Tri The Boxer

When I looked through my blog for this year, almost all of my entries start with a photo of an aeroplane.  Which is reminiscent of the time where most of my blog entries were mostly about Gardens by The Bay.  So this time I'll write something different.

Since August this year I've been enrolled in a boxing club.  It was part of my attempt to get fitter.  I also thought that boxing would complement my karate training.  I always prefer straight punches rather than kicking and in close range, boxing seem to have better defensive techniques as compared to karate.

One of those classes....

My ex-schoolmate joined the club with me; we're the oldest students in the class......  seriously....  Anyway this club is called Impact MMA (impactmma.com.sg) in Shenton Way.  Its the same club an office mate goes to for his Brazilian Jiujitsu class.  It's also the one with the cheapest 4 lessons a month rate if you pay 3 months at one go.

We paid for a 3 month package and got a pair of gloves for free

What could go wrong I thought.....   most of the students in the class are in their 20s... full of raging testosterone and stamina of those people doing their national service.  So you could imagine that when it comes to sparring I'm always the one receiving the punishment...  The first 4 lessons were bearable because the (substitute) coach did not make us spar and focused more on getting our techniques correct.  However after the real coach came suddenly there were technical sparring which I really cannot bear.  Getting body shots is OK I can take them.  But getting hit in the face is something.  And getting rabbit punches really made me lose my cool.

Hand wrapped and ready to go

There's no denying that the physical training in the class is way harder than what I get in my karate class.  But when it comes to sparring I get really frustrated.  I found that most of the students do not exercise self control.  In technical sparring we're supposed to use straight punches only, but they came swinging with their hooks and side crosses.  For someone who follows rules like me I really feel that these boys got cheap shots at me.

There's this person who'll always duck and come up swinging, twice his punch reached the back of my head and that got me really angry....  not only did he not follow the straight punches rule, punches to the back of the head are illegal in boxing.

Anyway, I'm strongly thinking whether to continue with the classes or not.  Because I really have a hard time keeping up with these people who are 10 or 12 years younger than me.  I really enjoy the technical sessions, but not the sparring sessions...  or maybe I just need to find another club... 

Here's a closing shot for this very short entry:

I've since gotten a pair of Fairtex BGV-1 gloves which are better than these

~Photos taken with LG G6~