Kettlebells and Bench

Workout 11 March 2010:

Kettlebell class, 60 minutes
One-rep max bench press

1RM results: 215lbs
Previous best: 200lbs (sometime within last year)

The kettlebell class is something new I'm trying, or actually, was told to try. I went to the gym expecting to do one of my normal workouts, but was told by one of my trainers that I should take his kettlebell class instead. It ended up being a great decision. I've always liked working with kettlebells but wasn't proficient in more than just a few exercises. In class, I used one or two 30lb kettlebells and learned the basic swing and variations, slashers, suitcase swings, figure of eights, cleans, and snatches. Although I took it easy to protect my back, the class still offered an awesome workout.

As an added bonus after the class was over, the trainer spotted me on a 1-rep-max bench press. I hit a 15lb PR today despite being relatively exhausted. Next time I'll go for 225lbs.