kettlebell hell

A few weeks ago I got a brochure in the mail for the winter session of Adult Ed. I was just about to throw it away when I decided to flip through it to see if there was anything interesting being offered. Most of it was bleh but I did see that there was a 5 week kettlebell class. Hmmm....i had kind of heard about kettle bells before. I mean, I know what they looked like. Whatever, it sounded fun and I need something to whip me back into pre-baby shape. I added it to my list of  28 before 28.

I was of course a few minutes late to the first class and when I got lost looking for the class at the community center I almost said screw it (I hate walking in late to the first day of anything). I was on my way out the door to go home when I decided to ask some stranger in the hallway if they knew where the class was. Sure enough, "down the ramp, last room on the right". Ok fine...I decided I would suck it up and be late.

I shouldn't be surprised at the kind of people who were in the class. I live in the ghetto. There was the middle aged man who was front and center with his skin tight pants that unzip at the knees to make shorts (which he did halfway through the class) that had clearly taken this class before and wanted us all to know it. There was classic pair of old lady friends who could beat me in a push up contest any day, one semi-athletic looking dude,  and the guy who showed up in jeans with his tshirt tucked in and his wallet in his back pocket. Oh! and the instructor...yeah, he was wearing his own skin tight pants, only his were camouflage with a black (also skin tight) tech shirt tucked in and his sneakers looked like they had seen better days.

Regardless, I was there...time to whip my ass into shape. I should have had some idea how difficult it was going to be when squats and lunges were part of our warm up. That was fun. Time to grab our kettle bells. Mind you, we were told they would be provided so I didn't have my own. They did provide them but not many choices of different weights. I wanted the 10lb kettlebell but by the time I had gotten over to the rack, they were all gone. Awesome. So I grabbed the 15lb. Oi...this was going to be a long class. As Danielle kindly said "well that was your first mistake".

I won't bore you with all the details of the class...but we were just getting used to using the kettle bell. Lots of what I presume are basic kettlebell moves. Then we were told once we are comfortable using the kettlebell we will start doing more advanced things like throwing them in the air and catching them again. Say whhaaat???? *note to self, if I am going to be throwing these things and expected to catch them, I need a lighter weight!!* It was at this point that I thought maybe I should have googled "what is a kettlebell class" before I signed up.

Maybe it would be more fun if I did my workout on the beach in my bikini?? These are the types of basic moves we did.



It's been 3 days since class and I am just starting to be able to walk again. Yeah, that class kicked my butt!! I was debating if I liked enough to go back...but I think I do and I will! Should make for a few good stories.

28 before 28

Holy crap! I'm old. ok, not really...but today is my birthday and im one year older. 27 BABY! What the hell? 27? What does that mean? I can already buy lotto tickets, drink, and rent a car. I'm not entering a new decade, joining a new age group or going over the hill. soooo what do i have to look forward to in my 28th year of life? a whole bunch of things actually!

my twitter/blogging friend erin has these lists. each year she comes up with things she wants to accomplish by her next birthday. so i stole this idea from her (dont worry, i already told her about it!). it also happens that my birthday is at the beginning of the new year so its a birthday list/new years resolution list. although i really don't like the term "new years resolution"...but whatever.

here goes. 28 things i want to do before my 28th birthday.

1. host a dinner party
2. dress up and have a photo shoot with erica miss america
3. blog more. a lot more.
4. go camping
5. spend more time with my family
6. visit 2 more baseball parks. we are going to each MLB park. 5 down 26 to go.
7. attempt nordic skiing (jamie if i hate this, it's your fault!)
8. get in the pool. start using swimming as a form of cross training
9. run the pineland 25k
10. meet some twitter peeps
11. build the train 4 autism maine chapter
12. try 3 new foods (im kinda scared about this one)
13. go for a hikes in acadia
14. have a girls night (no husbands! no babies!)
15. run the mdi marathon
16. stay up late having on the deck sitting by the fire making smores and chatting with friends
17. go to the top of mt. washington
18. take a polar bear plunge
19. get a tattoo
20. organize my closet
21. read a book (haha. yup, just one)
22. spend some time with old friends
23. get to the track and do some speed work
24. PR in a 10K.
25. pay off a credit card
26. take a day trip to peaks island
27. take a kettlebell class
28. *a secret to be revealed at a later date!*

So here's to another year- I have no doubt 27 is going to be a blast!