No longer a strength virgi... well, you know... :)

rowdylibrarian

So...I just did my very first organized strength training! I had to ask what the exercises were called, once they showed me a few to (safely) do with a kettlebell, but I did them! I did single shoulder presses, body weight squats, and dumbbell (really two kettlebells) squats!

Kettlebell Press: 2 sets of 10 lb x 12 reps
Body Weight Squat: 5 reps (because she had to show me what one was and have me try them before doing them on my own)
Dumbbell Squat: 10 lb (2 of them) x 10 reps

I'm sure that was probably nothing compared to most of you, but it was exciting for me!

contingencyplan

It sounds like this was mainly instructional.

You should be using a heavier weight to start out with the kettlebell. The point of kettlebell training is to have the hips and lower body doing the work by creating momentum with a hip thrust (like you would be with an olympic squat) to assist with the movement. Although you might think the press is a mainly shoulder exercise, the bottom line is that if you can do it without using momentum created in this manner to "assist" with the lift, the weight isn't heavy enough. Your glutes, quads, and hamstrings should be doing the work more than your shoulders. Were you feeling the burn in your glutes, quads, and hamstrings? With 10 lbs I doubt it... They should have started you out with a swing, not a press. It is the most basic fundamental kettlebell exercise and anyone that would try to teach you a press before they taught you a swing is going to get you hurt someday, and badly... Since all other exercises, including the press, begin with the swing.

Goal_Line

Excellent - you will find lifting serves you well.