Choosing The Right Partner

  Choosing The Right Partner for my work out in Mauy Thai is a serious decision and a very important one for me every time I have a class. I mean, this is the person that is going to be legally allowed to hit me and that I can hit for almost 1 hour.

   Who knew that getting the right training partner was such an important decision?!...It is very important for my advancement and learning process. I didn't know how weak I was until I started to train, then 2 years later, I didn't know how strong my body was going to become. I am still mentally shocked at the changes in my body. Being able to do so much more physically and regained so much energy.

   I really didn't pay attention at the beginning, but then I started to notice that at the time of picking a partner after the warm out work outs, I was the ugliest duckling in the class who was left without a training partner, so I had to be placed in a group with 2 other people. There was something going on that I quite didn't understand.  lol


   Finally, I figured out that to land a good training partner, I would have to ask someone to be my partner ahead, before the class started !!! Bingo!!!!  I cracked part of the code and unspoken social rule.


   So, I still remember that one partner who rejected me, once that I had asked him and he agreed to be my partner, right before class, he dump me, he actually dropped me, and chose another partner for whatever reasons. Well, that was mean !   I was crushed ! Anyhow, I never asked him again to be my partner. However, this was a great experience because I learned to handle rejection and see the great part of it, where you move on to the next partner and learn so much more with so many different people.


   Training with advanced students is a privilege, because they correct me, teach me, and give me hints of how to do things better and what parts need improvements in training.  Now, when I do train with beginners, I can see how much progress I had made in the sport.


   I really love to train with men for the one reason, the different body types and sizes help me to measure and practice hits on different body types. I can also hit them with as much force as I can, they can handle it. Of course, with our protective gears.

   Training with women is lovely, because some of them are extremely strong and hit as hard as men. Of course, when my energy level is below normal level, I pick some of the newer students, because I know, they won't hit me as hard.


   Now, you know part of the code to get the Right Training Partner.

Homeless Man

As I rode the train yesterday, a homeless man in the train was asking for money in the train as usual in NY. He came right next to me, too close for comfort, he stayed right near me within my personal space and stood there almost falling down with his head down. My first instinct of defending myself and being ready and aware to subdue him if he tried to touch me or hit me kicked in. That was my first reaction and thoughts.

As he stayed there so close and quiet, I gave him money. I thought he would leave and move on to ask the other people. He did not !  I was confused. Thinking withing myself, why is he next to me, why he picked me out of everyone in the train, when I was completely covered with my coat and barely showing my face... Why me ?!!!...

Then, He moved a bit and held the poll right in front of me, it looked like he was going to fall down as he moved his head down and down and up, he looked disoriented or under some chemical influence. Then, I started to feel sorry for him, and see him as a human, who just needed some kind of help. So I told him, "sit down" and he did sit next to me, for a few more minutes. Then, by the next stop, he got up and left the train.


 I think  that this man, didn't just needed money, he needed kindness, love, and compassion. Maybe a mother figure in his life to give him some kind of comfort. Who knows...Anyhow, it was kind of a strange experience.