I have written here many times about how some people have admonished me over the years for participating in boxing. One of the best came from Ma, who told me back in 2001, "Can't you find something else better to do?" It has been pointed out to me more than once that boxing is, well. . .dangerous. I tell people how much I love the sport, and I laugh it off, but they're right. Precautions are taken (especially in the amateur ranks), but sometimes, things go wrong.
One of the most horrific tragedies happened on March 24, 1962 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Emile Griffith, a boxer from the U.S. Virgin Islands, fought Benny "The Kid" Paret, a Cuban. It was the third time the two had fought, and the match was aired on national television on NBC. The first time they faced each other, Griffith won the welterweight title by knockout. The second time, Paret regained the title. The other night on ESPN Classic, I watched a documentary, Ring of Fire: The Emile Griffith Story, which detailed what happened that night.
During the sixth round, Griffith backed Paret into a corner and pounded him with punches. Some of the people in the documentary differed as to how many punches Paret took. Now I've been hurt myself in the gym and in the ring. I've seen others, both professional and amateur boxers, get injured on TV and during matches I've seen in person. The footage of Griffith beating Paret however, had me cringing with my mouth open. It was one of the most brutal beat downs I had ever seen. The referee, Rudy Goldstein, jumped in too late to stop it. Paret had been knocked unconscious while still on his feet, then he slumped slowly down to the canvas. A reporter interviews Griffith, who regained the championship, right after the mayhem. Griffith and his corner people look cautiously over at the corner where Paret, who was still out of it, was laying. Griffith commented that he hoped Paret "is feeling very good." Paret never regained consciousness, and he died ten days later, leaving behind a wife and a young son. Paret's widow is interviewed throughout the film. Several times, she is wiping away tears.
Boxing doesn't have a patent on deaths. Cars spin out of control during races, jockeys fall off horses on the racetrack and are trampled. Luges crash, bulls stomp on their riders, and skiers slam into trees. But people are more scandalized about a boxing death because animals, sports equipment, and machines didn't contribute. It was purely at the hands of another human. It does not matter if the fight was sanctioned, or what the referee observed, or how the judges saw the bout. People will cry, "Murder!", and the calls to have the sport banned will be raised -- again. Indeed, that fight was the reason why boxing disappeared from network TV for the rest of the 1960s, not to be seen again until the 1970s.
Some thought that Griffith may have intentionally beat Paret like that due to Paret using a gay slur towards Griffith during a weigh-in. Griffith seems to admit to being bisexual during the documentary, but there seems to be confusion about that, even on Griffith's part. He said that the slur didn't bother him. Footage of him being interviewed in the ring after the fight shows Griffith looking at the playback of the action. He appeared to be surprised at the intensity of his punches on Paret. Griffith gives the impression that he got caught up in the moment, and just followed the directions of his trainer to keep punching.
As harsh as that night was, as well as some other messy aspects of Griffith's life -- a brief marriage, an assault that nearly killed him, dealing with puglistic dementia -- the documentary offers a most poignant and hopeful coda at the end. Paret's son, now an adult, finally meets Griffith. Initially, Griffith has trepidation, as anyone would in that instance. How will Paret's son react to him? What can Griffith say to the son of the man he killed?
The two men meet in a park. Paret's son tells Griffith that his mother still has a hard time about his dad's death. But the son has no hard feelings. Griffith hugs the younger man and cries on his shoulder. Forgiveness is a hard thing to do. I am not fond of the concept, and I admit that I'm guilty of carrying grudges. I'm not the only one. But the documentary taught me that it not only can be done, but it is necessary for closure.
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Lessons From Kenny
I did a round robin session of sparring with Sarah and Taheerah. Sarah got in with Taheerah first. I was impressed at how Taheerah hung in there with Sarah; she's not that much taller than I, and Taheerah is petite. But she was able to handle Sarah's punches. When I got in with Sarah, it was the usual; I took hits to my head and to my right eye. A right hook grazed me across my face. I focused on giving out body shots, but none of them slowed Sarah down. I'm convinced that Sarah should try to get a fight at the field house's boxing show next month.
Taheerah's head gear kept coming off while she was sparring with Sarah. The same thing happened last week when she and I were in the ring. She has a lot of hair, plus the head gear Alan put on her was old.
Kenny noticed that it seems that there are fewer sparring and bag gloves on the table each time the gym is opened. "Sometimes, Barry locks up equipment," I said. When the gym was given a lot of free equipment back in 2007 when the International Boxing Championships were in town, Barry had to put a lot of it under wraps for safety. Unfortunately, a lot of that equipment -- the gloves in particular -- walked anyway. Kenny figured that maybe some of the equipment was beginning to walk again.
Kenny held pads for a few people, including me. He showed me another way to throw an overhand right. Usually, I do it the way Alan does, like a bolo punch (which is what that punch was originally called), setting it up like a right cross, but coming down with it in an arc. The way Kenny showed me was to come over my opponent's jab so that my fist ended up striking their chin or cuffing them behind the ear. He also had me throw right uppercuts and immediately follow up with a left hook to the body, as I would already be in position to throw the hook from leaning in to deliver the uppercut. People were watching us, including Taheerah and Ray, who cheered me on. "There you go!" Ray said, and Taheerah laughed as she told me, "Don't try those punches on me when we spar!" Next week, Kenny is going to show me some more combinations and how to step over to avoid counter punches.
I sent an email to Steve on his birthday; I believe he's now 38 years old. He emailed back and told me he saw the letter I sent to The Ring Magazine praising them for finally including regular articles about female boxers. He asked if I was still going to Loyola Park and how the gym was going. I gave him an update and asked him to say hi to Ellen (his wife) and their kids.
Tommy and I were talking about energy drinks on the market. "Have you tried that Five Hour Energy?" he asked. "I've never drank a full bottle. Half of one is enough to have me hopping," I said, and I comically demonstrated the effect. Tommy laughed. "I drank a full one, and I was sitting on the train when suddenly I felt pumped up!' he said. I don't trust most of the energy drinks I see advertised because I'm not really sure about the ingredients that go into them.
Alan and I were the last ones in the gym at the end of the night, and I told him, "I forgot to take pictures of the action." "Take a picture of the ring. You can put a caption on it that says the ropes are in distress -- much like Leon's love life," he chuckled. "If Leon sees this on the blog, I'm going to tell him that you put me up to it,' I laughed.
Taheerah's head gear kept coming off while she was sparring with Sarah. The same thing happened last week when she and I were in the ring. She has a lot of hair, plus the head gear Alan put on her was old.
Kenny noticed that it seems that there are fewer sparring and bag gloves on the table each time the gym is opened. "Sometimes, Barry locks up equipment," I said. When the gym was given a lot of free equipment back in 2007 when the International Boxing Championships were in town, Barry had to put a lot of it under wraps for safety. Unfortunately, a lot of that equipment -- the gloves in particular -- walked anyway. Kenny figured that maybe some of the equipment was beginning to walk again.
Kenny held pads for a few people, including me. He showed me another way to throw an overhand right. Usually, I do it the way Alan does, like a bolo punch (which is what that punch was originally called), setting it up like a right cross, but coming down with it in an arc. The way Kenny showed me was to come over my opponent's jab so that my fist ended up striking their chin or cuffing them behind the ear. He also had me throw right uppercuts and immediately follow up with a left hook to the body, as I would already be in position to throw the hook from leaning in to deliver the uppercut. People were watching us, including Taheerah and Ray, who cheered me on. "There you go!" Ray said, and Taheerah laughed as she told me, "Don't try those punches on me when we spar!" Next week, Kenny is going to show me some more combinations and how to step over to avoid counter punches.
I sent an email to Steve on his birthday; I believe he's now 38 years old. He emailed back and told me he saw the letter I sent to The Ring Magazine praising them for finally including regular articles about female boxers. He asked if I was still going to Loyola Park and how the gym was going. I gave him an update and asked him to say hi to Ellen (his wife) and their kids.
Tommy and I were talking about energy drinks on the market. "Have you tried that Five Hour Energy?" he asked. "I've never drank a full bottle. Half of one is enough to have me hopping," I said, and I comically demonstrated the effect. Tommy laughed. "I drank a full one, and I was sitting on the train when suddenly I felt pumped up!' he said. I don't trust most of the energy drinks I see advertised because I'm not really sure about the ingredients that go into them.
Alan and I were the last ones in the gym at the end of the night, and I told him, "I forgot to take pictures of the action." "Take a picture of the ring. You can put a caption on it that says the ropes are in distress -- much like Leon's love life," he chuckled. "If Leon sees this on the blog, I'm going to tell him that you put me up to it,' I laughed.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Ears and Eyes
Earlier in the day, I was wondering how I was going to make it at the gym Monday night. The usual menopause insomnia and fatigue had plagued me the night before, despite the fact that I did get a few good hours of sleep. Sometimes I feel tired in the gym and push on, but other times, like last night, I'm able to shake it off.
While walking through the park to get to the field house, I saw a little boy who looked familiar. "Nico?" I called out to him, and he stopped in his tracks and looked at me. I waved to him. Nico is one of the children who regularly attends my church. Jesse, who used to be an intern at my church, and who's also a friend of Nico's parents, saw me and waved. I guess he was watching over Nico. Nico has often played with Jesse's young son Emmit.
And it was a good thing I was able to keep the tiredness at bay as I sparred with both Taheerah and Ursula (Renee and Amy opted not to spar). Ursula only did one round and she was done. I was in the ring for two rounds with Taheerah, who got in a few good shots to my stomach. Trying to be slick at one point, I covered up my mid-section, but left my head wide open. Taheerah clocked me in my ear with her right hand.
A pop to Nathaniel's eye from Jacob ended the sparring session they had. But Kenny, who had gone into the ring earlier with him, and Ray, who had observed their pairing, had nothing but praise for him. "He's got a lot of heart," Ray said, while Kenny exclaimed, "That mother------ kept coming despite taking hits! I have to give him his respect!"
Ray helped Jimmy along while they sparred in the ring, encouraging Jimmy to throw more hooks. Alan was trying to keep his eyes on them as well as all the sparring that went on, while keeping an eye on the damaged ring. A few times while Kenny sparred, he kept stepping over the rope, and Alan would gently push him back onto the playing area.
In the photo above, Jacob spars with Kenny (who's facing the camera).
I got the name of the cream that Ursula recommended for helping with arthritis pain: it's called Arnica, and I'm going to look for it tomorrow. My knees felt pretty good today. Taheerah had seen me out with my bike a few weeks ago. "I have rode as far as Highland Park, but these days, it depends on how my knees feel," I told her. I've only rode my bike once this season, but I'll need to pull it out more beginning next month as part of the training plan for the tentative fight I'll have in September.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Fighters and An Old Sitcom
I've been watching reruns of "Car 54, Where Are You?" over the weekends on MeTV. For those not hip to cult TV history, it was a sitcom that aired from 1961 to 1963 on NBC. The main characters were a couple of New York City cops: tall, college-educated bachelor Muldoon (Fred Gwynne) and short, none-too-bright married man Toody (Joe E. Ross). There were a couple of episodes where the cops were trying to catch up with a gang of thieves. There was one guy who appeared as the muscle of the gangs in both episodes. I was surprised to read the credits at the end of the episode to find out the guy was real-life boxer Jake LaMotta. As of this writing, LaMotta is 90 years old, and still very much alive. His life story was chronicled in the movie Raging Bull (1980), with Robert DeNiro playing the boxer.
