19 Months of Kettlebell Training — What Consistency and the Right Coach Actually Do

I was going to share a kettlebell workout, but I thought it’d be more fun to poke fun and criticize myself.

I started training with kettlebells in 2024. Before that, despite many years of exercise, I really never used kettlebells. They just weren’t part of my repertoire.

But in 2024 I found Beth Lewis’ online community (improveyourmoves.online) and enrolled in her kettlebell class and stared swinging. The first part of the video is me in September 2024, doing “squatting” swings, the kind you might have seen Pete Hegseth doing recently, and exemplifying poor form. The second part is from earlier this week.

I still have much to learn, and Beth is still teaching me, but it’s pretty amazing to see how far you can come in such a short period of time with consistent training, and, of course, the right coaching.

It’s been 19 months, an average of 2x per week of using kettlebells, and the difference in my ability is undeniable. Swings, cleans, snatches, and so much more, are now part of my repertoire. I owe it to Beth, the amazing fitness community she’s built, and I owe it to consistent practice.

If you want to start training, don’t wait. Start simple. Be consistent. And progress will find you.

One last tip: RECORD your workouts (another thing Beth teaches and preaches). Recording your workouts allows you to see yourself from a different perspective, and spot things you’d never otherwise realize. And, you can go back and watch your old videos and see just how far you’ve come.

Lastly, if you can get into an exercise community and watch your friends, and get feedback, that’s just one more invaluable piece.