Schooled On Angles

Kathy had been sparring with Erica at Loyola Park when she put her hands up in victory for this funny photo.

Erica was taking on everyone who wanted to spar, including me.  I had to compliment her on hitting on angles.  That's something I never really learned to do well.  She was coming at me from various places, and my old self couldn't keep up.  It put something on my mind -- I need to teach the kids at LaFollette how to work off of angles.

Connor wasn't putting his punches all the way out while sparring with Erica.  "I don't want you to knock her about, but you can hit her," Alan told him.  Erica quickly adjusted to inside fighting in order to deliver hits to Connor's body.  Afterwards, she commented, "Ooh. . .tall people!"  "I know," I laughed.  Erica is about my height.  Connor has to be a little over six feet.

I gave Salen, seen here on the red heavy bag, a quick lesson on wrapping his hands.  I found myself saying the same things I tell the kids at LaFollette.  "Put the loop over your thumb.  Now wrap it around your wrist three times.  Wrap it around your thumb once, then wrap it once again around your wrist to anchor it.  Okay, now wrap it three times around your knuckles.  Good.  From this point on, alternate between wrapping it around your wrist once and then your knuckles once until you get to the end.  Then finish it off at your wrist."

Mary noticed the cuts on Alan's nose from when he sparred with Minh.  "What happened?  Were you fighting?" she asked.  Alan explained about the head gear scraping against his nose.  Then he said, "Hillari hit me."  "Oh, you're gonna put that on me!" I laughed.  It occurred to me that Alan and I haven't sparred with each other for at least two years.  I miss that sometimes.

Jamil came in with his girlfriend.  Hadn't seen him for a long time, and it was very good to see him.  He asked about Ralphie.  Alan and I had to break the sad news that Ralphie passed on three years ago.  "He was the best," Jamil said.  Jamil wants to get back into the gym.  He was working hard when he was there before; it would be good for him to come back to it.