I detested taking physical education classes as a teen. I was not particularly skilled in sports and detested team sports since I constantly felt as though I was failing the other members of the team. I was always coming up with justifications to skip classes. I occasionally felt as though just my brain was “myself” during this period and that my body was merely a means for transporting my brain about.
I made the decision to learn kung fu when I entered college. I was surprised to like it! It was a laid-back, friendly club, and the most of us were newbies during my first year. I used to attend to training two or three times every week. I didn’t feel bad about my lack of skill since it’s not a team sport.
Additionally, as it is a combat sport, you practice in pairs, giving you the opportunity to interact with others. I also liked that the courses were more about improving my kung fu than about changing my physique via exercise. I believe that harmful pressure to alter our looks comes from advertising.
My body did change while I was practicing kung fu; I became faster and stronger, but the changes were a byproduct of the activity rather than the intended outcome. Unfortunately, I was often too busy to practice kung fu during my last year of university.
This year, when I relocated to Italy, I made the decision that I wanted to pick up combat sports once more. I’ve discovered a fantastic local mixed martial arts club, and I adore it. We spar frequently and the club is more serious than the one at my institution (practice fights). I liken sparring to a quicker, more enjoyable version of chess.
You have to make a split-second decision on how to respond if your sparring partner tries to punch you. You may avoid them, obstruct them, or even grab their arm and fling them to the ground.
When I was a teenager, I used to claim that I just wasn’t an athletic person and that I had never liked sports. I now feel that everyone should try as many different sports as they can since there is a sport out there for everyone!
When I’ve been exercising, I feel a connection to my body, am happy, and have more energy. Many people, in my opinion, don’t like playing basketball or football at school, but they could like yoga, rock climbing, or volleyball.
