Over the years I’ve heard everything about stress. That it’s a killer, that it happens to everyone, that it’s all relative to your life experiences. Stress is a part of our lives and we cope with it one way or another. We each have ways of managing our common ailment of stress, some methods being more successful than others. Perhaps you enjoy a quiet walk, or ease out of your hectic day with a glass of wine and a crossword puzzle. A friend of mine told me that she finds peace and relaxation each morning when she reflects and prays. While I certainly won’t knock anyone’s de-stressing practices, I do want to throw a less peaceful one into the hat, and it involves a little bit of physical exertion and, dare I say it, aggression.

I find peace when I kick something as hard as I possibly can. I’m one with the world and myself when the eyes of the person holding paddles, focus mitts, or a shield, widen and boggle. What can I say, I enjoy my moderated violence.

Hey, we’re all different, right? One method of relieving stress may work well for one group of people, and another method for a second group. Sure, sitting down with the crossword sounds nice, but I’m not sure it’ll ever be for me. Working a problem out by exhausting myself through physical action is far more effective, with the added bonus that I’m sculpting my body in the process. Win win.

What I notice most about kickboxing classes is the expressions of people pre and post workout. Everyone smiles after a session. Oh sure, I won’t discount how satisfied we all are to still be alive after a grueling session, but we also feel better. It is far easier to deal with a difficult situation after a work out than it is before one.

So, how do you deal with your stress? If you’re looking for a way to fight stress, think about joining us for kickboxing. Classes are Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 10 am, Tuesdays and Thursdays at 6 pm.