I discovered a hernia in my right groin while showering on 22 January and got a consult as quickly as possible. Dr. David Park repaired my hernia on 31 January at St. Joseph’s Hospital. Dr. Park gave me permission to start doing some yoga after 2 weeks, but told me to stay away from situps and picking up heavy weights for a month. I celebrated one month of recovery from surgery with a kettlebell workout in my driveway.

I thought I would get around to some situps, pushups, and pullups during my celebration workout, but 5 sets of double kettlebell squats kicked my butt so hard, I finished off with some farmer carries and called it a day. I chatted with a neighbor for a few minutes so I am not sure how long I really worked, but I was in my driveway for 75 minutes.

Warmup:

Face-the-wall squats – 20 reps
Good mornings – 20 reps
Windmill stretch – 20 reps

Workout:

Two-handed swings
16 kg kettlebell – 10 x 10 = 100 reps, 3500 pounds
Turkish getups
8 kg kettlebell – 5 x 2 = 10 reps, 180 pounds
Snatch
12 kg kettlebell 5 x 20 = 100 reps. 2600 pounds
Double front squat
16 kg kettlebells – 5 x 10 = 50 reps, 3500 pounds
Farmer carry
20 kg kettlebells – 3 x 100 paces, 264 pounds

Weight: 10,044 pounds

Notes: I felt some pinching in my left groin area while doing swings. When I concentrated on form, the sensation disappeared.

My left shoulder remains wonky, but I was able to complete 5 Turkish getups on each side without a problem. I just wish the left side worked as easily as the right side.

I enjoyed doing snatches, especially after I remembered to start each set with my left arm. The left shoulder gets a little touchy as I work and it was easier to go 10 reps on the left immediately after a brief rest break.

The double front squats were hard. I had to manage my breathing to get through them efficiently.

The first session of carrying two 20 kg kettlebells was easy. My forearms grew sore at about 80 paces in the second session. My forearms were screaming in the last 20 paces of the third session.