Page 147 - Doug Werner Boxer's Start-Up

Journal

It’s some- turning my back to my opponent --- the
worst kind of mistake.I have to keep my
thing new eyes on the target!
– ballroom Something gained: I did learn how to
wrestle my way out of a corner. Duck
boxing. The inside,grasp an elbow and spin out.This
is helpful because I’m always getting
boxing backed into the wall and at a loss what
comes in to do.

handy when Addressing my hang-dog, Al says it’s
unrealistic to jump into a sparring situa-
your partner tion and think I can apply everything
I’ve been working on. It all goes out the
steps on window in the heat of a bout. You can
only work on one or two things at the
your toe. most. He says I might wanna work on
slips and jabs, say. Defensive stuff with
just enough offense to keep the guy honest. Yeah, oh well ... but
absolutely rock-solid advice ... as usual.

What was genuinely amusing today was our sharing the room with
a ballroom dancing instructor and her student. Before class, this
attractive lady comes up to me and asks if she can share the space.
I say sure but that I make alotta noise with the bag. She says they
won’t even hear it ... and they don’t. Although I’m banging away,
grunting and cursing my miserable performance throughout the
hour, the two ladies (her student is a women) are concentrating so
hard on their steps that they hardly notice the boxing lesson or the
sparring.

They’ve got this Guy Lombardo music playing and it’s a hoot
throwing leather along with it. It’s so incongruous. Like something
out of an old Monty Python movie. Here’s this gracious dancing
alongside my bashing and bumbling. Must have been pretty funny
to watch.

At one point three little old ladies come in and marvel at the two
different lessons in progress. I say it’s something new --- ballroom
boxing. The boxing comes in handy when your partner steps on

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