A Gym Full Of Cousins

Now Kishaun doesn't want to jump rope in addition to not wanting to shadow box.  "I don't like jumping rope," he told Rocky.  Both Rocky and I explained that jumping rope is for stamina, coordination, and footwork.  But Kishaun kept complaining.  Rocky told him, "Just for that, you'll jump rope every day next week."

Slowly, the kids and teen boxing classes are gaining participants for the fall season.  Ashanti, a cousin to Derrick Jr. and Kishaun, signed up.  I joke to myself that the youth classes are being filled up by Rocky's relatives.

Joseph, another of Rocky's relatives, is planning to sign up, but he lives out in the western suburbs, as does Tyrone.  The park district's usual policy is that if someone who lives outside of city limits partakes in a class or activity, they have to pay a higher fee.  That doesn't seem to apply to the youth boxing classes, which are free.  I'm more concerned about the suburban kids being able to come to class on a regular basis.  Most have to depend on someone driving them there. If they can't get a ride for any reason, that's another day of missed training.

Nassir ran in and ran out of the gym, not doing a workout.  Looks like I'm going to have to have a talk with his mother regarding whether boxing is a good fit for her son.

I hope Mel and Ben return for the adult class, even if they continue to split their time between the fitness center and boxing.  I like having them, and Ben's sister, Alex, in the class.

In light of the speed bag I had hung up to be used as a slip bag being torn down last week, I'm now concerned about having other equipment in the gym.  The ring is showing wear and tear from the two months of hell the summer camp kids inflicted on it.  The heavy bags took some damage, too, and the bulletin board closest to the entrance door was targeted for vandalism.  Thank God I could lock up the gloves, headgear, jump ropes, etc., or else those would have been destroyed and/or stolen.  If I can arrange to keep the summer camp kids out of my gym next year, I will.  Summer camp is for a short time, but my program is all year long. The equipment needs to remain in good condition for my fighters.

You Tube Boxing

Carlos announced that he took his fight at Brooks Park off of YouTube.  "I only put it up there so my cousin could see it," he said.  We all told him that he should have left it up.  I think it is still accessible on this blog.

I had been searching YouTube, hoping that my most recent fight had not been posted there.  It's bad enough that the previous fight Meg and I had is on display there. 

I didn't spar again this past Wednesday.  Still too sore and unsteady on my knees.  Alan decided to move  around in the ring with Carlos.  He looked relieved when Ralphie came in.  Alan was going to be too tired to keep going like Carlos likes to go.  It was good that Ralphie could take up some of the slack and spar with Carlos. 

When the ring wasn't being used, I got in there to shadowbox.  I practiced moving my head, the technique I wasn't using the last time I fought Meg.  Alan said that using the rope (stretched out along the side of the ring for the purposes of bobbing and weaving) would be good to practice head movement as well.  I didn't do much bobbing and weaving because my knees couldn't take it that night.  In fact, as I write this, my right knee is slightly throbbing.  It's been doing that all day.  It may be the arthritis flaring up, or residual pain from when I sprained my knee twice (in 2005 and 2006), or both.  Taking aspirin will only help for awhile; unfortunately, the pills won't cure arthritis.