| I'm totally serious about getting in shape. With at | | | | a day. |
| least | | | | Today we are learning elbow strikes. This is a |
| 30 pounds to lose, I'm one of the fatter tubs of | | | | verydangerous drill, even at slow mow. If you clip |
| lard atthe gym, but this week I'm not the most | | | | a guy inthe eyebrow with your elbow, he's looking |
| out of shape. Twoguys have come to today's | | | | at five to tenstitches, easily. |
| muay thai kickboxing lesson thateasily are 50 | | | | The Kru, or teacher, shows us a lethal technique |
| pounds overweight. | | | | he calls |
| One is tall, and one is short. But they are both | | | | "Breaking The Elephants Tusk". Imagine a guy |
| shapedlike Anjou pears. They are sweaty and | | | | punching atyour face, you ducking to one side, |
| wheezing before theclass even starts. | | | | then ramming the tipof your elbow down full |
| We warm up with skipping rope. I am horrible at | | | | speed into his bicep. Crazy stuffman...if I had |
| skippingrope. It's only been 3 weeks that I have | | | | known this as a kid my buddies in highschool |
| been takingthai kickboxing lessons, and my | | | | would never have picked on me. Of course they'd |
| technique would have a 3rdgrade schoolkid | | | | bein hospital and I would have been in Juvenile |
| howling. The jump rope is plastic coveredand it | | | | Lockup. |
| hurts my toes when I wack them every fourth | | | | The 60 minute session ends with abdominal |
| or fifthskip. I see some of the more experienced | | | | work...oh my godthe pain! The entire front sheet |
| kickboxers canskip on one foot or even alternate | | | | of muscle and flab onmy body is on fire. Another |
| feet. Something tolook forward to I guess. | | | | great muay thai kickboxinglesson has come to an |
| To my surprise the little fat guy can skip better | | | | end. I feel exhausted but amazing. |
| than Ican. His taller counterpart is already dripping | | | | What's really amazing is how well I sleep at night |
| withperspiration, his Judas Priest t-shirt is | | | | andhow well I go to the bathroom. I'll leave that |
| drenched. Whenwe stop skipping and move onto | | | | storyfor another day! |
| burpees, jumping squatsand hillclimbers, he calls it | | | | |