Early Morning Punch Up

The only way I was able to get out of bed at 6 AM this morning was to play the Olympics Anthem in my head. And yes, I don't have to sit in traffic for two hours on the freeway, nor sit on Metro North for an hour, so getting up at 6 AM is very early for me - especially since I can get out of bed at 8 AM, shower, have breakfast, get dressed and casually commute to work, sitting at my desk before the clock strikes 9 AM!

So as I got out of bed this chilly early morning only the trumpets and drums of the anthem in my head got me motivated. Worse of all, I knew what I was in for. This was not your typical get-to-the-gym-early-before-work exercise where you groggily ride the bike for 30 minutes, then take a steam and shave before whistling into the office before the boss. This morning what awaited me was a 7 AM - 8 AM training session which was all boxing! No breaks when I wanted, and no tuning down the intensity when I wanted, just a fierce work-out first thing before the cock crows.

I got to the gym early to stretch and ride the bike to warm-up. My energized trainer bounced over and after a quick hello, it was, "Let's go." I was a little lamb marching to a muscle-tearing slaughter. He wore what looked like a flak jacket, or bullet-proof vest. When I inquired, he said that it was a weighted vest, that it was 20 lbs of weight. I thought it was odd that this guy with a perfectly sculpted body would wear such a thing. He put the gloves on me, then he took his vest off and placed it over my head. Say what?! I was now about to rigorously exercise for the next hour with half the weight that I lost wrapped around me. That's not all. In addition to the extra 20 lbs in the vest, he affixed small weight straps around my wrists to add even more weight when I am throwing punches.

The studio is open so there is plenty of room to move all the way up and down. I was winded after the first trip down the studio hitting the mitts. Jab, cross, jab, cross, jab, cross. The more I sucked in the air, the tighter the weight vest felt around my chest. Up and back, up and back. Multiple combinations, now right-hooks, two in a row. All the way up and all the way back. OK, now 20 jumping jacks. More, more, more. Punch harder, let's go, man-up! Don't hop, protect your chin. Snap it back, OK, 20 sit-ups.

After 1 hour I was physically spent. What's a more dramatic word than exhausted? Get out a thesaurus, look up "tired" and all those words combined describe me then and now. All day I have been groaning.

My breakfast was a giant bowl of fruit. I started getting significant stomach aches for the second day in a row. Really not sure what it is.

Was Ok for a client lunch at Natsumi where I had miso soup, salad, edamame, and a very good vegetable roll.

I need a nap.