KICKING ASSES

Didn't manage a really good Muay Thai workout today, in part due to a bum knee acting up. Coach is starting to really tear my techniques apart, and nitpicking quite a bit, which is kind of good, as it means he considers me past the beginner stage. But oh god, it can be demoralising, as I have to relearn certain moves all over again. What I thought was working apparently wasn't. Generally felt like a rank beginner today. It feels like I'll never be good enough to start sparring.

Anyway, there was this other couple also having their session alongside me. I got to sit and watch them a bit after I ended my session. I wasn't so much impressed with the man, but his wife kicked ass! Including his! She is one strong woman, and her punches and kicks packed lots of power. But mainly I was entranced with her moves. She was so fluid and smooth, so sharp and strong, and so unlike my own clumsy and unstable attempts, and I fell in love with Muay Thai all over again just watching her. It looked so beautiful, poetry in motion. I imagine this is why the genre is called martial arts in the first place (and no, I don't consider wrestling martial arts, or any kind of art form for that matter).

Oh, by the way, I finally managed to put on the hand wraps all by my little self, although it took me some time wrapping and unwrapping every so often.

And we are going to start regular strength training (once a week) over at my other gym in addition to the metcon work that we've been doing for the last few months. This came at just the right time, as I was considering switching fully over to strength training. I love strength training, and I suspect part of the reason why I really like it so much is because I'm good at it. OK, at least better at it than any other sporting or fitness endeavour I have ever undertaken. No need to further elaborate on the psychology behind this then. So yes, I'm really excited to start testing myself and finding my limits, and pushing on, improving and kicking asses. The only down side is that the sessions are going to be just before my Muay Thai every Saturday, so I hope I don't kill myself in the process.

On a side note, the recent carbs cutting seems to be working, in a way. Scale weight is unchanged, but there is some improved body composition. I am feeling somewhat leaner, tummy appears to be slightly flatter. And I recently noticed that I seem to have lost some girth in the thighs (yay!). Managed to fit into a pair of shorts which I couldn't wear three months ago. On the other hand, I have been losing my temper more at work and kicking my team members' asses, and I can't figure out whether it is because of the lack of carbs, PMS, or just generally having reached the venting point after all these months of unhappiness and general suppression of emotions at work. I suspect it is more of the latter, though hormonal changes from PMS and cutting carbs might have exacerbated things a little. Whatever it is, I am quite the unpopular person among my subordinates these two weeks.

I guess I am just going to let things ride for a while and see what happens. But I do know that I am not giving up my newly svelte (ok, nearly there) body for anything in the world, so the carbs can just stay where they are (in the rubbish bin), and my team can just grin and bear it, until someone votes me off the island.