Kendall Giles

So I mentioned that I am evaluating a TRX suspension system, by Fitness Anywhere, via a 12-week fitness program (FORCE). Today was Day 71.

First, the good news.

The kettlebell workout went well today. I managed three ladders with two rungs of clean and push-presses with the 32 KG kettlebell. That is a big weight for me, and so I was happy to see it go up twice, even if it was with a push. Also, I managed this time to make five minutes of 20 swings on the minute with the 32 KG kettlebell. Last time I tried this, I lost my grip and my attempt came to a crashing end. This time I made sure to dry the kettlebell between minutes and otherwise held on for dear life. By minute five my lungs were on fire and my swing form started to break down, but I made it to the end. So that was about 7,054.8 pounds lifted in five minutes.

Second, the not-so-good news.

My euphoria about surviving the 32 KG kettlebell quickly faded when I started workout one of week 11 of the TRX FORCE program. These are the final, toughest, two weeks of the program, and there is a big jump in pain administration in these workouts.

In general, the number of sets increased to three, the time between sets dropped --- in fact for most exercises the rest time between sets dropped to zero seconds, and the rest time between exercises dropped to just 30 seconds, which amounts to just enough time to make adjustments to the TRX cables and grab a swig of water before jumping back into the fray.

So with yesterday's run, and today's kettlebell workout, today's big ramp-up in TRX misery really drained everything I had. But this is what the TRX is all about --- maximizing the body's functional performance and teaching you to reach further when you would normally just stop and rest.

I completed all the exercises and reps, but it wasn't pretty.

So hopefully by the end of week 12 I will be able to master this workout. That's my goal!