It’s 5:45am. I’m tired. Did I even sleep? Doesn’t feel like it. I shuffle out to the living room. My back feels stiff but I check my workout planner anyway. Boxing: Non-Stop, with Michael Olajide Jr. Sounds horrible- I mean fun.
Round 1. Jump ropes. I don’t have a jump rope so I mime it. Up down up down. Side to side. I’m already out of breath. Again. Up down, up down. Time. Thank goodness.
30 second rest. That’s it? I barely sit down to catch my breath. 5 seconds left of resting and the beeps start. Get up.
Round 2. Uppercuts. Lock in those knees. My lats are still burning from yesterday. Double up, let’s go. One two. Give me three. one two three. Now four, 1 2 3 4. Nonstop. Go.
I collapse for another 30 seconds. The beeping is back. Get up.
Round 3. An eight count punch combo. Oh this is fun. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. Again. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. It’s less fun now, I’m out of breath. Nonstop. Go. And rest. Beeps.
Get up, Round 4. Back to the rope. We’re adding in ankle touches. Every 8 jumps. Now every 4. Two in a row. My calves are on fire. I’m glad I don’t have actual ropes. My feet are barely clearing the ground. One two, one two. Rest. Beeping.
Get up. Round 5. V slip and punch. Slip and punch. Slip 2 3. Again. Slip 2 3. Twice in a row. Slip 2 3 slip 2 3. Add in another punch. Slip 2 3 4. Again… again… other side now. My quads are burning and my form is getting sloppy. I slow it down to get it right. Slip 2. Slip 2 3. Slip 2 3 4.
Breathing heavy on the rest, I know the ropes are back next. I stay seated until the dreaded beeping. Get up.
Round 6. Michael goes over crossing the jump rope. I nod and move my invisible rope like he instructs. I wonder if a real rope would clear under my feet. I imagine that they will. Now we really get going again. Cross every 8 jumps. Now we’re gonna break it down to a four count. Cross 3 2 1 cross 3 2 1. And again. I’ve literally stopped jumping at this point. Just slow calf raises. Now two in a row. I swing my invisible ropes but my feet stay on the ground. Can’t… jump…
Another short 30 seconds pass. Sweat is now dripping across my back and face. Should have turned on the fan a while ago. Beeping… Get up.
Round 7. Jab city. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Let’s go. 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1. Again. So exhausted. Now straight punch combos. One two. One two. Now three. 1 2 3. Again. 1 2 3. Now four. My fists knock into each other. Ow. Gotta slow it down and maintain the form. Now five. 1, 1 2, 1 2 3, 1 2 3 4, 1 2 3 4 5. Give me six. Again. This is madness. SEVEN. AGAIN.
TIME.
I’ve completed the workout. I sit down to stretch and catch my breath. Now I’m ready to tackle the day.
Get up.