The Tough Road

Chapter 5: Oh girl!

"Now, rest for 5 minutes. Drink water then we start with kickboxing. And don't forget about your debt." Oh!
"Coach? What should I do for that?"

He smirked.
Oh Fu*k!
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Ashley p.o.v

"First sit here and drink your water." He spoke calmly, like he wasn't the one who smirked just a few seconds ago!
My look must have given it all to him that made him chuckle.
"You think too much about it Ashley. Overthinking on some matters will harm you mentally more than you can imagine. So instead of putting time in calculating what will happen, put your mind into improving yourself. A mistake is one time just a mistake, for the second time, it's stupidity."

He came and sat next to me. I became stiff, I mean he is the one responsible for my muscle pain.
"Training with me will be full of ups and downs, not just for you but for myself as well. One day you may feel down, one day I may have a bad day. But the key is that you should hold yourself together."

I looked at him in disbelief, he used the right words to describe my feelings.
"You're something coach!"
I couldn't hold myself back. I needed to tell him this.
He laughed at my statement and stood up.

"Times up. Come we now start with kickboxing's basics."
I stood up quickly, for two reasons. First I was so excited to learn something to show off my skills to Alec. And second, with the tones that I've heard today, it'll be better to stand up immediately.
I've realised something though, he can change his tone and mood in flick of a finger.

Which means he is both gentle and strict with his students. Praise them, scold them and help them at the right time with the right words.
And mixed with his mind reading skills, I should be careful with my behaviour.

Mom's joke turned out to be true after all! He really did put some sense into me! Oh mom, where are you to see this moment? You would've been proud.

"Give me your hands Ashley."
My hands? Why? I looked at him confusingly.
He put something out of his pocket.
"I need to wrap this around your hands. Also I need to teach you how to do it."

I looked at his hands. What are those?
"What are these coach?" I asked with curiosity in my voice.
"They are fighting bandages. You should wrap them around your hands in order to avoid injury, pressure or dislocating." Well I didn't know that! What exactly do I know then? I should seriously start reading some books.

I gave him my right hand and he wrapped it around while explaining to me.
"You see Ashley, we warp our hands to accomplish two things. First to protect our fingers, so we can punch with full power without the fear of hurting our finger bones and joints. Second by a good wrapping you secure your wrist."
Interesting! I thought he was going to tie my hands! What a mind you have Ashley!

"So besides protecting, it helps with better punches, right?"
"Precisely. Look carefully, you see this side?"
"Yeah..."
"You put in your thumb than wrap at the back of your hand not front."
"Yes coach."
"If you wrap it from the front, it'll open when you're training." I nodded.

"Then you wrap it around your wrist three times."I look at my hands to see how he does it.
"Then you come over the hand and wrap it around your knuckles. Knuckles are important parts that should be protected. In our future sessions I'll train you to strengthen your knuckles as well."
Strengthen my knuckles? Why do I have this feeling that it'll not gonna be a gentel one!

"Okay after knuckles we go around the back then come between the fingers. First between pinky and ring finger. Then you come all around the hand making an X. The same between ring finger and middle finger. As well as between middle finger and index finger."
It's hard! Will he wrap it everytime? I hope he does everytime. I can't remember all of it!

"Now we're gonna wrap our thumb. Then back and... flip your hand over. And thumb again but not around it. At the back to secure the wrapping. Then knuckles again two or three times, your hands are small so three times is possible. And finally finished up with couple of X's and stick in the place."
It's hard to move my hands a bit now. Do I have to spare with these hands?!

"Now you do the left."
Wh... what? Oh uh! That's not a good time for a pop quiz.
"Me?"
"Yes, you. If you were listening good, you should be able to do most part of it. If not completely."

Damn! That voice again! He was nice last second! Now he's strict again. God! Just one time, only one time, save me. I got the bandage from him and started the task at hand.
Ok three times around wrist...then what? I looked up at him he was looking at me expectedly with something else in his eyes that I can't explain, but I can tell it's not a good sign!

"Give it back." He didn't show any emotion.
I gave him what he asked for.
"Plank position. Count in your mind."
But he said stamina training is over. Why... oh this is my punishment! But he said that he didn't want to punish me in the first session. It feels bad to be punished! Ugh, I should've listened.

Planks is the bitchiest workout ever! If I find the inverter of it I'll kill him at the first site! No! Wait! Killing is too merciful. I should tear him apart.
After 20 seconds of shivering he told me to stand up.

"Don't wander around with your mind. Look carefully this time."
He nearly yelled but lower to be called yelling.
I bowed my head down. This time, I concentrated and tried to learn it.
"Did you get it this time?" That was kind of a sarcasm!
"Yes coach, I did." I answered confidently.

"Practice at home as well. Wrap and unwrap it many times to learn it completely."
"Sure coach. How can I get one like this? Where is this being sold?"
I have to get one for myself, if I have to use it everyday.

"This is yours. I buy one pair for every student of mine." Huh? Wow! That's heart warming.
"Thank you so much coach."
"Thank me with your hard work."I noded at him.
The bandages are black with the logo of its maker. It looks so cool.

"Let's go to the ring and start."
I jumped with excitement and ran fast to the ring.
It was high but this time, I jumped and climb it. A small smile came to my face at my achievement.
Coach came to the ring slowly with a smile on his face.

He came up by a stair at the back of the ring that I hadn't noticed.
"Seriously Ashley, didn't you notice it?" He chuckled at the end of his words.
"Umm... to be honest I didn't even think of such a thing."

"Very well. Boxing stand is the first thing you hold learn. You're right leg a little back and your left one in front. Bend them a little, bring your hands in front of your face. Bend them at the 45 degree."
I copied his moves and stood in the named position.

"Good! Remember before any kind of movment you should warm up your body like this."
After the warm up that he showed me, he put another pair of bandag out of his pocket. Then wrapped it around his hands.

He isn't... he... he isn't gonna spare me right?
RIGHT?!

SAVE ME GOD!
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I hope you liked it.😍

I'm so sorry for the long delay. My device needed some repair, so I couldn't publish anything.
I promis to be on time.😉
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So... sparing with Coach David... that's interesting.
How do you think it'll be? Tell me.
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Vote, comment and share if you liked it.
I'll answer each and every of them.
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Stay safe, specially with the new version of the virus.
Wear mask, keep social distance and get vaccined.

LOVE YOURSELF😍❤