy eating.

So, as I prepare for tomorrow’s workout with my trainer, I think about what to wear, whether or not I’m going to videotape, and… most importantly… whether or not I’m going to jump rope.

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Progress in Action

Angela C. — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 09:59:12 +0000

Since I started kettletell.com, I’ve made incremental changes in my eating habits and incorporated a new training program with kettlebells into my lifestyle. On any given day, however, it’s difficult to see what these actions have added up to.

There’s lots of ways to measure progress. For me, the least effective has been looking at the scale.

The most effective thus far has been taking my measurements. As of today, I’ve lost 6 1/2 inches in the last four weeks. (Quick Side Note: I’m a 5’4″, 35-year-old female, in case you wanted to know):

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Besides losing inches, one unintended benefit of writing this blog has been the community support. Starting at home, with my family’s seamless integration of these changes, and bridging outwards to friends, associates, and new acquaintances, I feel both empowered and extremely lucky!

I have one colleague here in Hawaii who is publicly challenging me to keep up with him in weight loss. I know folks who have integrated the 64-ounces-of-water and a-least-one-salad-a-day plan since I started it in late April. I have a 30-day blog competition going on with my friend.

One friend, who I will call “M.C.”, is taking his support to a whole other level. Pound for pound, we are tracking each other’s progress, and he’s also vying to lose at least 55 pounds by my birthday.

Standing at 6’4″, being a male, and 34-years-old, we’re quite different; yet I still find myself feeling a bit competitive. If this were a competition, however, he’d be in the lead:

It’s all in fun and with the common goal of getting– and staying– healthy! M.C. will be joining kettletell.com as a guest writer every so often, providing relevant video and sharing some of his strategies, as he changes his lifestyle… one swing at a time!

I’m having a blast here, and as usual, want to give you my sincerest thanks and also invite you to join the e-mail list. We’re heading towards June, and in a few short weeks, Warrior Hardware will be giving away a new kettlebell to one lucky reader on the e-mail list. Have a great week! Aloha!

I want to hear from other kettlebell-ers!

Angela C. — Sun, 24 May 2009 09:59:57 +0000

Hey, folks! Angela here!

The flu is ravaging our household, and apparently, running its course through Honolulu! I managed to sneak out briefly and make a quick video blog, just checking in!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhvYX1rE1Wk

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Yesterday was my first day swinging the kettlebell with my trainer.

Hello! This is the real deal. All of the basics I learned over the last few sessions provide the foundation for the swing.

Most importantly, I have to remember that moving anything with a concave spine is another way of asking for trouble. (That’s why we bend our knees when we lift heavy things, I suppose.

To keep my spine in the correct position, as well as provide enough support internally for my abdominal muscles, Bill taught me a pretty cool breathing technique.

Before making my first move, I take a breath in through my nose. Not a deep breath, a regular breath. At this point, I tighten up my ab muscles, as well as my glutes. “Imagine that Liz is about to hit you with some nunchucks,” he says. Yah, that helps me brace myself.

Then, I make my move, whatever it might be. Since my diaphragm has now pushed down, the air has expanded into the extra space, and my ab muscles have something to brace themselves against. As I complete the motion, I exhale through my mouth.

For those of you new to this kettleworld (like me), you’ll see heavy lifters breathing in this exact way, sometimes with a hiss on the exhale. I gotta tell you- it helps me!

When I started the swinging, breathing came pretty naturally. I believe this is part of the reason I got through the session without killing myself.

I’ll speak more on the actual kettlebell swinging in a future post. I really enjoyed it, and I can see that I’m in for quite a workout at our next session!

Hooked on twitter? Me too!

And, if you didn’t take a peek at the video above, I’d love to hear your questions. I’ll answer them here, in this blog.

Feel free to e-mail me directly here or on twitter! Aloha!

What NOT to Wear (when working out)

Angela C. — Sat, 16 May 2009 07:00:29 +0000

Guys, I have a question for you. Do you worry about what not to wear?

I can have a half-hour conversation with my girl friend about choosing the right blouse for her interview. It’s no surprise that here I am driving through Honolulu, thinking about what to wear during these kettlebell training sessions:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c5or0dJVvw

Aloha to everyone on Twitter! Thank you for tweeting me!

Kettlelove?

Angela C. — Wed, 13 May 2009 04:00:19 +0000

You know, I might be falling in love. Oh, I always get this way. I am totally infatuated with kettlebells after our first date… I mean, training session.

I went to BodyVox in Kapahulu to train with Bill Maeda. My friend Liz had trained with him in the past, so she and I decided to workout together.

Today was really just a getting to know you meeting. We discussed my goals (overall more healthy and 55 pounds lighter), my current fitness routine (none), and my weaknesses (chocolate. daily.) We even took my weight and measurements, which I am proud to display right here:

Age 35
Height 5′ 4″
Weight 210.2
Bust 44
Waist 42 1/2
Hips 49

I’m pretty excited that these last 6 days of stressing out about working out have caused me to lose 2 pounds and 1 1/2 inches! Woo hoo!

Back to my newfound infatuation. As you know, I met the kettlebell through a friend and I wasn’t interested… at first. But today, I got to actually put my hands on a 8kg kettlebell and learn how to properly hold it.

Isn't it cuuuuute?

We assessed what I’ll need to work on. Now, those of you who have tons of experience holding a kettlebell may have forgotten just how unwieldy it is. Even the word unwieldy sounds unwieldy; that’s how strange it was to carry a 17 pound round weight with my small hand wrapped around the solid metal handle, and try to avoid breaking my wrist. I think I held the kettlebell pretty well in the “racked” position.

We practiced some squats, holding the kettlebell upside down, also known as “bottom up,” and then holding it in the right-side-up position, also known as… you guessed it… “bottom down.”

Next, I did a few squats with the kettlebell in the racked position. Hello!? Anyone ever try to sit their butt down on a chair while balancing 17 pounds on their left side? And then stand up and repeat until fatigued? Well, that’s exactly what I did. Four times is a challenge — five times is where I had to draw the line.

Oh, I forgot to mention the “press!” How can I forget? This consists of you pushing your “racked” kettlebell up, such that your elbow is locked and the kettlebell is almost perpendicular to the ceiling. I’m making it sound a lot more complicated than it was. As difficult as it was for me, I enjoyed it!

As for stamina? I will definitely need to build my stamina up, but I was able to complete each exercise without hurting myself.

So, that’s the quick and dirty synopsis of my very first workout with an 8kg kettlebell. I felt great!

When I got home to start writing this blog, I was still in the clouds, feeling quite accomplished. I had to pause to run some errands, which is when I started to feel the effects of today’s session. My lower back, my sides, my calves, and muscles in my arm I didn’t even know existed started to ache.

The real test happened when I tried to pick up my little guy, and almost fell over. I couldn’t carry my 30 pound child!

I got out my salonpas patches for my back and legs, and rubbed my now-aching neck. And that’s when I realized…

SOMETIMES LOVE HURTS!

Thanks for tuning in! Join my e-mail list- we’re planning some interesting things here on kettletell!

Excited and Nervous

Angela C. — Tue, 12 May 2009 04:30:17 +0000

It makes sense- on the day before my first kettlebell training session, I don’t really know what I’m getting myself into, so I’m excited and nervous. Here I am, live and in living color, with my babybell and my sister’s real life kettlebell!

Enjoy the video blog: