Kickboxing was my second try at getting involved in martial arts. I gave Karate a go after seeing a kid in primary school do this routine in his little white suit, but my attention span grew thin very quickly - and the bowing. I didn't like the bowing at the time.
But when bullying started to become more physical as I grew up, my mother decided to take me to something else, and thus, I was introduced to kickboxing.
I loved the energy, all the fitness training, wearing the gloves and the instructors suited me. I admired how kickboxing could be silent, you didn't have to shout when you struck, you didn't have to say anything to anyone - you could show respect with body language - helping with the mats, giving a wave, a nod. Sometimes jogging, skipping, push ups, shadow sparing - despite being in the same hall as everyone else - it could feel quite solitude and that was very comforting and relaxing for me at the time. Then there was the sparring with other members. I was very competitive. My mother would proudly say that the boys were afraid of me. It was most likely because I was fast and didn't shrink away like a few of the other girls, (though most girls tended to be quite like me.) but it might have been because I was the shortest. I imagine it was quite a strange sight to see a short girl fight a tall male teenager. The poor guys were probably more worried about knocking me back too hard!
Kickboxing was hard work, and as I grew older my health started to challenge my progress, but nevertheless I made it to blue belt, which in our club, was three away from black. (Totally not over-proud, ho ho ho!) It also taught me to duck, which helped me in a lot of situations. Funnily enough, it also helped me to run faster too, which has became useful in it's own right.
My club moved three times while I was there, and always seemed to be struggling. Eventually, they got their own place, but the prices rose high and it wasn't affordable anymore. So I dropped out. Haven't been to another club since.
I want to learn more about martial arts in general, but I also want to give things a go again. Will I join a kickboxing club? Who knows. Perhaps, if they have one in the city, and if I miraculously get a job to pay for it.
