What's it feel like to be part of the coveted demo that is the Young Professional? The thought blows my mind. I don't really know why I chose to rule that out for myself. And that meet-up group sounds like a great way to meet other transplants, let us know how it goes. I love kettlebells. I did the 10,000 Kettlebell Swing Challenge and it was an incredible learning experience. Kettlebells have a pretty high Perceived Rate of Exertion (PRE); kettlebell swings gets the heart pumping and the sweat going and the muscles screaming. I found that I was constantly bargaining with myself in the beginning, it was difficult to even finish a set. But the auxiliary benefit is that if you learn to push yourself with kettlebells, which are the best tool I've found to exercising self-discipline. Running is good for it, too, but I running screws my knees up. But yea, great idea. Start slow and don't injure yourself.
Good I guess? I feel like now I actually am the thing that lots of people said I would eventually be, in some sense. I'm trying to work on being grateful more than being prideful, but I have done some kickass things and deserve to feel good about having done them. I'll certainly report on the venture. I think I'm going to like it too. I especially like the sumo deadlift, can't really say why. Any advice on not hitting yourself in the ass/taint when doing a swing that goes between the legs? I feel like it's just a matter of controlling the rate of descent of the weight, so it doesn't flip up and hit me in the nethers, but the guy doing the demo I watched seemed not to mind getting repeatedly violated by a 40lb bell.
Ooh. Advice? I did a bunch of reading about the KB Swing Challenge in anticipation, and one guy said something that stuck with me: that he only knew how to do a proper KB swing after the challenge, or at least nearer the end. Watching all the videos, or having someone experienced show you, is great guidance. But I thwacked my taint as you call it more than once, and only got the move down pat after thousands of repetition. I would say that it was more my forearms that were making contact with my groin/ass, not the KB itself. So the trick is to have your shoulders and arms fully extended during the KB's swing down. But that's the easier part of the swing. The money maneuver is the hip hinge that is the snap of the swing that sends the kettlebell up either to eye level or directly above your head if you're comfortable. Does that make sense?