| Are you a type A, go getter, do ten things at once | | | | run the same route every morning. I could bike a |
| type of person? | | | | different but longer route every morning. Or there was |
| Do you get bored easily with the same old-same old? | | | | always the stack of video tapes if I felt like moving the |
| Want to know the best way to combat that boredom | | | | coffee table. |
| and bring your health and fitness to a new level? | | | | Boy was this living! |
| I spent years trying different healthy workouts | | | | It took another a year to get back into my pre-baby |
| beginning with aerobics. | | | | clothes with zero pounds added. |
| It began in college during the Jane Fonda years when I | | | | Fast forward three years, morning workouts were still |
| followed the lead of the girls in my sorority. We put a | | | | a habit and boring as hell. I didn't even feel like I was |
| video tape in the VCR, moved the coffee table out of | | | | exercising any more because the routines were all so |
| the way and proceeded to jump, bump and squeeze | | | | familiar to me, the required effort level was dropping, |
| our way into shape. | | | | lower and lower. |
| This was followed, post-college, by aerobics classes at | | | | Does any of this sound familiar? |
| the gym where I wore cute little leotards and colored | | | | Let me give you the answer to what you've been |
| tights. I could admire myself in the mirrored wall while | | | | seeking. It's the real deal and I am proof positive that it |
| following the movements of an enthusiastic instructor. | | | | works. I discovered the benefits of Martial Arts. |
| And if I was lucky I'd meet a nice guy in the weight | | | | Martial arts training is a complete healthy workout in |
| lifting area and, well, that's another topic. | | | | every sense of the word. Not only do you increase |
| Marriage brought children. After my first child, via an | | | | your physical fitness level in ways you never imagined, |
| unexpected, painful, emergency C-section, I bought a | | | | but you exercise your mind as well. There is, of |
| step. Once again, I found myself, moving the coffee | | | | course, the standard learning curve to starting |
| table out of the way, putting the video tape in the | | | | something new. But in addition, martial arts training |
| VCR and climbing my way to fitness. It took about a | | | | requires you to use your brain. |
| year after my son's birth to get back into my pre-baby | | | | This kind of healthy workout is very similar to learning |
| clothes (plus 7 pounds). | | | | ballroom dancing. There are specific steps to be |
| Baby number two, via a less painful moderately | | | | performed in a specific order at the right pace. You |
| expected C-section, I bought a slide. The slide was kind | | | | work to learn the proper martial arts techniques to build |
| of fun. You put little nylon booties over your sneakers | | | | a solid foundation. You exercise your mind to |
| and slid back and forth following the video tape in the | | | | remember what comes next while you work your |
| VCR. What followed was another year to fit into | | | | body to new levels of fitness. |
| pre-baby clothes (plus 4 pounds). | | | | One of the best benefits to martial arts training is that it |
| Somewhere along the way, I took up running as the | | | | can be done as a family. It's a great way to spend |
| main stay of my healthy workouts. Oprah was running | | | | time with your children in a healthy, fun activity. You'll |
| marathons which meant anybody could do it. I set my | | | | never get bored because the workout changes every |
| alarm for 5:15 AM Monday through Friday and braved | | | | time you go to class. Increased flexibility, strength and |
| the weather to run 2 ½ miles through my | | | | confidence are a small sample of the benefits |
| neighborhood before my husband had to leave for | | | | package. |
| work. By 6:30 AM he was gone and I was home with | | | | Unlike those aerobics classes, when you get good at |
| my two sons for the day, feeling healthy, workout | | | | the routine, not only does it change, but you earn a belt |
| complete. | | | | that tells the world how hard you've worked and |
| Baby number three, another son via a very uneventful, | | | | where you stand in the process. |
| planned and surprisingly painless C-section, I added | | | | For a goal oriented, boredom busting, healthy workout, |
| biking to my morning routine. Now I had variety! I could | | | | you can't beat martial arts. |