First class, December 6, 2012

So, I did it, excuses and all.  I signed up for the three classes and a pair of gloves for $20.00.  I received an e-mail from the manager telling me a little bit about the program and the schedule.  He listed the names of the instructors, a woman and a man.  He didn't tell me who was teaching what days, though.  So I'm thinking maybe I should go to the man's class first because he's a guy, might have a little more compassion for an overweight girl than a woman would.  You know as well as I do, guys give in too easy to a girl in tears.  Women, however, are like "Just suck it up."

I told the manager, Rob, I would go in on Thursday morning, December 6, 2012, for the first class.  Alright, that's set, now to find a babysitter.  Travis' mom, Tina, said she would watch Tristan for me, okay, good, that's done.

Thursday morning I woke up early to type a couple of jobs that were due by 9 a.m.  I got my cup of coffee and typed for an hour.  I took Ary to school and came back home.  I'm looking around, what do I have to wear and what do you wear to something like this?  It's not like I go out to the store and buy myself clothes.  Do you have any idea how hard it is to go clothes shopping and have to face reality of how heavy you really are?  Ugh, I just avoid that whenever possible.  Digging through my clothes in the house, I found a pair of black pants and then I'll just wear one of Travis' t-shirts.  The sports bra that I have barely fits, wonderful.  I guess they'll be popping out all class.  AHH, Travis' mom's here early, no time to back out now.

Class Number Two

Yes, I had every intention of going to class on Saturday, December 8th.  But as you know, intentions only get you so far.  The class started at 8:30 because they had other things going in the gym that day.  Hmm, me, getting up at 8 on a Saturday..............like I said, intentions.  Not only did it suck waking up early, some of my muscles were sore and tender.  Maybe taking an extra day or two was okay.  I haven't exercised like this for a long time.  Walking on the treadmill and talking does not count.  Do you like my excuses?

So class number two happened on December 11th with Maryann again.  There's other people in the class this time.  Okay, the only thing on my mind was, do not pass out, just make it through the class.  Walk, jog, knees...yes, I do the low impact version of the knees.  I don't want my shin splints acting up, better safe than sorry.  This whole warm up has me out of breath, and now we stretch.  I love stretching!

Class Number Three, last trial class

Am I crazy?  I am actually looking forward to going to class.  Wednesday I didn't feel sluggish.  I was up and moving around more than usual.  This is a good sign.  I was thinking about going to Thursday night's class but going to an Eagles game with my sister-in-law, so Thursday morning it is.

There's three others in the class with me.  I need to keep my slower pace.  My abs and legs are sore.

You know it, "Walk, jog, knees" still low impact with the knees.  This time I'm not the only one.  I guess it doesn't really matter if I'm low impact or not.  I need to keep on the pace that my body will allow, not trying to keep up with others.

Starting the warm up, yep, add arms sore to the list.  It's not a hurt, painful sore.  It's more like I can feel every muscle I moved and toned sore.  This is a good feeling to me.  It's nice to exercise and know exactly what muscles were worked.

Help! I can't wash my hair!

After two days in a row, I need a break.  Between my arms, abs, legs, fingers, toes, LOL, not the fingers and toes but everything else.  I didn't go back for a week.  Now, if I was just going to a regular old gym, like I was before, this would have been the end of it all.  It starts with something, something clicks in your head and you're determined to lose the weight or tone up.  You're going strong for a week, two weeks, maybe get to a month.  Then you get busy or don't feel well, "I'll go tomorrow" and then tomorrow turns into the next day and the next.  Eventually you fizzle out, you just stop going.  

But there is something about punching and kicking a bag that gives me a rush of adrenaline.  I took a break for a week and it's all I could think about.  Call me crazy but I couldn't wait to feel the sweat running down my back.

My muscles are good, I need to get back to class.

Please.... Stop looking at me!!

As you know, at the beginning of a new year people like to make New Year's resolutions.  One of the main resolutions is getting in shape or losing weight.  With the big billboard on 663, lovely girl with the abs, there have been a TON of new people signing up for classes.  In the morning classes there have been a decent amount of people, maybe 10 or so.