The writers and producers of "Car 54" must have really liked boxers, because just this past weekend, I saw another episode featuring two of the greatest boxers of all time. The episode, "Puncher and Judy", had one of the cops, Kissel, (Bruce Kirby) bragging about how he was going to take on an opponent. Toody informs Kissel that he took the liberty of signing him up for the Golden Gloves. He even has the name of the opponent, some guy named Tony. Suddenly, Kissel's not so brave anymore, and decides he's going to back out, but not before snapping on Toody for putting his name in the competition. A woman (played by the late Shari Lewis, who was also a popular voice over actress) shows up at the station and begs Toody and Muldoon to convince her boyfriend Tony, a gentle hairdresser who has customers who are crazy about him, not to fight in the gloves. The cops take Tony to a boxing gym, and arrange with a trainer to have one of the pros at the gym pop Tony one good time in order to make him lose his confidence. To the surprise of Toody and Muldoon, Tony wipes the canvas with his opponent, and has to be pulled off of him. The part of Tony was played by boxer Rocky Graziano. His real-life story was also done on the big screen: Paul Newman played him in the movie, Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956).
The cops get the bright idea to get an even more experienced pro to beat Tony in order to keep him out of the Gloves. They manage to convince the pro to disguise himself as an old man as to not bruise Tony's feelings too bad. Tony doesn't want to get into the ring with a "70 year old man" but Toody and Muldoon convince Tony to give him a few rounds. What Tony doesn't know is that the "old man" is actually Sugar Ray Robinson in disguise. Tony is knocked to the canvas, and decides that boxing is not for him.
However, when Tony returns to his hairdressing job, he's mean to his customers. Tony threatens to cut off all the hair of one customer, and he sends another woman running out of the beauty shop crying. His girlfriend realizes that boxing was the way Tony let out pent-up emotions, so she begs Toody and Muldoon to convince him to go back to boxing. The cops and Robinson let Tony know how they tricked him at first, and all ends well with Tony beating down three guys at one time at the gym as his girlfriend cheers him on.
It was an amusing episode. Graziano exaggerated his boxing moves, beating guys after they had already fallen onto the canvas by pouncing on top of them (something that is not in the boxing rulebook). Robinson was getting fitted for a suit by a tailor when Toody and Muldoon approached him to take on Tony. "I don't know fellas. . .I have to train for a fight," Robinson said, then he casually flung a backhand fist at a nearby speed bag as the tailor measured him for the suit. Robinson's manager handed him a contract for his next fight. The boxer asked if all his demands had been met, which were all outrageous, including 92% of the box office receipts. The manager assured him the demands were in place, and Robinson signed the contract. The manager walked away, then a thought occurred to Sugar Ray. "Wait! Who am I fighting?" he asked.
Graziano did meet Robinson in the ring for real, in 1952. Robinson knocked Graziano out in three rounds. It would be Graziano's last attempt at a middleweight title. Graziano was entered into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. Robinson was entered there in 1990, as was Jake LaMotta.
The writers and producers of "Car 54" must have really liked boxers, because just this past weekend, I saw another episode featuring two of the greatest boxers of all time. The episode, "Puncher and Judy", had one of the cops, Kissel, (Bruce Kirby) bragging about how he was going to take on an opponent. Toody informs Kissel that he took the liberty of signing him up for the Golden Gloves. He even has the name of the opponent, some guy named Tony. Suddenly, Kissel's not so brave anymore, and decides he's going to back out, but not before snapping on Toody for putting his name in the competition. A woman (played by the late Shari Lewis, who was also a popular voice over actress) shows up at the station and begs Toody and Muldoon to convince her boyfriend Tony, a gentle hairdresser who has customers who are crazy about him, not to fight in the gloves. The cops take Tony to a boxing gym, and arrange with a trainer to have one of the pros at the gym pop Tony one good time in order to make him lose his confidence. To the surprise of Toody and Muldoon, Tony wipes the canvas with his opponent, and has to be pulled off of him. The part of Tony was played by boxer Rocky Graziano. His real-life story was also done on the big screen: Paul Newman played him in the movie, Somebody Up There Likes Me (1956).
The cops get the bright idea to get an even more experienced pro to beat Tony in order to keep him out of the Gloves. They manage to convince the pro to disguise himself as an old man as to not bruise Tony's feelings too bad. Tony doesn't want to get into the ring with a "70 year old man" but Toody and Muldoon convince Tony to give him a few rounds. What Tony doesn't know is that the "old man" is actually Sugar Ray Robinson in disguise. Tony is knocked to the canvas, and decides that boxing is not for him.
However, when Tony returns to his hairdressing job, he's mean to his customers. Tony threatens to cut off all the hair of one customer, and he sends another woman running out of the beauty shop crying. His girlfriend realizes that boxing was the way Tony let out pent-up emotions, so she begs Toody and Muldoon to convince him to go back to boxing. The cops and Robinson let Tony know how they tricked him at first, and all ends well with Tony beating down three guys at one time at the gym as his girlfriend cheers him on.
It was an amusing episode. Graziano exaggerated his boxing moves, beating guys after they had already fallen onto the canvas by pouncing on top of them (something that is not in the boxing rulebook). Robinson was getting fitted for a suit by a tailor when Toody and Muldoon approached him to take on Tony. "I don't know fellas. . .I have to train for a fight," Robinson said, then he casually flung a backhand fist at a nearby speed bag as the tailor measured him for the suit. Robinson's manager handed him a contract for his next fight. The boxer asked if all his demands had been met, which were all outrageous, including 92% of the box office receipts. The manager assured him the demands were in place, and Robinson signed the contract. The manager walked away, then a thought occurred to Sugar Ray. "Wait! Who am I fighting?" he asked.
Graziano did meet Robinson in the ring for real, in 1952. Robinson knocked Graziano out in three rounds. It would be Graziano's last attempt at a middleweight title. Graziano was entered into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1991. Robinson was entered there in 1990, as was Jake LaMotta.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
The Coach, His Son, and Pizza
Taheerah and I sparred Wednesday night, and I honored her request to go light. Her husband, Nate, gave her tips from the side. I heard Alan say to me, "She's your height! Throw straight punches!"
The ring itself continues to be in disrepair. I heard that it might take a year for maintenance to fix it, which I can believe. When the back door of the field house was broken, it took about that amount of time before that was repaired. As Kenny pointed out, it makes it hard for the fighters who need to learn how to work off of the ropes. It's also hard to gauge where one is at during sparring because half of the ropes are down on the canvas. Alan and I are constantly calling out, "Watch out!" when someone gets too close to the edge. In my opinion, what's needed is a ring that doesn't have its canvas bolted down on the floor. The last time I was in JABB Gym, I remember they had a small ring that was only a couple of feet from the floor. It didn't take up a lot of room; such a ring could probably fit into Loyola Gym.
The temperature in the gym was very hot, and no wonder -- it was about 100 degrees yesterday. I was banging on the teardrop bag when I noticed my bag gloves were slick with sweat. Jilberto told Colonel and I that most of the other field houses didn't open that day due to the heat.
I got some more good tips from Kenny on how to throw uppercuts. I had reverted to my old habit of bringing my arms all the way before throwing them, which is a good way for an opponent to step in on me with hard hooks. The last time I sparred with Taheerah, I tried to sneak a couple of uppercuts in, but I wasn't close enough, and she danced away very fast before I could execute them properly. That's the one punch that I never feel I do correctly, and the one I feel I need to practice the most.
Lots of sparring, despite the heat -- Kenny, Jimmy, Jacob, Matt, Nathaniel and Nate -- all took turns on the canvas.
After the gym, Alan, his son Matt, and myself went to Giordano's. Matt had chicken, while Alan and I split a pizza (the leftovers of which I will have for dinner tonight). Alan had me cracking up with a some "Curb Your Enthusiasm" moments he had. One involved him asking a woman if she was pregnant. She wasn't. "You never assume that a woman is pregnant unless she tells you," I laughed. I think of all the times people have seen my gut -- which I have been trying to whittle down for the longest -- and assumed that I had an ankle-biter on the way. It's one of the quickest ways to tick off most women.
We had a good time. I could tell that Alan worries a lot about Matt, and like most young folks, Matt thinks his dad's fears are unfounded. However, father and son appear to have a comfortable way of talking and relating to each other.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Sparring All Around
I turned on the fan that's built into the back window of the gym, as well as the box fan. It didn't do much. Ray commented, "You can just stand around and sweat and lose calories in here!" Despite of the heat, the gym was well attended tonight.
Taheerah and Ursula sparred. Taheerah kept coming forward.
After some coaxing by Leon, Jimmy agreed to spar with him. Alan got into the ring to referee, and he had to warn Leon several times to go easy. Jimmy did take a shot to the side. "He didn't hit me as hard as he could have, but I feel it," Jimmy told me later.
Matt, Alan's son, came in, and he sparred with Oscar. Matt plans to go to college for a year here in Illinois, then transfer. He's eyeing a kickboxing team at a school out in California.
Ray and Alan had a great sparring session -- with no headgear -- which ended prematurely because Ray slipped and fell. Ray got in a nice, crisp uppercut on Alan right before Ray fell. Kenny, Oscar, and Marcus also sparred, so the ring was used a lot tonight.
Taheerah and Ursula sparred. Taheerah kept coming forward.
Then I got into the ring with Taheerah. I put out as many straight punches as possible, including an overhand right. The video clip of us sparring looks odd because Alan was holding my camera, and he hasn't quite got the hang of how to operate it. Plus, I had problems uploading it, so it's not featured here.
After some coaxing by Leon, Jimmy agreed to spar with him. Alan got into the ring to referee, and he had to warn Leon several times to go easy. Jimmy did take a shot to the side. "He didn't hit me as hard as he could have, but I feel it," Jimmy told me later.
Matt, Alan's son, came in, and he sparred with Oscar. Matt plans to go to college for a year here in Illinois, then transfer. He's eyeing a kickboxing team at a school out in California.
Ray and Alan had a great sparring session -- with no headgear -- which ended prematurely because Ray slipped and fell. Ray got in a nice, crisp uppercut on Alan right before Ray fell. Kenny, Oscar, and Marcus also sparred, so the ring was used a lot tonight.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Recognizing A Southpaw
I stayed at work a little longer yesterday because I had come in late (didn't sleep one wink the night before). Paulette had come in to help set up for that night's Vacation Bible School session, and she gave me a ride home. As we were leaving, Pastor told Paulette that he'd see her later that evening. He looked at me and said, "Box somebody for Jesus!"
Tommy sparred for the first time last night, and Alan picked me to get into the ring with him. As I've mentioned before, I have a hard time building up some sort of manufactured antagonism towards opponents, even when I have regular bouts. Also, Tommy is a holdover from when Steve was the coach, and the only connecting person currently in the gym to that past time. I felt kind of guilty for having to hit him, and I didn't want to go hard.
Around the middle of the first around, I began to notice that Tommy was using his right hand to jab. I kept moving to his left to avoid that hand. He was moving a lot faster than I was, too, considering that I usually plod, and I'm more flat-footed in the ring. In the second around, I caught some shots to the mid-section, then a right hood grazed across my eyes and the bridge of my nose. "You okay?" he asked, and I said, "yes" as I backed up real quick. After the third round ended our sparring session, I asked, "Are you a southpaw?" When he answered in the affirmative, I exclaimed, "Ah-ha!" Tommy has an advantage.
The video clip above is of Jacob sparring with Nate. I stood on the opposite side of the ring so I could also include Alan in the shot. He's the guy shadow boxing near the ropes and keeping an eye on the action at the same time. Jacob also sparred with Oscar and Jesus, getting in several rounds.
