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