I have been going to class three days a week, Tuesday night, Thursday morning, and Saturday morning.  I had planned on going Saturday mornings until spring hit and Travis starts working in the mornings again.  Saturday mornings are usually pretty full, definitely a two row kind of morning.  Knowing this, I had every intention of getting to class early.  Well, that did NOT happen, as usual.  I walk in and every single bag was out and gloves on top.  Hmm, now what?  Well, this is what you get for coming in late.  I wasn't late enough to miss the beginning cardio and the crab walks around the room.  Seriously, crab walks on a Saturday morning, thank you, Maryann!  I can't remember the last time I tried a crab walk.  My triceps have no strength at all.  I didn't even make it half way around the room.  At least I tried, right?  Stay to the inside of the bags and let everyone else go by, that's all you can do.

After we stretch out, Maryann's telling us to get to a bag.  I'm kind of just standing in the back of the room looking around, trying to figure out what I was going to do.  Then she calls off the combo and I try to wave her back.  She tells me to share the bag with someone.  There was a girl nice enough to let me share.  I just felt really bad.  I tend to move the bag a lot when I punch, so I was trying to punch lightly.  After the first three minutes I was looking at this man.  We will call him Bob.  I think that's what they really call him anyway.  I ask Maryann if it's okay to use him.  She said that's fine.

So, Bob is a dummy punching bag.  Found this picture online of him.  This should be interesting!

When you're throwing a jab, cross, hook, it's usually to the head.  Maryann says to mirror yourself on the bag or someone you don't like (HA, does help) and hit at that level.  Well, with Bob, you don't have to pretend at all.  He's made of some weird material that when you hit him, his head moves.  It's kind of freaky.  You see he doesn't have any arms, just shoulders?  Well, round kicks were really interesting.  You have a choice, either kick him in the ribs or up in the face.  I stuck with the ribs.  It was really weird kicking him in the face.  As I'm going along, I start really looking at him.  Look at his eyes...... AHH!  They started to creep me out.  I felt like he was staring at me and he was getting angry that I kept hitting him and he had no arms to hit me back.  Upper cuts to the ribs, now, that was fun.  Also, knees to the ribs, placing hands on the shoulder, that was great, I understand that now.   

Even though I was scared of him, I did learn a few things.  One - get over the face.  If a person was going to attack you, it's going to have a similar face to this one.  Two - follow through with your hooks.  When you're punching the bag, you're kind of forced to stop.  When you're punching someone in the face, follow through and get all of your body weight behind it, definitely.  Three - kick and punch higher.  Because I'm shorter, I need to remember to kick and hit a little higher than a mirror image of myself.  My front kick was barely into Bob's belly button.  Get that leg up higher!  

The last thing I learned is you should try using Bob at least once during your time kickboxing.  It really helps you understand form and placement!  

Kiss The Floor

Almost every class you will hear Maryann say "Watch the floor.  It is a little uneven in some spots."  I joked with her, telling her to get a dry erase board so we can mark down every time someone trips.  

One day we were doing our beginning cardio.  There is a decent amount of people in the class.  When you know you go slower than other people, you're supposed to stick to the inside of the bags, let the faster ones pass you on the outside.  That doesn't always happen which leads to a "traffic jam".  Usually the other side of the gym is empty when this happens.  I noticed no one was there, I cut across the room and started back at my own pace.  Moving onto side shuffles, I started getting close to someone again.  This time my mind and feet did not work together.  My mind tried to tell my body to slow down, one foot got the message before the other foot.  My right foot stepped on my left foot just as I was picking it up, and BOOM, on the floor.  It was like slow motion.  I used to have these dreams that if I fell I would do some crazy roll out of the fall, not get hurt and everyone say that was amazing.  Dreams are dreams.  I hit the floor with a thud, face inches from kissing the floor.  Karma, that's all I can say.  That's what I get for suggesting the board.  I have been running around that gym for almost three month and had no problem.  I was ready for Maryann to start cracking up at me.  She just did her usual "Watch the floor" and acted like nothing happened.  

Lesson?  You fall, you get back up.  You gain a pound or two, don't quit, restart!  If you fall in class, I won't laugh because I did it too!  It only hurts for a second or two and then you're fine.  You miss the bag while trying a kick and almost fall, I've been there.  I know, the bag doesn't move, how could you miss it?  I don't know, careless, concentrating on the next step?  You got me, but it happens!  

