When my college-aged daughter asked me to accompany her to a kickboxing class at the YMCA, my initial reaction was ‘No way.’ I have no interest in boxing (sorry, Palisades Honorary Mayor Sugar Ray Leonard). I have no interested in kicking (sorry, Dave Beckham). Combining the two seemed like the worst of both possible worlds. Then I thought about it. We expect our children to try new physical activities and in some cases sign them up without consulting them, so who are we to avoid something new because we are self-conscious about looking stupid, or worry we won’t do it well the first time? Dressed in shorts, t-shirt and tennis shoes, I walked into the Palisades-Malibu YMCA with my daughter and discovered that the teacher was Palisadian Baxter Humby, a world kickboxing champion. Great, not only would I embarrass myself, I’d do it in front of the International Muay Thai Council World Super Welterweight champion, whose professional record is 40-8 with 14 knockouts. The class started with a warm-up that included stretching. So far so good. I can stretch. Next, we spent several minutes throwing punches (straight, hook and uppercut) at our images in the mirror. With only minor adjustments from Humby, (‘push your fist towards your chin’) I went from the windmill look, with arms flailing, to a more contained movement. After a brief water break, we practiced punching while holding weights, and then we put on gloves (provided by the Y). Humby set up three stations, each with a bag: the first we used to practice three types of kicks, the second was a bag to practice punches, and the third to practice kicks and punches. As I kicked, I realized that even with my varied workout routines of running, rowing, swimming and cycling, I lacked flexibility and balance. My kicks barely made the bag move, and then I almost tipped over. From punching and kicking, the class went to the stairs and did two-foot hops up the staircase. I was fine aerobically, but hopping’which seemed so easy as a child’was a real issue for me. We ended with abs, push-ups and stretches. Sweating profusely at the end of the class, I later learned that you can burn anywhere from 350 to 450 calories an hour in a kickboxing class. Without doubt, I was the worst person in the class, but came away energized, feeling satisfaction at having tried something new. The next day, my shoulders and arms ached. ‘Muskelkater,’ a German expression meaning ‘muscle hangover,’ is exactly what I felt. I realized that this class might be the key to toning my entire body, including my middle-aged triceps. The roots of kickboxing date back 2,000 years to Asia, but it didn’t reach the United States as a sport until the 1970s, when karate experts arranged competitions that allowed full-contact kicks and punches in a hybrid martial art form. Although Humby competes in physical combat against other kickboxers, a class, such as the one at the YMCA at 821 Via de la Paz or at Gerry Blanck’s Martial Arts Center in the 881 Alma Real Building, is strictly exercise. The class involves high-intensity, high-impact movement, so a reasonable amount of individual fitness is recommended for newcomers. Humby, who provides ample individual instruction to students, modifies the class depending on the size and skill of participants. When other class members were required to kick a leg over a high obstacle, he allowed me to swing my leg over a lower height. Experts say that the key to a good kickboxing workout is controlled movement, without overextending yourself by kicking too high or locking arms and legs, which may leave one prone to developing injuries. They say kickboxing also relieves stress. I walked out of class feeling relaxed and renewed, so maybe there is something to taking my frustration out on a punching bag.
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