Learning to Relax, Type-A Style - Part Two

Last week, I wrote about learning to relax while being a stay-at-home mom. My solution for "passive relaxing" is to grab my sunscreen, my favorite book and head for the pool at the Manchester Aquatic Center. I love it there, and it does me a world of good to shake off the stress of the day and lose myself in someone else's story. But being that annoying Type-A personality, I need something to counterbalance all that relaxing and lying around. My solution? The Boxing Gym!

I have NEVER been an athlete. I have two left feet, and if there's a crack in the sidewalk, I WILL trip over it. I've tried different exercises over the years, fitness tapes, running or walking outdoors or on the treadmill and hiding in my basement with a bunch of dumb bells and K-SHE playing in the background while I grunted my way to better arms. But I'm a social creature and in spite of my lack of coordination, I put my dignity on the back burner and decided to go check out The Boxing Gym. 

The first few classes only reaffirmed my suspicions that I was indeed the world's most out-of-shape, uncoordinated woman in the world. The Boxing Gym owner Dave Ingamells, who teaches my cardio-kickboxing class and has the patience of several saints, encouraged me to hang in there from day one. "You can do it," he said. "This isn't a competition with anyone else, it's a competition with yourself."  And he was right, my wise friend Dave. Little by little, groaning muscle by groaning muscle, ache by ache, I began to better myself. Slowly but surely, I could do regular pushups instead of "girl pushups." I started out using five-pound weights, graduated to eight-pound weights and today lift 10-pound weights during class. My arms, which formerly waved in the wind, have developed muscles I fondly refer to as "my guns." I began actually looking forward to going to class and was disappointed if I had to miss one. And I'm 30 pounds lighter, but believe it or not, that's not even the best part.

With three teenagers at home over the summer, the Boxing Gym has become this Type-A mom's sanctuary and stress reliever. Wake up in the morning, dishes in the sink? Go punch a bag! Somebody didn't take out the trash? Some jumping jacks will make me feel better! Grass not mowed, soda cans strewn about the living room, and a little bit of youthful attitude when called out on it? I guarantee some toe taps, burpees, V-ups and crunch & punches will make me forget all about it at least until I get home!

Add to that the camaraderie and friendships that have developed during my time at The Boxing Gym, and it is truly the (no-calorie) icing on the cake. My fellow classmates range in age from 19 to 69, each of us working at our own level, each of us encouraging and applauding each other as we progress. Hard to be stressed (except for our muscles of course!) as we sweat, work and laugh together. I feel very lucky to be a part of it all, and oddly enough when class is over, I feel, well, relaxed. 

I am grateful that I found this wonderful place where I can be my (uncoordinated) self, improve my health and fitness level and actually enjoy exercising. Working out at The Boxing Gym has not only helped me keep my stress in check, it's taught me that I am stronger than I ever thought I could be.  And that's going to come in handy next week when I unload about 15 boxes, a mattress and a bunch of other stuff out of my minivan and into my daughter's new college apartment after a 10-hour drive to Alabama. 

Come to think of it, maybe I'll get a couple more workouts in before I leave, just in case I'm feeling a little stressed out!

The Boxing Gym is located at 14532 Manchester Road. Phone 636-527-8899. www.theboxinggym-stl.com.