Only the words of Peaches and Herb can express my Bulldog experience this morning: "Reunited and it feels so good!" At last, I got to reunite with the kettlebell. After I did my usual warm-up (more like an overheat-up and then sweat-way-too-much-and-form-cloud-of-stank-up!) and my PUPs and my back planks and my one-legged still twitchy planks, I got to move into a workout that went like this:

1. Ab wheel torture test: with my feet on the pedals of the ab wheel (but while lying down), roll the wheel in and out while keeping my butt off the floor the whole time; 10 reps rolling out and in x 3 sets (no, this was not a pretty exercise; lots of exclamations from me as I tried to grasp my cramping calf muscles without wheeling myself into an even worse position).

2. Walking lunges (5 ea leg), but with standing up from the lunge using a pvc pipe (kind of in a moses's staff-like way) to stand up.

3. A sort of progressive SDHP (sumo deadlift high pull) starting with a 24kg (53lb) kettlebell and then moving to a 20kg (44lb) kb and then 16kg (35lb) kb with increasing reps as the weight decreased. This was when I started singing the "Reunited" song in my head. It was a tough reunion and it required a new breathing pattern and precision focus on my form that was a challenge to say the least. But still great to lift something that wasn't my body!

4. Step ups (onto a box) 5 ea leg x 2 reps without touching the non-stepping-up leg onto the box.

Afterward Gio showed me a new and awful stretch for my lower back and hips. It is always a surprise to find out how excruciating and exhausting a stretch can be! But it did do wonders for loosening up my back. Even though I was pretty whiny today, I was awesomely glad to step up my workout and get some extra tips and help from Gio.

I'm excited to keep working with the kettlebell at Bulldog and at home. As Peaches and Herb sang it: "Oh lovin' lover this is solid love [53 lbs of cast iron]/ And you're exactly what I'm dreaming of/ all through the day and all through the night [okay, that might be a little excessive -- I don't want to hulk up my biceps]/ I'll give you all the love I have with all my might, hey-hey." Yep, with all my might! I'll be back at Bulldog on Tuesday morning. In case you now have the "Reunited" song stuck in your head, go here. And, truth be told, I sing the "Reunited" song every time I find a long lost sock and reunite it with its partner.