Regression - Second Chance At Life

Chapter 31: Training

Adam is a monster.

This is what Lamai is thinking as she stares at him easily copying her movements to the tee, sure it’s just copying and not being executed in practice against someone else. It’s still impressive.

Mind you, when someone starts training, they are very clumsy and rough around the edges.

Even if they manage to copy a technique to perfection, it is only done once or twice; repeated movements will break down their technique, and the trainer has to correct them multiple times throughout the session.

But it’s different with Adam. Since the very beginning, Adam has managed to copy her perfectly, and after being instructed to do it over and over again without watching her, he still managed to do it.

This just shows the monstrous potential Adam has. She wonders just how good Adam would be if he started training young like her.

Adam continues to keep his stance perfect through the whole fifteen minutes as Lamai tries to grill him, making it harder, but he manages to keep up.

”Let’s move to footwork,” Lamai says and begins teaching Adam how to use one’s foot doing a fight.

Footwork is the most important thing for a fighter, as it affects their striking, grappling, defense, and transitions between ranges. With good footwork, a fighter can control distance, generate power, evade attacks, and even set up a takedown. Without good footwork, you are doomed inside a ring.

Lamai begins from the very basics, as she is a good teacher. Balance and posture. She teaches Adam to stay on the balls of his feet, while keeping his knees slightly bent, and his weight centered.

Adam learns how to keep his body balanced while trying to move around. He learns to control his balance by manipulating his body’s posture, and as he does this, he too starts getting ideas on how these things can be implemented into real fights.

Lamai teaches him to take small, efficient steps, like avoiding crossing feet or overstepping, to prevent his body from losing balance.

Adam then learns how to manage angles so that he won’t be a stationary target in a fight.

Then comes level changes. Lamai teaches him how to incorporate slight dips for striking and how to change levels for takedowns.

During the training, both get a little physical with each other as how can Lamai teach him if not through demonstration?

And that is when she learns just how strong Adam really is. She tries to show him how level changing can help you take down your opponent.

So she level changes and shoots down for a take down, but when she grabs onto Adam’s legs to trip him, she feels as if she grabbed onto a boulder. She only managed to move in just a few inches.

Embarrassed that she couldn’t take down a complete beginner, she brushed it off as she meant to do that, which Adam didn’t know, as he is really just a beginner.

He really thought she was just trying to show how level changes work.

With the fundamentals of footwork in place, Lamai starts putting him through footwork drills, which are a little more striking focused.

Forward and Backward shuffle, Lateral Movements, and Pivoting.

This goes on for another hour, and just like before, Adam takes to it like a fish to water. He is following every instruction from Lamai to perfection, making her feel extremely excited, as students of Adam’s caliber are almost impossible to find.

As Lamai looks at the speed at which Adam is adapting to her teachings, it won’t be long before Adam will step into the ring to fight real fighters.

”Okay, you can stop now. That’s all for today. We will continue with more footwork tomorrow,” Lamai says, and stops Adam.

Adam stops and takes in a deep breath as he finally feels a little tired, while a few drops of sweat run down his face.

He can feel that he can still go on for much, much longer, as he is nowhere near his limit. He, too, starts to understand that this new body of his is beyond normal.

Lamai also notices that Adam still has a lot more in his tank and can continue further, but she doesn’t have the luxury to continue teaching him. Soon, other students will start coming in, and her attention will be divided.

But she is looking forward to what Adam has in store for her. She wants to see just how good he can get.

Adam looks at the time and sees that he still has some time left, but since Lamai wants to stop it here, he isn’t going to complain.

”That was fun,” Adam says, and his words a genuine. He really liked learning the basics and is looking forward to future classes.

”This is just the beginning. Let’s see if you will still find it fun when we get to the real training,” Lamai says, trying to scare Adam a little.

Seeing how confident Adam is with just his first day of training, it would be bad if he makes a habit of it. She needs to make sure that he understands that MMA training is a bitch, and he will learn about it much sooner than later.

”Looking forward to it,” Adam says with his usual confident smile.

”Hey Lamai, good afternoon,” They both suddenly hear a deep masculine voice call for Lamai.

Both Adam and Lamai turn around and see a gigantic black man, standing six feet six inches tall, walking up to them.

Adam observes the man coming towards them and is impressed by his stature. Short black hair, angled eyes, a flat nose, chiseled jawline, wide shoulders, and long arms and legs.

Though he is wearing a tracksuit and pants, Adam can tell that this man is ripped underneath that suit.

Adam assumes him to be somewhere in his early thirties.

”Good afternoon, Darrel, aren’t you a little early today?” Lamai asks.

”I just wanted to come in early and get some work done before your dad comes in,” the huge man named Darrel says before looking at Adam.

”And who is this?” Darrel asks. He eyes up Adam and is impressed by the young man standing before him.

His sharp, experienced eyes can already tell that the young man before him is hiding a powerful body underneath those clothes he is wearing.

”This is Adam, he just joined today,” Lamai introduces Adam to Darrel.

”My name’s Darrel Briccs. Nice to meet you, young man,” Darrel says as he extends his huge hand towards Adam for a handshake.

Darrel’s hand is huge, but Adam is not intimidated. He brings his hand forward and gives him a firm handshake.

”My name’s Adam Grant,” Adam says.

Darrel’s eyes widen a little as he is surprised by the strength behind Adam’s handshake. Even though his hand is bigger than Adam’s, he doesn’t feel the usual sensation of taking over like he usually feels when shaking other people’s hands.

’This kid is strong,’ Darrel thinks, and a desire to spar lights up inside him, but knowing that Adam just joined, he cools himself down.

’Maybe in the future, when he gets a little better,’ Darrel thinks and lets go of the handshake.

”Well, it’s time for me to leave,” Adam says.

”Before you go, let me get you your ID, follow me,” Lamai says and walks back to the office as Adam follows her.

Stepping in, Adam once again sees the posters and photos of this gym’s fighters, and he sees Darrel in some of them with some medals, trophies, and even belts.

”Darrel Briccs, where have I heard that name before?” Adam murmurs as he finds the name familiar, but he doesn’t recall where he heard it.

”You don’t know who Darrel is?” Lamai asks, surprised as she hears Adam’s murmurs.

Adam shrugs his shoulders, looking at her.

”Darrel is one of the top rankers inside the international league of the heavyweight division. He is now aiming to become the world champion.” Lamai says.

”Oh!” Adam finally recognizes who Darrel is.

In his past, he had heard about some fighter named Darrel becoming a world heavyweight champion; he didn’t expect he would actually run into the guy before he became one.

”That’s impressive,” Adam says.

”Ha, you will be more impressed once he becomes the world champion. With my dad training him, it’s now a certainty. He just needs to establish himself as the number one contender by getting a long win streak under his belt,” Lamai says.

Adam listens but doesn’t put too much importance on it. He isn’t planning to make MMA his career, even though there is a lot of money in it.

”Here’s your ID. If anyone asks, you can show it to them,” Lamai hands over the ID that just finished laminating.

”So... same time tomorrow?” Adam asks.

”That would be for the best, i will have more time to focus on you,” Lamai says.

Adam smiles at her charismatically and nods.

”I will take my leave then,” Adam says and takes his leave while Lamai just stares.

’He is quite handsome,’ she thinks, and keeps her thoughts to herself.

___________________

Adam gets out of the gym and goes back to his car.

’This is the best decision I could have made. Not only do I have a hot, sexy coach, but I am also looking forward to improving my skills.

I am going to take this body of mine to its limit and see just how far I can go,’ Adam thinks, full of determination, before he drives back to the restaurant.