The Sweating Begins

Eighteen people signed up for the gym this spring session, but way less than that showed up to train.  The weather was nice today, I so figured most would rather be outside instead of in a hot gym.  When Alan opened the door to the gym, everyone commented on how cool it felt inside.  But that didn't last long. After a couple of rounds of shadow boxing, I was sweating heavily.

Alan was lucky to have made it in to the gym.  The coach had taken a bad fall backwards down some stairs in his home.  An ambulance took him to the hospital where doctors checked him and praise God, found no major damage.  But Alan was bruised up a little and had a cut on his shoulder.  He didn't work out because he wanted to take it easy.

I didn't spar because my body felt a bit off.  Instead of just going ahead and sparring anyway, I decided to listen to my body.  I overheard Igor telling Alan he wanted to spar "next week".  "Igor, you're not going to spar next week," Alan told him.  If Igor had been serious for once about actually wanting to spar and had wanted to do it right then, I might have ignored my body and raised my hand to step in the ring with him.  Igor is all talk and no action most of the time.

Katie and Vachel sparred.  I believe they only did two rounds.  Vachel's punches were a little wild, and Katie wasn't always throwing her punches all the way out.  But they got a workout in because both were huffing and puffing afterwards.

Geniece didn't spar, but Alan held the punch shield for her.  She was pounding punches into the shield.  Alan told me, "She hits hard!"  "I know!  I've been on the end of those punches!" I told him.  I'll be glad when we get our hands on the Chicago Park District boxing show schedule for this year.  Geniece would do well in those bouts.

JJ, who used to train in the gym, is currently in New York City, where JJ will compete for the WBC International Title against Steve Bujaj this Thursday.  I wish him the best of luck, and I hope he wins.

Bangin' In The Ring

Another night of mostly women's sparring sessions; in this photo, Alan gives instructions to Geniece and Brandy.  I was in the mix, too, sparring with Geniece, Brandy, Diana, and Nayhomee.

Brandy was popping me all upside my head and in my mid-section.  I made a conscious effort to keep my hands up, but my left eye and my nose got battered.  Brandy is very good at landing punches on the exact spot.  She picks her punches very well.  We sparred for two rounds.

Geniece is a banger.  I told Alan we need to get her some fights.  Geniece almost knocked me off my feet (so did Brandy).  "She fights like a man," Alan said.  We did one round.

Nayhomee's advantage is that she is tiny and can move quickly.  I got some hooks and overhand rights in, but I had to chase her to throw those punches.  I tried to back her up into the corners, but Nayhomee telegraphed what I was doing, and she didn't allow me to push her there.  We did one round.

Both Professor and Alan helped me up and down the stairs leading up to the ring.  "Hillari, you can hardly walk up the stairs, but you're sparring," Alan said, shaking his head.  "I know, that is funny," I laughed.  Then when I was getting out of the ring after sparring with Geniece, my foot grazed Alan in, uh, let's say a sensitive spot.  Alan grinned, winced,  and shook his head.  "I'm sorry!  That's the second time I've done that to a guy in here," I said.  The last guy I did that accidentally to was the former coach, Steve.

Diana and Nayhomee spar in this picture.  Later, Diana asked me to help her learn how to avoid side punches to her mid-section.  I showed her how to use her arms to block those side shots.

In addition to coaching others in the ring, Kenny and Professor worked on some techniques themselves in the ring.

Professor sparred with Brandy, the only guy in the gym that sparred.

Before this photo was taken (Professor did the honors), Alan joked, "What is this?  The senior citizens' picture?"  That's what I had in mind when I asked him and Professor to get in the shot with me.  Colonel is 66 years old, I'm 52 years old, and Alan will be 63 years old next month.  Yes, older people do box.  Alan was grumbling about his upcoming birthday, and I told him, "Praise God that you got this far!"  "Yes, I thank God for seeing another birthday, but wow, I'm getting up there," he said.

Six Times Three

Before I went to the gym, I thought to myself, "I'm not going to spar."  Famous last words.  I was still feeling beat up from the sparring session with Brandy the other day.  I couldn't hardly sleep last night because my left calf was bothering me, and both of my shoulders were throbbing.  I planned to go to sleep early, but there I was, watching "Bachelor Father" on Antenna TV at 3:00 AM.  No matter how much I turned, I could not get comfortable.

