UFC gym - Train different! A review.

So I signed myself and a friend up to take a free kickboxing class at the new UFC gym across the street from our college. To be really honest I had no idea what to expect. The most similar thing I had done prior to Wednesday night was Jillian Michaels' workout videos, and padwork at my karate club.

When it comes to working out I consider myself pretty tough and I have endurance. However I will say that most of my strength is in the legs, I like my long runs, bike rides, and etc. But when it comes to arms I am just a little bit lacking in the muscle department.

For those of you who do not know what UFC stands for, it refers to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. The gym franchise in question offer a variety of classes including kickboxing, Jujitsu, and boxing. Their classes promise to provide you with a complete workout including strengthening and toning while simultaneously building your endurance and general fitness level. They cater for all ages, from 5 years and up.

The facilities are clean and neat. Everything is laid out in a user friendly manner. The staff are very helpful and friendly, with your best interests at heart.

The class I took was an hour long kickboxing, which I was told would burn around 800 to 1000 calories! Now, I run 10 miles to burn 1000 calories normally, so I was pleasantly surprised to learn that that many calories could be burned doing something else for less time.

The warm up was gentle to begin with, however when the instructor asked us to do push ups in the warm up, I wondered what I had got myself into, and feared that I may be in over my head. Squats I love, push ups and I have a really bad relationship though. However once we were out of the warm up, which involved, plank, squats, burpees, bear crawl, spider crawl and various punchbag attacks, I was much more at ease. I pretty much just attacked a punchbag for 45 minutes.
I have never sweat so hard in a workout besides racing in extreme heats. I was dripping 5 minutes into the workout, but the whole atmosphere of the gym, the people around you and the instructors who do it with you keep you motivated, and that one hour I spent in class literally flew by.

The cool down was very much welcomed though. Gentle stretches and  sighs of relief.

Another important point is the music that they play; I liked it, but I am aware that it may not be to everyone elses taste. However I only really noticed it when I first walked in because an Imagine Dragons' song was playing. But I did get so caught up in my workout that I kind of tuned it out.

I felt so great after the class. However pretty much every single muscle from my waist up hurt for the next 24 hours! My legs were fine, but they weren't used all that much, but my arms, back and stomach muscles were a wreck! Be warned, hehe. But don't get me wrong it was completely worth it!

And all in all I was very impressed. However I think that the price is a little steep. At least for a poor college student it is steep.
But I would still highly recommend it!! Just remember to drink plenty of water! And be ready to kick butt, or get your butt kicked!

Worrying

I am a worrier. I like things to be organised and sorted. Alphabetised and codified. I like to know the plan, schedule and itinerary.

But guess what. That's not how God works. He works in ways that we can't possibly imagine. And very often he waits until the last minute. Which can be very nerve-racking for a worrier like myself.

I like to worry about the big things in life, and as if that wasn't stressful enough, I like to worry about all the little details too. Very often I find myself worrying about nothing but the little things because God has already taken care of the big things. He has provided for all the big things in my life for the next year; and so because it would be absolutely pointless to worry about that, I now worry about the smaller things. Even though in my head I know it is illogical, because why would God fix all the big things if he had no intention of working out all the small details too? 

I know God is great and that he will look after me, yet at the same time I am anxious. I worry because I do not know how everything will come about. And that scares me. 
God doesn't want us to worry. He wants us to trust in him. Our anxiety is proof that we do not trust in him. 

One of my favourite bible verses right now is 1 Peter 5v6-7.

And God will exalt you in due time, if you humble yourselves under his mighty hand by casting all your cares on him because he cares for you.

I have the very best.

It's so easy to feel sorry for yourself and wallow in self pity. It's like a self comforting technique. Especially when you don't feel well or like everything in your life is going wrong. It's so easy to just close up and shut everyone out. You can still wave and smile and seem perfectly normal, yet inside your mind is turmoil and a wreck of untrue, exaggerated and embellished thoughts and emotions that have no validity. And while you know that most of the things you are feeling are invalid, there is a sense of comfort in entertaining them and allowing your mind to wander down endless paths of thought that merely end up giving you more pain, fear and anxiety, despite the fact that the likelihood of said circumstances coming into fruition are highly unlikely.

Even from a young age we allow ourselves to close up and embrace self pity. When we are chastised or don't get what we want. So by the time we are grown-ups, we are very good at going to that secret dark place and allowing scary ideas to wash over us.

Yet, while the smallest thing can send us spiralling into darkness, a seemingly small, and what some may perceive as being an insignificant act, can drag you unflinchingly back into the light. It can chase away the dark thoughts that you had sought to comfort you and remind you that you don't need lies and sadness, but love and friendship.

God sees all our thoughts. And he knows exactly what we need to hear and when the hand of compassion and kindness needs to be extended.Sometimes we need a harsh reminder to remove us from the realm of self-pity. But equally, we sometimes need a gentle push, a loving nudge, someone to take our hand and lead us out through the tangle of sore thoughts that we had no idea were so strongly wrapped around us. Once we are out, we realise just how close we may have been to drowning. And the relief is immense.

Today, I pulled out of my self pity. someone took me by the hand and led me out. Whether she saw I was in emotional pain or not, she led me out, and I am ever so grateful. I love her so much. She means the world to me, and I sometimes wonder where I would be without the special people that God has allowed into my life over the past year. They are truly unique and sweet, and I cannot imagine living without them.