I love this! I am a huge advocate of fake it 'til you make it.

Rainbowgirl - I can't wait to hear how it goes!

ZOMG! It's tomorrow!

I'm so scared! I called the rec center a few minutes ago and spoke to someone there (who was very nice). She said it's drop-in so it's for all fitness levels. I told her "I have the coordination of a drunk fish" she said "You'll do fine! Just bring yourself and your courage!"

I want someone else to go in my stead!

On another note, I found a school in Vancouver that teaches medieval swordfighting with rapiers, broadswords, side swords, quarter staffs, etc. The beginner lessons are 8 lessons for only $100-ish. It works out to like $13 a lesson and the lessons are over 1-1/2 hours long.

I'm thinking on checking that one out too.

But omg.. kickboxing tomorrow. So nervous!

You can do this! We want a report back tomorrow. Thursday is my Karadio day - very similar to kick boxing. I'll be doing my best in my class sending courage over your way. You can do this! Just have fun with it - and sword fighting sounds like a really fun way to get in shape.

Lin

@Lin - Thanks! I'm a big fan of myself.

@Rainbowgirl - Yes, report back tomorrow! We're all going to bask in the glory of your awesomeness. And just think about the woman who reads this and needs the courage and can look up to you!

Ok! I did it. I was SUPER nervous when I got there - I even changed in the bathroom stall because there was a group of 4 younger girls (all insanely teeny) discussing hair and boys and I had a flashback of high school and whatnot. Yay o__o

Anyway, while waiting for the instructor there was another girl there and I asked if she was waiting for the kickboxing; she said yes and I asked how the class was etc. etc. That kind of calmed my nerves. There were only about 8 of us, maybe? in the class including one very elderly gentleman named Leon. I was by far the heaviest girl there (aside from Leon, it was an all-female group). Apart from the girl I met outside the class (and Leon and the instructor) everyone else was Asian and probably weighed about 100 lbs soaking wet. Greeaatt.

Let me first say that my assumption that I had the coordination of a drunk fish was wrong. In fact, I have the coordination of a drunk fish out of water. Nonetheless, I did almost all the exercises. I could not do the running in place, nor the jumping jacks, nor the lunges. I did try my best to do the kickboxing routines, but I can't get my leg up high enough to kick (it's too heavy) but I did it the best I could. When we did the weights (dumbbells) I did as many of them as I could, and then pushed to do more, though had to ease off because my shoulders were killing me and my tendonitis in both wrists, plus my "likely" broken left thumb was bugging me. Regardless, I took a breather and kept on going. When we did the floor exercises, I did as much as I could. I have no abdominal strength, so I could only do a few of the exercises that required it. When we had to hold a little ball between our feet and put our legs in the air, I stretched because I cannot lift my legs up like that and I don't have the flexibility to straighten them out even if I could (my legs don't lift straight up; never have).

Regardless, I worked up a sweat (a bit, I don't seem to actually sweat much despite all the water I drink) and I am sore and probably going to be REALLY sore tomorrow, but that's why I chose this class so I have Friday to rest up and Saturday to (hopefully) heal up by swimming in the morning.

I spoke to the instructor after class and she was nice (not overly friendly but I think she was in a hurry to get to her next class) and asked what I should do when my wrists are bothering me. Her response: "No competition! You do what you can, then you rest. Maybe when you do more and more, you get better. But now? You rest when you have to." I told her I was sorry for being so uncoordinated and she said "No, no, you did good!" So that was encouraging.

I will be going back next week because it was fun. I heard her say before class that her morning classes are always slow and not very full - which is nice b/c the fewer people to see my fat rolls, the better!

Now, to grab something to eat, a shower, make lunch/dinner and head to work in a few hours.

Phew!

I am so happy for you and glad that you will be going back. The instructor is absolutely right, you rest when you need to. My motto has always been you do what you can do until you can do what you want to do.

FANTASTIC! No other words - just fantastic. And - lots of people don't do jumping jacks or other high impact moves. The OWNER of my gym won't do them. She just steps side to side. No impact. And the Karadio instructor, who competes on an international level in all sorts of martial arts, says just kick as high as you can - a kick to the (imaginary) shin is still a hit. It doesn't have to be to the head to get the benefit. Keep up the fntastic work.

Lin

Look how awesome you are! That wasn't even as bad as you imagined!

AWESOME!!!!! Fantastic job!!! I am leaving for my class in about an hour and can't wait!!!

yay!!! Sounds like you will be able to really push yourself, but not have to worry about the instructor having unrealistic expectations.

But I will say that I didn't know you had those medical/physical issues. Have you checked with your doctor to make sure this class (even with modifications) will be appropriate for you?

Yep. None of my health issues are severe enough to exclude me from any physical activity. So long as I can do it and know my limitations, I'm free to do whatever I wish.

I am late reading this but I wanted to say AWESOME for going!!!

May I give you some suggestions for when you feel unable to do the moves that are instructed. To do the exercises in a modified way rather than just stopping and resting. Do the dumbbells as much as you can then do the same motion without dumbbells ,just using your arms. Same for the jumping jacks do the modified version of not jumping but moving your arms and feet in the jumping jack motion. If running in place is too much just march in place. Don't stop moving ,keep your heart rate up.

Very proud of you for giving it a go!!! Keep going it will only get better and better.