Kickboxing

I recently started going back to the gym. One of my favorite classes is called Body Combat which is a licensed name for kickboxing.

I used to be a regular at my daughter's karate studio, never missing a day of kickboxing. At first it was the pumping music and the young and fit participants; as the old mom, I could be uncoordinated without fear of being outcast since no one was looking to ask me out for a fruit smoothie after class anyway. The more I went and the better I got, the more I craved it. I'm sure it was part endorphins, part adrenaline, part feeling good about myself. But if we're truth-telling, I think it was mostly kicking the crap out of that bag. 

Ignorant politicians making headlines, jab. Obnoxious mother at school, uppercut. Someone who wronged me 20 years ago that I'm still thinking about, roundhouse kick/cross/hook. Was it the most productive way to handle my anger? Probably not. But meditation is not going to give me cut arms. Plus there is something about that primal grunting as you punch with your entire body and soul in alignment while the sweat drips off the end of your nose, that is cleansing. 

Needless to say, I didn't know how much I missed it until I started taking it again. There are plenty of ignorant politicians, obnoxious mothers, and people who wronged me 20 years ago to keep me in punches and kicks for a good while. It may not be Zen, and my mindfulness may need a regular reset, but it can't be all bad to take out my aggression this way. And if I wind up stronger both emotionally and physically in the process, bonus.

Kiai!