I met Stroller Warriors® Global Staff Team member, Rose, while we were stationed at Malmstrom AFB around 2011. We were both early in growing our families we had our own little community of moms that were having babies, recovering from having babies, trying to have babies, and holding on through long days and longer nights. Our friend circles crossed when one of my functional fitness friends said, “You should meet Rose! She’s into functional fitness too!” Here we are a decade later, still connecting through fitness!
When Rose asked me to write a kettlebell piece for the Stroller Warriors community, I was insanely grateful for this opportunity to contribute! But, my immediate thought was, “Where do I start?!?” I am known as a kettlebell coach, but I am also a runner. Running is my fitness first true love. It has always been my escape. If I have something tough to tackle in life, I hit the pavement. I do not run for time. I do not run for medals (but that can be exciting). I do not run with friends (but that is always a nice bonus if it happens too). I have been in love with running for running’s sake since I was introduced to the timed mile-run in sixth grade.
When Rose asked me to write a kettlebell piece for the Stroller Warriors community, I was insanely grateful for this opportunity to contribute! But, my immediate thought was, “Where do I start?!?” I am known as a kettlebell coach, but I am also a runner. Running is my fitness first true love. It has always been my escape. If I have something tough to tackle in life, I hit the pavement. I do not run for time. I do not run for medals (but that can be exciting). I do not run with friends (but that is always a nice bonus if it happens too). I have been in love with running for running’s sake since I was introduced to the timed mile-run in sixth grade.
Maybe you are this type of runner too: You and I run for the pure feeling of being free. We run because it just plain feels good. Running is freedom for us. It is the ultimate escape from all the bull of “adulting.” The repetitious, rhythmic sound of your feet cycling over the terrain, the cool autumn breeze, sprinkles of rain, the sand as it caves under bare feet on a beach run at sunset…we run for clarity.
I still remember the run along my old country dirt road back when I was a kid in Arkansas— how the cows looked in the fields with their head bent down, how the headstones looked as I circled through the cemetery to loop back home. I still remember my runs in college—the rolling hills and long stretches of tall grass blowing alongside those back roads, and those steep hills in the shadows of the University of Arkansas. Running is a memory in motion.
I remember my runs at each place my family has been assigned over the past 17 years: Nellis’ desert landscape and jumping over boulders just for fun. Pope and the sound of Jodie’s at 0600 with all the soldiers lined up for their morning PT, helicopters flying and jets taking off. It was a busy place. Running made me feel like I was a part, or had a part in it all. We were at Malmstrom when the base was demolishing all the old houses and rebuilding. I would run through those ghost streets, and every now and then come across a house with workers. I would stop to nurse my second baby on those runs, with those strangers across the street, while my first baby played in the empty lots. After Montana, we moved back to Nellis. This time I had two big toddlers in tow and I was pushing them up, down, and around all of base housing. We would see roadrunners, ground owls, lizards, quail families, mushrooms, the Joshua trees, and we learned about the star constellations, and even witnessed a Russian rocket transition back into Earth’s stratosphere! Those desert nights are some of my favorite memories…and they happened because I loaded up my babies night after night, day after day, and we just ran for the sake of it.
Running is the ultimate blend of those basic human needs for freedom and to dance with Mother Nature. Running can be done anywhere, at any time, alone, or with your people. You do not need special equipment. You do not need fancy shoes, or any shoes at all. The rhythm of running, as an escape into a time of gratitude and mental clarity, is real freedom.
My journey with kettlebells started as innocently as my start into running. One little event layered upon another. I simply showed up to fitness every day. My then boyfriend, now husband, brought me a kettlebell back from his kettlebell certification. I started playing around with it. Much like I would do in my runs, I was just having fun with the feeling of doing kettlebells.
I still remember the run along my old country dirt road back when I was a kid in Arkansas— how the cows looked in the fields with their head bent down, how the headstones looked as I circled through the cemetery to loop back home. I still remember my runs in college—the rolling hills and long stretches of tall grass blowing alongside those back roads, and those steep hills in the shadows of the University of Arkansas. Running is a memory in motion.
I remember my runs at each place my family has been assigned over the past 17 years: Nellis’ desert landscape and jumping over boulders just for fun. Pope and the sound of Jodie’s at 0600 with all the soldiers lined up for their morning PT, helicopters flying and jets taking off. It was a busy place. Running made me feel like I was a part, or had a part in it all. We were at Malmstrom when the base was demolishing all the old houses and rebuilding. I would run through those ghost streets, and every now and then come across a house with workers. I would stop to nurse my second baby on those runs, with those strangers across the street, while my first baby played in the empty lots. After Montana, we moved back to Nellis. This time I had two big toddlers in tow and I was pushing them up, down, and around all of base housing. We would see roadrunners, ground owls, lizards, quail families, mushrooms, the Joshua trees, and we learned about the star constellations, and even witnessed a Russian rocket transition back into Earth’s stratosphere! Those desert nights are some of my favorite memories…and they happened because I loaded up my babies night after night, day after day, and we just ran for the sake of it.
