Gym Adventures II: I Got A Buddy

The Gym Adventures II - I Got A Buddy

Gym Dude 04292020

I am making some real progress at the gym!  All the credit really belongs to my new workout partner.  He is a Porto Rican named is Marco, a little older than me, but strong as hell and he’s got a great physique.  The other day after working out we hit the smoothie bar and I started to learn about his fascinating life……


As a young guy worked on the docks, good build, lean hard body, working with a lot of big, solid and tough guys.  The big guys built up an admiration for the young stud and they made sure none of the others “picked on him”.

Each Friday after work a bunch of the guys open a few beers and “mix it up” a little just to blow off steam.  It is all good-natured sport and most of the time no one really gets hurt.  Now and then someone would have an “accident” but the guys would always stop and get him to a nearby hospital to get patched up.  Hey, things happen.

The kid is in great shape but not in league with the rest of the guys, still they would take it easy on him and work on his fighting skills, occasionally having a little fun showing him what happens when he doesn’t fight back hard enough.  A couple of the guys shared a house and converted their garage to a great workout area where many of the guys would meet.  It seemed only natural that Marco would be invited to “join”.  They would open him up to a new world of weightlifting and the good-feeling of tearing up his muscles and what it feels like to get a REAL muscle pump!  From the very first day Marco swore he would never miss a workout session and he didn’t.  The big guys would work him hard on the weights and it began to show, and the handsome kid loved his new “look”!

A few months later, Marco was across town making a delivery.  It was a typically hot, humid day and he noticed the flashing neon sign in the bar window ….. COLD BEER!  Shit! That’s an invitation that is hard to pass up.

The place was warm but the beer was cold.  Marco grabbed one and took a chair at a corner table to kick back, relax and cool off.  Across the room a few guys about his age stood around while two others arm wrestled at the table.  Marco took notice that both of these guys looked pretty strong, nothing like his buddies on the docks but solid none-the-less.  The struggle didn’t last much longer before one of the guys got pinned.  He shook out his arm and got up for the next guy to have a “go”.  Marco enjoyed watching the show as man after man went down before the power of the stud in command.  He beat them all, a few stepped up for “seconds” but their fate seemed to be already sealed.  When he ran out of competition the guys settled down in chairs at nearby tables when one of them noticed Marco in the corner.  His black tank-top did nothing to hide the benefits of his heavy workout routine.  The guy elbowed their “Champion” and nodded toward the corner table…” fresh meat” was all he said.

One of the guys shouted across the room, Hey, Buddy!  You look like you’re in pretty good shape, my friend here needs some competition and we’re all worn out.  Come on over and let’s see if those muscles are for “Show” or for “Go”.  Marco couldn’t help but smile, chugged the last of his beer, shook out his big arms and headed over.  GREAT! He thought, AT LAST, someone who is close to my size!

Without a word, Marco took a seat and planted his elbow on the table greeted by the local champ.  They adjusted grips and BAM!  Marco felt his arm powered down a few inches before he could muscle-up and stop the champ’s momentum.  The battle was ON!  The champ had a shitty grin as he thought “Yep, Fresh meat!”. 

Marco’s hard work on the docks and heavy workouts with his big buds has gone a long way to thicken and strengthen his hands, wrists and forearms.  He is used to putting up a fight against a lot of bigger and stronger guys.  The champ has no intention of “taking it easy” on him and powers up the force.

Their arms begin to shake but Marco holds off the attack and concentrates on the wrists.  He tightens his grip and gets the champ’s attention.  The man takes his eyes off his opponent to see both hands turning white from the force.  His attention distracted from the “fight” the Champ watches with amazement as his wrist starts to slowly bend back.  An instant later their big arms return to the neutral position.  All the guys around the table are stunned!  Not the least of which is the Champ!

Marco and the Champ lock eyes.  The Champ sees a twinkle in Marco’s brown eyes, but Marco sees only confusion, panic and pain in the Champ’s squinting stare.  Marco can’t help but grin a little, knowing that this fight is already over, the Champ just doesn’t know it yet.

