A SWORD AND A SHIELD

Today was the first day of the rest of Mike’s life. In more ways than one, he had gotten his life back.

Six months ago, a scrawny looking kid with braces and freckles was transferred to Maddington High School. It was in the spring. It was the worst time to be a new kid in school, especially for a kid who had just lost both parents to a ghastly accident, his family house to a fire and his only relative was a drunkard uncle who took him in for child support benefit. It couldn't get worse than that for him, or so he thought. You see, being a red-headed, scrawny little fellow made you an easy target for bullies like the “H Gang,” or at least that's what they were called. Harry, Harmony, and Harmonie were the class's nightmares, and everyone knew to stay out of their way. Unfortunately for the new kid, he was fresh blood and suffered at their hands. Day after day was a series of unfortunate events, four months of bullying with no mom or dad to help him get through, the thoughts of suicide started settling in. until he met Jake.

Jake, the next-door neighbour and loner had taken a keen interest in Mike shortly after he moved in. Their paths had crossed briefly and he could tell Mike was one unhappy chap, but this particular Monday, he noticed Mike coming back early from school with a black eye and a bruised lip, he ran to him before he could disappear, invited him into his own house and made him a warm cup of milk and offered an ice pack. Mike was reluctant at first, but eventually told him how much he was suffering and with the saddest eyes Jake had ever seen, he asked; "what do I do?” “Fight Back!” Jake shouted back. Mike let out a strangled laugh “fight back? Have you seen me? I'm so tiny, where do I even begin, it will only make things worse and they'll only hit me harder” he finished with a sigh. Jake looked at him intensely then asked; “what do you do on weekends?” “nothing” Mike answered tiredly. “Good, you're going boxing with me” “What?!!” Mike choked on his drink. “But.. I… I don't even know the first thing about boxing...``'' Well then make sure you wake up early, I'll discuss with your Uncle.” And that was that.

At first, Mike started training reluctantly, but as the bullying got worse, he slowly became determined to be free from the torture. He trained for 12 hours a day, sometimes forgetting to take a break. As he trained, he noticed it cleared his mind, helped him channel his frustration, and controlled his anger. He did not have to internalize all that pain anymore. Summer break came, and at this point, he had grown to enjoy his training. Weeks passed and his body had started to change, to grow, but he was oblivious to the changes. A major milestone for him was how the training helped put him in a mental space. Over the break, he had gained so much body mass that he looked more imposing than before. Jake noticed this, but kept it to himself until he felt Mike had trained enough, both physically and mentally.

Summer was over and it was time to head back to school, Mike developed panic attacks on several occasions. He wasn't ready to resume as a punching bag for the H Gang. After a week of avoiding classes, the school finally called and he was forced to resume. He could feel the stares and murmurs in the hallway and class. He just needed the day to be over. The time finally came, and the routine bullying began, Mike succumbed at first, he took every punch and prayed it would end quickly. But somewhere from the depths of him, he kept hearing Jake’s voice shout in his head “FIGHT BACK!” and that's exactly what he did, he fought, resisted, and got his life back.

Boxing- a sword and a shield

90% of kids who experience physical bullying are kids who are not confident in themselves and exhibit a reclusive character. Your inability to stand up for yourself makes you an easy target for bullying. Though a child should report being physically bullied, it is not in all circumstances that that child will open up about what he/she is going through. It is more beneficial to prepare them to defend themselves.

Studies show that boxing helps build confidence and is a great way to ease bottled up tension and anger waiting to burst. You see, when you box, it’s just you and the heavy boxing bag. Nothing else matters. Over time, you learn to control your temper and, with the weight lifted, your mind becomes clear, giving room to build up mental resistance against bullying because, like it or not, psychological bullying starts to manifest in the physical. Like Jonathan Burke owner of The VI MMA Gym in Ocoee, Florida said in an interview: “it's not about fighting, it’s about getting in great physical shape, improving your mental focus and discipline”

Interesting Benefits of Boxing:

• Increases Proprioception: What this means is that it improves your kinetic intelligence, thereby teaching your body and brain to move more efficiently, which is helpful for many skills requiring motor movement.
• Boosts self-esteem and confidence: When you learn a new skill and become good at it, your level of confidence increases. Also, knowing that you can protect yourself without needing help greatly influences how you see yourself.
• Physical and Mental Toughness: though boxing is a physical activity, getting good at it requires a lot of patience and practice which does build up your mental resilience and gives you a better fighting chance against odds.
• Increased Cardiovascular Fitness: Boxing is a full physical activity when you throw punches and your full body at a heavy object repeatedly. It tends to build your cardiovascular strength and increase the overall wellness needed for growing children.
• Self-defence: boxing cultivates self-defence skills, which is the major focus of this write-up. Learning how to defend yourself is a handy tool against oppressors, both young and old alike.