thanks to a martial arts strangermart coupon purchased nearly a year ago, i completed my self-defense class goal last week(#78)! and i get to go back eleven more times fo' free. well, "free" as in it's already been paid for, so i might as well...
i've taken cardio kickboxing classes in the past, but after my first session at mkg in northgate, those seem like a joke. here you get to practice fighting real people using sticks, gloves and pads. and it feels GREAT to actually hit something, whether it's a punching bag or the receiver's padded hands. much better than punching the air and just guessing that i could do some damage if i really needed to.
the hardest part, besides the embarrassment of occasionally looking foolish and uncoordinated, was probably taking all those hits. some of the guys took it slow for me, since i was new (or, yeah, maybe because i'm a lady), but others did not hold back... oof! all in all it was a terrific workout, and the hour just flew by. i definitely felt it in my back muscles the next day. but the parts of me that were really sore afterwards were my wrists from all the hits my hands had to take.
impi was the only female student in a class of about twenty. intimidating? a little, but i picked up the sequences pretty quickly and am confident enough to go back a couple more times to see if it really sticks.
i also finally went a month without buying a single item of clothing or accessory (#86). on the one hand, part of me is a little ashamed that this was even one of my goals. but on the other hand, i found myself all too often just buying one thing here or there (or online) as the moment struck, and i wanted to try to be more intentional about my purchases. less impulsive. it's not like i'm a repeat offender of massive shopping sprees; i just wanted to work on eliminating those little justifications i always make for whatever it is i think i want at the time.
it was easier than i thought, once i recognized that i have everything i need (and more, yes). however i did long for some things, just to have a little new-ness... and because my favorite cardigan now officially has too many holes in it to actually wear out of the house. but i did not replace it! i held back! and did a lot of online browsing at my favorite store! things i DID NOT purchase in the last month include the following: this awesome skirt, this snazzy sweater, and this any-occasion-appropriate dress.
easy enough. i bet i could accomplish this goal twice -- or even thrice-- over.
i've taken cardio kickboxing classes in the past, but after my first session at mkg in northgate, those seem like a joke. here you get to practice fighting real people using sticks, gloves and pads. and it feels GREAT to actually hit something, whether it's a punching bag or the receiver's padded hands. much better than punching the air and just guessing that i could do some damage if i really needed to.
the hardest part, besides the embarrassment of occasionally looking foolish and uncoordinated, was probably taking all those hits. some of the guys took it slow for me, since i was new (or, yeah, maybe because i'm a lady), but others did not hold back... oof! all in all it was a terrific workout, and the hour just flew by. i definitely felt it in my back muscles the next day. but the parts of me that were really sore afterwards were my wrists from all the hits my hands had to take.
impi was the only female student in a class of about twenty. intimidating? a little, but i picked up the sequences pretty quickly and am confident enough to go back a couple more times to see if it really sticks.
__________
i also finally went a month without buying a single item of clothing or accessory (#86). on the one hand, part of me is a little ashamed that this was even one of my goals. but on the other hand, i found myself all too often just buying one thing here or there (or online) as the moment struck, and i wanted to try to be more intentional about my purchases. less impulsive. it's not like i'm a repeat offender of massive shopping sprees; i just wanted to work on eliminating those little justifications i always make for whatever it is i think i want at the time.
it was easier than i thought, once i recognized that i have everything i need (and more, yes). however i did long for some things, just to have a little new-ness... and because my favorite cardigan now officially has too many holes in it to actually wear out of the house. but i did not replace it! i held back! and did a lot of online browsing at my favorite store! things i DID NOT purchase in the last month include the following: this awesome skirt, this snazzy sweater, and this any-occasion-appropriate dress.
easy enough. i bet i could accomplish this goal twice -- or even thrice-- over.
__________
