Yesterdays antics have taken their toll on me today, I don’t think there’s a single muscle in my body that isn’t aching. There are even parts that don’t have muscles that are aching, thanks to a misplaced kick and my decision to not wear a box. I haven’t had ache like this for ages now, and I have to say that there’s a tiny sick part of me which has really missed it.
The seminar with Drew Neal yesterday was great. We didn’t learn a huge amount of new things – it seems we’ve been training the right way all along – but some of it was brilliant and worth the price of entry alone. The footwork and timing for example, and shifting timing, drawing opponents, that sort of thing was invaluable. The variety of blitz techniques was good to take on board too, quite an eye-opener. One of the best things from the day in my opinion was Drew himself, he was not what I expected from a multiple World Champion at all. He was understated, sincere and approachable and there wasn’t an ounce of ego for the whole time. I found it very refreshing given the outward personas adopted by many fighters.
That’s us, after the seminar stopping for a quick bit of posing with the man in question.
The evening session of sparring training was a great laugh, and the perfect way to wind down after the events of the day. I say wind down, but in truth it was still exhausting and after each bout I staggered out of the ring stating "That was my last fight, I’m exhausted", yet two minutes later, without fail, I was eyeing up someone else to take on. When it’s done without ego, excessive aggression and outside pressure, sparring is one of the most enjoyable and speediest games of mind-chess you can play.
That’s myself squaring up against my instructor, Master James. I’m not a betting man, but I’d wager that was a few seconds before I got tagged. Again. 🙂
Is the guy on the end with the dark hair your instructor? He looks almost EXACTLY like the guy who does my hair!
He is indeed. To the best of my knowledge he isn’t a transatlantic coiffeur though 🙂