health
A moment that changed me: I was turning 40 with an arthritis diagnosis
I started kickboxing 20 years ago in a bid to be like Buffy the Vampire Slayer, but thought I could never manage all the punching and jumping. It turns out I could handle much more than I thought
TL;DR
- The author returned to kickboxing at age 39 after a 20-year break, motivated by an arthritis diagnosis.
- Initially hesitant due to physical concerns, she found that muscle memory allowed her to perform many kickboxing techniques.
- Her instructor identified mental self-doubt, not physical inability, as the main barrier to performing advanced moves like a jump roundhouse kick.
- The experience fostered a greater appreciation for her body's capabilities and challenged her perception of aging.
- While she acknowledged the need for serious training to regain peak physical condition, the comeback significantly altered her self-view.