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…

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