Boxing/Kickboxing

Sore does not even begin to describe the muscles that I never even knew existed before I entered a boxing gym last Thursday.
My man and I toughed out three days in a row of Kickboxing and boxing classes at a real deal boxing gym. Needless to say, we took much needed rest on Sunday, but still are feeling as though we were run over by a semi and then backed up and rolled over again!
I'm not talking Turbo Kick or Tae Bo - which are awesome in their own right.
I mean sweaty, tough as nails, no frills boxing and kickboxing conditioning like jump roping, shadow boxing, plyometrics, agility drills, heavy bag, punching drills with a coach, major core work and even having a partner punch me in the gut while doing sit ups. My glutes and shoulders are screaming from deep within! My abs hurt when I laugh.
I love it.
As sore as we are, the exhilaration of these workouts is incomparable. The empowerment of punching and kicking, finding balance and strength, having to listen and make kinesthetic connections ... keeps us coming back for more.
Don't worry about equipment, most gyms have wraps and gloves you can borrow your first couple times, but from there - to minimize the yuck factor of sticking your hands into someone else's sweat, you'll want to invest in at least wraps.
Find a boxing/kickboxing near you: http://boxinggyms.com/
(photo from: illustrationsof.com)