Pads and Punching

In the photo above, I captured Alan just as he had backed Gabriel into a corner.  Notice that Alan is not wearing headgear.  Alan doesn't like using the cage-like headgear that Kevin left behind in my locker, but he can't really go back to using the normal headgear.  Too much potential for another eye injury to happen.

I told Alan that I would like to spar once without headgear.  "Why don't you do it?" he asked.  "Eh. . . I'll wait until the next time I spar with another woman.  I don't think I want to start off sparring like that with a guy," I answered.  I was thinking that the hits I take wouldn't be so bad from another woman, especially if they are sparring for the first time.  "It won't make a difference.  Back in the day, I trained with headgear on, but I fought without it.  The shocks from the hits are the same whether headgear is used or not," Alan said.  It's been a long time since I've been in a fight with no protection at all for my head.  The last time might have been with my late younger sister sometime in the mid-1980's; that the last fist fight I remember that we had. But Alan had a point.  Besides, headgear does NOT protect anyone from being knocked out, as I well know.

Kenny sparred with Gabriel.  Kenny was grumbling about the weight he's put on.  As hot as it was in the gym, Kenny was wearing sweat pants, and a couple of shirts, including one of those sauna shirts designed to help sweat the weight off.  His dad, Colonel, was wearing long pants and a couple of shirts as well.  I was fanning as if I was having hot flashes -- which I still get sometimes -- and hanging near the one fan in the gym.

Kenny also worked with everyone on the punch mitts.  I feel as if I getting the hang of punching on angles a little better.  While I sparred with Gabriel, I had a chance to practice stepping over after throwing punches in order to get myself out of the way.  But Gabriel was popping me good with his right hand in quick succession.  I did get one good overhand right in; Alan kept encouraging me to throw them every time Gabriel came close.  But they are not easy to get in on people who are over six feet tall.

I kept looking at my old bag gloves.  There's now two holes on the thumb on the right hand glove.  A neighbor of mine, Lorie, was telling me that she'd like to do some aerobic boxing, but she didn't have any gloves.  I suggested that she try Play It Again Sports, a store that sells used sports equipment.  Looks like I need to take my own advice and go there soon and look for some bag gloves for myself.

We don't do enough group shots in the gym.  From left to right: Kenny, me, Colonel, and Gabriel.