So THAT's why boxers are so ripped...

So...sore...and so...loving it!

So Friday evening-ish I went to LA Boxing for my trial workout. SO FUN!
I mean, it was hard. It totally kicked my *beep* but I loooved it. I really do better when there is someone there pushing me (mentally, not actually pushing me around), yelling at me (again, in a positive way) and cheering me on. Which is exactly what Rolando did. And why I am in love. JUST KIDDING.
No, it was really great. First they wrapped my hands with gauze and stuff to protect my knuckles and fingers. Then they gave me some loaner gloves (Eeeewww!) and placed me behind a punching bag.
Then the instructor was late and we had to wait. BUT then he got there and made us go out back to the rear parking lot and run laps. I know. I was like, 'excuse me...i so did not sign up for RUNNING'. But, I'm a trooper, or try to be at least, and so I ran.
I am not a runner. I made it through two laps and my breathing was so bad I had to move over and let people pass me up...because he had us running in a single-file line and I was in the middle. But I walked/ran/walked the last part and then we went inside and started warming up. I won't go through all of that, but we did a LOT of work with a medicine ball, and squats and pushups and plank poses and lunges and THEN we put on our gloves.
He paired me and my friend with more experienced people which was good, because the guy I sparred with was nice, but also encouraging. He said I was punching really well. I had good form. Eeek!!! I know, I was really excited.
I will just say that I r-e-a-l-l-y enjoyed punching that bag. It was funny, though, because my partner said, 'ok, so just pretend that the bag is your last jerk of a boyfriend'. And I thought. Sheesh. I can't think back that far! Then I thought, well, I'll just imagine it is someone I hate enough to punch. But couldn't actually picture anyone there, either. I know, right?! What is wrong with me? So then I figured I'd put all my energy into it and just imagine I was beating the snot out of Satan. Yes, I realize that sounds really weird, but he and I seem to be locked in a battle of sorts right now anyway, so I figured I might as well punch on a bag about it...instead of anyone else who might get in the way. But I digress...

Back to my report: So after punching, we had to do MORE pushups. And lunges. And these things where we roll ourselves down to touch the ground and then roll back up and jump up with our hands in the air.

Then we punched again. And the last 5 minutes was 'freestyle'. We could punch however we wanted to. Can I tell you, I was a little bit terrified of the guy I was next to (not my partner). That bag was bouncing around like crazy as he punched and kicked and jabbed and kicked and all with this real intense look on his face. Seriously, the guy was a beast. I actually stopped to watch him for a few seconds--I couldn't help it. It was cool and scary and a little sexy all at the same time. Who knew?

So I want to go back. I just need to find someone who doesn't want their membership anymore, because it is transferrable and then it would save me some moolah. Which would be nice.

Oh, and at the end, I kept coughing and wheezing while talking to the lady about membership. No, it wasn't a distractionary tactic, though that would have been brilliant! No, I just couldn't quite get a full breath of air into my lungs. Two of the people there were like, 'do you have asthma?' and I said, 'no'. And they looked at me and were like, "I think you have asthma" and my friend who was there with me (who actually does have asthma) says, "you sound like me when I don't have my inhaler." So that's nice. I have been having trouble breathing lately, even just washing dishes or talking to someone or...breathing. So I guess I better go check that out now. Ugh.

There IS one drawback from the LA Boxing experience: No, not sore muscles, but the stench. No, not my body sweat...though, I don't think I smelled like a fresh spring day. I am talking about my hands. They STANK so bad. Oh, it was so gross. I had to wash my hands several times to get the smell off. I am assuming it was the loaner gloves. MY gloves would never smell like that. ;)