I tend to work out in spurts... I work out really hard for a few weeks and then I tend to slack off for a while. Recently, I decided I needed to get back into better shape again (for ski season) and started doing some very brief kettlebell workouts.

I was interested mainly in trying some different ways to help reduce my lower back pain and scoliosis, and I decided that maybe if I just clean and pressed a kettlebell and held it overhead for a while, one side at a time, that might do me some good.

I started out on the first day with the 36lb kettlebell, and that went just fine, holding it overhead for about a full minute on each side. The second day I did I repeated the exercise, but then I decided that I would try it with the 54lb KB as well. It wasn't too much trouble, until I decided I should lower it to shoulder position doing a slow negative.

Bad idea.

It didn't feel like I really hurt myself, more of a twinge than anything else, but a couple of days later... Wow. I could barely move my left arm (that's my weak side). My arm felt better after a couple of days, although it was still bothering me, and I had to lay off for a while to make sure my arm/shoulder healed and I didn't aggravate it.

So, here's a reminder that even if you could lift at a certain level previously, it doesn't mean you can lay off for a month and then just go right back to the same level. The funny thing is that if I had just waited a week before tackling the bigger kettlebell, I probably would have been fine.

Be careful out there.

Visit the Last 10 Pounds blog for more fitness and diet tips.