Accountability, Not Only To Yourself, But To Your Partner

Today, I only attended the kickboxing fundamentals session at Inferno MMA, but by the time I got home, I really wished I'd stayed around for grappling. I made sure to eat a light dinner well before class began, and drank plenty of water. I was a little stiff, as I'd had the bright idea to swim laps at the Jones Center for 45 minutes. "It's low impact cardio, you'll be fine," I told myself.

That would have been true, if I'd not spent the day before tearing muscle fiber on a microscopic level throughout my entire body. My boss, Greg, has run in several marathons, including Boston. He may run 20 miles in a single training day, but he always takes a rest day. Now I know why.

Jumping rope was a little easier today, and when one of my fellow students noticed that his rope seemed a little longer than mine, he offered to swap. My knees were already on fire by that point, but sometimes the generosity of small gestures can mean a lot.

I paired up with Patrick again for Thai pad work. Am I the only one who hears Thai pad, then thinks Pad Thai and gets hungry for some noodles? I bet that's the oldest joke in the history of MMA, and if it's not it should be. Even on my second kickboxing session, I'm starting to grasp a few key things. Keeping my hands up is a big one that I get, but I'm not quite there yet.

I've started to become conscious of the partner dynamic. If I let my mind wander, or stop to adjust my pants, I'm taking away from the time my partner has to work on his technique, but I'm also robbing myself of valuable exercise.

I've done halfhearted curls on my own for years, but there is nothing like the burning sensation I got from holding those pads up, providing good targets for your partner. I can walk away from a workout machine or set down a pair of dumbbells, but I don't want to let my partner down. He's paid good money for these sessions, and I realized quickly that to show my partner respect, I had to step up my efforts.

By the end of the session, I was moving a little faster with the pads, and I felt much more confident with my punches and kicks, and the pain and stiffness I'd started with was replaced with flexibility and mild euphoria.

I can feel progress already, and I can't wait for my next session.

Starting Weight: 395lbs
Current Weight: 395lbs (we'll see what the old scale says tomorrow morning, though)