A first for me: stepping into a boxing ring

The dojo closed for the long Labor Day weekend so I had some free time and a need to exercise. I heard from a fellow student that I could join him and a few others to practice sparring on Saturday.

So in the somewhat seedy backroom of a local gym, I stepped into a boxing ring for the first time. OK, it was Golds Gym but it was in the backroom where the lights weren't working properly so it had some character. (No, the picture is not where we were).

Four sides, four corners, four padded ropes, a mat, and a timer. We did three minute rounds of kickboxing. Six of us round robin for an hour. Much like we do in the dojo only it's been stepped up a level in intensity and the rounds are longer.

Could I play with these boys? Well, kinda sorta. To be honest, no, not with the good ones. But of the six there, there were two in their own class and the rest of us were getting stretched to a new level. I now know what it feels like to step in the ring, to get stuck in the corner, and what that third minute feels (we only do two minute rounds in the dojo).

How much fun was it? Highlight of the week. And the month!




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