The Kung Fu Episode

This year Chris & I were invited by an awesome friend to take a Kung Fu class. She's been practicing it for years, along with her husband and kids. She also told me it wasn't easy, and I didn't take it for granted. But this is what happened:

When we entered the 'area', it was already a mistake. (I'm sorry if I use wrong names, expressions or even information. I've only done Kung Fu once and I'm not that concentrated AT ALL, so I haven't learned a whole lot of the terms or philosophy.) And so we entered but didn't bow to the altar. Big mistake. I didn't know there was so much respect involved in Kung Fu background. Did you? It was obvious from the start that Chris & I were clueless as to what the heck we were doing. With everyone staring at us after mistake #1, we took a corner in silence - which everyone else was obviously doing.
When the class begun, it was the warm up that almost sent us home. I saw the black-belted guys struggling to keep up. Now imagine me, in my total idleness and couch-potatoness, trying to perform crunches, push-ups and jumps JUST as a warm-up... Mistake #2. I faked my way through it, lost the little respect I had for my physical shape and laughed (inside) at Chris, red as a tomato, doing all that was asked of us.

All warm and already in pain, we were paired with an instructor who would show us some moves. Ok. It was hot. It was REALLY hot, but the guy was sweating like there was a hose above his head. Sweat dripping people is never pleasant, specially if you have to grab them. And that's what the guy had us do. I seriously did not want to, but there was no way out. And so there was I, disgusted as can be, holding on to a sweaty (non-charming) stranger and having to shove and punch and kick him around. Mistake #3, right? I have to say after I got over the fear or drowning in the guy's sweat, it was actually fun.

Then came the LAST mistake. #4. I was a little too much into it. We learned self-defense (really cool stuff): how to avoid a fight, how to fall in case of being pushed and how to free ourselves from an unfriendly grab. It was awesome! I was kneeing people in their crotches, punching the bejesus out of them, jumping and striking kicks on their faces - and then it hit me. Oh. My. God. The most excruciating pain, right where my right leg meets the hip! That's what I get for pretending to kick people on their faces. And for thinking I could move my old-lady-fitness-body like that. I just can't. Now I know better and take yoga classes, which can be very challenging, nonetheless.

I'm sure with time and proper training, Kung Fu is great. Even for me, it was amazing. The focus, discipline, respect, all great values and strengths, but I know how much my leg still hurts - no kidding. And it's been 6 long months!