Michael Puts In The Work

The boy in the photo above is Michael.  The same Michael who seldom puts his wraps on right, doesn't want to do a full workout, and whines about sparring because "I don't want to get knocked out!"  Despite the fact the Michael often works my last nerve, I do like the kid.  He surprised me by not showing up with food in his hands.

Michael was the only one who showed up for the kids' class, so he and I sparred.  I wasn't wearing headgear or a mouthpiece, but I'm glad I took off my glasses.  Michael was going for my head a lot.  "Go for the body when fighting someone taller," I told him.  A good thing for him, because he got some good body shots in.  Rough for me, because I wasn't ready for some of those body shots.  Michael got me in the middle of my belly.  "Oof!" I went.  When he actually concentrates on putting muscle behind the punches, Michael can throw some hard ones.

"I like sparring with you, Miss Hillari," Michael said.  That's probably because I wasn't hitting him hard at all, and I let him get in a lot of shots on me.  I have a feeling that I will be sparring with him often.  But if that will get him used to the ring, and perhaps stop the running out of the ring when Michael is in there with the other kids, then I'll keep sparring with him.

Benjamin, in the photo above, was the only one who showed up for the teen class.  I told him about the City-Wide Tournament that is approaching.  "I don't think I'm ready for that," was Benjamin's stock answer.  "You've got two months to prepare for it," I pointed out.  "Well, maybe I will be ready for it," he said.  I hope so.  I'd like to have at least one person competing in that.

Bennie and Angela were the only two who showed up for the adult class.  Bennie has been there for a little while, but Angela is new.  Bennie is coming along; his punches are good, and his footwork is getting better.  Angela is a bubbly person who always wanted to box, but her dad wouldn't let her because of her gender. Now that she's an adult, she wants to be involved in the sport.  In many ways, the adults are more of a challenge than the youths.  Some of them, like Bennie, are thinking about competing, while others like Angela, just want to get in shape.  So I have to do my research and put my thinking cap on in order to help them reach their individual goals.