Swingin'

Today's XFM* workout called for kettlebell swings. I've never done them before, but Ken just happened to try them earlier in the week and encouraged me to give it a try. Despite the one-hand prescription of the workout, I decided to try them two-handed first, and I had to use a dumbbell. But our dbs have a handy configuration - easy to grip by the plate. My workout looked like this:

18-14-10-10 reps
kettlebell swings - 2 hands #25
lunges (per leg - 36, 28, 20, 20 total)
push-ups (actually did 20, 15, 15, 15)*

"Easy" run - 1.5 miles/15 minutes

I can't really do more than a few regular push-ups now, but knees-down are still fairly easy (but an extra 15 lbs is nothing to scoff at!) I probably could've done 4 x 20 here, but my heart-rate was crazy after the kb's and lunges, so I took this set as a "break".

The run wasn't actually that easy. I ran at mainly 6 mph and eventually 5.5 mph when things started cramping and aching. Turns out that 6 mph is now about as fast as I can go if I want to cruise for longer than a few minutes. Running is growing increasingly difficult. I hit my target heartrate at a fairly slow speed, and things begin to ache in the lower belly, hip region after a while -- the fast I go, the more quickly it happens. I'll keep it up, but judiciously.

The kettlebell swings are AWESOME. I loved it. It seemed easy for the first few reps, but everything got difficult pretty quickly - heartrate and breathing gets crazy, and if you're really focusing on driving with your hips and legs, you begin to feel it. The momentum of the swinging weight means you're work much more than the 25 lbs of the db. Back is dramatically engaged when you reach the top of the swing, keeping everything straight while you brake the weight. Abs work all the way through. The movement in general feel quite natural - not awkward. I'm in love with this exercise.

Weigh-in: 143. Morning, go figure.

Tidbit: Extra progesterone during pregnancy relaxes smooth muscle tissue. One of the results of this is that digestive processes slow down. Also, intestines get pushed/scrunched up near the rib cage, also slowing things down. My interpretation -- there is some serious build-up by the end of the day!

* XFM = Crossfit Mom. Clever, huh?