I’m basically Million Dollar Baby now

Ok, I gotta be honest. I revived the blog more because of this post than the previous one. I wrote that post about self-experimenting a long time ago, because it took some research and it’s fun to write, even if I don’t publish it. Which I fully intend to do henceforth, so I can subject the internet to my every thought! Anyway, I just really wanted to share my first boxing experience, because it soundly kicked my butt.

So on Tuesday my alarm went off at 5:30 AM and found myself velcroing on some boxing gloves by 6. I try to avoid the five oclock hour, as a rule, but this was totally worth it.

A new kickboxing gym opened near my house, and was offering a free trial week. So my friend Kaleigh (Also known as the previously mentioned 5 am running friend. Also dance class friend. Why do I hang out with her? She keeps waking me up!) suggested we go try it out at the earliest possible class offered. It was just us and one other woman, being taught by a woman. Six am girl power!

So it was basically a circuit, with every bag as a station. You went around the room completing a minute at each bag, for about 45 minutes. Warm up and cool down included, it took an hour. Some were punching and kicking the bag in various combos, some were abs, jump squats, you name it. One station was those big heavy ropes that are anchored to something and you whip them up and down…know what I’m talking about? I always see people doing that on The Biggest Loser (love that show…weird, I know) and always kind of thought I’d be good at it. No, I was not. First ten seconds in I was thinking “heck yeah, I’m so strong!” Twenty seconds later, my arms were on fire and the rope was just sort of limply wiggling despite my best efforts.

It was seriously an awesome workout, and I really liked it. Also, it set the stage for a fabulous nap later that day. It was when Kaleigh and I went back the next day that the real struggle set in. It was taught by a young guy, and we spent A LOT more time on the bags. I mean I tried to pump some hand soap today, and that hurt my shoulders, so that’s where I’m at. He had us do walking pushups back and forth across the room between sets of combos on the bag, and through my sweat and tears I was thinking about how funny that had to look. It just three people again: myself, Kaleigh, and another girl in her 20s. Once none of us could manage a correct pushup anymore, we moved to our knees. So basically this guy is standing there watching three red-faced, panting girls crawling across the floor at him. It was like the Grudge gone wrong.

I kind of love workouts like that though- swiftly redefines your concept of “I’m in shape.”

Hope everyone had a great New Year’s Eve! Mine was pretty low key- hung out at a neighbor’s with some friends and played a great game of fishbowl. If you haven’t played, learn, because it’s that fun. I had been planning on going to the Mummer’s Day Parade in Philly for New Year’s Day, but bailed last minute to hang out with another friend who I haven’t seen in a while. We’re doing a half marathon together, so we got in a solid training run then watched The Babadook. Um, what? Anyone seen this? It’s like a Sundance horror film that got 98% on Rotten Tomatoes. Super creepy but SUPER bizarre ending. We both kind of walked away scratching our heads, so I don’t know if I can even recommend it or not. Well that was a useless paragraph, sorry about that.

Have a great weekend!

And finally…us dying post class. Super attractive, I know. I said “make a struggling face” and she started strangling herself…