Today I got punched... HARD... in kickboxing class. In the gut. Okay, so I admit, I had a shield in front of me, but still... it was a PUNCH! A bunch of punches actually. Did I tell you they were HARD punches (typed in call caps for emphasis?) Oh yes, yes I did.
This article is ©2017 Heather Anne at Heather Anne Art and Soul. All rights reserved. See my copyright notice here.
They say it's "no contact" but apparently in MMA, that just means you get to put a big fluffy leather pillow in front of you before the other students punch and kick you. Their fists and feet contact the fluffy leather pillow, which then contacts... YOU! I signed up for this little bit of madness because the gym opened up right next to my kids' dance studio. I figured I had no more excuses about working out hard if it was right there!
We partnered up. We do a lot of exercises with a partner. Coach Jerry told us to grab a shield (the fluffy leather pillow) and get our gloves. We were going to punch the shield until the person moved back. We had to keep punching until we moved our partner all the way from one side of the gym to the other.
I partnered with a woman who looked really sweet. She had a cute curly ponytail. She was thin and looked like she wouldn't hurt me. She let me punch first since I am a beginner. I felt so funny punching someone in the abdomen that I said "Sorry! I feel bad!" She laughed and told me to keep going.
Then it was her turn to punch. So I put the fluffy leather pillow in front of me. I was thinking, you know... I would feel something but it wouldn't be that bad. How much damage can a woman with such an adorable high ponytail do?
Oh my sweet baby unicorns! That woman punched like a truck hit me! She was so strong! Do not underestimate the cute curly ponytail!
I could not help but yell "WOW!" when she hit the shield the first time. Of course I yelled so loudly that everyone turned around to see if I had fainted or died. I had not, so they went back to what they were doing. Then I could not stop laughing because it was such a bizarre feeling having someone do that.
My daughter, who was watching my class, looked me me horrified and mouthed "Mom! What?" Then she started gesturing to me and I had to show her I was fine.
This punching went on for awhile to make it all the way across the floor. Let me tell you ladies, there is a certain way to hold that fluffy leather pillow, or your "girls" will NOT be happy! Men have it easy. They can just put the shield against their chest. Women do that and ... OUCH!!! So I had to twist and contort to make sure the shield was against my shoulder and hip.
I was thinking over and over "Please don't miss. Please don't miss. Please don't miss." I did not want to feel her fist in my face. There was no leather pillow there!
Then I was thinking "What the heck?" (but a different word in place of heck) "This chick is HITTING me...HARD!" It wasn't painful, but getting punched like that... you feel it.
I have never been hit like that in my life! It shocked me at first. But then I dug my shoulder in, after the coach corrected me, and I DID IT! I took a punch, over and over again. And I am FINE. I pushed past something, that even though I was laughing the whole time, was pretty scary.
A couple of years ago I had crushing fatigue due to adrenal disease and poorly treated hypothyroidism. I also had vitamin and mineral deficiencies caused by absorption problems due to celiac. I used a scooter at Disneyland and other places that required a lot of walking because it took me days to recover if I didn't. I also had really bad plantar fasciitis.
But today, I got punched and after I got over the initial shock... I LIKED IT!
I have crawled out of a deep chasm battling for my health and wellness. I have been relentless at finding treatments. I have fired arrogant doctors who refused to listen to me and did not want to figure out why I had such symptoms. I read and read and read, and then kept looking until I found a doctor who knew what I needed and did what it took to make me THRIVE!
My message to you today is BE RELENTLESS. Do not take no for answer. IF you're gonna go down... do down fighting! After every victory, even the small ones, stand up proudly and say "Yeah... I DID THAT!"
This article is ©2017 Heather Anne at Heather Anne Art and Soul. All rights reserved. See my copyright notice here.