This is Maryann's round kick--- 

I must have watched her demonstrate 15 times before I got the hang of it to the point I didn't almost fall.  They really help with your balance.  

After I got home from class one night, Travis and Ary were in the kitchen trying to see who could balance on their foot the longest.  Despite my legs being on fire, I joined in.  Ary did not last long.  Travis, on the other hand, is a crazy monkey, walking on a 2x4 wall two stories up.  He says "You can't beat me"........game on!  I told him holding the foot out to the front is too easy, turn sideways and hold your foot out in a side kick position.  YEP, down in three seconds.  I win, HA!  

I know, balance isn't really that important.  But I would have never imagined kickboxing helping with balance.  Just another reason why............. have I told you lately..........

First My Sides, Now My Butt..........

FINALLY!!!!!!!!! Someone decided to come with me to kickboxing.  My sister-in-law, Brandy, came with me to class this week.  She absolutely LOVED it!

Brandy lives up in the Scranton area.  She told me she was coming down to visit, I told her she was coming to class with me.  She said okay.

It was Travis and Brandy's grandmother's birthday, 89 years old and still going strong!!  For her birthday I made an AMAZING dish that my sister created.  I'll show you because I could eat this all day long....

Gemelli with Chicken and Vegetables

Whose Stupid Idea Was This?!

It all started on Monday.  A friend of mine told me he is doing free archery lessons for ages 8 and up.  Of course I'm in, well, for Ary.  Then he told me it would be good for both of us, kind of a mother, daughter thing.  So, that means for eight weeks I'm going to have to start missing my Monday night class.  I'm sad but happy at the same time.  I love them both.

Monday night, class as usual, same as Tuesday night.  Travis then tells me he has an appointment on Friday and I cannot go to class Friday night.  Hmm....this is really starting to get annoying.  I like my four days a week schedule.  So I decided to try to sneak into class on Wednesday night.  That's a no go.  My neighbor's well pump died and Travis went over to replaced it for them.  No Travis to watch the kids, so I asked my mom and of course she said yes.  As I'm getting ready to leave, Ary runs to the bathroom, doesn't feel well.  Too many signs telling me to stay home.  I stayed home.

So, Travis came in and ate dinner.  He felt bad that I wasn't going to be able to go my four times a week.  I told him it was fine, I'll go in the morning or tomorrow night.  Then he looked at me and smirked.  What is your problem?  He laughed and said "What, can't go twice in a day?"  Umm.... what does that mean?  "I don't think you have the dedication, the drive to go twice in one day."  Oh yeah, that's what you think?  Game on!!  I'm going.

BUT there's a catch.  I can't go to either class and only give 50 percent.  I has to be normal 100 percent.

Thursday morning, it's time.  Ary doesn't have school and I was caught up on my work, so I decided to sleep in.  I woke up about 8:45.  Oh geez!  Travis' mom will be here in like 15 minutes to watch the kids.  Oh well, did my normal morning routine and she arrived before I even got dressed.  Ary and Tristan were still asleep! HA!  What a lazy day this was turning out to be.  Getting ready and forgot to eat something.  I'm all out of bananas, so I make a quick smoothie.

Get to class and start running around the gym.  Man, my legs are TIGHT for some reason.  Is it anxiety or sore from Tuesday night?  Shake 'em out, keep running.  Start warm up punches, yep, there's my hand.  It's killing me this morning.  That's when I realize, it's anxiety.  I'm getting myself psyched out for tonight.  Focus, get through Maryann's class and get home to rest for a couple hours.  Punches, kicks, abs, more abs.  I have never been more happy to hear her say stretch it out.  Seriously, she kicked my butt this morning.

Yeah, gotta love it though!  

On the way home I'm thinking to myself I don't know, I'm tired.  I get in the house, sit down, talk to Travis' mom for a bit.  Then I let it slip out "I don't know if I'm going to be able to do another one tonight."  See, my mind's setting itself up for failure!  Where's the positive outlook?  I have a couple hours to rest, work and make dinner.  I should be fine by then.  Maryann told me that it is easier to work out twice in a day then to work out once every day.  Going twice in one day, your muscles will not have enough time to register the soreness that you usually get the day after.  

