Page 140 - Doug Werner Boxer's Start-Up

Chapter Twelve

perhaps I’ll stop short of that, although it seems that some punch
drunk guys sure look pretty happy. Laughs.

YOGETTES TURN UP THE HEAT
1-2-98: Lesson #38
No sparring today due to a conflicting yoga class in our boxing
studio.The yoga instructor,a high-toned dame,says to Alan but dah-
ling, our class meets at this time, remembahhh? Well, I can’t pass
this up. I say something like but I was told that your top yogettes
would be sparring with me today. Of course, this goes over like a
lead balloon (she barely glances in my direction) which makes it all
the more funny (to me anyway).

As I laugh all by myself, Al diplomatically points out that she’s actu-
ally early and that we’ll be outta there in 30 minutes. She’s good
natured enough not to sniff too loud, picks up her pad and bottled
water and whisks her way to the other side of the room where she
instructs one of her students while I sweat and pound on the pillar
(this is such a contrast --- the mellow yoga versus the thumping
boxing lesson). This arrangement works well enough (it’s a big
room), however the yoga folks turn the damn heat on, and in no
time I’m burning up.

We zip through the basic stuff and head onto the main floor where
Al shows me some special exercises to do with a stretch cord.The
latter is simply stretchable tubing with a handle at each end. Al
attaches one of the handles to an exercise machine in front of a
mirror and has me practice my jab and my right while holding the
other handle. As usual, I go three minutes on each punch. It really
burns after a minute or so and the last minute is tough. I complain
a little but Al just does one of his Drill Sergeant routines (Come on!
Let’s do it!) in front of all the old men and ladies that frequent this
place at this hour and shames me into finishing the repetition.

After that he has me sit down and do these twist-at-the-waist things
catching and throwing a six-pound medicine ball. It’s not difficult
but after about 30 on each side, I’m tired. I ask him if doing all this
stuff with the stretch cord and the medicine ball after 30 minutes
on the heavy bag constitutes a pretty stiff workout and Al says no,
it’s pretty low end.We used to use a cord on each hand at the same
time and toss a twelve-pound ball.

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