I’ve been very interested in a fighting art for most of my life. I’ve had a few dabbles on the punch bag and have attended a few kickboxing classes over the last couple of years, but I have never been able to take it as serious as I would have like to. The wife has been kickboxing for a couple of years and has her purple belt. She is going for her brown next week and I watched progress so much over the last 2 years, it has been something quite remarkable. Her body movements and flexibility has come on so much since she started and I can remember quite clearly helping her to squat at home a few years back and her body mechanics simply wouldn’t allow her to squat.

Last year when I cut out meat and fish, I sort of accepted that I’m in a good place with my body and mind. I could maintain or progress at my own rate without feeling pressured into steroids and so on. I’ve always carved my own path with whatever I do and Kickboxing is something I really want to invest my time into. I already know everything in life is challenging when it’s new and I also know that if I dedicate myself to something I can do it.

Here’s a video from many years ago when I first started lifting weights.

This was after I had already accomplished my goal of dropping over 3 stone of body fat. Perhaps I should have been satisfied with my body then, but I wasn’t, I still craved to improve myself. I eventually kept pushing myself and went for a natural bodybuilding show. I didn’t enjoy it down to the lack of planning before hand as I had 2 weeks to get my competition membership, pants, learn a posing routine and so on. I sort of realised that if the peak of bodybuilding is being on stage, then I don’t have much interest in the end goal.

I haven’t looked at that above video for years and now I have skipped through it, I can see just how much interest and passion I had in changing my physique. Let’s be honest and realistic, I knew nothing back then, yet I thought a few bicep curls and whatever else would make me like the folk in magazines. I didn’t understand steroids or what it actually takes. Remember that I had worked hard to change my diet, stop drinking alcohol and to actually get up and try to exercise.

Right, Kickboxing… I almost feel that I have to justify myself and use myself as an example to prove to myself that I can achieve anything If I am serious about it and concentrate on my goals. I’ve had a few spaced out training sessions with Gary and I really enjoy it. It’s very taxing on the cardiovascular system and I feel bodybuilding has been able to build up my strength and endurance over the years. My flexibility is no where near how it can be and I have no doubt I will be able to accomplish and progress in this are over time If I put the effort into it.

I’m still obsessed with bodybuilding, I could never give up trying to lift as heavy as I can, however I know I can progress in different aspects of life too. We have recently moved to a gym which caters a bit more for kickboxing or at least has a good heavy bag, some pads and a fair size room to move about. It’s an Hammer strength gym and has some good quality machines in there for weightlifting/bodybuilding.

Three things I want to be good at before I die, a physique that I’m contempt with, a fighting art and a dance style. Yoga and such will fit in with these things as I have to use my body in completely different ways for balance etc.

So, I’ve rambled on enough and here’s a video of where I am now. In a years time and lots of effort I hope to have make significant improvements. I will also watch myself. just as I did with bodybuilding and study myself until I can put it all together. Instructions are confusing at this stage…