A Better Clean

Got to kettlebell class seconds before it was slated to start. Mike wanted us to retrieve chairs and, as I'm retrieving my chair, he explains that he's going to have two classes -- a beginner's class and an intermediate one. For the latter, you have to know the clean, snatch and something else to get in.

He said that the class is growing and even if there's one beginner, he needs to do teaching with the beginner which leaves the rest of us off to the side and even if we really know what we're doing, it's unfair; yadda yadda yadda.

It was a relatively small class today but there was one beginner so Mike left us with our first circuit, a 10 minute one, and he assigned everyone something to remember. Kelly, who's usually in charge, was the two-hand swing woman, I was the squat, curl and press person. Girlfriend next to me was the right side lunge woman.

During one circuit we used the chairs to do Russian Step-Ups (with kettlebells of course), push-ups and tricep dips.

(Minimal Equipment Needed to Whip Yourself Into Shape)
After being assigned various circuits, we were left with about 10 minutes. Kelly decided she wanted to show us some spine strengthening moves. I did a few but then opted out when she got to bow pose and executed it perfectly. Yeah, I had already struggled with that one yesterday during Hot Yoga. I had had enough.

Did I mention that as soon as I stepped foot in the kettlebell studio my mood turned sour? I'm surprised that I didn't start shedding tears. Maybe I'm just tired; I don't have a day that I sleep in now. Maybe it's because I'm not doing very well with meal planning. I think that I've made Black Bean Vegetarian soup all winter. I can usually eat the same thing over and over but...

As we left class, Chip said that he'll never get out of the beginner's class because he is not coordinated enough to do the Turkish Get-Up but he also said that he just takes these classes to have fun and stay active after taking so many relatives to the doctor that have to use walkers etc.

That's definitely an excellent point and something that I struggle to remember when I get frustrated by what I perceive to feel as my body not cooperating with weight loss but, of course, it cooperates in the most wonderful way of all by lunging, swinging, jumping and, in general, not letting me down.

As we put away our chairs, Kelly told me that my clean is getting better. She said that it took her forever to get it down. Who knows -- maybe the instructor for newbies will be able to zero in on something that I keep missing.