I have access to two excellent gyms on Bainbridge Island, which I’d normally visit prior to starting my day at my practice. They’ve been closed for two weeks now, following the norms dictated by the Governor.

Our apartment complex also has a nice gym with other amenities. They’ve been closed for about three weeks now, following efforts from management to curb social interaction.

What to do?

Luckily, I discovered kettlebells in late 2001, started implementing them in my training in early 2002, and in 2003 I became part of the very first wave of instructors certified by Kettlebell Concepts, Inc. in New York. That’s how long I’ve been training with kettlebells and enjoying every minute of it.

What I appreciate most about kettlebells is that they take little room and offer endless possibilities. They became an essential component of my strength training arsenal and I even wrote a book and developed a kettlebell-based fitness system for my fellow scuba divers.

In these days in which we have to shelter in the safety of our homes, my kettlebell workouts have been one of the highlights of my days. Nothing beats combining a simple implement with fine motor skills to energize me and ground me to the present moment. My kettlebells have become as essential as my intensive meditative practices to keep me calm and give me hope during these times of uncertainty. Best of all, I can do it all in the comfort of my home office.

I’ll add some variety with my yoga wheel, ab-mat, and my clubbells because I abhor routine. The key to productive training is to keep the body adapting and anything routine defeats that purpose. I look forward to returning to my jump rope once circumstances allow it.

It seems that this is the apogee of the home workouts. What are you doing to honor your body through the magic of exercise?

Wishing you health, joy, and a pain-free life.