Saturday I woke up and got ready for my first day of training. Master Pini explained that Saturday would be a special gathering of special athletes who are prospective national representatives for the up coming World Championships so I knew I was getting into a very intense class but I had no idea.
I went alone because our rent was due the same day so Ashley agreed to talk to the owner and make our first payment. I was was there two days before so I knew the way. It took 40 minutes as usual. When I got there it was 8:45 a.m. and the gym was closed. I rang the door bell and a Spanish speaking woman came on the intercom. I tried to explain I was here for the training which I thought was at 9. All I could gather was that Master Pini was at the gymnasium??? I thought it was this one... I was a little panicked because I didn't want to be late my first day and the other location was 15 blocks away and I was on foot.
When I arrive at the other location it was just after 9 and there was no sign of anyone training. I thought to myself that there was obviously some sort of miscommunication seeing how we both spoke different languages.
Very disappointed I began to walk back to the train. I thought that the gym wasn't far from the train at all so I should pop by one more time just to make sure. It was about 9:30 when I arrived and sure enough 30 or people were there training for patterns. I walked in and stood in the back assuming I was to late and that I should at least sit and watch. The 5th degree who had translated for Master Pini ran over to me and asked me if I would like to join. I tried to explain why I was late but he didn't care or mind at all.
I said that I would like to train and he pointed to the changing rooms. Everyone starred as I bowed to the 5 instructors at the front of the gym and took my place at the back. Master Pini stopped class and pulled me to the front to meet the instructors. I assumed these men were from different schools who had students in this special class and they had come to help instruct.
Then he introduced my and the entire body students bowed towards me and began to clap. The instructor who spoke English quietly translated as he stood by me. Master Pini instructed everyone to make me feel welcome, that I was a special guest of his from Canada who would be training for the next 3-4 months. That I was part of the Canadian National Team competing in Mar Del Plata. I could see the look in their eyes, they became excited and interested in me all of a sudden.
I fell in line once more and began patterns. It wasn't long before the class shifted to sparring. We began with a few basic drills as I worked with Master Pini's son who is also the selected National Representative for Sparring. For anyone who doesn't know what that means, he is the best fighter in Argentina for his weight division which just so happened to be mine as well. He explained to me that they had been training for a couple months now because they select competitors for the World Championships in September where as in Canada we select them in the spring. To put it bluntly They were in Shape and I was not.
The drills were fine, I managed with the spare sparring gear they provided me with seeing how I didn't have mine. My gear was to be shipping down when we located a gym. I didn't plan on training immediately. I started to notice the difference when we sparring. The first drill was a 30 second sparring match where we were instructed to go as hard and as quick as possible for that time.
The competitors from Argentina are know for their technique and fighting abilities and I began to see why. Everyone of them, men, women, junior boys and girls were much more intense then what I was use to in Canada. They would hit hard, get hit harder and give it back again. I loved it. I knew at that moment why I wanted to come here.
During this drill and junior boy and girl were sparring. They were both probably sixteen years old. The boy had given her a heavy blow to the stomach and she took a knee. Master Pini came over to her and with the palm of his had quickly gave her a smack on the head as if to say get up! He didn't yell but spoke authoritatively in Spanish. As he hit the boy in the check with a punch and made actions I knew he was telling her to suck it up, don't show weakness and get back in the match.
I've never worked with an instructor with the same demeanor, teaching style or personal involvement he had with each and every one of his students. He smiled at me as if he knew what I was thinking. I asked the instructor who translated to tell Master Pini that I wanted the same treatment as everyone else. I wanted to train how they train. He looked at me and in English said, "You will."
I knew then it was on. Sparring that day was difficult. Being a little out of shape I was a little sloppy as well I thought that air was affecting me. I don't know if it was the altitude or the shitty air quality but I was sucking wind like never before. It wasn't doing anything for my confidence and I felt a little embarrassed.
For my last match Master Pini put me with a guy who was probably the next best fighter than his son and who I thought was in better condition at the time. I thought to myself that this was the last match I had to prove to myself that I belonged there. Luckily I also got a second wind and within the first minute I flattened him with a turning kick to the jaw. Definitely a flash knock out. He stood up after a minute or so. It was strange. No one stopped to look at us. I asked him if he was ok, and took a knee beside him to make sure he was alright but Master Pini grabbed me and put me in with another guy. I thought to myself if that was back in my gym the entire class would have stopped and training that night would have been a little less productive because of everyone's concern. In this case no one cared. That guy was sparring again in a couple of minutes, he said he was alright, Master Pini said nice kick and the class continued.
We ended the class with a cool down. Skipping. I noticed on the wall as we began to skip that Master Pini had boxing pictures. He was once a boxer and had many awards on the wall of his gym. The writing was in Spanish so I didn't understand the significance of them but you could tell how he incorporated his experience in boxing into his Taekwon-Do instruction. These guys had wicked hands.
We stretched then lined back up. Master Pini talked while the other instructor translated once more. He congratulated everyone for their hard work and wished them luck during the selections next weekend. Then he told them to thank me for participating. He said that I was an example for any and all students. That I was different, not all fighters have a desire to travel and learn from other people.
I was blown away by how much his students respected him as an instructor and even more by how much respect they showed to an absolute stranger. We spent the next 10 minutes taking pictures. I still don't fully understand what it meant to them to have me train with them. I was happy to find a gym where everyone was so welcoming and they were equally excited to have me there.
I couldn't wait for the next class. As I left the gym Master Pini handed me a piece of paper it was the location and training times of the National Sparring Team. One of the instructors there coached the Argentina team and wanted me to come to his trainings twice a week.
The cemetery closed before sun set and security guards make their run around the gated area kicking people out. No worries though, being in the center of Recoleta there was a bar/restaurant near by where we took in some music and ate Empanadas (really good home made pizza pockets) before heading back to Palermo.
