January has always been a weird month for me. It’s the start of a new year, so I find it confusing to reflect on everything I did in January at the end of the year: Wait, what? I did that this year? Also, it’s my birthday month, so I have to grapple with my annual mini-crisis of being another year older and feeling perpetually ~17.
With all the turmoil and reflection that accompanies the new year, I wasn’t sure how I wanted to approach 2018 by the end of December. Then, a week (or two) into January, I came up with a challenge for myself: I would try something new – anything, really – at least once every month for the entire year.
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Trying out a kickboxing class has been on my to-do list for awhile. (I love kicking things. I don’t know why. This was the real reason I ever played soccer.) It was also on my list of goals for 2017, which clearly did not happen. In early January, while reflecting back on what I achieved last year, I decided to knock this one out – and spoiler alert, it was awesome. It also inspired the idea to try something I’ve never done before every month.
The great thing about boxing gyms is that many of them seem to offer free first classes to try to entice you to join as a full member. The not-great thing is that memberships seem to cost about the same as if I wanted to cryogenically freeze myself, but I figured I might as well take advantage of my free class and see how I liked it.
Anyways, I quickly found it out it was probably better to try boxing first, since kickboxing requires boxing AND kicking, and I really only had the kicking part down.
Soon after the birth of my resolution, January’s “something new” became boxing, and I found myself at the TITLE Boxing Club near my apartment on a Monday night in early January.
I almost bowed out due to a headache but pulled myself together when I reminded myself that if I didn’t go now, I would have to gather up the resolve to go again after work another night, and I really just wanted to get the resolve part over with.
It was worth it.
The people at the front desk recognized I was a newbie the second I walked in, and they helped me get set up and wrap my hands tightly with turquoise hand wraps ($12 and the only thing I had to buy, but worth it because turquoise fits my brand, you know?)
The class itself was a mix of strength exercises and boxing moves. I pretty much made up everything by following the people around me and trying to keep track of which order I was supposed to do things in. By the end of the hour-long class, I was sweating profusely, butt thoroughly kicked. And smiling.
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I loved boxing – getting a fantastic workout in while having fun is always my favorite way to get in shape – and would definitely do it again, pending the lottery funds clearing in my account. But for real, I’m planning on looking into a membership down the road.
What’s in store for February? Who knows? I’m open to ideas – stay tuned.