Getting Fit for Moto-Safety

I have many, many reasons to make some kind of exercise a part of my regular routine. My day job consists of sitting in front of a computer for the entire day. Now that I carpool, I don't even have the walk from the parking garage (a block and a half away) to the office and back. I'm tired a lot of the time, and I think getting more exercise will probably help my energy levels. Plus, I've always been an active guy, and I miss a lot of the stuff I used to do.

In addition, being in shape decreases the risk of injury when one does things like falling down the stairs, or (hopefully not any time soon) falling off a motorcycle.

Now, for me, exercise has to be an activity that I want to do. If I enjoy an activity, I will go out of my way to participate in that activity. It's also helpful if I can do the majority of my exercise at home, or within walking/running/bicycling distance of home. So, I've been researching and trying body weight exercises. I bought a jump rope, which has thus far kicked my ass - in a totally positive way - every time I've used it.

You know what else is fun? Hitting things. And I can hit things close to home, provided I have an appropriate target.

Many of my friends study various martial arts, primarily Taekwondo. Personally, I have no interest in Taekwondo. High kicking just isn't me. I have had a quiet interest in boxing for a long time, however. Recently, I realized that I could, y'know, learn to box.

As it is, boxing is perfect for what I want to achieve: I can do most of the training at home, or close by. There are minimal equipment needs for a boxer. And, I'll get into shape pretty quickly so long as I can stay disciplined about training. I'm not interested in competing, just getting into fighting shape.

Boxing is an ideal training activity for motorcyclists, as well. It develops mental toughness, quick reflexes, an ability to think on one's feet, not to mention that a big part of the training is preparing to get beat all to hell without being injured. Many motorcyclists already have a warrior mindset, anyway, so it's not that much of a stretch.

Anyway, being carved out of wood isn't really a motivating thought for me, but bouncing back up off the road if I crash is. Proper gear on the outside is good, but it'll be good to be ready for a beating underneath my armor as well.