There's a couple of Rocky posters in the gym; this one is for what (is supposedly) the very last movie in the series. Sylvester Stallone, the actor who plays Rocky, was recently inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame. Many people thought that was a dubious choice, but the Rocky character is considered one of the patron saints of boxing. A lot of people took up the sport because of those movies.
Did I mention that I used a free pass to workout at XSport Fitness this past weekend? I wasn't overly impressed by the place, and even less so when I went in the back to find two heavy bags and one double end bag. The double end bag wasn't even filled properly with air. I punched one of the heavy bags for about twenty minutes. Afterwards, a woman told me, "I really liked how you were punching the bag. You don't see many women boxing." A black man who was walking nearby looked at me and grinned, "Yeah, especially black women!" Humph. . .I could have told him stories.
Tommy sparred for the first time last night, and Alan picked me to get into the ring with him. As I've mentioned before, I have a hard time building up some sort of manufactured antagonism towards opponents, even when I have regular bouts. Also, Tommy is a holdover from when Steve was the coach, and the only connecting person currently in the gym to that past time. I felt kind of guilty for having to hit him, and I didn't want to go hard.
Around the middle of the first around, I began to notice that Tommy was using his right hand to jab. I kept moving to his left to avoid that hand. He was moving a lot faster than I was, too, considering that I usually plod, and I'm more flat-footed in the ring. In the second around, I caught some shots to the mid-section, then a right hood grazed across my eyes and the bridge of my nose. "You okay?" he asked, and I said, "yes" as I backed up real quick. After the third round ended our sparring session, I asked, "Are you a southpaw?" When he answered in the affirmative, I exclaimed, "Ah-ha!" Tommy has an advantage.
The video clip above is of Jacob sparring with Nate. I stood on the opposite side of the ring so I could also include Alan in the shot. He's the guy shadow boxing near the ropes and keeping an eye on the action at the same time. Jacob also sparred with Oscar and Jesus, getting in several rounds.
There's a couple of Rocky posters in the gym; this one is for what (is supposedly) the very last movie in the series. Sylvester Stallone, the actor who plays Rocky, was recently inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame. Many people thought that was a dubious choice, but the Rocky character is considered one of the patron saints of boxing. A lot of people took up the sport because of those movies.
Did I mention that I used a free pass to workout at XSport Fitness this past weekend? I wasn't overly impressed by the place, and even less so when I went in the back to find two heavy bags and one double end bag. The double end bag wasn't even filled properly with air. I punched one of the heavy bags for about twenty minutes. Afterwards, a woman told me, "I really liked how you were punching the bag. You don't see many women boxing." A black man who was walking nearby looked at me and grinned, "Yeah, especially black women!" Humph. . .I could have told him stories.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Feeling Menopausal
Another hot night in the gym, and the fan didn't do much in terms of circulating fresh air around. I was happy when I opened my locker to find the air freshener I placed inside still worked. It will need to be replaced soon, however; I think it's been in there for about three months.
Oscar sparred with Jesus for a round, then I got in with Jesus. "You've worked with him in the ring before, right?" Alan asked. "Nope, this will be the first time," I answered. He didn't give many hard hits, but he kept busy enough to prevent me from landing a lot of my harder shots. Somewhere in the second round, I heard Alan say to me, "You're not tired -- work!" Oh, yeah, I'm tired, I thought to myself, and the realization came that it wasn't all from the energy expended in sparring. After the third round, I went over and sat down directly in front of the fan, my legs out in front of me. Alan had to chuckle when he saw me.
It wouldn't have been nice to keep hogging the fan, so eventually I got up so I could watch Jimmy and Jacob spar. "How do you feel?" Alan asked. "Menopausal", I replied.
There seems to be a great interest among the guys in Jacob's style of boxing. "He's really coming along. I saw those punches he was throwing and I was like, whew!" Ray commented. Kenny held pads for Jacob afterwards, and Jacob's punches reverberated around the room. Some of the guys stopped their workout to watch how he was doing. When Professor is around (he wasn't in the gym that night), he likes holding pads for Jacob and giving him pointers, too. Alan would like for Jacob to consider taking a fight at some point.
In the above photo, Oscar and Nathaniel wait for the bell to ring to start their sparring session. Note the condition of the ropes at the back of the ring. We're all hoping that will be fixed in a hurry.
Jesus shadow boxes in the mirror some time after he and I sparred.
Kenny works with Oscar on the pads in the photo above. One of Kenny's ribs got separated from the ribcage. "How did that happen?" I asked, thinking about the time I bruised a rib while ice skating. "I think it happened during sparring. Luckily, it didn't puncture a lung. I figured I wasn't coughing up blood, so it's all good!" he said.
Oscar sparred with Jesus for a round, then I got in with Jesus. "You've worked with him in the ring before, right?" Alan asked. "Nope, this will be the first time," I answered. He didn't give many hard hits, but he kept busy enough to prevent me from landing a lot of my harder shots. Somewhere in the second round, I heard Alan say to me, "You're not tired -- work!" Oh, yeah, I'm tired, I thought to myself, and the realization came that it wasn't all from the energy expended in sparring. After the third round, I went over and sat down directly in front of the fan, my legs out in front of me. Alan had to chuckle when he saw me.
It wouldn't have been nice to keep hogging the fan, so eventually I got up so I could watch Jimmy and Jacob spar. "How do you feel?" Alan asked. "Menopausal", I replied.
There seems to be a great interest among the guys in Jacob's style of boxing. "He's really coming along. I saw those punches he was throwing and I was like, whew!" Ray commented. Kenny held pads for Jacob afterwards, and Jacob's punches reverberated around the room. Some of the guys stopped their workout to watch how he was doing. When Professor is around (he wasn't in the gym that night), he likes holding pads for Jacob and giving him pointers, too. Alan would like for Jacob to consider taking a fight at some point.
In the above photo, Oscar and Nathaniel wait for the bell to ring to start their sparring session. Note the condition of the ropes at the back of the ring. We're all hoping that will be fixed in a hurry.
Jesus shadow boxes in the mirror some time after he and I sparred.
Kenny works with Oscar on the pads in the photo above. One of Kenny's ribs got separated from the ribcage. "How did that happen?" I asked, thinking about the time I bruised a rib while ice skating. "I think it happened during sparring. Luckily, it didn't puncture a lung. I figured I wasn't coughing up blood, so it's all good!" he said.
Thursday, July 07, 2011
Bedbugs and Boxing
Sarah and I commented on what good conditioning Jacob appears to have. He went several rounds with Alan, and caught him with a good right hook. "Remember that other day when he did several rounds of sparring? He wasn't even breathing hard afterwards!" Sarah commented. I believe Jacob told me he also works out at another gym, so that would explain his seemingly endless energy. Jacob also sparred with Nathaniel. Nathaniel had this nice move, where he bent down a little and twisted in order to throw a hook to Jacob's side.
Tommy was really beating on the speed bag. "That's right, Tommy, kill it!" I joked, and we both laughed. Tommy pointed at the speed bag and announced, "I'm coming back for you!"
I was so tired when I first got to the gym. Have I mentioned that the building I live in, like so many others it seems these days, has a bedbug problem? I clean (using bleach and ammonia), I spray (with over the counter pesticides), I throw stuff out to keep down clutter (I've begun to sell off my old albums), but it doesn't seem to help. If your neighbors have them, and they haven't been properly dealt with, the problem remains. I don't sleep much because of them, which is really a trip on top of having to deal with the insomnia that comes with menopause. I woke up around 5:30 AM, and my legs and arms looked ghastly from all the bites. It was the worst that I have ever been bitten up by insects. My skin was raw from all the scratching. I immediately got up and threw out my couch cushions and most of my bed sheets, pillow cases and blankets. I don't think I have any pillows left at all. Then I spent time spraying before I went to work. It is easier for me to spar ten rounds with the tallest and biggest people in the gym than to fight the bedbugs. At least I see progress when I'm sparring. The sofa bed I used to sleep on will have to be thrown out to the alley because it's made of cloth and the bedbugs appear to have made that their personal residence; I have to call movers this week to get estimates on how much that will cost.
A neighbor of mine, Eric, gave me a seven-day pass to X Sport, a popular gym where he lifts weight. He loves the place because he says it has a multitude of equipment (including heavy bags and kettlebells), plus, it is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, all year long. I will try to check it out before the end of the week. I know that I'll be subject to a sales pitch because the seven-day pass is designed to get people to sign up for memberships. I can't afford the cost of membership, but I've always been curious about those gyms that are accessible all the time.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
Two Shiners
Alan was sporting the trace of a black eye he received last week, courtesy of Jacob. Today, Sarah showed up with a bit of a shiner that had also been doled out by Jacob. I'm surprised that I haven't had one, as many times as I've been hit in both eyes over the past two years. Maybe I shouldn't talk so loud. . . .
I ran into Kyra -- whom I had wrongly named J here -- on the bus over the weekend. She would like to come back to the gym, and plans to do so at some point. But she lives out on the south side, and it's a haul traveling way up north to get to the gym.
Professor sparred with his brother Miles. Alan noted that they are good together because they know each others' moves. I laughed, "If I was sparring with any of my sisters, that would turn into a war." In particular, I imagined my late younger sister taking people on in sparring sessions. I can hear it now: "Damn. . .Hillari's sister is vicious!" I make an effort to be nice while I'm sparring because the goal is not to overpower someone. My younger sister would have beat someone until the coach pulled her off of them.
Sarah, Renee, and myself had a round robin session of sparring. As usual, I had to focus on the body with Sarah -- it's practically impossible for me to reach her head most of the time. I noticed when she was sparring with Jacob last week that Sarah loves to keep her left hand high up close to her head for protection. There's no way I can get a right hook to her head because of that; I've tried. Usually, I'm just trying to survive when I'm in the ring with her.
Renee had her hands down a lot, and I was able to get in a lot of punches to her head. She surprised me by rocking a combination of punches straight to my stomach when I wasn't covering up. Believe me, I felt those punches. I had to back up to get some air. Right now, I feel fine. But tomorrow or Friday, the pain will return, and I'll go around wondering, "What did I do?" until the reason why comes back to me.
Jimmy and Alan sparred, and I told Jimmy as they got ready, "You have to watch Alan, because Alan is slick." Jimmy said, "Is he going to be rough on me?" Alan said, "No, we're just going to move around." "That's what he always says," I told Jimmy. Jimmy gave Alan some good hooks to the head, and he kept moving around. I called out instructions, sounding like the boxing referees on cable TV: "Break!" "Box!" "Hands up!"
I ran into Kyra -- whom I had wrongly named J here -- on the bus over the weekend. She would like to come back to the gym, and plans to do so at some point. But she lives out on the south side, and it's a haul traveling way up north to get to the gym.
Professor sparred with his brother Miles. Alan noted that they are good together because they know each others' moves. I laughed, "If I was sparring with any of my sisters, that would turn into a war." In particular, I imagined my late younger sister taking people on in sparring sessions. I can hear it now: "Damn. . .Hillari's sister is vicious!" I make an effort to be nice while I'm sparring because the goal is not to overpower someone. My younger sister would have beat someone until the coach pulled her off of them.
Sarah, Renee, and myself had a round robin session of sparring. As usual, I had to focus on the body with Sarah -- it's practically impossible for me to reach her head most of the time. I noticed when she was sparring with Jacob last week that Sarah loves to keep her left hand high up close to her head for protection. There's no way I can get a right hook to her head because of that; I've tried. Usually, I'm just trying to survive when I'm in the ring with her.
