We have had far too much snow this winter. When I say too much, I mean that the piles at the side of my driveway are now taller than I am – about 6 feet. I mean that I haven’t seen the ground at my house in over a month. I mean that I have moved so much snow, I think I could qualify for heavy machinery status! This morning, I finally gave in and had someone come and plow my driveway because I just couldn’t face it again. To give you an idea of why I did that, here is the math I did for the last major snowstorm we had that dumped 2+ feet on us:
Driveway length = 300+ feet
Driveway width = 8+ feet
Snow depth = 2+ feet
Total cubic feet of snow = 4,800
Weight per cubic foot = average 8 lbs.
Total snow moved by 2 people (my hubby and me) in 2.5 hours = 38,400 lbs. or 19.2 tons (3.84 tons/person per hour)
Now, what does kettlebell training have to do with all of this ridiculous math? I have learned through my training with Louis over the past few months that you need to use your whole body to move weight. Yes, doing deadlifts with kettlebells that weigh 70+ pounds really does make sense. Those kettlebell cleans and swings have helped me more than I can tell you. I have learned to use my lower body to move that weight rather than just my arms and my back. Now I’ve transferred that knowledge to the way I shovel. I had back surgery a little less than a year ago, so I have no other choice but to lift the right way. It’s not just the actual training, though. It’s the attitude that goes along with becoming a stronger person. I was out there fighting my way through drifts up to my knees, thinking “I can do this! Take that, snow!” instead of moaning, groaning and complaining.
Now, even though we had our driveway plowed today, I went and helped my neighbors shovel out and cleared part of our cul-de-sac that was never touched by the city. It wasn’t just a matter of being nice, but it was the knowledge that Punch was closed today and I had to get that workout in somehow!
I am still sick of the snow, but at least I am strong enough to deal with it. I’m really looking forward to shoveling some sand on the beach this summer instead!
Losing It Little By Little 