Running is the ultimate blend of those basic human needs for freedom and to dance with Mother Nature. Running can be done anywhere, at any time, alone, or with your people. You do not need special equipment. You do not need fancy shoes, or any shoes at all. The rhythm of running, as an escape into a time of gratitude and mental clarity, is real freedom.
My journey with kettlebells started as innocently as my start into running. One little event layered upon another. I simply showed up to fitness every day. My then boyfriend, now husband, brought me a kettlebell back from his kettlebell certification. I started playing around with it. Much like I would do in my runs, I was just having fun with the feeling of doing kettlebells.
Running for me is not a way to keep score. Kettlebells are the same way. Running does not require a lot of “bells and whistles.” Kettlebells are the same way. I still have my original set of three bells from 2003 (8kg, 12kg, 16kg), using my 12kg most. If it came down to it, I could get everything I need in training from that one bell. I call her Ashley. She is akin to Tom Hank’s Wilson. We have been through some tough stuff. She is always there to help me out of a funk, get me moving, and cheer me up. She helps me clear my mind with that familiar, repetitive, rhythmic movement. Running is the same way.
What are my favorite rhythms to fall into with Ashley? I love a long-cycle snatch ala the Viking Warrior Protocol by Kenneth Jay. I love a good therapeutic set of get-ups paired with swings (in some circles this is known as “The Inferno”). I love chaining the basics together into a nice flow. It might look something like: Swing, clean, squat, press, get-down, get-up, snatch, windmill, and repeat for reps. That same mental clarity from a running turnover is the same feeling I get during a snatch cycle. I can settle into my body, get grounded, and feel connected.
What are my favorite rhythms to fall into with Ashley? I love a long-cycle snatch ala the Viking Warrior Protocol by Kenneth Jay. I love a good therapeutic set of get-ups paired with swings (in some circles this is known as “The Inferno”). I love chaining the basics together into a nice flow. It might look something like: Swing, clean, squat, press, get-down, get-up, snatch, windmill, and repeat for reps. That same mental clarity from a running turnover is the same feeling I get during a snatch cycle. I can settle into my body, get grounded, and feel connected.
If you want to pick up a bell, first, start with the basic swing. This is like learning the basic running mechanics of foot placement in the turnover and your cheek-to-cheek drills. Next, add the transitions of the get-up. The therapeutic feel of the flow from ground up in the get-up will benefit your body awareness, shoulder stability, and hip mobility for runs too. After swings and get-ups are well practiced, move into additional movements with cleans & presses, and squats & deadlifts. Once you are solid and confident in the mechanics of the swing and clean & press, top off your sessions with snatches. These are my “foundational five to thrive.” (Swing, Get-up, Clean & Press, Squats & Deadlifts, Snatches.) This is my starting point for every client. There are so many variations of the basics that your programming can take you anywhere with a little imagination and investment in reps.
Running and kettlebell swings are actually the first “workout” I ever did with my first bell. Running is what I knew. I just added the novelty of swings to it. This is what it looked like:
10 sets of:
-25 two-hand swings
-1/4 mile jog
It was so simple. It was so fun. I was still outside. I was still running. I was progressing along my fitness journey. It continues to this day. I still love to swing and snatch for the sake of it…and, I still love to run for the fun and feel of it.
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Running and kettlebell swings are actually the first “workout” I ever did with my first bell. Running is what I knew. I just added the novelty of swings to it. This is what it looked like:
10 sets of:
-25 two-hand swings
-1/4 mile jog
It was so simple. It was so fun. I was still outside. I was still running. I was progressing along my fitness journey. It continues to this day. I still love to swing and snatch for the sake of it…and, I still love to run for the fun and feel of it.
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Sara Cheatham M.S., was the first ever female promoted to Senior Russian Kettlebell Certified Instructor in 2007. She has a Master’s in Health Sciences: Community Health Promotion from the University of Arkansas. She is a Z-Health Neuroscience Education Master Practitioner, a 17+ career USAF wife, and veteran homeschooling mom of three. In the mix of all the moves and babies, she’s managed to keep her love for movement and coaching alive through her sheer determination to help other moms realize their strength beyond babydom, wife-ing, and PCSes.
Please stay tuned over the next few months, as Sara will share her knowledge and expertise about kettlebells with the Stroller Warriors community!
Please stay tuned over the next few months, as Sara will share her knowledge and expertise about kettlebells with the Stroller Warriors community!
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