I don't much blame you for not feeling like a pep talk! It's too dang hot!! At least down here in the south it is. I think part of my 'workout' this weekend was working in the yard and getting down and dirty. I did run 3 miles Sat and 4 miles Sunday. But I did a lot of digging in the dirt Saturday moving some daylillies and digging some bulbs that needed to be moved. Plus limbed up some trees and hauled that to the burn pile and weeded 2 beds. And some other general chores around the garden.

I love yoga and pilates. I guess it's the quietness and some of the stretching of yoga that appeals to me. And pilates for the core workout is great. I haven't worked much with kettleballs, but have incorporated a few exercises into my home exercises with them. Just not a whole 30-60 minutes with them.

I'll help out with some motivation for you.

I was pretty active last week...did a lot of walking, got in my weight lifting and yoga...but only was catch as catch can about my squats and plank. I'm doing planks at 100 seconds now, but I notice I do get a pain behind my right knee now...must be from the planks...so I'll take it easier on that, but keep going.

Outside, I can't blame the heat too much here! It has been humid for sure, but lately just gloomy and rainy. (Can I blame the gloom?) I am guessing you are getting out really early for your runs!

I bet your garden is beautiful! Hard work is paying off in your garden and your body!

I am a little lost as to what size kettlebell to get. The highest weight I have is only 5 lbs, so that is where I'm at. But, that is one on each arm. I tried KB exercises (sort of) with both weights in one hand and 10lbs seemed like plenty . . .but not sure if the shape of the KB would affect things, because 8 kg is usually the recommended starting weight, even for women who never work out.

Annie, thanks for finding those! They are great and so true. I am sorry to hear about your knee pain. I just read last night that it is the most common type of pain, because knees aren't really meant to last as long as we are living these days! I did find some sites where there are suggested KB exercises to help with knee pain, surprisingly.

Do you feel the pain only when you are actually doing the plank or in other activities? 100 seconds is a really long time! Very impressive!

After I get this KB DVD, I think I'll just stick to getting DVDs from Netflix and the library. That way I won't feel any loss if they turn out to be duds!

Good plan, anele, with trying out the dvds from the library first before committing.

You mentioned yoga...I haven't tried it yet, but on line there are a series of kripalu yoga by various stages...it is supposed to be like a meditation in motion, very restorative. There are also a number of you tube videos available on kripalu yoga.

Thanks for asking about my knee....it isn't the joint that hurts...that's fine. It's the muscle? tendon? that runs behind the knee along the back of the leg that's feeling over stretched or over used or something. So I'll just listen to it. Thankfully, the knee joint itself is fine....don't want to mess with that puppy!

Here is a link that might be useful: kripalu yoga at home

Hi Everyone!
Still plugging along over here. I'm not sure I mentioned that I'd been to my nurse practitioner to talk about my chronic sinus problems and "unexplained" weight gain. Well, she pretty much looked me in the eye and said, "Unexplained?" Yeah...busted. Looking closely at my diet I realized she was right. She gave me a prednisone dose pack for the sinuses and I sucked up and got back on my food program.

Exercise wise I've done great. Messing around with different weights and moves. My gym is moving to another location and unexpectedly closed tomorrow. So they won't be open at the new location until Sunday or Monday. I'm so irritated. I'm due to work out tomorrow, I think I will do some stuff here tomorrow when I get home.

Annie, that is great that it's not the joint! I am still scratching my head over why I have an issue with my own knee! Videos look good-- thank you for the link . . .just have to find a way to watch them in my exercise area!

Beth, LOL about the unexplained! I guess it's comforting, though, instead of it being a mystery?

Yay about the exercise! That is what we have to keep celebrating . . .what we are accomplishing! Frustrating about your gym, but good for you for having a backup plan!

I am getting my new DVD/kettlebell tomorrow. I am excited.

I have a toddler on my lamp so I can't type much, but I tried out my kettlebell today. I loved it! I have a very light weight (10 lbs) which is just right for now . . .I like the fact that there are 30 sec of rest in between each exercise.

My park district has classes for cheap re: kettlebells-- problem is childcare (which would get expensive).

Be careful with that kettle bell! I was using a 7 lb one and now have a tear in my shoulder which I fear is going to require surgery. I am keeping up with my walking and have added strength training, but wouldn't you know it my old knee injury has reared it's ugly head again. I am in the throes of menopause and cannot lose any weight. Getting older is hard!

Texanjana, thank you for the caution! I am being careful! Injury is a risk with just about anything except maybe walking and swimming. Then there is the risk of doing nothing, too!

