Sparring and Slipping

Here's our fearless leader Alan, in a photo taken a couple of days ago.  No, he's not wiping away a tear because someone didn't keep their hands up again.  I took the shot as he was shadow boxing.

"Where's your hair?" he asked me, grinning.  "I got it cut," I smiled.  After several months, I finally went to a barber.  "You're getting rid of hair, and I'm trying to keep mine," Alan said.

Martin came in with another son of his named Danny.  Turns out his older son changed his mind about taking up boxing, but Danny, a middle school student, seemed to be interested.  He was watching closely as his dad sparred for two and a half rounds with Leo.  Martin gave up in the middle of the third round.  "Never stop in the middle of a round," Alan told him.  Martin was going to put his gloves back on, but Alan said, "I'll let it go this time, but remember, always finish the round.  People have to know their level of conditioning and work with it."

Leo looked surprised when Alan suggested that Leo and I spar for a few rounds.  "It's okay.  She's had five fights," Alan said.  "Six", I corrected Alan.  "Okay!" Leo said.  Leo did not make it easy for me to land many punches, because he moved constantly.  But I had success backing Leo up into the corners and into the ropes.  I could have gone a third round, but at the end of the second round, I slipped and fell.  Leo helped me up to my feet.  "That's enough," Alan said.

Alan and Nate sparred for five full rounds.  "I don't want to throw any bombs because I don't want to piss Alan off," Nate laughed.  Alan delivered several uppercuts to Nate's middle section.  Nate caught Alan with a few jabs.  They tangled up a few times, and I had to call out for them to break.  Just at the end of the fifth round, Alan connected with an overhand right.  Josh, who had come in late while they were sparring, asked Alan, "Is that your signature punch?"

I saw Alicia yesterday; she didn't come to the gym the other day because she had a cold.  She didn't come in the gym today, either, so I guess she was still taking it easy.  But she did give me a TENS device so I can give some therapy to my left leg.  The pain is centered in the back of my left leg up near my backside, and some days it spreads all the way down my shin.  I wonder sometimes if a lot of that is due to the stress I've been under since last September.  I wouldn't be surprised.