Kick Start

WOW! I did not know what to expect. The Sports Centre was going through a major rebuild so even the entrance wasn't where I was used to it being. To say that I was nervous would be an understatement.

I can't remember exactly, but I think Helen met us at the front desk and took us round to the area of the sports hall where we would be spending the evening. I felt so out of place in my tracksuit bottoms and T-shirt, surrounded by all these 'Ninjas' in their (very cool looking) black uniforms, but everyone was so welcoming and friendly that I was soon put at ease. It wasn't at all how I imagined a Martial Art school to be. I thought it would be full of egos and big scary blokes ready to pick on the new guy and beat me in to the ground.

Not. At. All.

It was basically circuit training with an Eastern feel. We counted how many we did of each exercise with the aim of beating that target the following week. Most surprisingly... it was fun! I hadn't enjoyed exercise in... well, probably since first school when I was in the Gymnastics club. Everyone was so encouraging. There was no "That's not many." or "You could've done better you slacker.", it was all high fives and "Nice job!".

After the Kick Start class had finished, Gemma and I stayed to watch the adult Black Belt class. Jon and Helen practised right in front of us so we could see some "really cool" stuff.

I'd always fancied learning a Martial Art, but was scared and thought of myself as too old. After that evening, I was ready to sign up there and then, but we still had three more free weeks of Kick Start before Adult Coloured Belt classes resumed.




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