Personal Record + a lot of fun

[Catrin]

Awesome! It looks as though a couple of those ladies might be starting to put their backs in a challenging position...

Congrats on starting a new phase in your life, very exciting!

It IS quite challenging to lift heavy kettlebells for 10 solid minutes with only one hand switch and no setting it down. Technique is vital, and there are different styles. The Jerk in particular is a rather unnatural movement and is considered the most difficult to learn. A couple of the women in the videos are jerking almost half their weight - the green KB (24 KG) is typically referred to as "the green monster". The KB weight is dictated by one's rank, I will NEVER be even close to their rank. Nor do I want to be, though if I were a few decades younger I might have decided to chase them down

Time will tell if I can get my shoulder stability to the point where I can achieve true lockout/fixation consistently - which is required for competition. Working on accessory exercises for that, so time will tell. Thankfully my coach has decades of experience and is a former judge & competitor so he knows what to look for He is also 67 years old and specializes in training the "active aging athlete". As hard as it is to admit, that is the category in which I fall at 54!

I do miss riding, thankfully this activity provides me the same level of focus as riding does/did. Now I "just" have to train smart so I don't destroy my shoulders as I progress. KB lifting is quite joint friendly IF approached properly. My coach won't allow me to do anything he doesn't think I am ready for, and I follow his instructions when I am working out in my home KB gym. I've all the weights between 6KB-14KB, which combined with a Jungle Gym + Airex Pad means I only need to go to NIFS to meet with him and when I feel like being around other people or if I need heavier KB weights or other equipment.

Considering how my neck and shoulders are improving, perhaps someday I can ride again without nerve impingement/neurological symptoms!