Renee had her hands down a lot, and I was able to get in a lot of punches to her head. She surprised me by rocking a combination of punches straight to my stomach when I wasn't covering up. Believe me, I felt those punches. I had to back up to get some air. Right now, I feel fine. But tomorrow or Friday, the pain will return, and I'll go around wondering, "What did I do?" until the reason why comes back to me.
Jimmy and Alan sparred, and I told Jimmy as they got ready, "You have to watch Alan, because Alan is slick." Jimmy said, "Is he going to be rough on me?" Alan said, "No, we're just going to move around." "That's what he always says," I told Jimmy. Jimmy gave Alan some good hooks to the head, and he kept moving around. I called out instructions, sounding like the boxing referees on cable TV: "Break!" "Box!" "Hands up!"
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
Jacob Does His Rounds
Alan worked Jacob Monday night. I believe Jacob did about nine rounds with several of us: myself, Sarah, Nate, and Nathaniel. "Poor Jacob is going to get worked to death!" I told Alan.
In the photo above, Nate wards off an attack from Jacob as Alan looks on. I believe that was Nate's first time sparring at the gym. He did a good job hanging in with Jacob.
Sarah and Jacob are featured in the above video clip. Alan pointed out to Sarah that she throws wild, which I know all too well. Jacob had his hands down a few times, and she beaned him with some hooks. Alan suggested that Sarah slow down and pick her shots. She got tired late in the second round, and she was tired throughout the entire third round, but Sarah gamely hung on. Jacob said he liked being in the ring with someone who wouldn't let up; it pointed out that he needs to work on his defense.
I was exhausted after going my three rounds with Jacob. Alan told me later that the last two rounds I did were very good. I was aiming at Jacob's head, and got him there a few times. It was the body shots that worked better. Finally, I thought to execute a punch from the side and avoid someone else's long arms. I stepped around Jacob and got him in the side of his torso with a left hook.
A little boy came in with a girl whom I assumed was his sister. I heard him ask the girl, "They fight in here?" before I walked over to them. The girl said she had been going to the field house for awhile, but she had never seen the boxing gym. I told the boy about the kids' boxing program and asked him how old he was. "I'm five," he replied. The boy was quite tall for his age. "Sorry, you have to be eight years old to sign up. You look strong, however" I told him. "I'm stronger than my sister," he asserted. He explained that the girl with him was not his sister, but a 17 year old who was his older brother's girlfriend. Considering that some boys learn how to box at age three, I thought it was a shame the kid would have to wait three years.
Sarah and Jacob are featured in the above video clip. Alan pointed out to Sarah that she throws wild, which I know all too well. Jacob had his hands down a few times, and she beaned him with some hooks. Alan suggested that Sarah slow down and pick her shots. She got tired late in the second round, and she was tired throughout the entire third round, but Sarah gamely hung on. Jacob said he liked being in the ring with someone who wouldn't let up; it pointed out that he needs to work on his defense.
I was exhausted after going my three rounds with Jacob. Alan told me later that the last two rounds I did were very good. I was aiming at Jacob's head, and got him there a few times. It was the body shots that worked better. Finally, I thought to execute a punch from the side and avoid someone else's long arms. I stepped around Jacob and got him in the side of his torso with a left hook.
A little boy came in with a girl whom I assumed was his sister. I heard him ask the girl, "They fight in here?" before I walked over to them. The girl said she had been going to the field house for awhile, but she had never seen the boxing gym. I told the boy about the kids' boxing program and asked him how old he was. "I'm five," he replied. The boy was quite tall for his age. "Sorry, you have to be eight years old to sign up. You look strong, however" I told him. "I'm stronger than my sister," he asserted. He explained that the girl with him was not his sister, but a 17 year old who was his older brother's girlfriend. Considering that some boys learn how to box at age three, I thought it was a shame the kid would have to wait three years.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Coaching and Recording
While taking my usual stroll to the gym by way of the lakefront, I ran into Mathieu and Erica. Both of them assured me their fingers were fine: Erica had slammed one of her in a car door, and Mathieu hurt his the last time he sparred with big Leon. Mathieu knew I had a blog, but Erica didn't. I emailed them copies of pictures I took of them in the gym.
Not only are the ring ropes still in need of repair, but the double end bag was found laying on the floor. One of the kids probably hit it too hard yesterday and it fell; it happens. Alan climbed up on a ladder to fix it, but it was still not high enough for most people to use. It was perfect for me, but outside of Oscar, I'm the only vertically challenged person in the gym. "They'll have to punch down," Alan said. But then Jimmy, one of the new people, climbed up to adjust the height again until it was okay.
In the above video is just one round of sparring between lanky guys Jacob and Alan. They did five rounds in total. I heard someone behind me, may have been Tommy, commenting, "The old guy looks pretty good in the ring", referring to Alan. "He must have been boxing for a long time," Nathaniel (another new person) said. The two men kept going like Energizer Batteries. I shadow boxed near the ring to watch them during the other four rounds. In between one of the rounds, I said to some others standing nearby, "Alan does good for a guy of a certain age." Alan grinned, and said, "Thanks, Hillari", in a joking sarcastic manner.
There were three full rounds between Sarah, who's at least 5 foot 8, and Oscar, who's my height (5 foot 1). I noticed that when Oscar got in head shots, he reached up to Sarah using angles. "Ah-ha! So that's how it's done!" I thought to myself.
I sparred with Ursula again who asked beforehand, "Are you going to be nice to me?" I pulled as many punches as I could, but the harder ones kept slipping in. I thought we had done three rounds, until Alan put on a set of gloves -- but put on no headgear -- and stepped inside the squared circle. "You have to do three rounds," he said. I was tired out, but managed to make it through that last round, trying to catch Alan as best as I could. I got him in the face with a right, but that was the only significant punch I made.
I showed Jimmy how to use the double bag, and showed Ray (not muscular Ray, but a new guy in the gym) how to stand and how to pivot. Ray told me that he can't hold a baseball bat the normal way. "One eye is weaker than the other one, so in order to see the ball better, I have to stand the other way," he said. I hold a baseball bat in the opposite way as well, something that other kids would curse me out about when I was in grade school. One of my eyes is weaker than the other, too, but I didn't hold the bat the "wrong" way because of that. It was because I felt I had more power to swing it from that position.
Not only are the ring ropes still in need of repair, but the double end bag was found laying on the floor. One of the kids probably hit it too hard yesterday and it fell; it happens. Alan climbed up on a ladder to fix it, but it was still not high enough for most people to use. It was perfect for me, but outside of Oscar, I'm the only vertically challenged person in the gym. "They'll have to punch down," Alan said. But then Jimmy, one of the new people, climbed up to adjust the height again until it was okay.
In the above video is just one round of sparring between lanky guys Jacob and Alan. They did five rounds in total. I heard someone behind me, may have been Tommy, commenting, "The old guy looks pretty good in the ring", referring to Alan. "He must have been boxing for a long time," Nathaniel (another new person) said. The two men kept going like Energizer Batteries. I shadow boxed near the ring to watch them during the other four rounds. In between one of the rounds, I said to some others standing nearby, "Alan does good for a guy of a certain age." Alan grinned, and said, "Thanks, Hillari", in a joking sarcastic manner.
There were three full rounds between Sarah, who's at least 5 foot 8, and Oscar, who's my height (5 foot 1). I noticed that when Oscar got in head shots, he reached up to Sarah using angles. "Ah-ha! So that's how it's done!" I thought to myself.
I sparred with Ursula again who asked beforehand, "Are you going to be nice to me?" I pulled as many punches as I could, but the harder ones kept slipping in. I thought we had done three rounds, until Alan put on a set of gloves -- but put on no headgear -- and stepped inside the squared circle. "You have to do three rounds," he said. I was tired out, but managed to make it through that last round, trying to catch Alan as best as I could. I got him in the face with a right, but that was the only significant punch I made.
I showed Jimmy how to use the double bag, and showed Ray (not muscular Ray, but a new guy in the gym) how to stand and how to pivot. Ray told me that he can't hold a baseball bat the normal way. "One eye is weaker than the other one, so in order to see the ball better, I have to stand the other way," he said. I hold a baseball bat in the opposite way as well, something that other kids would curse me out about when I was in grade school. One of my eyes is weaker than the other, too, but I didn't hold the bat the "wrong" way because of that. It was because I felt I had more power to swing it from that position.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Double Sparring For Me
It was a full house in the gym tonight. Nate returned with a woman whom I believed he introduced to Alan as his wife. She said she missed the first week of the summer session. Cynthia asked me if Ray had come in. He didn't, and he was one of only a few who were not in attendance.
A guy who used to box at Clarendon Park came by to see Alan. The man had his two children with him, a boy, aged 10 and a girl 11-going-on-12. The boy put on headgear and got into the ring for a mock fight with Alan. Alan got down on his knees in order to even the playing field. The man told me that his son was interested in taking up the sport, and that his daughter showed interest, too.
Below are images of two different sparring sessions that took place. The one I didn't videotape was the sparring session between Oscar and Jacob. Jacob is way taller than Oscar, but the shorter man handled his business. He did a very nice job at one point using his jab to confound Jacob. Jacob can been seen in a couple of clips here going up against Marcus. It was the first time that Marcus had sparred. While the two men sparred, I turned the camera around to show what else is usually going on in the gym while there is action taking place inside the ring.
The clips with the two women? The little short dark complexioned woman is me; I finally remembered to have someone tape me while I sparred (Alan did the honors). The dark-haired woman is Ursula, who can throw some good hits. She caught me in the mouth and face a few times. I kept landing jabs to her face and hooks to her head. "Easy!" Alan warned me at one point when I was hitting a little too hard. I inherited my late father's heavy hands, and sometimes, I don't realize that I'm going too hard on someone. That was the first times in months that I was able to get so many head shots in.
I had a few rounds rests in-between Ursula and Sarah, but the rest period didn't help me much with Sarah. I tried the relaxed and easy stance that I did with Ursula, but I got dusted, as my late Uncle Fred used to say. Sarah popped me in my right eye several times, simply because I was too slow to move my head and protect my face. One such shot had me seeing double out of that eye for a few moments. Remember, that was the eye I had to have checked last summer because I thought the retina was torn. All in all, I did four rounds this evening, one more round than I have done in a long time.
Alan wanted to keep the fact that tomorrow is his 60th birthday under the radar. I didn't mention anything about it until the end of the evening when we were walking to his car. Guys don't usually make a big deal out of their birthdays, even if it's a milestone one, while women spend a lot of time bemoaning the fact they are getting older. It's funny. "It's a blessing, but I can hardly believe I got to this point. Time goes so fast," he said.
A guy who used to box at Clarendon Park came by to see Alan. The man had his two children with him, a boy, aged 10 and a girl 11-going-on-12. The boy put on headgear and got into the ring for a mock fight with Alan. Alan got down on his knees in order to even the playing field. The man told me that his son was interested in taking up the sport, and that his daughter showed interest, too.
Below are images of two different sparring sessions that took place. The one I didn't videotape was the sparring session between Oscar and Jacob. Jacob is way taller than Oscar, but the shorter man handled his business. He did a very nice job at one point using his jab to confound Jacob. Jacob can been seen in a couple of clips here going up against Marcus. It was the first time that Marcus had sparred. While the two men sparred, I turned the camera around to show what else is usually going on in the gym while there is action taking place inside the ring.
