Kickboxing with a pro!

Happy New Year and welcome back to the workout blog, friends! I apologize for the three week long absence... we are ready to kick things into gear with a story about a familiar type of class, taught by a unique instructor.

Fifteen years ago, kickboxing classes were a novelty. Today, you’ll find them at almost every health club but you probably aren’t taking them from a martial arts expert. “I’m a martial artist first and a fitness instructor second,” says Greg Ferry. And what that means for you is a butt-kicking workout. At first glance it looks and sounds like any other group fitness class – with loud music, jumping around and lots of sweating. But Ferry’s resume is what makes it different. “I’ve been involved in martial arts for more than thirty years,” he says. “In this class we do a lot of different things and it’s over before you know it. It’s only forty-five minutes and it is fun, but it’s also far from easy. There are plenty of jabs and uppercuts, jumping jacks and kicks. This is a tough workout, but one anyone can do. "You don't have to learn dance choreography for this class so it’s easy to learn," Ferry explains. "I also show different modifications, so you can kick high or low and do the moves at different speeds." Part of the reason the time flies by is because Ferry isn’t just an instructor, he’s also quite an entertainer – dancing and singing during the class and keeping everyone smiling while they’re sweating. "It's a total body workout… lower, upper, abs at the end… but the top benefit of this class is that it takes your mind off that it's a workout."

You'll find Greg Ferry at Walnut Creek YMCA. For class schedules check out http://www.dmymca.org/branch/walnut_creek.asp?bid=5

Here's to a healthy week!
EEK
Erin.Kiernan@whotv.com