Jason and Kenny were already outside the door when I got there.  No sign of Jilberto, so we had to wait.  "Don't you have the key for the door?" Jason asked.  "They've never given volunteers keys -- never have, never will," I told him.  "That doesn't seem right," Kenny said.  Kenny was laying on his bag on the floor, coughing.  Seemed he picked up bronchitis from Colonel.  "I'm sick as a dog, but I'm going to sweat it out," Kenny said.

Igor walked up, spoke to Jason, then disappeared.  Later, Alan said, "I'm surprised Igor didn't come in."  "He did, but. . . .I don't know what the deal is, but Igor has been leaving when the gym door isn't opened fast enough for him," I said.  "But I was only a few minutes late," Alan said.  "That's what Igor has been doing every other time," I said.

Kenny (on the right) and Keith take it to each other during sparring.  "I feel better already!" Kenny smiled.

Kenny worked the pads with Geniece.  She hits very hard, as I found out when we were sparring.

She backed me up against the ropes, as seen here, then let go with a series of punches.  I couldn't answer the punches well, because she was right on top of me.  I was throwing some punches a little too hard, and I heard Alan say, "Easy, easy!"  Alan said she should get fights during the Chicago Park District Boxing Tournaments that are coming up soon.  I agreed.  Geniece and I did two rounds.

The next two rounds were with Sara.  Sara was a little stiff at first.  During the second round, she loosened up.  She's a little taller than me, and has a longer reach.  I was not successful in warding off a lot of her punches.  My hands were always down at the wrong time.

Diana was the last person I sparred with, bringing my rounds to a grand total of six.  I think that is the highest number of rounds I have sparred at one time.  It was Diana's first time sparring, so I had to take it easy.  Her punches were wild, so I also had to be mindful of protecting myself.  I showed her how to block my incoming jabs and hooks to the body.

Professor worked the punch mitts with Sara, and Alan held the punch shield for Jason.  I could hear Alan asking why Jason seemed to be running out of steam.  However, it seemed that Professor and Sara had a very good training session.  Sara is also a skateboarder; she came in with her board, and told me she took up the sport while she was in college.

When Alan dropped me off at home later, I told him I need to soak in a bath.  But of course that's not happening, at least not now.  First of all, I'm writing this entry, and I'll probably be on the computer for another few hours and watching the TV at the same time.  When "Bachelor Father" comes on, I'll think, "It's 3:00 AM.  Maybe I should go to bed."  I'll toss and turn for another hour and a half before finally going to sleep, only to be jarred awake by the alarm approximately three and a half hours after that.  The cycle has been like that for several days.

My Five Rounds

The gym was not as packed as it was the other day.  But there was a lot of activity.  I was the go-to girl again for sparring, and I had two new opponents:  Geniece, seen in the above photo hitting the body snatcher bag, and Alicia.

First up was Geniece and I.  "We're going to go light," I announced before the bell rang.  Geniece appeared to be a little nervous at first, but during our second round, she became more loose.  I've been becoming more comfortable with using my left hand other than for jabbing.  I got in some left hooks and left uppercuts, but I did not put a lot of power behind them.

Vachel and I went for two rounds.  I wasn't hitting hard then, either, but I did use a lot of hooks and uppercuts.  I tried some overhand rights, but now I know when I don't do them right.  The other person sees them coming from miles away and they dodge them.  Alan told Vachel, "Gotta stop doing all that squealing and screaming during sparring."  "I can't help it.  I also do that when I'm playing softball!" Vachel said.

Alicia and I sparred, but I didn't throw many punches.  I let Alicia get more hits in so she could get used to that.  I was hitting very, very lightly because I know that Alicia is in boxing mostly for exercise and to get healthy, not to spar or compete.

Martin sparred with Andres.  Professor rolled his ankle earlier, so he couldn't spar with him.  Martin appreciated moving around, but he told me he wished he could do more in the ring.  Martin wants to build his stamina up.