The clips with the two women? The little short dark complexioned woman is me; I finally remembered to have someone tape me while I sparred (Alan did the honors). The dark-haired woman is Ursula, who can throw some good hits. She caught me in the mouth and face a few times. I kept landing jabs to her face and hooks to her head. "Easy!" Alan warned me at one point when I was hitting a little too hard. I inherited my late father's heavy hands, and sometimes, I don't realize that I'm going too hard on someone. That was the first times in months that I was able to get so many head shots in.
I had a few rounds rests in-between Ursula and Sarah, but the rest period didn't help me much with Sarah. I tried the relaxed and easy stance that I did with Ursula, but I got dusted, as my late Uncle Fred used to say. Sarah popped me in my right eye several times, simply because I was too slow to move my head and protect my face. One such shot had me seeing double out of that eye for a few moments. Remember, that was the eye I had to have checked last summer because I thought the retina was torn. All in all, I did four rounds this evening, one more round than I have done in a long time.
Alan wanted to keep the fact that tomorrow is his 60th birthday under the radar. I didn't mention anything about it until the end of the evening when we were walking to his car. Guys don't usually make a big deal out of their birthdays, even if it's a milestone one, while women spend a lot of time bemoaning the fact they are getting older. It's funny. "It's a blessing, but I can hardly believe I got to this point. Time goes so fast," he said.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
Ring Without Borders
The post that was barely holding up one corner of the gym was laying down on the canvas when we got into the gym. It was totally shot; half of the ring was down. Oscar and I sparred, and we had to be very mindful of where we were moving around.
I was moving like an old elephant, and Oscar was whipping me up. I did manage to ward off most of his right hooks by keeping my hands up. His straight on jabs and rights were impossible to avoid, and just as hard to ward off. "Come on, Hillari! Pop that jab out there," Alan barked from his position outside the ring. A few pops backed Oscar up to the side of the ring where the ropes were not up to support him falling back. But the guy came back extra strong behind that. I slipped and fell to the canvas; afterwards, my left shoulder was hurting. Oscar got close and directed a jab to my mid-section. I covered up, but too late to stop the damage. The beating went on for three rounds. After the final bell, I took a seat in front of the fan in the gym for a couple of rounds.
Renee and Ursula agreed to go light for a couple of rounds. Neither had head gear nor mouthpieces, but they were giving out some pretty vicious hooks to each others' stomachs and heads. Alan got into the ring to monitor their progress more closely. Ursula dashed off to the women's washroom after the second round, stating that she felt nauseous. When she returned to the gym, she said she didn't get sick, but felt like she was about to do so.
We did burn-outs at the end. Amy and I were on one bag, and Renee and Ursula were on the other heavy bag for a couple of rounds. Then Oscar, his friend (whose name I still don't know), and Marcus did the burn out on the red heavy bag that Amy and I had been on.
The above photo is of Renee, myself, and Alan. Notice how sweaty I am. It wasn't that hot inside the gym, but the combination of Oscar's beat down and the burn out really had the water going.
I told Alan that the underside of my upper lip felt like it had been cut. A check in my bathroom mirror when I got home showed that it had been seriously bruised. One of Oscar's punches had landed in my mouth, and I didn't even remember it had.
I was moving like an old elephant, and Oscar was whipping me up. I did manage to ward off most of his right hooks by keeping my hands up. His straight on jabs and rights were impossible to avoid, and just as hard to ward off. "Come on, Hillari! Pop that jab out there," Alan barked from his position outside the ring. A few pops backed Oscar up to the side of the ring where the ropes were not up to support him falling back. But the guy came back extra strong behind that. I slipped and fell to the canvas; afterwards, my left shoulder was hurting. Oscar got close and directed a jab to my mid-section. I covered up, but too late to stop the damage. The beating went on for three rounds. After the final bell, I took a seat in front of the fan in the gym for a couple of rounds.
Renee and Ursula agreed to go light for a couple of rounds. Neither had head gear nor mouthpieces, but they were giving out some pretty vicious hooks to each others' stomachs and heads. Alan got into the ring to monitor their progress more closely. Ursula dashed off to the women's washroom after the second round, stating that she felt nauseous. When she returned to the gym, she said she didn't get sick, but felt like she was about to do so.
We did burn-outs at the end. Amy and I were on one bag, and Renee and Ursula were on the other heavy bag for a couple of rounds. Then Oscar, his friend (whose name I still don't know), and Marcus did the burn out on the red heavy bag that Amy and I had been on.
The above photo is of Renee, myself, and Alan. Notice how sweaty I am. It wasn't that hot inside the gym, but the combination of Oscar's beat down and the burn out really had the water going.
I told Alan that the underside of my upper lip felt like it had been cut. A check in my bathroom mirror when I got home showed that it had been seriously bruised. One of Oscar's punches had landed in my mouth, and I didn't even remember it had.
Monday, June 13, 2011
Barry Runs It
The gym was scheduled not to be open tonight. Alan had to call off, and Mary didn't want me to have to deal with the newbies -- Amanda, Ray, Nate, Ursula, and Renee -- on my own. However, Mary was able to convince Barry to come and open the gym. Professor, his brother, and Marcus were also in attendance.
Professor and his brother Miles had a very good sparring session that went on for a few rounds. Barry was concerned that the ring was going to fall down. The ropes and a few of the poles need to be tightened up. It always takes awhile before that gets done.
Barry went over a lot of stuff with the newbies, including working the pads. I held pads for Ursula, and in turn, she held pads for me. Renee and Amanda worked with Barry on the pads. I got in a good workout doing that, as well as going in-between the bags.
Tonight was the first time that I remember all the newbies staying until the end of the night. Normally, most of them leave early on the first night, but they all seemed satisfied with what they learned throughout the evening.
Professor and his brother Miles had a very good sparring session that went on for a few rounds. Barry was concerned that the ring was going to fall down. The ropes and a few of the poles need to be tightened up. It always takes awhile before that gets done.
Barry went over a lot of stuff with the newbies, including working the pads. I held pads for Ursula, and in turn, she held pads for me. Renee and Amanda worked with Barry on the pads. I got in a good workout doing that, as well as going in-between the bags.
Tonight was the first time that I remember all the newbies staying until the end of the night. Normally, most of them leave early on the first night, but they all seemed satisfied with what they learned throughout the evening.
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Hot Time In The Gym. . . Literally
Above is one of the rounds of sparring that Ray and Leon did. None of the trash talking that was evident on Monday; just two guys working with each other in the ring.
In the above picture, Amy works the heavy bag. Alan is on the speed bag in the background. See that fan next to him on the floor? I donated that fan a couple of years ago, and it was needed tonight.
Oscar and I sparred right before Ray and Leon did. "I give you credit for hanging in there with him, because Oscar is quick," Ray told me later. "Yes, he is. I couldn't chase him around the ring," I replied. I didn't think I did so well. My hands were down at the wrong times, and I waited on Oscar too much when I should have thrown the first punches. For some reason, I couldn't get in any left hooks to Oscar's head, but I could get in right hooks to his midsection. He likes to throw right hooks, and I remained mindful of that. A few did connect, however.
The second video is a continuation of Ray and Leon sparring. They only did two rounds. The heat in the gym didn't help either. I was too drained after sparring to do a few more rounds on the bags. Most everybody else was feeling the effects, too.
Tuesday, June 07, 2011
A Sparring Debate
It was so hot in the gym. It was 90 degrees outside. As soon as Carolyn opened the door, I turned on the fan, but it didn't help much.
In the clip below, Derek and Oscar spar. Alan and I can be heard having a conversation as the action rolls on. I sparred with Oscar after Derek's time was up, and I can tell you that Oscar has improved greatly. One of his punches caught me in the mouth and nearly had me stretched out on the canvas. Alan kept saying, "You can get him! He's the same height as you!" But Oscar is faster and hits harder. I made one good combination: a left to his face and a right hook that sent him back into the ropes. After that, it was all Oscar's show.
An ex-boss of Alan's named Kevin, and his son Tom came in the gym. Father and son, shown in the picture below, tried some sparring with Alan in the ring acting as referee. Kevin popped his son with a right. The whole gym went, "Ooh!" Alan joked to Tom, "That's for when you do something wrong the next time." "That's right!" Ray agreed as he was grinning.
Leon came in later in the evening. He couldn't convince Oscar to spar with him, and Leon jokingly told me, "You're next!" Ray agreed to put on the gear and step inside the ring with him. Leon got in a couple of good shots, and Ray, who knows how to slip punches very well, caught Leon with a couple of good ones. Leon backed Ray up into a corner, and Ray slipped and fell. Leon swore that it was a punch that knocked Ray down. Ray, in the red shirt in the photo below, said it wasn't, and the debate started.
The two men got loud with each other, and Alan looked at Leon and asked, "What does it matter?" "It matters to me!" Leon exclaimed. Leon commented about how Ray's punches didn't hurt him, then accused Ray of trying to bang with him. "Bang? Brother, I wasn't trying to do that! You've got an 80 inch reach and many pounds over me!" Ray protested. Alan suggested that they settle things in the ring on Wednesday. Leon didn't want to wait, and he kept bugging Ray to put his gear back on, but Ray wouldn't.
For another several minutes, Ray and Leon went on about their difference of opinion as to how the sparring went down. Alan and I watched in amusement. Leon started bragging about his skills, and Ray refuted Leon's statements. "I can't wait until Wednesday, man, then I'll show you!" Leon said. "Yeah, right man. Show up early next time," Ray said.
In the clip below, Derek and Oscar spar. Alan and I can be heard having a conversation as the action rolls on. I sparred with Oscar after Derek's time was up, and I can tell you that Oscar has improved greatly. One of his punches caught me in the mouth and nearly had me stretched out on the canvas. Alan kept saying, "You can get him! He's the same height as you!" But Oscar is faster and hits harder. I made one good combination: a left to his face and a right hook that sent him back into the ropes. After that, it was all Oscar's show.
An ex-boss of Alan's named Kevin, and his son Tom came in the gym. Father and son, shown in the picture below, tried some sparring with Alan in the ring acting as referee. Kevin popped his son with a right. The whole gym went, "Ooh!" Alan joked to Tom, "That's for when you do something wrong the next time." "That's right!" Ray agreed as he was grinning.
Leon came in later in the evening. He couldn't convince Oscar to spar with him, and Leon jokingly told me, "You're next!" Ray agreed to put on the gear and step inside the ring with him. Leon got in a couple of good shots, and Ray, who knows how to slip punches very well, caught Leon with a couple of good ones. Leon backed Ray up into a corner, and Ray slipped and fell. Leon swore that it was a punch that knocked Ray down. Ray, in the red shirt in the photo below, said it wasn't, and the debate started.
The two men got loud with each other, and Alan looked at Leon and asked, "What does it matter?" "It matters to me!" Leon exclaimed. Leon commented about how Ray's punches didn't hurt him, then accused Ray of trying to bang with him. "Bang? Brother, I wasn't trying to do that! You've got an 80 inch reach and many pounds over me!" Ray protested. Alan suggested that they settle things in the ring on Wednesday. Leon didn't want to wait, and he kept bugging Ray to put his gear back on, but Ray wouldn't.
For another several minutes, Ray and Leon went on about their difference of opinion as to how the sparring went down. Alan and I watched in amusement. Leon started bragging about his skills, and Ray refuted Leon's statements. "I can't wait until Wednesday, man, then I'll show you!" Leon said. "Yeah, right man. Show up early next time," Ray said.