RE: your knee, I have had knee problems as well, esp. on stairs. The past several weeks have helped me so that it is no longer an issue, except sometimes when I am actually exercising. Have you had physical therapy or anything for it? I have been reading that having strong hips (along with strengthening quads and hamstrings) helps a lot. It is hard to do that when injured, though!!! I am so sorry and hope you heal without surgery!

Something you can do using only body weight is called a "Turkish get up" it a very scripted way of moving.. I like them a lot.. Then when you get stronger, you can do them with a very light kettle bell. More interesting that just swinging the kettle bell or picking it up and setting it down.

I also like that "Turkish get-up" sounds a little like a costume with a fez... Makes me laugh!

Anele, use both a 5 pound & 10 pound weight to start out with, and just be mindful of any strain or difficulty. If you can only do a few reps with the 10, that's okay. The strength & endurance will come. Better to focus on technique at first anyway. 5 pounds will quickly become way too light very soon, whereas you can use a 10 pounder for quite a long time while you are mastering different moves. I vary between 18 to 25, just moved to a 35 for the first time, went on vacation & am back down to the lower weights (darn!). But I still use a 12 pound bell for some exercises I don't have the flexibility for, like windmills.

Turkish get ups are excellent! It uses all your muscle groups and will get your heart rate up, up, up. I hate the TGU, but it is a great exercise! My instructor can do it with a 54 pound bell or two 25 pound bells. Amazing to see. I struggle mightily with an 18 pound bell.

My kbell group is on our own now that our instructor is on vacation. We tried some kbell workouts from Lauren Brooks' book, "Kettlebells for Women,", and were really impressed. Short but thorough workouts. We were cooked after 20 minutes.

Kettlebells for Women by Lauren Brooks

Her beginner videos look very good too, except I see she does an overhead swing. Madame Kettlebells says absolutely do not do that -- too prone to shoulder injury.

Here is a link that might be useful: technique demonstrations by Lauren Brooks

This post was edited by awm03 on Tue, Jul 1, 14 at 18:36

Kiki, that is part of my warm-up on the DVD but there is no really good instruction. (Good on the exercises, but not the warmup.) I looked up a video online and I will definitely use it! Hee hee about the name!

Awm, I got the 10 lb and it has been fine. No strain. It almost feels a little too light for most exercises but I do want to perfect my form, as you said. I can see why a class would be needed, as there are little adjustments that make a difference. Maybe in the fall I can take one.

Here is a question, though-- when the 10 lb gets too light, how much of a change do I make? Do I move up to just 12 or should I go to 15? I bought a set of 10 lb each handweights, which are challenging for me in some moves (some are fine), so I figure that will help me w/the kettlebell, too.

Very good info about the overhead swing. I can see how that would be dangerous.

Thank you for the book/video recommendation. I do want a book to go along with my DVD.

I found moving up in 5 pound increments to be a huge change. Still do. Much more of a demand on endurance especially, & of course strength.

Also, kettlebell workouts are a series of exercises done quickly one after the other , like 15 double handed swings, 10 cleans, 10 squats, 10 presses, 10 snatches, rest and repeat. Then you do a different series like 10 push ups, 10 rows, 15 swings, 10 lunges, 20 Russian twists, rest & repeat. So see how you feel doing this with a 10 pounder.

You can switch in and out weights, just because you do the first set with a 10 lb doesn't mean you shouldn't drop back to a lighter weight for later reps when you are transitioning to higher weights ..
That's how I bridge the 5 ond difference when 5 is too little and 10 is too much..

Awm, yes, adding 5 lbs even for dumbbells is a lot for me. ( was at 5 and moved to 10 lbs.) I have wrist weights of 1 lb, so I add those on to progress slowly. For moves that aren't super fast, I combine weights onto my 5 lbs (I have 2 and 3 lb weights).

I am still in the most basic, instructional phase of kettlebells. The disc set I have comes with 4 different DVDs. First two are two different circuits, where you do the reps (sometimes combos of moves), rest 30 sec., then do a different move, usually 10-12 reps each time. You do a whole set of all the moves, then repeat the whole thing, three times total. The 30 second rest periods feel long, but I use them to stretch. I have started using this after I do other workouts that are 20-30 minutes of interval training.

After I feel really solid re: the first two circuits, I will move onto the actual workouts (there are two). For sure I won't even think about changing to a heavier weight until I can complete them well. Link below for what I got. Such a bargain.

Kiki, yes, absolutely. That is what I am doing with my 10 lbs dumbbells. There are some moves where I quickly lose my form, so I then go down to the lighter weights. (I know pyramiding is the other way around, but this works better for me because I am following DVDs . . .)

Here is a link that might be useful: Iron Core

Well then! Your progress sounds excellent, Anele. Hope you are getting stronger and seeing the benefits of all your hard work.