Alan sparred with Andres even though later on, Alan told me that he didn't feel like sparring.  But since Professor couldn't do it, and Martin could only do a couple of rounds, someone had to give Andres some work.  After all, Andres will be fighting in the finals of the Chicago Golden Gloves this weekend.  Their sparring session turned into a bit of a mini-war.

Andres caught Alan right in the face with several jabs, then Alan came back with some hooks to Andres head.  Vachel was cheering from the side lines, especially when Alan popped Andres in the face a few times.  I was standing on the apron giving advice to Andres:  "Keep your hands up, Andres!  Use the right more!  There ya go!"  Martin was giving Andres advice in Spanish.  I did make out something that sounded like, "Andres, work more!"

Jason wanted me to take pictures of him doing a spinning back fist as well as a flying knee drop -- neither of which is allowed in boxing, by the way -- but I could never catch the action properly.  Igor is standing in the background, mesmerized by Alan working with Andres.

Another older man came into the gym inquiring about the class (another older guy had also come in a couple of days ago with questions).  The guy said he wanted to walk around and observe, and Alan said fine.  The guy was on the speed bag for a little bit, and I overheard Colonel giving out some tips.  That was fine.  But then the guy was in the ring -- in street clothes and shoes -- bouncing around.  I'll be surprised if the guy actually returns.  So many people come in with ideas of boxing glory but don't follow through.

This was near the end of the evening.  Professor, who's sitting on the desk, spent most of the evening observing.  Alan and Andres look tired because of their sparring session and working with the punch shield afterwards.  I was thinking while Andres was hitting the punch shield that I was glad I wasn't the recipient of the punches that was landing on the shield.  Andres and I had sparred several times in the past, but he never hit me as hard as he is capable of doing.  If so, I'd still be in intensive care today.  But I hope Andres hits like that during the Golden Gloves finals.

Energy In The Gym

It was the first day of the Spring session, and Alan, as seen in the photo above, came right in and began coaching the new people.

From left to right: Naomi, Stephanie, Janiece, Annette and Katie.

Colonel and Andres work the bag in this picture.  Alan commented about Andres looking tired.  Andres admitted he had been up since 6:30 AM, and he had gone running.  The plan is to lift weights tomorrow.  "I used to bench about 400 pounds", he told me.  "I wish.  I would have to work for a long time to get back up to what I used to lift," I sighed.

Keith returned for the spring session, and he and Andres sparred.  Keith looked good in the ring for someone who had been off for awhile.  A cut and swollen hand had kept Keith from exercising, but it's okay now.

Alan and Andres sparred next.  Andres caught Alan in the side with a brutal right hook.  The coach backed up quickly after the blow.  Andres asked if he was okay, and the two touched gloves, a sign that everything was cool and the sparring could continue.  "I wasn't trying to hit him that hard," Andres told me afterwards, perhaps remembering how Alan was scolding him for doing so one the last times they sparred.  The sparring session ended prematurely when Alan bent one of his wrists.  Alan then held the punch shield for Andres.

He also held the punch shield for Naomi, one of the newcomers.  Naomi reminds me of Lan, a woman who used to attend the gym years ago.  Both Naomi and Lan are about the same height and petite build.  Alan was impressed by her punches.

Stephanie and Weisz, two other newcomers, share the Roger bag.  Unfortunately, Igor is also in the picture. I have noticed that when new people come in, Igor roams all over the room, more than usual, like a canine marking spots.  Igor was knocking into people and rudely squeezing by people to not only warm up but to do a workout as well.  Did I also mention that Igor mutters to himself as well?

Professor works the punch mitts with Keith, and was very sweaty afterwards.  Vachel, who had also returned to the gym said to him, "Wow, why did you get your good clothes like that?"  "I've sweated my pants, too.  Oh, well. . . .it's laundry day," Professor said.

Stephanie, as well as Sarah, another newcomer, may be up for sparring.  I complimented Stephanie on her form, and she said it was due to be raised with a lot of boys.  Sarah came prepared with her own hand wraps and gloves; she had previously trained at a gym out south.  My hip felt a whole heck of a lot better today.  I might get back in the ring soon.

