Brace the Lats

Warm-Up for Kettlebell 101:

Run around the room. Run around the room swinging one arm then the other. Skip around the room. Shuffle towards the mirror. Shuffle in the other direction. Make use of all the floor space while running...

After the warm-up, another newbie said: Okay, I'm done. I gave her a high five then went to assume the position near my kettlebell.

We moved on to our usual of jumping jacks et al. Warmed up the shoulders a bit more. Warmed up the hip region and the knees...

Mike was not playing around (row, push-up, around the body and catch, shoulder press, squat curl). When it was all over, he had administered a very thorough beat down.

We did our regular kettlebell swings and we did that darn one minute circuit of lunges. It's official: I cannot stand that curtsy situation.

The newbies got introduced to the swing and release. Um, I didn't quite catch on to that one. Not sure if this is the one that Mike said you should have T-rex arms for...

I have to say that I like it that Mike insists that we get into a circle or, really, an oval. It makes you feel more connected to your classmates.

Towards the end, we sat down and took our legs far apart. Each person said a number and we did arm presses and some other move. There were eleven of us so it was pretty intense.

We also did ab work. Have you ever held a kettlebell over your chest while doing bicycle motions with your leg? Or extended your straightened legs toward you then the floor? We also did windshield wipers with our kettlebells poised above our chests.

Mike also introduced us to the waiter walk. You put the kettlebell in your hand and hold it out as if you're a waiter serving someone and you can't curl your fingers around it. Mike said that when you're doing the waiter walk, you should brace your lats. There was not enough bracing in the world for me to be able to serve. I tried with my right hand and got absolutely nowhere with the left.

I bought my first kettlebell. I was going to get it from Play It Again Sports but they only had the kb's in five pound increments and Mike suggested that I get a 10 kg. Like luggage, I need to put an identifying marker on my k'bell because I don't want anyone to walk away with it. Maybe I should name it too. I like Adabelle or, maybe, just Belle.

Don't Run From It

I have been jonesing to swim but when my designated swimming days came around, I couldn't bear to go out in the cold then get into a cold pool but today it was in the 40's and I was determined to go.

It was nice and humid inside and the water actually had a smidgen of warmth. I played with a baby and talked to Chatty Kathleen but still managed to get in 24 laps when Bob Harper kicked in...stand up and finish what you started.

I got in 33 laps and it wasn't as taxing as my previous pursuits of a mile. I won't say that it was easy because my arms were aching since I did Jackie Warner's Personal Training with Jackie: 30 Day Fast Start* yesterday.

I chased the burn or maybe the burn chased me.


How my arms got sore:

Pyramid One:

Push-up and Bicep Routine (i.e. one push-up, one biceps curl...two push-ups + two curls...repeat until you get to ten.)

Pyramid Two:

Chest Press and Biceps Curl


Pyramid Three:

Chest Fly and Outward Biceps Curl


Pyramid Four:

Row and Head Banger


Pyramid Five:

Wide Row and Kickback


Pyramid Six:

Side Extension & Kickback


Right around pyramid four, Warner advises you to chase the burn instead of running away from it. By the fifth pyramid session, my arms were on fire and I couldn't finish pyramid six.

I did the lower body segment last Sunday and my hamstring muscles were so tight that I couldn't straighten my legs in yoga class. I took a salt bath and the next day, in true pyramid fashion, my quadriceps got in on the soreness.


*Disclosure: I received this video without charge.

Unique Climbing Invitation

I've been waiting for Leah to wax poetic again...


We checked our schedule,
Then checked it twice;
And hope that you'll be nice
To climb with us this yule.

This Sunday Fair
The fun starts at eleven
Will there be all seven?
The question remains where?
Which location
To practice our vocation?


* * *

In addition to poetry, here's a little rock climbing humor.

Gazing at the Third Eye or The Gospel According to Donna, My Other Yoga Teacher

Savasana is a gift that you should give yourself every day.

If you're not breathing, you're not doing the practice.

Wherever you go, you must breathe.

(While we tried to get our fingers to our toes)

Heart center open...

Let your head hang low -- like a piece of ripe fruit.

I don't like to hear the word "ouch."

