My Ode to Kettlebell

If you don’t know what a kettlebell is, you’re not alone! However, you don’t know what you’ve been missing all your life. Just to educate you, here is what kettlebells look like.

As you might have guessed, they are used for exercise. Now, I’m not suggesting that everyone go out and buy themselves one. I firmly believe that you need instruction to start off or you may find yourself with a big, heavy cast-iron ball landing on your head. It’s also not very beneficial if you only use it as a free weight so learning the techniques from a certified kettlebell instructor is the way to go.

If you are interested, there are courses given in a few gyms in the Ottawa/Gatineau area. I attend four classes a week (Yes, four cause it’s AWESOME!) at KTK. Here is the website if you’re interested: http://ktk.ca/

*BTW, KTK did not pay me for this. I pay them for the right to come to classes. I only promote them because of my experience there.*

I discovered kettlebell through a co-worker of mine in November 2010. In my blog entries to come, I will probably mention him a few times because he has been one of my biggest supporters through this process. Dave, I am so thankful that you told me about this! I had been going to the gym for a while and was getting bored with it. I needed something new. Kettlebell was something new alright!

I was so nervous before my first class! But I went, I learned, I moved and two days later…I was in SEVERE PAIN!!! OMG it was awful! Now, I DID NOT hurt myself. The pain was muscular. My legs were mush. I had to fall onto the toilet or into a chair. Leg muscles that I never knew existed were screaming at me. All that pain told me one thing: I was doing something right.

I went back and I kept going back. I am so much stronger for it. I’m not necessarily recommending this exercise for everyone.  I think the moral of my story is, find an exercise that you love and brings you a sense of accomplishment.

Today, I amaze myself by what I can do during a class…things I never thought I’d be able to accomplish. 1000 swings in one evening…now that was amazing! I’m going to have a separate blog entry for that one.

However, what I’m most grateful for is not the physical stuff. I’m most grateful for the incredible sense of family that it has brought to my life. It honestly makes me cry when I think of all the people I do kettlebell with who, not only give so much of themselves on the mat, but also give so much to me. I realize that a lot of my strength comes from within. But I wouldn’t be nearly as strong without Karine, Isabelle, Mélanie, Évelyne, Pierrette, Youness, Josée, JP, Bruno…and of course our fantastic instructors Dave, Marc-André and Yves.  Life would not be as loud, intense, funny, sweaty and fit without them.

I hope they know how much their support means to me and how much it helps me persevere to attain my weight loss and fitness goals. I also hope that they know how much richer my life is with them as a part of it.

AROOO! KTK!