The Struggle Is Real

Alan thought that Andres wasn't going to be at the gym this evening, but he did arrive.  No sooner than he got there it was time for sparring, and Andres got into the ring with Martin.

They seemed to be in there for a long time.  But then Martin stopped in the middle of a round and took his gloves off.  Later he told me he needs to move around more to build up stamina.  Martin is trying hard.  I think he's not much younger than I am, and it's a struggle to work up to an acceptable level of fitness.

Immediately, Alan got the punch shield, and he and Andres worked for a few more rounds.  Colonel learned that Andres hadn't been running lately.  Later, Alan had Andres run on the beach outside the field house for a mile.  It appeared to be tough for Andres, but he got it done.

Alan held the punch shield for Jason, which in and of itself is another struggle.  Once again, I could hear Alan admonishing Jason over and over about keeping his hands up, moving around, not stopping in the middle in the round, etc.

Alicia (standing) and Renee (near the coat rack) were both in the gym.  Alicia pushes herself through her workout.  Renee hadn't been in the gym for awhile, and it's been a struggle for her to come in.

Colonel (seen here with Andres) has been struggling to keep up with his workouts.  It's a combination of health problems and old age.  But he keeps pressing on.

I was dealing with lower back pain, both knees hurting, and the usual hip pain that has been bugging me since mid-December.  Ongoing unemployment woes keep 'effing with my mindset during workouts, too.  I have six businesses going, but no major money coming in.  A friend who was laid off late last year wants to meet with me so we can put our heads together regarding getting jobs.  But I'm getting to the point of being tired of going around begging for a job from people who aren't interested in giving me a job.  "That situation has got to be depressing," Alan told me.  Yes, it is.  Everybody has some sort of struggle going on.

Weekend Championship Training

Alan opened up the gym this afternoon so Andres could get some extra training in.  Andres got there about ten minutes after Alan and I arrived, wiping his eyes.  "Sounded like you had just woke up when I called," Alan said.  "Yeah. . .I went out last night and didn't get home until 3:00 AM.  I woke up at 11:00 AM and set the alarm to go off a little later, but I still got up late," Andres said, sounding groggy.

Andres tried out two jump ropes, but neither of them were long enough.  "We've got to buy some new ones in here," I commented.  Andres used a rope that Alan had, and that worked.  After the brief warm up, Alan and Andres sparred for a few rounds.  I stood on the apron, ready with the bucket and water.  "Remember, I'm not 280 pounds," Alan joked to Andres as he stepped through the ropes.

Alan attempted to throw an overhand right on Andres during the second round, but the coach stumbled when the punch didn't reach the target.  Andres had stepped back because he saw it coming.  Alan was able to reach Andres with some well-placed jabs to the face, and Andres returned a few of his own.  The two men became tangled up a few times, but I didn't have to call "Break!" because they either shoved or punched their way out of it.

When sparring was over, Alan held the punch shield for Andres.  I went down the hall to fill up one of the water bottles.  A guy at the front desk saw me and said, "I didn't know boxing was on Saturday."  I explained why the coach had opened the gym.  The guy asked Andres' name, and then asked, "Is he good?"  We walked down the hall to the gym so the guy could see for himself.  Turns out that he knows a kid who trained in the Chicago Park District as an amateur who is now a professional fighter.  The guy also had pictures on his phone of J.J., taken at one of the last fights J.J. won at the UIC Pavillion.  Alan joked that the guy was going to be Andres' next sparring partner.  "Where's your gear?" Alan asked him.

Andres and I did a couple of burn outs on the "Roger" bag.  Alan reminded Andres to back up off of the bag to give himself room to punch.  "Hillari, don't you think that Andres' punches are harder when he's close up on the bag or a little distance from it?" Alan asked.  "The punches are harder when Andres is not as close to the bag," I answered.  I could feel those punches as I held the bag as Andres lit into it.

Someone at the Chicago Golden Gloves told Andres that his opponent at the finals, a guy named Rodriguez I believe, has had nine fights in another state.  "What difference does that make?  The other guy has two arms and two legs like you do.  The guy that wins the fight is the one who's going to have the more 'oomph'," Alan told Andres.  "Also, you have to consider whether or not what they told you was true," I added.  People say all kinds of stuff to mess with fighters' heads before a fight.  Most times it's best to let things go into one ear and out the other.

