Today, I’m 26 years old and free of most the physical pain that plagued my youth. So, what changed? Some inspiration and a kettlebell.
There is more to the story than just that.
I’m not a big guy, I’m 5’9″ and around 155 pounds. I graduated high school at 5’7″ and 135 pounds soaking wet. Being so small, I was always intimidated by weight rooms and lifting. I just completely ignored it just didn’t think it was for people of my stature. My strength development suffered as a result. Because of my insecurities, my body never developed the strength it needed to do simple things like stand up straight and sit with correct posture.
All these problems compounded on themselves when I was in a car accident at 17.
The whiplash and trauma my upper body endured severely hindered my movement, mood and overall mental health for the rest of my teenage years. I was in some kind of pain more days than not. Years later, I tore the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in my right knee. This lead to a full reconstruction surgery and physical therapy for the following year and a half. This caused months of severe depression, now my lower body was just and detrimental to my day to day existence as my upper body.
In the middle of recovery, I was sitting in my apartment, high on the Percocet and muscle relaxants I was prescribed after my surgery, feeling sorry for myself. I was listening to the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast and he said something that will stick with me for the rest of my life.
“Be the hero of your own story,” Rogan said.
In that moment something clicked. Growing up, I was obsessed with superheroes (I still am,) so it was a metaphor that resonated with me instantly.
What did Batman do when Bane broke his back and threw him in a hole to die? What did Spiderman do when he lost his powers and Mary Jane was still in danger? What did Tony Stark do when terrorists kidnapped him and locked in a dungeon? They didn’t give up, they went to work.
In that moment I got up and started doing rehab exercises. I was still high on pain pills, but that didn’t matter. I was done feeling sorry for myself, and in that single moment, I changed the direction of my entire life for the better.
What does all that have to do with kettlebells? Those were the beginning steps in my fitness and optimization journey. Without letting my physical health fall into such disarray, I never would have found out it’s essential for my mental health as well. Learning those two realms of wellness work hand in hand and need was the first step that lead me back into the gym.
Once I was there, I became bored quickly. Isolation exercises and Olympic lifts bored me to tears and I could feel myself burning out trying to keep up with other people in the weight room. I decided to try kettlebells because they were tools Joe Rogan spoke about religiously, and I figured it was worth a shot. I signed up for a beginners kettlebell training class, and to my own surprise, I was hooked.
A kettlebell is a metal ball with a single handle. You swing, lift and throw them around and it trains your body as one complex unit instead of isolating each muscle system and working them separate from one another. I enjoyed the constant movement the training provided, because of the endurance benefits that come along with kettlebell training.
It’s been four years since that class and I now own my own set of kettlebells that I work out with four to six times a week at my house. I’m stronger than I have ever been, in the best shape of my life, and my mental health is more on point than ever before. The kettlebell became a vessel that aided my physical and mental development. Those positive developments bled into other aspects of my life like writing and editing for example. I can’t imagine where I would be right now if it weren’t for Joe Rogan’s suggestion to pick up kettlebell training. A little inspiration and a kettlebell can go a long way.
Kettlebell Resources for Beginners
The most important thing to remember is to start with light weights and seek the help of a professional like I did. YouTube and Onnit have great resources, but starting out there are plenty of little details you can miss without the help of someone experienced in this field. Happy swinging folks!
Best Kettlebell Weight To Start With
Full Body Kettlebell Workout For Beginners
Kettlebell Workouts: Exercise and Training Plans
