Enrique and "The Butter"

Tuesday, December 07, 2004:

I Am Sore….
Literally. My body feels like it's been through a car wash minus the car. Last night, I decided to try this self-defense/karate type class. It's some form of karate that focuses on kung-fu street fighting (no joke). But in doing my research on self-defense classes, it was suggested that the only beneficial self-defense classes are the ones that focus on street fighting and real-life situations. So I went to this class last night thinking "yeah, I'm ready for this, I work out regularly, I can do it, piece of cake." I wish I would have stayed home and ate a piece of cake because, oh my, IT WAS HARD! First off, it's in this creepy dungeon brick building, and when I saw the types of people in the room, I was a little concerned. Were talking multiple tattooed, pericings types of people learning kung-fu street fighting. My first instinct was to run out of the building in the other direction, and realize that would be my best self-defense lesson--to get out of uncomfortable situations. But then I stopped myself, told myself that I'm a big girl, and that I wanted to try this, and that I would stay. Well, the guy teaching it turned out to be the most normal person in the room, and I felt a touch better. First off, we started out by learning the basic moves, just some footwork. I was handling it ok, when he started teaching us these kicking and punching moves…..the jist of what I'm learning is that it requires good balance. For anyone who knows anything about me at all, I am not the most balanced/coordinated person. I was flopping all over the map because I could not keep my balance…that poor teacher must have just wanted to burst out laughing at how ridiculous I must have looked. Things only got worse from there…..we then started practicing how to fall to the ground gracefully and get up off the ground without using your hands or arms. Yeah, sounds easy, right? Ha! I dare you to try to get up off the ground without using your arms, and then do about 20 reps of it going as fast as you can…..my legs are in the most unbelievable pain right now….wow. We then ended the class with him teaching us how to get out of choke holds. Yeah, he literally put his hands on my neck, and I had to get out of it was absolutely crazy! Yet, something very empowering about knowing how to get out of a choke hold. Interesting, very interesting. I am signed up for a month, once a week on Mondays. I'm sure I'll have some good tales to come on this one…..

Heather // 7:16 AM
______________________