Finding Your Fight, The Class: Reporting In

lFirst of all, I want to thank Betsy for helping me set up the Finding Your Fight: Intro to Boxing class, Arturo for teaching it, and LA Boxing Georgetown for allowing use of the space/equipment.

Secondly, I would love to thank all the fabulous ladies (Emily, Lauren, Amanda, Megan) for attending the class. Kudos to Lauren for being a "natural" and earning a $25 Visa Gift card for "being a natural" according to Arturo.

"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life."
Muhammad Ali

I keep on talking about "Finding Your Fight." It has become a turning point for me in two main ways: (1) taking my exercise to the next level (not resting on my laurels) and (2) really engaging my mind and heart in everything that I do (instead of just going through the motions).

Boxing is hard. It isn't impossible, but it is hard. It requires patience and repetition. It requires focus and skill.

But more than anything else, it requires a whole lot of heart.

"Only a man who knows what it is like to be defeated can reach down to the bottom of his soul and come up with the extra ounce of power it takes to win when the match is even."
Muhammad Ali

I don't know about you (if you've ever boxed or participated in martial arts, or even exercised in a manner unfamiliar to you) or any of the ladies that participated in the class (but I'd love to hear from them), but there are times when every muscle is screaming for me to stop, or my heart is racing, and I have to take the second to pause and re-energize myself. I continually tell myself to stay with it, to feel the fatigue and be appreciative that I am moving (even if it isn't the most perfect workout).

I know the fear will pass. I know the leap of faith will free me.
I know my body will respond and recover.

All that is really left is the fight we fight against ourselves for ourselves.
What happens when you think you can't do something? Do you see walls as obstacles or challenges to be scaled? Do you turn toward your fears or away from them?

"Life doesn't run away from nobody. Life runs at people. "
Joe Frazier

In terms of the #GoTheDist challenge, having the inner fight/determination and heart means that you take your 100% goal and go 10% beyond -- you go further, faster, or harder. Are you facing forward or retreating? Are you selling yourself short?

So the meat and potatoes: Arturo warmed us up by having us move around in awkward and silly ways -- for instance a duck walk, jumping/crawling around like frogs, spiders, and monkeys, some dynamic stretching, and a bunch (150) jumping jacks. Arturo's point was made very clear -- boxing isn't just about hitting things; it's about conditioning.

We moved into bag work -- jabs, cross, hook, uppercut -- working in combinations and varying speed/intensity. We also added other elements (plyo jumps, squats, pushups, more jumping jacks, more squats) inbetween sets.

By the end I think everyone was feeling that sweet soreness that says "this was a workout." I'm proud that everyone stuck with it and kept each other going.

I think one of the most heartwarming moments (and something I'll take from this) is during the jumping jacks -- it was clear that not everyone was at the same conditioning level. Arturo counted the first 30, and then we took over. When my voice started fading, my friend Emily started counting and motivating everyone to finish it to the end. So while I was out of breath and sore, I felt strong because my friend had my back.

"Friendship... is not something you learn in school. But if you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything." ~ Muhammad Ali