Tried Something New

Anyone who knows me, knows that I am addicted to kickboxing.  I take to two classes a week and I lead one on Sunday.  It is more of a strength building kickboxing class than a dancing/cardio type.  I love it.  I have been doing it for three years.  I am going to keep on doing it, but I felt like it was time to add something new to my routine.  I still walk four miles a day two or three times a week.  It used to be five days a week, but my walking partner is not able to go as often and I am not as motivated to go on my own.  The biggest problem I have with exercising is finding the time.  With the walking, it is not difficult because we leave at five in the morning and are back by six.  No one is even awake at my house so I feel no guilt.  There is no reason for feeling guilty…I know this, but when everyone is up and awake and homework needs to be done, or dinner prepared, I just feel like there are too many priorities that need to come first.  Dave and I have both built exercise into our lives.  For him, it is soccer and we make sure that we both find time each week to fit it in to our routines.  It is good for us.  Exercise keeps us balanced, fit and healthy.  I hope that it is also a good thing for our kids to see, knowing that we are active and we do it so that we can maintain healthier life styles.

Since I have been exercising every day of the week, I really did not want to give it up even though I don’t have my walking partner everyday anymore.  I was trying to figure out what else to do.  Another friend of mine tried a Spinning class a few weeks ago and has been trying to get me to go.  I have been hesitant.  I really doubted that I’d be able to keep up with the class.  Today, I tried a class.  I let the instructor know that this was totally new for me and that I wasn’t sure I’d be able to keep up.  She made sure that I knew that I could totally go at my own pace and to take it to whatever level I was able to do.  The class was a really small one – which I was happy about, just three of us.  Unfortunately for me, the other two were gorgeous seventeen year old girls in amazing shape.  I knew I’d never be able to keep up with them.  I was right.  I did my best though.  I just kept it at my own pace and tried to do everything that the instructor was telling me to do.  I could not keep up with them, but I never stopped.  More than once I thought I was going to throw up!  Half way through the class, I decided that I was never coming back!!  Still, I was determined to make it through the whole class.

During the cool down, the instructor praised me – and I laughed and said that I could not keep up with her!  She told me that when she started, she felt the same way.  She told me not to give up after the first class.  I am still thinking about it.  I’d love to build up enough endurance to do one or two of those classes a week, along with my kickboxing!  I just am not sure if I can do it!   I will admit, I really wanted to love it.  I didn’t.  Dave reminded me that I thought Kickboxing was super challenging when I began, so maybe there’s a chance.  I will go again and see what happens.  If I like it great.  If I don’t,  I will keep looking.  I don’t have to commit to anything.

I laughed out loud at the end of the class when one of the 17 year old girls said to me, “Props to you for hanging in!  My mom would not have been able to do it!”   I am not sure how I felt about that comment…proud that I (sort of,) kept up with these young girls, or super old knowing that I was older than the two of them put together!

Tagged: daily exercise, exercise, feeling old, greatness, healthy, kickboxing, spinning, trying something new