Clock moves fast when you want it to go slow.  

Get to class, there's a ton of people there.  Of course, as you know, I'm usually there right before everything starts.  So, I'm all the way in the back tonight.  I'm thinking this is going to be good because if I fall over, pass out, then everyone won't really see.  I'm going to get the wake up taps from Jeremy, definitely not looking forward to that.  

Start running around the room, legs, ehh, not too bad.  Let me say, it's hard to actually do the warm up with so many people in the class.  You kind of have to stay the pace of the person in front of you.  You don't want to be the rude one cutting everyone off around the corners.  So, I just cut them off when we did the lungs around the room, HA!   

Start punches with just jabs first.  This is really odd because I'm used to jab cross, not just jab.  My arms are starting to tighten up.  Now he says cross, yep, feels so much better!  "I'm going to be a nice guy today.  We're going to work on abs."  Really?!  Come on, hopefully Maryann's right and they won't be sore yet.  Oh, nope, I'm definitely feeling it and it's just the first round for abs.  

I'm really trying hard not to tell anyone that this is my second class of the day.  I want to keep going at my 100 percent and just do what I love.  

"Jab, cross, jab, cross, SQUAT, three front kicks."  Come over here, Jeremy, stand right in front of my bag, would ya.  AH!  "You can feel it in those squats to kicks, well, I guess you'll find out, haha."  Seriously, just come here and say it, please!!  "Why do we have you squat?  You're getting out of the way of someone throwing a punch.  So, you don't want to half squat, you need to squat.  This is why I have the motivator."

Yeah, I could have done without the motivator tonight.  My legs are on fire.  They really didn't get much of break from all of Maryann's kicks this morning.  Now we're burning them up some more!   Don't forget, he's killing the ab work in between each round.   

Almost done, we have to be almost done.  I can't see the clock from all the way back here.  Then he has us work with a partner, not normal but okay.  As long as we're not doing wall sits, I'm good.  

Hey, SURPRISE, put your bags away and stand against the wall.  OH NO!! He's making us crawl again.  Yeah, not that.  Military style something or other.  I don't really remember what he said, I tuned him out.  One push up, get up, run the room, back down for two, run, three, run, four, run, all the way to ten.  After three I think I was done.  My arms were on fire, my back, my shoulders, I'll say it, TOO MUCH IN ONE DAY FOR ME!  I finished and when I was done I just sat my butt back and stretched it out.  I didn't want to move.  

After all this I still had a little energy left.  I got up, walked around the room, stretched it out and went out to change my shoes.  Sat on the arm of the chair, trying to catch my breath.  I'm exhausted, starting to get shaky.  The sweat, it just wouldn't stop.  Didn't help that there was a ton of people in there either.  

You know what this made me realize?  (Once again with the learning thing)  I can do two classes in one day at my 100 percent.  Now I need to start going over my 100 percent in one class.  It's amazing what your mind will will your body to do.    BUT you won't see me there twice in one day for a while, HA!  

AND..... ACTION!!

A lot of people are interested in trying the kickboxing class, but for some reason or another they are hesitant.  Friday night I decided to take in the video camera.  I didn't want to miss class (yep, junkie!) so Wendy was kind enough to bring in her tripod so we could set the camera up and let it run.  It is kind of strange to see myself in the video, but it's really good at the same time.  My squats are absolutely horrible.  I need Jeremy to stand there with the motivator for one whole night, just to make sure I am doing my squats properly.

Well, here it is.  Some of the music may conflict at times.  I didn't take the background music out because I wanted you to hear Jeremy talking.  

Thanks for letting me record you guys!!

No Pictures, Please!

If you know me, then you know that I'm always the one behind the camera.  I don't like my picture being taken at all.  That's kind of a problem when you are doing a blog about losing weight.  Everyone wants to see YOU... blah!

How am I going to take pictures of myself IN class?  I was thinking about having Ary take the pictures, but I know I'd probably see blurry images.  A friend of mine, Sharon, takes my family pictures.  So, I decided to call her and see what she thought about it.  Of course she said yes because she's awesome!