Lions

Roz arranged for the men to workout with Harlan Lee at the Gee Yung International Martial Arts Dragon & Lion Dance Association last night.

And we were promptly and totally humbled.

I thought I was flexible. I thought I had strong legs, and a good core. I do my yoga, I do my squats at the gym, I do 800 crunches, I thought I was doing ok. And I bet I wasn't the only guy walking into this who thought the same.

Five minutes later I was exhausted, and there were still 85 to go.

I don't even have names for most of what Harlan had us do. Some of the push-up variations we did in capoeira. Others were all new: pushing up and into the air and over your partner, landing on the other side; vaulting over your partner than dropping and sliding under his legs, only to get up and leap frog over him again; balancing sticks on your legs until they were on fire; side splits that were hard enough without having to touch your shoulder to the ground; and then planks and crunches and lunges and one legged squats ...

Sheize, it burned.

I have new respect for lion dancers. You've gotta be tough to look that cute.