Motivated by Results: from inertia to inspiration

Today marks the mid-way point of my 30-day challenge and, surprisingly, it’s getting easier to pick up the kettlebells everyday.  I’ve definitely moved myself from inertia to inspiration based on the results I’m getting.

Yes, every muscle in my body is screaming at me, but in a mere 15 days I’ve already noticed a difference in my abs, quads, delts and biceps.  That’s enough to keep me going another 15 days.  After that, I should be set to coast through the holiday season eating as much Christmas stolen from the North Hill Bakery as humanly possible!  Ha!  Those of you who know me understand that this is a heavenly indulgence for me.  In fact, it’s right up there with homemade bread pudding and cognac.

Anyway, I digress…

Tonight, I’m keeping it simple… I’m doing the same exercises from last night, but to avoid compromising my form and fatigue on the last few exercises, I’m going to switch the order.

Thought I’d start with a one-minute headstand, and then go right into abs.  Here goes… I put on some Usher tonight.

(Same as last night, do as many circuits as possible in 30 minutes.)

Image via Wikipedia

12 KG Kettlebell sit ups – 15 Reps

Plank Push-Ups to Pop-Ups – 15 Reps

Figure 8′s – 15 Reps/each direction

Get Ups to side plank – 10 Reps/side

Around the Worlds, standing on one leg – 25 Reps.  Change direction – 25 Reps  (remember to lift quad of the standing leg)

Around the Worlds, standing on other leg – 25 Reps.  Change direction – 25 Reps

Clean and Press – 10 Reps/side

Double-Handed Swings – 20 Reps

Hand-to-Hand Swings – 30 Reps

Single-Handed Swings – 20 Reps/side

Repeat the fun!

k.

Core Fitness: Kettlebells vs. Pilates

I tried my first “Pilates Mat” class the other day.  I’ve done GTS in the past, which is kick ass… but I had no idea what to expect from a mat class.  Do you ever have days when things just seem doomed from the start?

As I was walking to class, I almost got run over by a little Prius going way too fast.  A few minutes later I discovered it was my Pilates instructor.  Wow, welcome to Pilates!  She smiled and apologized, but all I could think about was how I had to spend the next hour taking instructions from this idiot who forced me to leap out of a crosswalk to save myself.

Awkward.

Yes, some things are just doomed from the start.

But here’s the real downer: the class was easy as hell.

The 60 minutes I spent on the mat would have been much better served swinging kettlebells.  In fact, if you add up the time spent getting to and from class, I easily wasted 90 minutes and I could have spent a fraction of that time getting a better workout in my basement with my kettlebells.

Here’s the deal:  Kettlebells work your core on every exercise.  It’s the design of the bell, coupled with the dynamic and ballistic movements and the sheer power behind every swing… it’s a full body workout you just can’t replicate.  Your core has to work hard on every exercise in order to stay balanced and stabilize yourself.  There’s no way you can swing a 16KG kettlebell around (35 pounds) without a developing a tremendous amount of core strength.  And again, I have to say that I spend less time getting a better workout with kettlebells.  If you’re not sweating in the first 5 minutes, give me a call!  After 20 minutes of kettlebells you’ll be fully into an amazing strength and cardio workout.

I don’t think I’ll be going back to Pilates anytime soon… especially from the speed demon, but I am about to put on some Fatboy Slim and do 200 Figure 8’s to a hold.  Time me… it will be faster than a mat class!

Peace Out,
Kate

 

*Update on the 200 reps:  It took me 15 minutes (or 3 Fatboy Slim tracks) and 1/6 of the time I wasted the other day.  Here’s the workout:

Kettlebells used: 8KG, 12KG, 16KG (yellow, green and red)

Music: Wonderful Night, Right Here Right Now, The Rockafeller Skank

The Movement: Figure 8’s to a hold on each rotation

20 reps warm up: 8 KG

200 Reps: 5 sets of 20 reps, start with 12KG

water break

5 sets of 20 reps, again alternating between heavier kettlebells

20 reps cool down: 8KG

240 reps total, 15 minutes

Two days later you will still feel all the muscles in your core (in a good way!)