It would be wrong of me to let this season float by without blogging about my steamy summer fling.

That’s right, guys, I’ve been having an affair.  And it’s grown into quite the relationship, full of love, pain, and immense reward.  We spend most of our time in sweaty, skimpy clothes, and miss each other oh so much whenever we’re apart.

This summer, I have fallen toes over gloves in l-o-v-e with kickboxing.  What were you thinking?

Desperate to keep in shape during layoff, a few of the dancers and I signed ourselves up for a class (thanks, Groupon!) and I’ve been absolutely hooked ever since (see what I did there?).  It is by far one of the most intense workouts I have ever attempted, and one that I always leave drenched in sweat.

The class comprises 15 minutes of conditioning (re: death by way of burpees, push-ups, fancy crunches and other fat-blasters), a little stretching interlude (re: splits have never felt so good), 30 minutes of bag work (re: 6 rounds of punching, kicking, and grunting), followed by partner drills that make you want to weep a tad bit.  I told you it was intense.  But it’s also never boring.

What I love most about my class, though, must be the incredible instructors and supportive family forged on that mat.  I have never been part of a work out community that so aptly embodies an actual community.  Our kickboxing family encompasses a rather large range in fitness, but we all share one common goal: a healthier lifestyle.  The social media element also provides a constant source of motivation and camaraderie; There have been days where I would have skipped, if not for a fellow ILKBer’s encouraging facebook post convincing me to keep working toward my goals.

I now have the slightest formation of abs when I stand in the right lighting ;), more power in my kicks, muscles tone in my arms, and I think, the slightest of hope in the unfortunate event of being attacked.  I think this summer fling just might turn into something more permanent.

join the family, but watch out for my left roundhouse…you’ve been warned.

photo of the current state of my backseat via my instagram