body combat 60

Highlights of the new release of Body Combat 60.  Class was packed. Half of them dressed up for the occasion, 80's style, as requested by instructor Robb, for there are several 80's tracks in this one. (re-mixed versions)  Think bright stripes, leg warmers, tube socks, neon jogging shorts, and Robb himself wore a vintage-ish Superman tank top, which immediately made me think "superman punch??"  looking forward to this... (see photo at the link below, i wasn't there yet when they took the picture, which is fine, i didn't dress up 80's-ish anyway)

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10153385722847524&set=a.98846737523.108796.799472523&type=1

Because i did not get there early enough, i am banished to the second-to-the-last row, one of the only 2 available spaces for a body to jump, kick and punch without knocking out the fighter at your perimeter.  I find it's harder to really get into it, to put as much energy into the class, if i'm way in the back, hidden, where i'm not held accountable by the unforgiving mirror in front of me or the eyes of the instructor in front of me or all those behind me.  

just a few things i remember:

Upper body warm-up to Pat Benatar's  Hit me with your best shot...

Lower body warm-up to Katy Perry's Roar (remix, dance version of course) Endless hip rolls/ leg blocks, roundhouse kicks.



Return of some fun moves i love: decoy, that new karate strike sandwiched between guard move and back snap kick, and the ol' bob and weave. ah yes, the bob and weave, reminds me of the donut man at the boxing gym!  We used to do endless bob and weaves across the floor, sometimes underneath a rope stretched across the room.  miss that place, need to go back soon.  feel the need to punch some real bags again.

Capoeira moves, the switch lunges again. ouch.

Muay Thai. the tough one, the one we've been waiting for.  Not only does it introduce the Superman Punch, but it has no less than 351 knee strikes, only 88 of which are NOT the running-man style.




    



 Robb demonstrates the superman punch for us, and we give it a go.  Of course it comes in quick, right after a fast double upper-cut, ascending elbow strike, then WHOP!!  we hop on foot, slice the other leg straight back while extending that same arm forward in the aggressive jab to our unsuspecting opponent.  (note: i have been performing on a half-hearted, half-tank level today, partly due to being hidden in the back and partly because i just want to learn the moves correctly first...otherwise i would've been reduced to a breathless sweaty heap on the floor after this track.)



That's it for now. Hopefully next week I'll find a spot closer to the front where I'll be more motivated to sweat a little harder, especially as I get better at that Superman punch.


goodnight!!

i enjoy being a girl

i was parked in the barnes & noble parking lot this morning, after my back-and-forth, back-and-forth shuttle around cary shlepping 2 kids to 2 different schools then picking up my happy pills at cvs...when i made a marvelous discovery:  stashed in the dark depths of the between-the-seats car stash thingy, (console? is that the word??) was a whole plethora, a PLETHORA, i tell you (love that word!) of various cosmetic yum-yums!  All this fun make-up that i forgot i had, like finding five dollars worth of coins shoved inside the sofa cushions, along with stale moldy pretzel crumbs and other nasties, only better!  So of course i then proceed to make-up my completely bare, unshowered face with these goodies, even though i'm only going to "run in and out, real quick" through the bookstore, (#saidnooneever, #threehourslater) while wearing yesterday's tea-stained sweat shorts and a wrong shade of blue sweatshirt and no i don't mind a bit.  When i stop to question the absurdity of a woman my age finding such glee in something as silly as a potful of forgotten cosmetics, i am transported back to a time when i was in fifth grade, and for my grandmother's 80th birthday party, i was chosen (by my mother) to sing a solo, as the party included a talent show featuring several of us grandchildren from her 4 adult children present.  The song i sang is one that i can still sing by heart today, a song orignally sung by the actress Doris Day, many years ago.  It goes a little something like this: (i was lazy and copy-pasted the lyrics)

 

                                    I Enjoy Being a Girl

I'm a girl, and by me that's only great!
I am proud that my silhouette is curvy,
That I walk with a sweet and girlish gait
With my hips kind of swivelly and swervy.

I adore being dressed in something frilly
When my date comes to get me at my place.
Out I go with my Joe or John or Billy,
Like a filly who is ready for the race!

When I have a brand new hairdo
With my eyelashes all in curl,
I float as the clouds on air do,
I enjoy being a girl!

When men say I'm cute and funny
And my teeth aren't teeth, but pearl,
I just lap it up like honey
I enjoy being a girl!

I flip when a fellow sends me flowers,
I drool over dresses made of lace,
I talk on the telephone for hours
With a pound and a half of cream upon my face!

I'm strictly a female female
And my future I hope will be
In the home of a brave and free male
Who'll enjoy being a guy having a girl like me.

(see the video of original song from movie, here:)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=QjWn-ueeeLw

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

(ok, now my font is all messed up, oh well.)

It was fun singing it, as my mom accompanied me on the piano, except for the fact that  my 2 older brothers and older cousin were sitting in the back row, snickering, poking fun, giggling & practically guffawing at me the whole time!  grrrrr...

anyhow, that has absolutely nothing to do with anything.  just felt like sharing. one of those girly things. i'm not much of a girly-girl, never have been, not one of those "oh i feel so naked without my eyeliner" kind of people.  Life is much bigger and more important than driving all over town looking for the perfect eyeshadow to match my outfit.  still, now & then, it's just fun to play dress-up.   guys you wouldn't understand.  

one day i might even find a way to work that idea into a book. maybe. this is just where i throw up my ideas (sort of literally, yet not the graphic vomit thought you might be thinking).   yes, one day i will get my thoughts organized and put them into a book.  Reading this book i found at barnes & noble might help:

                                                                 Ciao for now!

inequality

having someone to
flatter you, take care of you,"validate" you, create an image with, pay the rent,
and control you
is not the same as,
unequal to
having someone to
cherish, enjoy, have fun with, call "honey" or some other term of endearment, dream about, think about when a romantic song comes on, miss when they're away, want to look good for, cuddle with, partner with.
not the same. not.

Pop quiz

What's wrong with these pictures? ?

Dimly

Today i see dimly
As through a glass
But one day
I will be free

I love them
To death
But i just want to be old
To be free
And alone
Finally
Free.