Don't let warm days thwart exercise

These first hints of spring with sunshine and warm temperatures make it a challenge to get to the gym. When I’m exposed to bright sun and temperatures in the mid-60s I’m drawn to my barbeque like a magnet. And when I’m drawn to my barbeque I develop an insatiable thirst for alcoholic beverages. Stay strong, man! This urge to wuss out and skip class will pass once nice days become common again, but right now the first thing I want to do when I get home from work is crack a Victory lager and sit outside. OK. Enough of that.
My knees feel better after taking off Tuesday night’s boxing class. But it seems like my body must always hurt somewhere, like pain will never truly go away, it will just migrate to another location. Today it’s my right quadricep. I took many, many knees to it last night during FIGHT class, each one seeming to land on the same spot and each one seeming sharper than the last.

Combat fitness class on March 7 started with a twist. We did a Crazy 8 warm up of jumping jacks, jump squats, burpees, pushups, modified V sits, toe-touch crunchers, jack-knives and up-downs. That certainly gets the blood flowing. I have a love-hate relationship with Crazy 8s. Love ‘em because they really push me to the limit and force me to cross thresholds into new endurance and muscle building territory. Hate ‘em because 90 percent of the class views them as a race. Sure, speed counts. You can’t be lackadaisical about it, but I think lots of people are sacrificing form for speed to the point where what they are doing isn’t remotely close to what they should be doing. Jump squats require you to actually jump. That means your feet leave the ground and your hands go over your head. Pushups are done by lowering your chest to where it almost touches the ground and then pushing yourself up to where your arms are almost straight. I’m done complaining.

Tonight is kickboxing class. No matter how nice it is outside when I get home at 5 I will not crack open a beer. No matter how nice it is outside when I get home at 5 I will not crack open a beer. No matter how nice it is outside when I get home at 5 I will not crack open a beer. No matter how nice it is outside when I get home at 5 I will not crack open a beer. No matter how nice it is outside when I get home at 5 I will not crack open a beer. No matter how nice it is outside when I get home at 5 I will not crack open a beer.

I have to keep that thought in my head all day. On a side note, Men’s Fitness has a fairly interesting article about DNA and exercise.