we are not invincible

i recently took an mma class at a local martial arts gym.  i've been wanting to take a self-defence class in a while so i figure this would be an excellent opportunity to do that and change up my regular work out routine.  i know i have a pretty active lifestyle as we speak - badminton, tennis, running, strength training, and now brazilian ju jitsu and muay thai boxing?

on tuesday, i had my first class on brazilian ju jitsu. i wasn't just the only newbie in class but i was also the only female.  the instructor partnered up with me and spent the class trying to help me get up to speed with the rest of the class on the basic moves.  i learned how to get out of certain holds, and also to get someone off me if they were sitting on top of me.  much of the sport has to do with using your opponent's body weight and momentum to your advantage.  it isn't really about your own strength so even a small individual like me, can do this.  the instructor gave good pointers on how to defend yourself when you're on the ground.  Kick and push your opponent's head away and then get up and run.  run?!  don't you stay and pummel your attacker a few more times?  he said no, not the goal.  violence is never the answer.

by the end of the class, it felt like i didn't do much but the day after, my back was sore.  i did not fall hard on the mat, i did not twist anything.  but the fact that you have to use your own body weight as well as your opponents body weight to flip your opponent over, you end up using every muscle in your back.  i may have flipped my opponent over, but it also took my own body weight to balance myself.

on thursday, i was invited to take part in the muay thai advanced class.  i've boxed before so punching is not new to me.  the instructor gave me pointers on how muay thai boxing works.  the stance, the punches, the kicks, using the knees, etc.  i got the punching down .. but without doing a test on how hard the bag was, i did a full kick and it felt like i kicked a cement post.  my foot was instantly bruised.  i'm not going to sugar coat it .. it hurt.

the others in the class - all male .. were instructed to do their warm up and then spar.  i worked the punching bag.  i kept my guard up .. and i hit while the rest of the class did warm up.  at one point, one of the guys stopped to watch me punch.  he said my punching technique was very good and to mix it up, i should throw in some foot work and move around the bag.  so i worked on that.  i tried to move on to kicks but after a few tries i noticed that i developed a bruise on my shin and it was beginning to swell.  ugh .. 

i decided to work on knees - ie. knee your opponent in the groin kind of thing.  i learned my lesson from the kicks so i didn't go all out on the knees.

after an hour of hitting, kneeing, kicking .. i called it a day.  it was good.  until i got home.  massive bruise on my knee turned purplish blue, the bruise on my shin was throbbing, my foot had small bruises, and my knuckle had a bruise on it too.  i spent the rest of the night, icing the spots with a bag of frozen peas.

the lesson with this?  doesn't matter how in shape we are.  we aren't invincible.  age does catch up with you and you simply don't heal the way you did when you were 25.  i'm in pretty good shape but in reality, the body doesn't heal that fast due to the existing wear and tear - even if we don't feel it.

my parents would think i was insane for doing what i did.  but at some point, you gotta know what your limit is.  i think i found mine. i'll be spending the weekend nursing my wounds.

badminton starts on monday.  :)