Thursday, June 02, 2011
Take It Out On The Bags
The gym was closed for Memorial Day, then vertigo sneaked up on me again on Tuesday. I woke up dizzy again this morning, but after moving slowly to sit up, the dizziness disappeared. Pastor Roger joked that it may be because of the hits that I've taken in the gym, but seriously, it's diabetes, high blood pressure, menopause or all three. I haven't figured out which one is the main culprit yet. It still a bit disturbing that before the last bout I had, the doctor had given me a clean bill of health.
As a precaution, I did not spar on Wednesday evening. Instead, I targeted the 150 pound heavy bag, the speed bag and the double end bag. Normally, I'd do three rounds of shadow boxing, but I only did two. The focus was on throwing uppercuts correctly, and as usual, reminding myself to move my head. Kenny and Alan were commenting on how I throw hooks while I was on the heavy bag. They both have said previously that I'm good at throwing them. However, I don't throw enough of them when I'm in the ring. "Joe Frazier's body stayed in one spot, but his head was always moving," Kenny said to Alan and I. "She's been doing three rounds while sparring, but moving the head takes a lot of wind which she doesn't have," Alan said. "I have to build up my stamina," I told them, which reminded me again that I need to make use of the gym at church. Last summer, I ran around the church gym for three to four rounds, two times a week in order to get my wind up. But my knees weren't as bad as they are now.
I learned that a guy whom I had a falling out with late last year came up to church recently to see Pastor Roger. I try to practice "out of sight, out of mind" when it comes to some people, especially those who have disrespected me and ticked me off. Pastor noticed that I bristled at the mention of the guy's name, and proceeded to give me a sermon about forgiving and forgetting. Pastor likens the guy to the prodigal son. Yeah, right. "Mighty funny he's always coming up here to be friendly with you, but he can't apologize to me," I grumbled. I noticed the guy made sure that I wasn't around when he paid his visit. I pretended the heavy bag was the guy's head and body as I threw a lot of heavy hooks, making sure that each one connected.
In the video above, Kenny and Professor sparred. You can hear Alan (and see him near the end) giving instructions. They were working while inside the ring. See, this is why Mary doesn't want anyone sparring when Alan is not present. . .there's always the chance that the guys will really take it to each other. But, you know, they have to fight that way when they are in an actual match. The boxers should work together to shore up each others' skills during sparring, but at the same time, people can't afford to play pitty-pat during training. Especially if they are serious about competing.
Alan sparred with Kenny. After they finished, Amy crossed the ring as a shortcut. Alan still had his gear on, so he acted as if he was going to catch her with some punches. She smiled and scooted past him out of the ring. He's still trying to convince her to spar.
Leon came in about fifteen minutes before closing time and got in a very abbreviated workout. Otherwise, the place was kind of quiet. We're still in the limbo period before the next session begins. I heard Alan telling Professor about the once-a-month amateur fights at the Sabre Room out in Hickory Hills. I'm still trying to get a schedule for the Park District boxing tournaments that start this summer.
As a precaution, I did not spar on Wednesday evening. Instead, I targeted the 150 pound heavy bag, the speed bag and the double end bag. Normally, I'd do three rounds of shadow boxing, but I only did two. The focus was on throwing uppercuts correctly, and as usual, reminding myself to move my head. Kenny and Alan were commenting on how I throw hooks while I was on the heavy bag. They both have said previously that I'm good at throwing them. However, I don't throw enough of them when I'm in the ring. "Joe Frazier's body stayed in one spot, but his head was always moving," Kenny said to Alan and I. "She's been doing three rounds while sparring, but moving the head takes a lot of wind which she doesn't have," Alan said. "I have to build up my stamina," I told them, which reminded me again that I need to make use of the gym at church. Last summer, I ran around the church gym for three to four rounds, two times a week in order to get my wind up. But my knees weren't as bad as they are now.
I learned that a guy whom I had a falling out with late last year came up to church recently to see Pastor Roger. I try to practice "out of sight, out of mind" when it comes to some people, especially those who have disrespected me and ticked me off. Pastor noticed that I bristled at the mention of the guy's name, and proceeded to give me a sermon about forgiving and forgetting. Pastor likens the guy to the prodigal son. Yeah, right. "Mighty funny he's always coming up here to be friendly with you, but he can't apologize to me," I grumbled. I noticed the guy made sure that I wasn't around when he paid his visit. I pretended the heavy bag was the guy's head and body as I threw a lot of heavy hooks, making sure that each one connected.
In the video above, Kenny and Professor sparred. You can hear Alan (and see him near the end) giving instructions. They were working while inside the ring. See, this is why Mary doesn't want anyone sparring when Alan is not present. . .there's always the chance that the guys will really take it to each other. But, you know, they have to fight that way when they are in an actual match. The boxers should work together to shore up each others' skills during sparring, but at the same time, people can't afford to play pitty-pat during training. Especially if they are serious about competing.
Alan sparred with Kenny. After they finished, Amy crossed the ring as a shortcut. Alan still had his gear on, so he acted as if he was going to catch her with some punches. She smiled and scooted past him out of the ring. He's still trying to convince her to spar.
Leon came in about fifteen minutes before closing time and got in a very abbreviated workout. Otherwise, the place was kind of quiet. We're still in the limbo period before the next session begins. I heard Alan telling Professor about the once-a-month amateur fights at the Sabre Room out in Hickory Hills. I'm still trying to get a schedule for the Park District boxing tournaments that start this summer.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
"She's Got Hands!"
Paul stopped into the gym yesterday. He comes around from time to time to talk to Alan, talk to me, and comment on what he observes in the gym. Usually, he's there for a few minutes then he goes. This time, he stayed the entire time. Alan challenged Paul to hit one of the heavy bags. We all cheered Paul on when he wanted to give up punching the bag after a few moments. Paul was tired after one round. "See? It's not as easy as it looks," Alan smiled.
Reggie returned to the gym, and he sparred with Jacob. He had won his preliminary match in the Golden Gloves a couple of months ago, but was beaten during the semi-finals. The guy who won went on to win the championship in that weight class. "I could have won that fight if I had been able to get a week's rest beforehand. The guy I fought was well rested because he had a couple of weeks off before he got to me," Reggie said. He and Jacob worked well together as sparring partners.
Sarah didn't come in again, so Jacob and I went two and a half rounds (we started in the middle of the first round). Paul was impressed. "That guy has to be at least six feet or six foot one, but you were handling him!" he smiled at me. Ray, who was sitting nearby, commented, "She's got hands, believe that!" Jacob told me, "You got me good with one body shot." I was mostly doing all body shots, because it was easier than trying to reach for his head and face. Jacob got me good in the upper lip during the third round. That punch proved to me the importance of keeping my mouth closed while boxing and wearing a mouthpiece. Adult teeth don't grow back if they get knocked out, you know.
Alan got in next with Jacob. The video above only shows the first of the three rounds they did. You may be wondering why there aren't more pictures and/or videos of me sparring. It doesn't occur to me to ask someone to videotape or snap photos half the time when I'm in the gym. Alan would be the most logical person to ask to do that, but he has to pay attention enough to the action to give instructions. That's kind of hard to do if one is holding a camera.
Oscar came back to the gym, and brought a friend of his along. The plan was for me to spar with him, but he told Alan, "My conditioning isn't that good right now," so that was that.
The gym is going to enter another "no man's land zone" as Alan calls the period between one session ending and other starting. Spring session ends June 1st, and the summer session begins on June 13th. Summer usually means low attendance as well. People don't want to be in a hot, sweltering gym when it's nice outside. Well, some people don't.
Speaking of heat, it was early in the evening when I turned the fan on in the gym. It was not warm outside, as it had rained all day, and the temperature was cool. It wasn't stuffy in the gym. I felt sweat on my face, and I had hardly started my workout. I was wiping my face, and Alan asked, "Are you okay?" "It's either hot in here, or I'm having hot flashes," I answered. None of the guys agreed that the temperature in the room was up. "I must be having a hot flash," I concluded, and the guys chuckled.
Reggie returned to the gym, and he sparred with Jacob. He had won his preliminary match in the Golden Gloves a couple of months ago, but was beaten during the semi-finals. The guy who won went on to win the championship in that weight class. "I could have won that fight if I had been able to get a week's rest beforehand. The guy I fought was well rested because he had a couple of weeks off before he got to me," Reggie said. He and Jacob worked well together as sparring partners.
Sarah didn't come in again, so Jacob and I went two and a half rounds (we started in the middle of the first round). Paul was impressed. "That guy has to be at least six feet or six foot one, but you were handling him!" he smiled at me. Ray, who was sitting nearby, commented, "She's got hands, believe that!" Jacob told me, "You got me good with one body shot." I was mostly doing all body shots, because it was easier than trying to reach for his head and face. Jacob got me good in the upper lip during the third round. That punch proved to me the importance of keeping my mouth closed while boxing and wearing a mouthpiece. Adult teeth don't grow back if they get knocked out, you know.
Alan got in next with Jacob. The video above only shows the first of the three rounds they did. You may be wondering why there aren't more pictures and/or videos of me sparring. It doesn't occur to me to ask someone to videotape or snap photos half the time when I'm in the gym. Alan would be the most logical person to ask to do that, but he has to pay attention enough to the action to give instructions. That's kind of hard to do if one is holding a camera.
Oscar came back to the gym, and brought a friend of his along. The plan was for me to spar with him, but he told Alan, "My conditioning isn't that good right now," so that was that.
The gym is going to enter another "no man's land zone" as Alan calls the period between one session ending and other starting. Spring session ends June 1st, and the summer session begins on June 13th. Summer usually means low attendance as well. People don't want to be in a hot, sweltering gym when it's nice outside. Well, some people don't.
Speaking of heat, it was early in the evening when I turned the fan on in the gym. It was not warm outside, as it had rained all day, and the temperature was cool. It wasn't stuffy in the gym. I felt sweat on my face, and I had hardly started my workout. I was wiping my face, and Alan asked, "Are you okay?" "It's either hot in here, or I'm having hot flashes," I answered. None of the guys agreed that the temperature in the room was up. "I must be having a hot flash," I concluded, and the guys chuckled.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
That Familiar Smell
Carolyn opened the gym up last night, and the funk of the place hit me in the nose. I hadn't noticed it for a long time. I've mentioned here before that I've become immune to the smell because I've been training there for so long. I was happy to open my locker and experience the scent of the air freshener I had placed inside it.
Sarah didn't come in last night, but her sister Amy was there. Alan suggested that she move around in the gym with me, but that was a no-go. "My sister said if I spar without her being here, she would kill me," Amy smiled. Since Sarah was out, I ended up sparring with Jacob.
I took a pop to my right eye, thinking that if there was a little more power behind Jacob's punch, my eye would have been closed for awhile. Did I mention that Jacob is 28 years old? There were bursts of action where I would get in hooks to his mid-section and some dead on jabs to his face. But I was sluggish; a couple of hours before, I took some allergy medicine. My sinuses had been bothering me all day. I didn't want to take the pills, but I was tired of sniffling. Unfortunately, the brand of pills I have make me very tired.
Alan got into the ring with Jacob next, but he was unsure of how much his sore shoulder was going to take. "Don't throw any overhand rights," I suggested. He didn't, but he got Jacob during the second round by bringing his left hand up and under the younger man's chin. "What kind of punch was that?" I asked Alan in-between rounds. "I used that all the time when I competed as a young man. It doesn't hurt the other guy, it just makes them mad," he explained.
Colonel and Ray were at the gym last night, too. I learned that Ray works two jobs and is going to barber school. He plans to teach others how to cut and style hair when he graduates.
