I've Come A Long Way Baby!!

My Self defense Class!

Me ready to rock and roll!!!

Last night was my test for women's self defense. I can sum it up in 1 word...WOW! :-)

I was asked to go first. None of us knew what to expect and Marko and Victor know me since both of them have fought in the past and are Martial Arts Instructors in the area.

I gloved up with the boxing gloves and stood in the middle of the mat with 1 guy on each corner..none of them were small, and ALL of them had Mixed Martial Arts experience.

(Side Note: I woke up yesterday morning with the feeling that I was beginning to get sick. I had a cough, stuffy head where you feel like you are in a tunnel etc..not good for my testing I tell ya)

The instructions were given: The timer will yell a name and that guy will run from his corner of the mat and attack you and you must fight him off for 30 sec. (I will tell you that 30 seconds seems like a LONG time when you are fighting..hehe) Once the timer hollered another name the first guy will leave and a new one will come up and you must fight him as well for 30 sec and so on...Without ending, timer will yell and 3rd time and 2 different guys will attack you at once.

GO.....I looked around and saw Victor (one of the instructors) coming for me. I hit him repeatedly, kicking and elbowing. I heard another name yelled and turned around in time to see another guy coming for me. I fought him hard as well.

During this time Marko (main instructor) is yelling at me to pace myself. All I could think was "this dude is trying to take me to the floor and you want me to pace myself?" I should have listened. I heard another holler and 2 guys, 1 smaller guy, Nate, came up to me in front...I heard someone yell "look out" just in time to turn around to see Cameron (HUGE...Cameron) coming for me. He bear hugged me and picked me up off the ground and down to the mat we went.

I began to really struggle to breathe. I was exhausted, could not get air and the room was spinning. I punched, kneed and kicked, almost hitting poor Cameron in a bad spot for future children..hehe.

Sometime during all of this I had lost both of my socks and ALL of my ability to breath. :-(

Marko could see I was struggling and asked if I wanted a couple...."Minutes?" I ask, "No, seconds!" ...I got 10 sec. to catch my breath and go down for choking maneuvers.

Victor began choking me...I got him in a full arm bar with ease....very proud of myself for that one!

Next move was 2 guys on you while on the ground choking and kicking at you.

I DID IT....I made it thru and completed for my certificate.

I have a new respect for the fighters since this was the longest 4 minutes or so of my life.

Once I got home, the stress on my lungs had accelerated the cold I was getting and now I sound like Darth Vader...hehe, but I DID IT!

This is something I would not be able to do ever before, physically I was to heavy and way to out of shape. Don't get me wrong, I have a long way to go, but I have come a long way baby!!!

Here are some pic's for your enjoyment!!!