What was I thinking?

Okay, don't gross out!  Maybe I should say, don't pass out as you see the picture of me!  You may be wondering how this came about; this cut up lip and swollen nose that admitted me free of charge into the Emergency department at the local hospital. Well....you see, it goes like this:

I was teaching my first kickboxing class after a three week hiatus, and was trying to take it easy on the class participants. So I cut the cardio down in favour of doing some floor work and weights.  The class was half way over, so I thought this was a good idea.  I instructed my class to grab a weighted ball, mat and a balancing ball.  I grab my weighted ball, all 16 pounds of it, and tell the class that we are going to slam the ball down and quickly pick it up.  At this point, I tell the class to watch me first.  I raise my arms with the ball in my hands above my head to give it all my force in slamming it down and then I quickly move to pick it up.  But before I could get half way down to pick it up, it came up to greet me.  
Within seconds I am hit and blood is dripping down my body.  I was stunned as I thought I had broken my nose because it went instantly numb at contact with the ball.  I proceeded to walk to where the mirrors were to see where I was bleeding.  My nose was fine, but my lips, oh my lips! I cut the top lip and the bottom lip.  The bottom lip was the worst as it was deep and would not stop bleeding.  At that point, all I could was laugh.  Yep, laugh!

What the heck was I thinking? I was thinking that I had picked up a slam ball, not a 16 pound basket ball! I was sure I had traumatised my class as they went about running to get the first aide.  Class ended on that note, and I assured them that I would be okay with a trip to the emergency department to ensure it.  See what happens when you try to take it easy?   Okay, I jest.

So there is a point to this, besides the huge lips.  No matter how experienced you are (although I am not nearly as experienced as I want to be), things will happen to shake you up and get you thinking about how awesome life is. And sometimes it will be painful.   Yep, it sucks that my lips hurt and that I freaked out my class.  But my class now has a greater understanding of the pros and cons of exercise; to be careful around equipment and with themselves.  I have also learned to check the equipment where I host my classes as they can be different from mine.  Life is awesome for sure, even better when it shakes you up so you can learn new things.  

Carrianne