While we were doing pigeon and curious pigeon.

Strong and majestic -- like a mountain...

Even though your eyes are closed, you're gazing at your third eye which is right above the bridge of your nose.

Your tush should not torque.

During chair pose

Wherever you go, it should feel good. This pose is a restorative position.

Donna on child's pose. She told us that we could put our big toes together or whatever felt good to us...

Yoga Girl didn't amuse me as much as Whole Foods Parking Lot but it did amuse...

Keep Your Eye on the Kettlebell

Pain is temporary -- wish that Mike had said that at the beginning of class. Mike also had on a t-shirt that said: pain is weakness leaving the body. Yeahyeahyeah...

We did calisthenics and lots of stretches before getting to swing. And how long does it take to feel the pain? Just one short minute.

Kettlebell Swing, 30 Seconds
Jumping Jacks, 30 "
Right Arm Swing, 30 Seconds
Mountain Climbers, 30 "
Left Arm Swing, 30 Seconds
Criss Cross Jumping Jacks, 30 "

At some point we did planks to push-ups and regular push-ups in between swings but I've tried to put that out of my mind because it kinda hurt.

Next, we did a lunge while pulsing the back leg and moving the kettlebell from one side of the front leg to the other. We also did a curtsy situation with the kettlebell and the side lunge was saved for last.

After lunging around, we got to incorporate more lunging when Mike asked the people who knew the Turkish Get-Up to stay put and do them while the rest of us went off to learn the TGU. I was introduced to the TGU at CrossFit but it was during basic training and I haven't done it since...

Mike demonstrated first then five of us worked on getting up. The one and only guy in the class, poor thing, has big challenges with coordination -- even bigger than me.

We worked on the TGU without the kettlebell first. Next, Mike told us to take a shoe off and we practiced with our shoe which was a pretty cool exercise because you had to move carefully to keep your shoe balanced on your hand. Practicing with a dumbbell was next. By the end of class, I felt like I had a pretty good grasp of how to do the Turkish Get-Up. I'll have to start practicing at home so that I don't forget.

Oh yeah, Mike told us not to just grab the kettlebell but to roll to it, cradle it then lift it up. He also said that you want to keep your eye on the kettlebell. Is that like keeping your eye on the prize?





Things That I Need to Remember:

The leg that's bent is the leg on the same side as the kettlebell.

Take it to the bridge i.e. your leg can't go through if you don't lift your bootie.

Remember the way that I came i.e. the moves are exactly the same but in reverse.


P.S. Thanks to my classmates who were keeping an eye on me and offering tips while we were doing that curtsy situation...

Losing Track of Time

No wonder Whitney asked how long we usually climb. Glanced at the clock and couldn't believe that we had been at the gym for three hours. Not sure what time was spent yakking and what time was spent climbing. It was probably half and half. Patti and I had not seen Mike and Leah since October so I guess there was catching up to do.

I thought about what I could have been doing but we're all busy and we all have stuff to do. We exercised and enjoyed ourselves -- definitely worthy pursuits.

Whitney getting her stretch on or either showing respect for the wall before ascending. Whitney hadn't climbed in five years but she did great. Climbing must be like bicycling...

Even though Leah (lead) and I (top rope) started out ascending together and joked about synchronized climbing, I think she was surprised when I called her name or maybe she was surprised that I had my camera in my hand.

Mike tackled this 5.10 route and is at the crux.

Patti, who is in orange and belaying for me, wanted to know if I was showing off since I paused to play photographer. For some reason, I like to take pictures when I'm perched near the top of the route; guess I like the view.

Sexxi Drea or Best of the Blogger Stats

Every now and then, the Blogger stats make me laugh. A sampling of recent searches that brought people to my blog:

wild drea

bully t shirt

drea hard

i'm to tense when swimming front crawl

blogspot old lady sexy

black boulderers

sexxi drea

i'm a tart t-shirt

"peed on jessica"

how can i motivate myself to get rid of my clutter

*Indeed, how can I motivate myself to get rid of clutter?

These shoes are toast. The toe box has a little window and the rand is coming apart. I climbed in them for almost two years and I've gotten my money's worth. They smell and they're dirty so why can't I part with them?