Just call me Bruce...

Well, after shedding a few unwanted pounds recently, I decided to take it a step further and invest a whopping £4 on a wide elastic band with handles from Tesco. The idea (I think - there were no instructions in English on the box...) is that you hold it or otherwise suspend from various bodyparts, whilst pulling in the opposite direction with another. It's a gentle form of resistance exercise, so it's ideal for the rather overweight and feeble. Having had lots of fun with that for a few weeks, I started to feel brighter in myself and have more energy - hurray!

As a teenager, I was really into martial arts and weight training, though sadly, I spent more time reading "Muscle & Fitness" than I did actually training. But the desire is still there, so with my new-found energy, I decided to start kickboxing - a fitness class rather than combat. And oh my goodness, do I ache! The session lasts an hour, and I was determined that however much it hurt, I had to not puke until it was over and noone was looking!

We spent much of the hour doing punch bag work, which develops power and speed, and then we moved onto focus mitts, which makes sure you're looking where you're hitting! Everything about the session was geared towards developing stamina, and the ability to recover quickly from high intensity exercise - I guess like you would do if you were recovering in the corner between rounds.

One hour after the end, I still haven't puked, and actually feel very good, though I was careful to drink a lot during the session, as well as afterwards. My shoulders are hurting with exhaustion like I've never known, and I'm sure my legs will start to complain in the morning. Which leads me to another of my deep and meaningful questions... Why is it that you can walk past something time after time, day after day, it's always in the same place, but then when you actually need it, it's never there??!!?? I'm thinking of the Arnica tablets now - regular attenders on my living room shelf, but now that I need them, they've scarpered! Never mind, I'll go and watch some TV and fall asleep - I usually wake up at 3 in the morning remembering where I last out them!