Colonel, a Vietnam War veteran, was complaining about his aches and pains. His hip was really acting up. "Maybe you shouldn't be here tonight," Alan said, which is something he's told me a few times when I've shown up injured. "I could be in pain at home or in pain here," Colonel said. Alan joked about Colonel not being able to get around being 64 years of age, regardless of how much he exercises. Colonel insisted that it is better for him to work out than to sit down somewhere. I feel the same way. I might not be in any less pain afterwards, but moving around is better than atrophying.
Sarah didn't come in last night, but her sister Amy was there. Alan suggested that she move around in the gym with me, but that was a no-go. "My sister said if I spar without her being here, she would kill me," Amy smiled. Since Sarah was out, I ended up sparring with Jacob.
I took a pop to my right eye, thinking that if there was a little more power behind Jacob's punch, my eye would have been closed for awhile. Did I mention that Jacob is 28 years old? There were bursts of action where I would get in hooks to his mid-section and some dead on jabs to his face. But I was sluggish; a couple of hours before, I took some allergy medicine. My sinuses had been bothering me all day. I didn't want to take the pills, but I was tired of sniffling. Unfortunately, the brand of pills I have make me very tired.
Alan got into the ring with Jacob next, but he was unsure of how much his sore shoulder was going to take. "Don't throw any overhand rights," I suggested. He didn't, but he got Jacob during the second round by bringing his left hand up and under the younger man's chin. "What kind of punch was that?" I asked Alan in-between rounds. "I used that all the time when I competed as a young man. It doesn't hurt the other guy, it just makes them mad," he explained.
Colonel and Ray were at the gym last night, too. I learned that Ray works two jobs and is going to barber school. He plans to teach others how to cut and style hair when he graduates.
Colonel, a Vietnam War veteran, was complaining about his aches and pains. His hip was really acting up. "Maybe you shouldn't be here tonight," Alan said, which is something he's told me a few times when I've shown up injured. "I could be in pain at home or in pain here," Colonel said. Alan joked about Colonel not being able to get around being 64 years of age, regardless of how much he exercises. Colonel insisted that it is better for him to work out than to sit down somewhere. I feel the same way. I might not be in any less pain afterwards, but moving around is better than atrophying.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Exchanges In The Ring
I was a little late to the gym because I was too busy watching the beginning of a movie called "In & Out". I saw it a few years ago at the movie theater, and I hadn't seen it since then. It stars Kevin Cline, Joan Cusack, Matt Dillon, and Tom Selleck. Funny movie, but I should have left the house earlier. I took a couple of my old free weights with me to donate to the gym.
Leon sparred with Jacob. This time, Alan didn't get inside the ropes to referee. The coach wasn't feeling too well and didn't bother to change into his workout clothes. Leon and Jacob were up against the ropes a lot whenever I looked up to check out the action.
Leon and Alan were making jokes earlier about prostrate exams which I will not repeat here. Trust me, they were funny. Alan said he was going in for a checkup this Friday. "I wish Kenny Sr. (Colonel) was here. When he complains about his aches and pains, it makes mine not seem so bad," Alan grinned.
Sarah and I sparred. Alan commented that we had a lot of good exchanges during each of the three rounds were in the squared circle. First of all, I took Alan's advice and kept my hands up and close as possible to my face. Sarah wasn't able to get a lot of punches to my head when I did that. She did bean me on the top of my head, however, with what seemed like an overhand right. Twice, due to Sarah's punches and me not watching my balance, I fell to the canvas. I stayed on the inside as much as I could by throwing hooks to her body. Sarah said afterwards, "I think I'm going to have a lot of bruises on my mid-section tomorrow." I staggered over to a nearby stool, plopped down, and attempted to fan away a hot flash.
Sooner or later, I will have to replace a couple pieces of my personal equipment. Before sparring, I noticed my mouthpiece had a crack in it on one side. Both of my bag gloves have tears in them. I do have a newer mouthpiece, but it's one of those that covers both the upper and lower teeth. I never got used to it, so I will eventually buy a mouthpiece that only covers the upper teeth. Bag gloves will have to picked carefully, too. I still remember the sprain my right wrist sustained several years ago because I was using a pair of bag gloves that were ridiculously thin. I wonder if the current pain in my right wrist is related to that former injury.
Tommy, shown on the speed bag near the tear drop bag in the photo above, comically vowed to master the speed bag.
I'm finished with my paralegal studies; just waiting to receive my certificate. I may go down to Hamlin this weekend to get some extra sparring in. Bill told me a long time ago that I could come to his gym, but school started and I couldn't take him up on his offer. I have to plan extra workouts, also, and that may include working out in the church's gym again.
Leon sparred with Jacob. This time, Alan didn't get inside the ropes to referee. The coach wasn't feeling too well and didn't bother to change into his workout clothes. Leon and Jacob were up against the ropes a lot whenever I looked up to check out the action.
Leon and Alan were making jokes earlier about prostrate exams which I will not repeat here. Trust me, they were funny. Alan said he was going in for a checkup this Friday. "I wish Kenny Sr. (Colonel) was here. When he complains about his aches and pains, it makes mine not seem so bad," Alan grinned.
Sarah and I sparred. Alan commented that we had a lot of good exchanges during each of the three rounds were in the squared circle. First of all, I took Alan's advice and kept my hands up and close as possible to my face. Sarah wasn't able to get a lot of punches to my head when I did that. She did bean me on the top of my head, however, with what seemed like an overhand right. Twice, due to Sarah's punches and me not watching my balance, I fell to the canvas. I stayed on the inside as much as I could by throwing hooks to her body. Sarah said afterwards, "I think I'm going to have a lot of bruises on my mid-section tomorrow." I staggered over to a nearby stool, plopped down, and attempted to fan away a hot flash.
Sooner or later, I will have to replace a couple pieces of my personal equipment. Before sparring, I noticed my mouthpiece had a crack in it on one side. Both of my bag gloves have tears in them. I do have a newer mouthpiece, but it's one of those that covers both the upper and lower teeth. I never got used to it, so I will eventually buy a mouthpiece that only covers the upper teeth. Bag gloves will have to picked carefully, too. I still remember the sprain my right wrist sustained several years ago because I was using a pair of bag gloves that were ridiculously thin. I wonder if the current pain in my right wrist is related to that former injury.
Tommy, shown on the speed bag near the tear drop bag in the photo above, comically vowed to master the speed bag.
I'm finished with my paralegal studies; just waiting to receive my certificate. I may go down to Hamlin this weekend to get some extra sparring in. Bill told me a long time ago that I could come to his gym, but school started and I couldn't take him up on his offer. I have to plan extra workouts, also, and that may include working out in the church's gym again.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Feeling Off On Monday
Maybe it was because the day got off to a bad start. I was on my way to work, and I was hungry. I didn't want to stop at McDonald's, but it was the closest place. The cashier behind the counter was so busy chatting with a co-worker that she got my order wrong. Then she had the nerve to get an attitude when I made her correct it.
It was cold outside instead of being warm like it is supposed to be this time of year. However, this is Chicago, and the weather does what it wants. I was freezing even though I was wearing my late sister's old winter coat. Just as I got up to work, I see a guy who's waiting at another entrance door for the food pantry to open. Last week, the guy told the volunteers I was "mean". I won't let the guy run games on me which is why he made the comment. I glared at him, and entered church through another door.
By the time afternoon came, I was feeling a little tired and sluggish. My right wrist had also been bothering me since early in the day. I hope that doesn't mean arthritis or carpal tunnel. "I'm feeling a little off tonight," I told Alan when he asked me about sparring with Sarah. Something just didn't feel right, so for once, I listened to my body. Sarah sparred with Derek instead.
Derek wasn't throwing his punches all the way out in the beginning. Sarah kept backing him up into the ropes and the corners. Both Alan and I told Derek to throw in some body shots. He did get a few in to Sarah's mid-section.
They did three good rounds. Derek told Sarah that she throws good punches. "She hits hard," he told me in-between the second and third rounds. I nodded my head in agreement. It looked as if she had hit Derek in the eye a few times, and I winced, thinking about the times she caught me in my eye.
As I was hitting the heavy bag later, I wondered why I didn't pick up any of my dad's football skills. I played the game a couple of times when I was in my late teens. I couldn't catch the ball well, and I wasn't running quick enough to avoid being tackled. During the last game I played, some girl blindsided me so hard that I ended up with a concussion. My mother's father was an amateur boxer, so I guess I picked up some of the skills he had. It was probably for the better. I was never that good at playing any team sport.
It was cold outside instead of being warm like it is supposed to be this time of year. However, this is Chicago, and the weather does what it wants. I was freezing even though I was wearing my late sister's old winter coat. Just as I got up to work, I see a guy who's waiting at another entrance door for the food pantry to open. Last week, the guy told the volunteers I was "mean". I won't let the guy run games on me which is why he made the comment. I glared at him, and entered church through another door.
By the time afternoon came, I was feeling a little tired and sluggish. My right wrist had also been bothering me since early in the day. I hope that doesn't mean arthritis or carpal tunnel. "I'm feeling a little off tonight," I told Alan when he asked me about sparring with Sarah. Something just didn't feel right, so for once, I listened to my body. Sarah sparred with Derek instead.
As I was hitting the heavy bag later, I wondered why I didn't pick up any of my dad's football skills. I played the game a couple of times when I was in my late teens. I couldn't catch the ball well, and I wasn't running quick enough to avoid being tackled. During the last game I played, some girl blindsided me so hard that I ended up with a concussion. My mother's father was an amateur boxer, so I guess I picked up some of the skills he had. It was probably for the better. I was never that good at playing any team sport.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
I'm Still Not Moving My Head
Erin contacted me today via email, stating that she was interested in coming back to the gym. Her uncle John was a professional boxer back in the day; now he coaches. I gave her the information about the gym hours and fees. It'll be good to see her in the gym if she comes back. She had to leave boxing alone for awhile because she went to school.
Leon was in the gym, but again, he didn't stay for the entire session. He put on headgear, and Alan asked who he was going to spar with. "Any guy who's available," he answered. But Derek and Tommy, the only other men in the gym on Wednesday, weren't interested. Alan wasn't about to do it. He's still waiting for his torn rotator cuff to heal. "How about his guy?" Alan joked, pointing to me. "I don't have any energy for her," Leon smiled.
Sarah and I sparred for three rounds. Alan told me later that he was trying to get me to dig into her body more with uppercuts. It made sense to me, because I can't get uppercuts to her head. I tried for the body, but I found myself too close too many times, so I didn't give myself room to make them effective. I did get in body hooks, but those did little to slow Sarah down. I wasn't moving my head at all, so it got knocked around until the second and third rounds, when I kept my hands up more. I overheard Alan ask Amy if she would spar her sister. "I don't think so. . . she beat me up enough when we were kids," Amy grinned.
Sarah mentioned that she had a toddler, a little girl. "I didn't know you had a child," I said. "That's why I took off from boxing for awhile," Sarah explained.
Leon was in the gym, but again, he didn't stay for the entire session. He put on headgear, and Alan asked who he was going to spar with. "Any guy who's available," he answered. But Derek and Tommy, the only other men in the gym on Wednesday, weren't interested. Alan wasn't about to do it. He's still waiting for his torn rotator cuff to heal. "How about his guy?" Alan joked, pointing to me. "I don't have any energy for her," Leon smiled.
Sarah and I sparred for three rounds. Alan told me later that he was trying to get me to dig into her body more with uppercuts. It made sense to me, because I can't get uppercuts to her head. I tried for the body, but I found myself too close too many times, so I didn't give myself room to make them effective. I did get in body hooks, but those did little to slow Sarah down. I wasn't moving my head at all, so it got knocked around until the second and third rounds, when I kept my hands up more. I overheard Alan ask Amy if she would spar her sister. "I don't think so. . . she beat me up enough when we were kids," Amy grinned.
