Rocky or Lance?

Have you ever had something play out in real life a little differently than it did in your head? Tuesday evening, I tried out the Boxing class at my gym up in Harlem. It turned out to be an outstanding workout, ut the whole time, I couldn't help but notice how awkward I felt punching the air with the gloves on. Being able to watch myself in the mirrors didn't help either...

I think I may have diagnosed my problem by the end of the class. We've all watched Sylvester Stallone throw punches in the 1976 hit, Rocky. Ever noticed how boxers keep at least one fist up by their chin area as protection? Yeah, my coordination skills weren't allowing me to simultaneously throw a punch AND protect my face with the other hand. Needless to say, I looked and felt extremely clumsy. Good thing it was a non-contact boxing class or I would have been down in a heartbeat! (To my brothers who I know will be reading this: laugh it up now, boys...I'll be a punching machine on the Wii Boxing when I get home!)

Several times a week I hop on one of the stationary bikes and ride through a Spinning class. We ride for endurance and pump up make-believe hills by turning up the resistance on the wheel. Lance Armstrong, I am not, but you just can't beat the adrenaline when the instructor yells out that the "finish line" is only 30 seconds ahead! It's another hour that makes you sweat like crazy, but the class has nothing on RAGBRAI in the Iowa heat!

I'm Keeping Harlem Strong.