Thanks to a very excellent Groupon, my friend Morgan and I signed up for 30 exercise classes for only $20 at a variety of locations throughout the Bay Area. Last night, we attended our first class, a boxing/self-defense class at Cissero Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, a tiny studio in San Jose. Having never tried boxing before, I was a bit nervous about keeping up with the class. But, as it turned out, Morgan and I were the only two students to show up for the class, which was awesome! We had the undivided attention of the teacher, who goes by the nickname Tarzan, and even received some pointers from Mr. Cissero himself. We were repeatedly reminded that this was no mere cardio kickboxing or karate class--this was the real deal. I must admit, and forgive my language, it felt pretty badass.
We spent the first half of the class working on the form of our jab and cross, moving forward and backward across the mat in short spurts. Once we seemed to have the hang of the punches, we wrapped our hands and put on boxing gloves, and did some one-on-one practice with the teachers, getting used to punching with the gloves on.
The toughest part of the class was the drills. For a good 20 minutes, we repeated the following 30-second drills: jab-cross, receive jab-cross, jumping jacks, bobbing and weaving, push ups with one arm in an elbow plank, and crunches. It was exhausting! We weren't told how long we'd be doing the drills, so it was a serious test of endurance. I know I wouldn't have had the self-discipline to push myself to complete those drills on my own, which is why it was so great to have a teacher to hold me accountable.
Morgan and I were tired, yet exhilarated, after the class. Not only was it an awesome workout (both cardio and upper body strength), but also it felt practical, learning some self-defense. I definitely want to continue with boxing classes, and cannot wait to see my progress!
