Nothing But a Kettlebell
Sometimes you are cut off from everything you are used to using to stay strong. So let’s talk about what you do when that happens.
Back to Basics
Sometimes life puts you in a position where you simply lose access to comfortable and familiar, including the tools and methods you used to train. Not long ago, I ended up in this position. No lifting cage, no barbell, no weights. Nothing but a single 53 pound, or 1.5 pood kettlebell. So it was time to get back to work and make it happen.
Being forced to do this, while challenging, ended up being rather pleasant. Much as I love my power cage, there is a certain pleasure to being forced to adapt and keep up my routine with nothing but one kettlebell. It has forced me to adapt in order to keep up the same pace and intensity, while also experiencing a refreshing simplicity. After all, complex lifts and weights are all well and good. They have a wealth of benefits that I enjoy whenever I can. However, few things compare to the minimalist, simple pleasure of lifting a single piece of metal off the ground.
So as I began each morning under the kettlebell, this got me thinking. How can this apply to your overall life? Do you have minimum, backup tools and systems in place in preparation for when or if you need to make major changes in your life?
The Basics: What are Your Kettlebells?
When you look at your life, what are your kettlebells? Which is to say, what are your tried and true, reliable, too-simple-to-fail, backup systems? What do you have in place that will keep you going if you suddenly lose access to what you have gotten used to safely and comfortably relying on?
While by no means an exhaustive list, here are some things to think about:
Exercise - Do you have a kettlebell, simple bodyweight routine, or otherwise easily transported method of maintaining your fitness routine?
Nutrition - Do you have a simple nutrition plan you can revert to from most locations you find yourself in?
You can expand this into other areas, such as education, finance, and so on. The point is to be prepared to operate without the full range of tools and options you are accustomed to. Don’t let yourself get so comfortable that you aren’t prepared to not be.