I nodded, and just like that, I started to feel much better about the day. I wondered if Jet consciously didn't invite Katie or if it was just a scheduling issue.
We did a circuit, which was a little more extreme than I had anticipated in terms of a workout. But the idea behind the circuits now focused solely around making my kicks and punches more explosive, and therefore more powerful, which made sense to me. The way Jet made me feel while training was incredible. It made me feel like I could take over the world.
I was rounding down to my last few minutes in the circuit. I was dripping sweat everywhere and feeling exhausted. Maybe taking a break from the gym in general the last few days had been a bad idea, but I was feeling energized and alive. I figured I should probably consider hitting the gym more, especially since my boyfriend was there so much. I felt ready to kick some butt.
I thought the circuits were my entire workout, but that wasn't the case at all. Jet wanted to go through my techniques again in regard to my punches and kicks. After we worked on the pads, we started in on defense once again. It was quite incredible how after doing these procedures for so long, things just started to come naturally. Jet didn't even have to tell me what he was throwing?I would just automatically react to the movement I saw in his shoulders, and move to avoid whatever he was throwing my way. It was all really quite astounding, and it made me respect the game that much more.
After our pad work was complete, Jet took me over to a matted area and we did windshield wiper ab exercises, which to me were easily the hardest exercises I had ever done with my abs. As he applied pressure to my legs and pushed them away, I had to stay stabilized within my core, and raise them back up again.
We also did a medicine ball exercise that consisted of Jet dropping a large weighted medicine ball on my stomach as I released my breath. Not only was it meant to strengthen my core, but it was to train me how to breathe out when throwing punches or taking hits. If I had no air inside my body when I took a hit, then someone couldn't knock the wind out of me.
“Do you want to see something cool?” Jet asked.
“Sure.”
“I'm going to jump on your stomach.”
“What? You can't do that. You will crush me; you're too heavy.”
“No, I'm not at all. I will jump on quickly and jump right off. If you keep your core tight and flexed, it won't hurt you at all.”
I agreed to allow him, but I was nervous about it. I decided to trust him, though.
“Ready?” he asked.
I nodded as I focused on keeping my abs flexed. He jumped lightly on top of my stomach, and although I felt the pressure of his weight, it didn't hurt at all, and he jumped back off. I laughed. “Wow, that was kind of cool.”
He held his hand out to help me off the mat.
“So, how do you feel about fighting an amateur MMA fight, just as practice to test your skills?”
“Are you joking? Jet, I'm not a fighter. I've just been coming here for fun.”
“I know, and that's okay, but you will get to see how much you have progressed, and I think it would be fun. Everyone else who fights amateur is doing it for fun as well, and they are just as inexperienced as you are.”
I stared at him and thought about it. The idea terrified me in a way, and I wasn't sure how to respond, as I didn't want Jet to think I was weak. “I don't know if I'm comfortable with it.”
“I understand that but look at the girl in the ring, for example.”
I turned to see who he was looking at. She wasn't much bigger than I was, and didn't seem to be much more advanced that I was, either.
“See her? She has only been here for a few weeks, and she's not even sure if she wants to fight a real fight. She just likes coming to train. Would you want to try going one round with her and see how you do? I think it would be really good for you to see how much you’ve learned.”
“Jet, I suck at it. I know that for sure.”
He chuckled. “Natalie, you definitely don't suck at it. Believe me, I would never even suggest this if I didn't think you were ready. I have no interest in humiliating you. I think you would do really well, and like I said, you are no more experienced than she is, and vice versa. She's the perfect person for you to try fighting with.”
I looked back at the girl and thought, what the hell? You only live once, right?
“Ahh, okay, let's do it.”
The grin he got on his face after that was well worth my acceptance. I loved that smile.
Jet left me momentarily to go and talk to the girl
in the ring. While they were talking the girl looked over at me, smiled, and then nodded to Jet. I was relieved when I didn't see any flirtatiousness from her.
“Okay, you're all set. Get your gear on and meet me in the corner. I will be instructing you throughout the round, so make sure you focus on my voice as you are fighting. You have to just go for it, though. Don't wait for my instructions. Pretend it’s a real fight and remember all the things that I have taught you so far.”