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(This is cross-posted at BlogHer.)

I told a number of people last week that I’d be taking a kettlebell class, and most of them had never heard of it. I explained how kettlebells differ from dumbbells, and how the movements in a typical workout incorporate a lot more swinging and momentum-type moves than you would do with a regular dumbbell. I’d done a bit of research, and I’d seen kettlebell workouts in action on YouTube, but I’d never physically picked up one until yesterday.

In the past few months, a number of fitness bloggers have tried kettlebells for the first time and given them a positive review. I wanted to try them for myself, but the biggest obstacle holding me back was a possible risk of injury — a few of the bloggers, like Workout Mommy and MizFit, initially tried kettlebells by following instructions on a DVD. I wasn’t ecstatic about this option because 1) even though there are lot of people who like working out with DVDs, I’ve never been able to get excited about fitness via my TV screen; and 2) there would be no way to get feedback on my form if I did something incorrectly.

Enter the solution: Workout Mommy/Lisa decided to step away from her DVD and take a group kettlebell class. (She lives not far from me in northern Virginia, but we’ve only met in person when we both attended the BlogHer conference in San Francisco.) I read about her positive experience with the class and thought, Eureka! There had to be someone there who could tell me what to do and make sure I didn’t injure myself. Perfect solution!

I visited the Giryafit website (girya is another term for kettlebell) and emailed Justin Case, the owner/instructor. I told him I was a complete beginner and asked which class I should take (I didn’t want to inadvertently show up to an advanced class and slow everyone down). He recommended a one-on-one session before joining a regular group class — he’d teach me the basics, and it would be a lot easier to keep an eye on me if there weren’t other people vying for his attention.

So yes, for the first time in my life I hired a fitness professional to give me a private lesson. I knew within the first few minutes that I’d made the right decision. Some people are able to see something demonstrated on TV, or hear instructions, and replicate it perfectly the first time they try. That person isn’t me, or at least not when it comes to certain things. And this was one of those things.

A kettlebell is a weight with a handle, you say. You just flip it and swing it around. How hard can it be? Plenty, actually. You really have to pay attention to what you’re doing, at least in the beginning when you’re getting used to it. (Dumbbells, on the other hand, seem a bit more straightforward — the motion is basically up and down and you’re not supposed to do crazy swinging things with them.)

There’s this one move (I apologize, I was told the names but I’ve already forgotten them — they include terms such as “press” and “clean” and “jerk”) that I must have attempted at least fifteen times before Justin finally said, “Good.” (And then I proceeded to do it incorrectly another five times before I did it correctly once again, but…baby steps, people.) I don’t know about you guys, but when I’ve attempted something so many times before I get it right? It’s a huge sense of accomplishment when I finally do.

I must admit, I was more nervous about taking this class than I was about trying belly dancing, or krav maga, or strip aerobics. And yes, I know why. It’s the first time I would be learning something new while in a one-on-one setting. In a group class, it’s a lot easier to blend in with the crowd.

I’d read Justin’s bio before class, which factored into my initial feeling of intimidation. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Since he spent six years training Marines, would he be all gruff and military-professional? As it turns out, he’s nothing like that — I even got him to laugh at some of the silly things I said (I tend to do that when I’m nervous). Most importantly though, he was never impatient. Like I said, I had to do some of the moves numerous times. He would demonstrate them over and over and talk me through them until I finally got it right. That’s why I’m 100% sure I made the right decision to take a private session rather than trying to follow a DVD.

(I would also like to point out that this upcoming Saturday, Justin will participate in a regional North Face Endurance Challenge — DC location — where he will run 50 miles. Good Lord. That distance is so far from what I can fathom that it’s almost unbelievable.)

This is what Workout Mommy/Lisa said about her experience with the class that made me want to try it:

I liked [Justin's] no-nonsense approach to fitness, at one point he said “You shouldn’t even hear the music because you are working so hard”.

Now THAT is my kind of trainer!

I don’t want fluff; I want someone to push me past my comfort zone and help me get results! My DVDs are wonderful, but nothing beats being in a live class with someone telling you to go faster and stronger for the next 10 minutes. [...]

If you are new to kettlebell training, I definitely recommend taking a class in person for that very reason. I thought my form was great, but after Justin made a few adjustments, I could clearly tell a difference.

Fitarella interviewed a “kettlebell king” and shares what she likes about them.

The philosophy of the training is centered around core training movements, burns fat efficiently, is versatile and creates a displaced center of gravity thereby increasing the difficulty. There’s no half-assing it here…you HAVE to engage those muscles and work! This appeals to me because I want functional strength and muscle endurance. I want to be strong-strong!

Rose tried a kettlebell DVD and was annoyed with it. (I can relate. Listening to the same person say the same things over and over, especially if the person was doing or saying something annoying, wouldn’t be a lot of fun.)

First off, at the end of each exercise, she cuts to the break by saying something like, “Now go have a wittle sip of water…” with a very sing-songy voice that makes me feel like she’s addressing a 4 yr old. WTF? Don’t make me throw this kettlebell at the TV. [...]

I don’t mean to be harsh. The workouts are good. She seems like a nice person and I’d love to take her live class some day. I just don’t think that some of these instructors realize that many of us do these workouts repeatedly. And those little cutesy things that might seem fun once, just turn into huge grating annoyances over time.

Meaghan Elliot is a photographer who uses kettlebells, and she says this about the workout:

They are certainly not for the faint of heart. If you want to do kettlebells you have to be mentally tough and ready for a hard workout, but the results are amazing!

Tracy Erbeck describes a kettlebell swing.

The swing involves grabbing the weight with both hands (can be done single handed), swinging between your legs and raising it up to shoulder height. It ends up taking a lot of hip motion, and the more “pop” you give it, the easier it will be to keep swinging the thing. I love the KB swing, I love the way it makes my shoulders twitch and my inner thighs hurt when I’m done!

Tess planned to have a “lazy” kettlebell workout at home and ended up with more than she bargained for.

This past Saturday, I decided I didn’t want to go to the gym and that I’d be “lazy” and stay home and do a kettlebell circuit for 30 minutes while watching the Red Sox get their arses handed to them. That’s basically 30 straight minutes of minor squatting and swinging around 15 solid pounds of iron. Throw in some pushups and lunges and stuff, and you know what you get two days later? That’s right, Tight Biker Shorts of Pain. I had a good 4 mile run on Sunday, but that didn’t really help the TBSoP sitch. Currently I am hobbling around like an old cowboy. Stretching would probably be a good idea, I should get on that.

Jen is thinking about becoming a certified kettlebell instructor.

Greg and I talked tonight and I want to become a RKC. Maybe it’s the Olympic spirit that’s got a hold of me, but I don’t think so… I’ve liked KB’s from the start and having a goal for me is a good thing…besides just losing weight and getting and staying healthy.. I want to be a part of the kettlebell generation and be able to help others to use and love kettlebells.

I will definitely be using kettlebells again. Has anyone else tried them? Like or dislike? Did you teach yourself? Use a DVD? Take a class?