Sarah mentioned that she had a toddler, a little girl. "I didn't know you had a child," I said. "That's why I took off from boxing for awhile," Sarah explained.
Monday, May 09, 2011
Matthieu and Leon
Matthieu came in without Erica tonight. "She hurt her finger when the car door slammed," he explained. "Were you the one who closed the door?" Amy laughed. Matthieu grinned, and assured her that he wasn't the culprit.
He sparred with Leon. Leon brought a couple of friends along, a man and a woman, but did not come into the gym. They watched the action from outside the door. Alan got into the ring to referee them. Leon caught Matthieu with some tough body shots, but Matthieu hung in there with him.
I always worry when Leon spars with someone, mainly because he's so much bigger than anyone else in the gym. I heard Matthieu say at one point, "I'm tired," but Alan encouraged him to keep going.
I sparred with Sarah again. I said, "We'll go light," but we didn't do much in terms of taking it easy, especially during the third round. After it was done, Alan told me that he was trying to get me to bob and weave and come up with hooks. I would execute hooks to her body, but I wasn't getting in any to her head. She got me with an overhand right that knocked my headgear about. I guess I didn't have it on as securely as I thought. But then, headgear only protects to an extent anyway. I was happy that I wasn't dazed and confused when the final bell rang.
Didn't see the Pacquiao-Mosley fight, and at $55.00 for pay-per-view, I'm glad I didn't. Several Internet reports said that Mosley didn't give much of a fight, even though Pacquiao was going for a KO in the later rounds. Mosley was looking good during the weigh-in, which was shown on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. Teddy Atlas talked to Mosley after the weigh-in, and the boxer's confidence was high. "Sugar" Shane was asked about Pac-Man's fast hands, and he commented, "I have fast hands, too." But from what I read, Mosley's hands weren't moving that fast.
On our way out of the gym, I asked Alan was it easier to train women to box or to train men. He told me he hadn't trained many women at all, and few had been in attendance when Clarendon Park's boxing program was still in operation. "Most just wanted to get in shape and stay in shape. Of the women that I've trained, only you and Evangelina were serious about competing. But Sarah may be interested in doing that, too. . .I don't know," Alan said.
He sparred with Leon. Leon brought a couple of friends along, a man and a woman, but did not come into the gym. They watched the action from outside the door. Alan got into the ring to referee them. Leon caught Matthieu with some tough body shots, but Matthieu hung in there with him.
I always worry when Leon spars with someone, mainly because he's so much bigger than anyone else in the gym. I heard Matthieu say at one point, "I'm tired," but Alan encouraged him to keep going.
I sparred with Sarah again. I said, "We'll go light," but we didn't do much in terms of taking it easy, especially during the third round. After it was done, Alan told me that he was trying to get me to bob and weave and come up with hooks. I would execute hooks to her body, but I wasn't getting in any to her head. She got me with an overhand right that knocked my headgear about. I guess I didn't have it on as securely as I thought. But then, headgear only protects to an extent anyway. I was happy that I wasn't dazed and confused when the final bell rang.
Didn't see the Pacquiao-Mosley fight, and at $55.00 for pay-per-view, I'm glad I didn't. Several Internet reports said that Mosley didn't give much of a fight, even though Pacquiao was going for a KO in the later rounds. Mosley was looking good during the weigh-in, which was shown on ESPN2's Friday Night Fights. Teddy Atlas talked to Mosley after the weigh-in, and the boxer's confidence was high. "Sugar" Shane was asked about Pac-Man's fast hands, and he commented, "I have fast hands, too." But from what I read, Mosley's hands weren't moving that fast.
On our way out of the gym, I asked Alan was it easier to train women to box or to train men. He told me he hadn't trained many women at all, and few had been in attendance when Clarendon Park's boxing program was still in operation. "Most just wanted to get in shape and stay in shape. Of the women that I've trained, only you and Evangelina were serious about competing. But Sarah may be interested in doing that, too. . .I don't know," Alan said.
Wednesday, May 04, 2011
Vertigo, Or The Shakest Fist In The (Mid)West
"Why are you here?" Alan asked me. "Because I'm hard-headed," I answered, while shrugging my shoulders. Sometime later, I fell up against the door of my locker, and Alan gave me a suspicious look. "You thought I was going to collapse, didn't you?" I said. "Yeah," Alan said with concern. Now some of you are thinking: didn't this chick just say in an earlier post that she was suffering from what sounds like a bad case of vertigo? Didn't she not go to work or the gym the other day because of it? Then why was she at the gym on Wednesday? In fact, why does she go down there when she knows she sick and/or injured?
There is a trick to it. The main thing to do is to not spar. Also, it's a good idea to take it easy on the equipment, and take a lot of breaks. I had gone to work in the morning, and stayed longer because none of my work had been done, and it had to get done. But that might have been too much because when I got home, I was feeling run-down again. The heavy head feeling hasn't gone away completely. But where common sense would tell someone to stay home, I was thinking, "I don't want to miss a second day of being at the gym this week." However, to cut down on temptation to spar, I left my headgear and mouthpiece at home.
Alan asked Sarah if she would spar with one of the guys since I wasn't feeling up to it. Sarah's expression said, "Oh, no!", but Alan assured her it would be okay. She got in with Jacob, and he wasn't hitting her hard. She got some good head and body shots on him, however.
Tommy came in, and he plans to make it in every week. "When I see Jermaine, I'm going to try to get him in here," he said. Tommy said Jermaine was the one who got him to start coming to the gym, so he feels Jermaine should be in there again, too.
I figured out that I was raising my arms were looking like chicken wings in terms of how I would raise them while throwing uppercuts. I made a conscious effort to keep the opposite arm closer as I executed the uppercut with the other arm. It felt better to do it that way.
I need to slow down from a lot of things I normally do, so I'm going to take it very easy the rest of this week. I doubt that I will spar for awhile, as I'm not sure what brought the vertigo on. I told Pastor Roger that I have allergies, and he suggested that my sinuses being blocked for a time may have brought the condition on. It's a possibility. . .my allergies were acting up for days before that happened.
There is a trick to it. The main thing to do is to not spar. Also, it's a good idea to take it easy on the equipment, and take a lot of breaks. I had gone to work in the morning, and stayed longer because none of my work had been done, and it had to get done. But that might have been too much because when I got home, I was feeling run-down again. The heavy head feeling hasn't gone away completely. But where common sense would tell someone to stay home, I was thinking, "I don't want to miss a second day of being at the gym this week." However, to cut down on temptation to spar, I left my headgear and mouthpiece at home.
Alan asked Sarah if she would spar with one of the guys since I wasn't feeling up to it. Sarah's expression said, "Oh, no!", but Alan assured her it would be okay. She got in with Jacob, and he wasn't hitting her hard. She got some good head and body shots on him, however.
Tommy came in, and he plans to make it in every week. "When I see Jermaine, I'm going to try to get him in here," he said. Tommy said Jermaine was the one who got him to start coming to the gym, so he feels Jermaine should be in there again, too.
I figured out that I was raising my arms were looking like chicken wings in terms of how I would raise them while throwing uppercuts. I made a conscious effort to keep the opposite arm closer as I executed the uppercut with the other arm. It felt better to do it that way.
I need to slow down from a lot of things I normally do, so I'm going to take it very easy the rest of this week. I doubt that I will spar for awhile, as I'm not sure what brought the vertigo on. I told Pastor Roger that I have allergies, and he suggested that my sinuses being blocked for a time may have brought the condition on. It's a possibility. . .my allergies were acting up for days before that happened.
Monday, May 02, 2011
Off Balance
I had a pleasant dream involving my late younger sister. We were outside somewhere, and I had learned that she had turned down going to a school. Can't remember if it was a high school or a college. Before I could ask why, she told me she didn't think the school was right for her. "Let's talk about it some more!" she said, then both her and I were laughing as we ran up to a house. The dream made me happy, but it made me sad as well, as she and I can no longer talk and laugh together about anything.
The alarm went off, and I went into the bathroom. Then I decided to lay down for another few minutes -- the "Strawberry Letter" portion of Steve Harvey's radio show was on, and I wanted to hear what today's letter topic would be. I dozed back off. When I got up about ten minutes later, I thought I was going to join my late sister. The room was spinning. I rubbed my right eye and thought, "I wasn't drinking heavily last night, so why is the room spinning?" In fact, I haven't got my drink on like that in nearly two decades. I was stumbling and dizzy. "Help me, Jesus", I moaned, as I held on to the wall in an attempt to stand straight. I was standing there for a long time, until I decided to call Pastor Roger to say, "Uh, it doesn't look like I'm coming to work today." I was down for the count for the rest of the day. Needless to say, I didn't go to the gym, either. Later in the day, I called Alan, who suggested that it was a good idea that I stay home.
Pat, a friend of mine from high school, sent me a note on Facebook, asking if I might have vertigo. I get that from playing first person video games (the kind of which I don't play anymore). I avoid some rides at amusement parks these days because of the same reason. However, I can't say if that is what it is. As I type this, I'm still a little disorientated. I haven't been able to keep any food down yet. The thought that I was having a stroke crossed my mind this morning; one sneaked up on Dad back in 2000. "Make sure you take your high blood pressure medicine every day," he warned me when he first learned I had that (Dad had that also). But I probably wouldn't be breathing right now, so I guess that wasn't it.
I have no idea what brought today's illness on. Not long ago, I was reading "The Fight Doctor" article in The Ring magazine. The subject was brain injuries from boxing. The article mentioned something about not letting fighters spar excessively. Hmm. . . .it occurred to me that I've been sparring practically every week for months. I took several good cracks to my head last week while sparring. Sigh. . . .it's something to think about.
The alarm went off, and I went into the bathroom. Then I decided to lay down for another few minutes -- the "Strawberry Letter" portion of Steve Harvey's radio show was on, and I wanted to hear what today's letter topic would be. I dozed back off. When I got up about ten minutes later, I thought I was going to join my late sister. The room was spinning. I rubbed my right eye and thought, "I wasn't drinking heavily last night, so why is the room spinning?" In fact, I haven't got my drink on like that in nearly two decades. I was stumbling and dizzy. "Help me, Jesus", I moaned, as I held on to the wall in an attempt to stand straight. I was standing there for a long time, until I decided to call Pastor Roger to say, "Uh, it doesn't look like I'm coming to work today." I was down for the count for the rest of the day. Needless to say, I didn't go to the gym, either. Later in the day, I called Alan, who suggested that it was a good idea that I stay home.
Pat, a friend of mine from high school, sent me a note on Facebook, asking if I might have vertigo. I get that from playing first person video games (the kind of which I don't play anymore). I avoid some rides at amusement parks these days because of the same reason. However, I can't say if that is what it is. As I type this, I'm still a little disorientated. I haven't been able to keep any food down yet. The thought that I was having a stroke crossed my mind this morning; one sneaked up on Dad back in 2000. "Make sure you take your high blood pressure medicine every day," he warned me when he first learned I had that (Dad had that also). But I probably wouldn't be breathing right now, so I guess that wasn't it.
I have no idea what brought today's illness on. Not long ago, I was reading "The Fight Doctor" article in The Ring magazine. The subject was brain injuries from boxing. The article mentioned something about not letting fighters spar excessively. Hmm. . . .it occurred to me that I've been sparring practically every week for months. I took several good cracks to my head last week while sparring. Sigh. . . .it's something to think about.
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