The greatest Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robot, Mohammed Aliborg, went undefeated for 20 years before his head was knocked clean off by the sudden, brutal intervention of cats. Learn to sock like the best of 'em while shaping up with today's Groupon: for $39, you get a one-month membership to Fitness Kickboxing Waterloo (an $89.27 value). Classes are held Monday and Wednesday evenings at Emmanuel At Brighton Child Care Centre on Noecker Street.

At Fitness Kickboxing Waterloo's women-only and coed kickboxing classes, certified trainer Jeremy Tracey instructs students on the finer points of punching and kicking through a lively, strength-building, calorie-burning workout. Anchored in kickboxing's martial arts roots, Tracey's instruction focuses on techniques and combinations whose twisting, multidirectional strikes and pivots can help strengthen muscles; build long, lean sinews in hips and thighs; and shake up any snow globes attached to practitioners' persons.

Rather than having the class attack punching bags en masse, Tracey groups students in pairs, with one person wearing the boxing gloves and the other holding kick-and-punch pads to absorb the blows. In between rounds, they switch places so that everybody gets equal pounding time. Fitness Kickboxing Waterloo provides all the necessary gear, including gloves, pads, hand wraps, and monocles, and offers a complimentary preclass intro to acquaint newbies with basic movements and intimidating grimaces before their first session.