My ribs are a bit tender today. Even with padding, sparring against a black belt sure isnt an easy task. I felt like I held my own for most of the bout, blocking mostly and getting in a few glancing blows, but when I made the mistake of grabbing his leg as he kicked… My torso took a beating because my hands were tied up and not protecting my chest.

I do have a newfound respect though for professional fighters. After just a 2 minute fight, I felt like I was going to collapse and was drenched in sweat. A very eye opening experience for sure, but I look forward to the next time.