The Few Who Boxed

 During Christmas Eve service at church Monday night, I saw Rob.  Rob used to train at Loyola Park back when Steve was the coach.  Rob fought in the Golden Gloves, and in several Park District shows.  Now Rob is the pastor of a church in the neighborhood.  Pastor Roger had invited him and a few other pastors, as well as their congregations, to come worship during the service.  Rob read a few passages of Scripture.  He told me he wants to bring his son by the gym to get him involved in boxing.  I remembered when his son was small.  Now his son is 15 years old, and I had to look up at him.  I told Rob and his son to come on in when they get the chance.

I didn't expect very many to show up at the gym Wednesday night.  Attendance is always way down the week between Christmas and New Year's Day.  Outside of Alan, only Andre and I were in the gym. 

Alan decided to work with Andre and I on our punches by using the punch shield, or donut, as it's sometimes nicknames.  Andre threw what seemed to be a lot of hard punches into the shield.  He told Alan and I that he has a push up bar at home, and he's started to use it. 

 



When I was in the ring with Alan, my balance was off, and my reactions were slow.  But my hands were up.  Good thing, too, because Alan reached his hand out to tap me on the side of my face, and I covered up before impact.  I threw several jabs to the middle of the shield, and Alan moved it as I threw the last one.  It caught him a little on the chin.  I cringed.  "It's okay," he said, and we continued.

 

You may be asking yourself, "For the third time, she's got a picture of Jack Benny on here.  What gives?"  Okay, I admit to being a bit obsessed with the late comedian recently (who by the way, passed away about 38 years ago on Wednesday).  While looking at videos on YouTube, I came across a clip from Dick Cavett's old talk show.  Smokin' Joe Frazier was one of the guests.  The other two were Bill Cosby, and -- you guessed it -- Jack Benny.  Frazier was talking about a recent fight he'd had with George Foreman.  Benny asked Frazier did he feel pain immediately upon taking a punch or did the pain show up later on.  Frazier said something along the lines of it was hard to explain how a punch felt in the heat of battle, especially when the goal is to keep going and get back at the opponent.  Cosby quipped to Frazier, "But doesn't something in your mind go 'uh-oh' when a punch is coming in?"



Alan and the Little Boy

Deep voiced Mike came in last night with a five-year-old boy whom he introduced as his cousin.  The boy put on some sparring gloves, and Alan attempted to show him how to keep his hands up and throw punches.  The little boy was very shy.  Several of us in the gym encouraged the little guy on. 

I sparred with J (I had refered to her as Kyra, but I was incorrect), a very quiet young woman who started coming to the gym this fall.  Alan gave his usual instruction to me to throw punches downstairs and then go upstairs.  I did it a little too well, as I caught her in the ribs.  We both had to stop to give her time to regroup and catch her breath.  During both rounds, I got hooks in and dead-on punches to the face.

Later, Alan held the punch shield for me.  Mike's little cousin watched us with interest.  After Alan and I did a couple of rounds, the older man invited the little boy into the ring.  They got into a mock boxing match, with Alan on his knees to give Mike's cousin more of an advantage.  I was hanging over the ropes loudly saying to Mike's cousin: "Get him, get him!  There you go!  Body shots! Get him in the jaw!  Hooks!"  Alan pretended like he was being overwhelmed by the boy, and he fell out on the canvas.  "Don't you feel strong?" Mike asked his cousin.  "Yes!" the little boy said enthusiastically.  "I'm going to get you," Alan pointed to the boy in jest.  I couldn't help but think that Alan may have been remembering good times playing with his son like that when Matthew was small.

Eric came in after being out for a little while.  He said that he may not be back in again for a couple of weeks.  His wife is due to give birth to their second son any day now.

Looks like I won't have a fight at Hamlin this week.  Bill told Alan that the three women fighters he has are already matched up.  There are several more Chicago Park District boxing shows between now and early December; I may get another fight or two before Christmas.