Choose to be a Fighter


Kickboxing Photo of health coach Melissa Scheichl and Bob
I recently started kick boxing at The Big Hit in Oakville.  For $39.99 you get a week of unlimited classes and a pair of boxing gloves free. I’ve been trying out new programs to mix things up for myself and to evaluate options for my clients.

The Big Hit Oakville Intro Special unlimited classes and a free pair of gloves

My new boxing gloves from The Big Hit Oakville kickboxing
I did feel bad for Bob at first (he’s the handsome lad in the photo with me who allows me to take out my tension on him during each class)… And as a yogi, this workout definitely is a HUGE diversion from my usual practices… But I love it!

Coach Melissa Scheichl punching poor Bob in the face at kickboxing 

I’ve already recommended the classes and everyone agrees – this is an awesome workout and fun!  I love the fact that this provides an outlet for anger, frustration, tension, stress and grief.  We hold our negative emotions in our bodies and this type of a workout gives us an outlet to release them.

Today I received some bad news via email.  Disappointing news. I read it. I spoke to my family about it and then I carried on with the morning routine…  And I went to kickboxing. The slogan on the wall reads:

                  It’s YOU vs. YOU 

I wrapped my hands. Put on my gloves and started the class.  I could immediately tell that I was off today. My body felt heavy… My arms felt like lead. I felt weak.  It was one of those days where I wanted to hide from the teacher and hoped he wouldn’t notice me… But of course those are the times when you get exactly the opposite.  Gidon came over and encouraged me to go deeper in my lunges and squats, to correct my form to keep me safe but also to guide me to do the work… To push myself. He coached me to stand back and get full range of motion with my jabs and to really twist on the ball of my foot to turn my hip over into my kicks… And I just wanted to lay down on the floor.  I didn’t want to push harder. I wanted to curl up in a ball and do nothing.

All of my training and practice has brought me to this place – where I am so aware of my body from day to day.  I am tuned in with my energy levels and I can FEEL the differences from day to day in my physical energy and ability.  Today I was weak. It’s amazing how bad news and emotional stuff can land in our bodies!!  It’s easy for someone to tell a person battling anxiety or depression or chronic stress or illness to exercise, breathe, etc.  But when you are carrying that inside it literally weighs you down.  It restricts your breathing. It fatigues you.

So what did I do?  Did I sneak out of the class? Did I listen to the chatter in my mind making up excuses for why I couldn’t go deeper in my push-ups (my shoulder is recovering from a repetitive strain injury, I didn’t get much sleep, I got bad news, I’ve been to too many classes lately…). Oh I can come up with a million reasons to justify not giving it my all… no.  I did not.  I stayed and I acknowledged that this is how my body is reacting to bad news. And I pushed through.  I put one foot in front of the other… Or in this case one jab in front of one cross… And I focused on my breath. I reminded myself that I am stronger than bad news. That I can stay when things are uncomfortable and meet the discomfort with my breath and my perseverance. I pushed through.  And when the class ended Gidon announced that we had actually done 100 push-ups in that class!

Wow!  I did that????  I felt proud of myself.  I walked out and remarked to Gidon on the way out that I felt weak today. “I couldn’t tell” he said.  “I had some bad news today” I said.  I felt like I was going to cry. He responded with something along the lines of “well this is the perfect place to be for getting that out.”   And it really was.

It’s normal to have good days and bad days.  It’s normal to have days with energy and vitality and joy.  Days when your body is strong and you feel confident and happy.  It’s normal to have days when things don’t go your way and you feel sad, stressed, overwhelmed, tired, and beaten down. Days when your body is weak and you feel defeated and broken.

Today I found out some bad news. I didn’t get accepted to a program I had applied for.  I put myself on the line and I wasn’t successful. My thoughts went to places of judgement – I’m not good enough. I have failed. I was foolish to try. Shoulders rounding forward. Breath shallow.  Tired. Weak. Defeated.

Choose to be a Fighter.  It’s you vs. you.  When you have bad news, bad days… Choose to fight back against the negative judgements and to defend your honour. You got in the ring. You are swinging. You are kicking.  You are not going down without a fight.  Put your shoulders back. Stand tall and proud. Breathe. Persevere. Strong. Undefeated. 👊🏻💪🏻❤️

The Big Hit Oakville Kickboxing Studio

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