A little while ago I picked up a work-out DVD called Budokon: The Beginning Practice (or Booty-Kon as I like to call it). I was suffering Tae Kwon Do withdrawal and wanted a work out where I could kick and punch things to keep my form up until I could get back to my regularly schedule belt collection. It was a good workout, a mix of yoga and martial arts kicks and punches. Then I decided to amp it up and got the next DVD, Budokon for Weight Management. I watched it, but never actually did it. The weather turned warm and I spent my workout time walking the 5K loop every day. The DVD sat on my shelf.Then today I took it out and decided to start mixing it into my workout. I want to start back to TKD in October to get my blue belt, and I'd prefer not to spar with the black belts without getting back into fighting shape to some degree. Walking 5K is one thing. Dodging back fists to the head while trying to get in a spinning side kick is a whole other skill set.
Anyway, I pull out the DVD and give it a go. The yoga proved more challenging than I anticipated. I could feel my muscles stretching, cursing me for letting my flexibility lapse. After twenty minutes of that I felt energized if a bit wobbly knee-ed. Then onto the martial arts kicks and punches. No prob, I think. I used to do this in my sleep. I used to be able to out-kick black belts (okay not all of them, but some -- I'm a fast little bugger when I need to be).
Yeah. Uh, not so much any more. My reflexes have slowed. Understandable given I've been sidelined for two years, but still. You forget that when you go to do it. Twenty minutes later I was thinking a white belt could have wiped the floor with me. Well, maybe not a white belt. But definitely a yellow belt.
Still, I have to say I loved it. I really, really miss my Tae Kwon Do. My work used to pay for a gym membership and I used mine to get a year's worth of TKD, but when they stopped that benefit (argh!) I just couldn't swing it financially. Also I found because it takes 2-3 classes a week to stay in good fighting form, it took up a fair bit of time, and in the summer I didn't feel like going as much. But I'm anxious to get back. My plan is to hopefully rejoin come October for six months. That should give me time to get my blue tip and then blue belt, if all goes well. I was ready to get my blue tip when my last membership ran out. So I just need to get up to speed and remember the pattern sequences and then hopefully I'll be ready to test.
If I start in October and go six months, that will take me up to March, at which point I might take another running clinic (maybe the 10K run clinic), which then takes me into softball and race season from May to September. A good mix to keep me from getting bored.
I know some people hate to work out, but I think if I had the time, I'd play sports every day of the week. It's way more fun than working. Maybe I should have been a personal trainer...
10 comments:
Just reading about your exercise ambition wears me out. I belong to the gym but I've been having some hip problems and haven't quite found the balance between too little and too much exercise to keep the hip from flaring up. Maybe I should join the senior exercise class - they look like a fun bunch of old people and they seem a whole lot more limber than me.
Oh very cool! Good for you.
I jotted down your air date in my Calendar...extra very cool
Wow! Sounds very cool. I've always wanted to learn martial arts. :)
I used to love working out when I was home. Everyday I'd get out my weights, or do my cardio. But since I've gone back to work I can't seem to fit everything in. I need to be unemployed :).
Good for you! I took tai chi and yoga, but not tae kwon do.
I know some schools were running specials a few weeks ago, so it may not be as costly as you thought.
It's actually less than a gym membership. The school I go to charges about $460 for a year membership, which isn't too bad. That might have gone up some in the past couple of years, but considering you have to pay around, what, $600 for a gym membership, it isn't too bad.
It always surprises me to hear when companies take away such a sensible benefit as a gym membership. Hellooo - exercise reduces stress and makes people healthier! They're saving money because healthy people get sick less often, which means fewer days off work, thus less sick leave to pay. Sheesh.
And $450 for the year is a real bargain!
Hope doing the DVD helps you get back into fighting shape :-)
I wanted to get back to Curves last night, but with freezing rain I deemed it better to go straight home. And as it turns out, we had four inches of snow this morning, making the morning commute miserable.
My two stepsons were in the martial arts for awhile and they liked it, but it got to be too expensive.
I'm lucky that my work pays for a family membership. If not, I don't imagine we would have the money to go. (I absolutely love it and so do my kids). It is terrible for the rates to be so high. I'm with you though in the nice whether I like to be outside doing activity.
How can people not LOVE at least one form of exercise???? I just don't get it!
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