McLaren-Oakland Fit For LifeCongratulations to those who participated in the McLaren-Oakland Fit For Life program here at Smash Hit. Hope to start a new one soon.
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We're so grateful to one of our members, David, for allowing us to share his success story with you! People come to work with us for many different reasons- some are working on weight challenges, others on fight training or self-defense goals, and more. A running theme at Smash Hit is that we celebrate the accomplishment of our goals, big, small, and sometimes even life-changing, such as the story that follows.
"It's a familiar story, I'm sure, for alot of people. My weight crept up slowly through high school, and then into my 20's, reaching a high of near 400 lbs. I was stuffing down my emotions with food, I was celebrating with food. Food became everything. The bigger I got, the more food I ate. The more depressed I became, the more food I ate, and the less I moved. I was considering different alternatives to lose some weight, but doing nothing about it. Then, the first event that changed everything happened. My buddy had a heart attack at 27 years old. Talk about hitting me square in the face. He was younger than me, and I was clearly bigger than him by at least 100lbs. I saw myself in that. I saw myself getting even bigger, smoking more cigarettes, finding other addictions, and eventually having the same fate as him, but with a deadly outcome. Thats when I decided to make changes. From somewhere deep in my core I wanted something better. I decided to enlist the help of dietitions to guide me nutritionally. The weight started coming off. I stopped smoking. I was feeling great. Still without an outlet I was seeking something to put my energy into. Thats when the next life changing event happened. I found Ken Levy. I was still a pretty big guy when I started with Ken. I was never the athletic type, and I wasnt sure if I could keep up. But with his training and guidance, I was able to shed the rest of the weight. He never judged me. He taught me the skills that was needed and kept me motivated. I was inspired by him and motivated by both him and his team. I fell in love with boxing. Hitting that bag for me was better than anything I could stick in my mouth. Still is. I am so grateful to have found in myself the drive to be a healthier man. And I am so grateful to have found Ken to empower me to push through all the limitations I had put on myself. For anyone who doubts that they can have a great workout with boxing..... try it. And if you don't think you can keep up..... you can!" -David Yesterday we had our first Family FIt Kickboxing Class here at Smash Hit. It was so much fun to have new families we hadn't met before, and we got to meet some of our longer term Smash Hit members' families too!
It was really cool to see how fascinated the kids were watching their parents on the bag and doing kick shield drills. I have to admit, I was really proud to show off some of my own moves in front of my 11 year old son. I don't think too many kids can say "My mom's a kickboxer"! And on Sunday he found out that he can be a kickboxer, too! What a self-esteem boost for both of us! I also saw parents communicating with their children with patience and was surprised at how the kids could learn complicated moves quickly, as they received genuine support and praise from each other and their parents. It was really bonding and motivational. For sure it's a great way to form tighter more durable relationships, learn to commit to fighting through hardships, and finding out how tough we all are as a family unit. As we say here, "A family who fights together stays together!" But one of the more hidden aspects of our family kickboxing class also struck me as one of the most important. One or two lessons can show a student the basics, but with repeated kickboxing workouts, those defensive moves that we use become reflexive, and will kick in to protect us in times of real need. That's why I will feel more relaxed allowing my child to go different places by himself as he gets older, and he will feel more empowered as he does so. Of course we hope that our family members will never end up in a situation where self-defense would be necessary, but luck favors the prepared, and we can disguise that preparation with family fun. I really urge those of you Smash HIt members who weren't able to make the first family class to come next time- Sunday, 10:15! You'll have a blast and be so proud of each other! You could even be giving your kids a self-defense tool which may someday save their lives. Please join Smash Hit Kickboxing Club as we kick off our fundraiser for The Friendship Circle- the Smash Hit Kickboxathon! Just come in your workout clothes and stay for a few minutes or up to an hour on Sunday,
August 28th between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. Everyone can participate, as our trainers guide you at your own comfort level. Participants wishing to work with only same-sex trainers will be accommodated. Your workout can be as heavy or as light as you prefer, or you can even just stop by with your donation for The Friendship Circle and watch the action. A “Penny a Punch” can add up fast, and no one works harder to assist and support our area families than The Friendship Circle! See you on August 28th! |
