Tae Kwon Do

My whole family is taking Tae Kwon Do this year. We decided it would be good exercise, good family time, and our kids would learn to defend themselves. My husband and son especially just LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it.

Frankly, I would have quit after the first month and been just as happy to go on about my life blissfully ignorant of any more martial arts moves. I'm a wimp. I admit it. I thought this would be "fun" and quite frankly it's turned out to be "hard" and "work". (This is why I never stick with any exercise program for long either, in case you are wondering.) I thought this would be sort of like dancing. We would learn some moves which would be nicely choreographed and throw some punches into thin air like Tae Bo class. Somehow the whole idea of "pain" just didn't really enter my brain (and I've seen the outtakes of Jackie Chan's movies - you'd think I would have made the connection).

I first decided I wasn't having fun any more, um, I think it was around the first night we went. The instructor had us do one push up, and then two sit ups. Can do! Not a problem! Then we did two diamond push ups and four sit ups. Easy peasy! Three push ups with our hands as far apart as we could get them, and six sit ups. Now those push ups were a little harder. Go try doing some right now, and you'll see what I mean. Go on.

You're not going to do it are you?

Wimp.

Anyway, we did various kinds of push ups that I didn't even know existed, winding up with ten ballistic push ups which is where when you push yourself up off the floor you try to propel your entire body into the air so that no part of you is touching the ground. TEN TIMES. I couldn't even do it once. And then twenty sit ups. By the time we got home, my knuckles were raw (from the knuckle push ups and then punching a really hard bag) and I was sore all over. But it felt good. I was thrilled that I had managed to do it.

Now the newness has worn off. If I was the only one taking these lessons, I probably would have found a dozen excuses to miss class until I finally just didn't go any more. BUT....my entire family is suited up and ready to go twice a week. I can't wimp out and quit. What sort of lesson would that teach my kids? Plus, on the nights when my husband can't go, I would have to drive the kids, and then I would sit there watching them and knowing the instructors all knew I had quit. So.....I keep going. I know it's good for me. It's making me stronger. And if I ever need it, I'll have some skills to defend myself.

But wow, I'm sore.