The Things I Get Myself Into

Many times in my life, I am a certified coward. But during other times (mostly very inopportune moments) I can be fearless. Stupidly fearless.

I don't know what got into me when I decided to sign up for Muay Thai classes. Must be one of those stupid times to be fearless moment. Another moment would be when I decided to show up at all.

Like what they call as "circuit training" isn't enough to scare me off. Consider this, five minutes of skip rope (I can't even skip rope properly), 30 push ups, 30 sit ups. Repeat three times. And then there was the leg raises. You lie on the ground holding on to the ankles of the person standing over you (tip, don't wear loose shorts) and raise both legs to a 90 degree angle. Your feet must reach her face and then she pushes your feet back. Do this torturous routine for 50 times.

And we haven't even started Muay Thai proper yet. On the first day, we were taught the proper stance, the way to move, the way to punch. One (painful) lesson that will stick with me is to always raise my shoulder when throwing a punch. The instructor (that sadistic, misogynistic tyrant) keep trying to slap me on the side of the face so that I'll always raise my shoulder. I raised my shoulder too late one time and received a bone-jarring slap on the face for my effort.

They weren't joking when they called it a contact sport. I think my classmates were wondering if I was going to last another class. Well, I'm probably going to regret this but I've decided to stick it out. I'm so sticking it out, I'm buying boxing gloves and hand wraps for the next class.

Kaya ko ba itech? Afraid.

All hail stupid fearlessness! And lots of good luck to me!