Marco flexes his new weight trained biceps more for show than anything else and forces the Champ’s big gun slowly toward the table.  The big stud is helpless and wasted, unable to do anything to stop his opponent.  Marco takes it easy on the guy and lets him push their arms back up a little just to give him some hope but just smiles his big friendly grin and laughingly shakes his head “no” before taking his time and slowly pressing the Champ’s muscular arm to the table.  All the guys are stunned but, in a moment, they start to cheer Marco and pat him on his broad shoulders, but Marco’s attention in on the Former Champ.  He reaches down and grips the man’s hand pulling him to his feet and giving him a solid pat on the back.  “Great job, Buddy!  Thanks!  Let me buy you a beer, you earned it.” 

The Former Champ was hurt and pissed but there was no way he could say “no” without even more embarrassment.  Marco took a seat next to his “Buddy “, then leaned over and quietly said “Let me give you a tip that I learned the hard way.  You’re not going to get better only arm-wrestling guys you can beat.  You only learn from the guys you CAN’T beat!  Remember that.”   While well meaning, the Former Champ was seething with HATE inside.

A few more beers and everyone started to drift off, Marco settled up and headed for his truck parked alongside the building.  Leaning on his truck were eight or ten, built and tough looking guys.  “Is everything alright guys?” he questioned and one big stud stepped forward, “No, not really.  There is something you gotta’ see in back.”   As they reached the corner, under a streetlight Marco saw a man spread out on the ground and instantly recognized the Former Champ.  What the hell?  Marco shouted as he ran to the man’s side to see he was still conscious.  ‘DUDE, are you alrig….” was all he got out before taking a solid punch to the back of his neck.  Marco hit the ground hard before the was pulled to his feet by a big guy on each arm before taking a powerful punch high in his relaxed abs, nearly forcing out his nice COLD BEER!

The ringleader gripped Marco’s jaw forcing his head up and nailing him with a half-dozen powerful punches up and down his aching stomach.  Marco couldn’t catch a breath.  The big guy finally stopped punching and twisted Marco’s face up into the light.  “You see, my friend.  We heard you worked over one of our guys pretty good today.  You need to know that when you attack one of us, you attack ALL of us.  We’re here to return the favor!”  Another big right hand ripped deep into Marco’s battered gut.  His arm-wrestling buddy steps up with a smile and starts “open season” on the muscle boy’s abdominals.  Breathless, Marco’s world disappears into darkness.

Fast forward to the next day, Marco shows up for work, covered in bruises, a black eye and a few gashes and abrasions here and there.  “WHAT THE FUCK HAPPENED TO YOU???”  everyone wants to know.

Nothing I can’t handle, was all Marco had to say.



Later on, at lunch out back, the guys gathered around with tons of questions only to hear “Listen, I SAID I wasn’t going to talk about it!”

One of the big guys leaned forward with a grin to say “you do realize we have ways to MAKING you talk!”  That got a smile from the kid and he was rewarded with a solid slap across his abs resulting in a groan.

Come on Kid.  What the hell happened?

Marco began to tell the story, little by little.

ALRIGHT GUYS!  We’re gonna find this gang and kick some ass!

NO, YOU’RE NOT!  Marco shouted.

I WILL TAKE CARE OF THIS MY WAY!!!!  YOU WILL ALL stay out of it!  The kid was unusually forceful with his big buddies.  He was sure not to say anything about where he had been or who these gang members might be.

Listen!  This thing started out as just some fun and games.  These guys just wanted to make a point and defend their friend.  They could have used knives, chains, brass knuckles or tire irons but they didn’t.  That tells me they only wanted to use a little muscle to get my attention and defend one of their members.  They wanted to wear me down so their buddy could get in his licks without fear that I would be able to fight back and that is what they got.

So, you’re going to walk back into the den and get worked over again?  Is that your PLAN?? Next time they might be ready to do some REAL damage!

I don’t think so, I really don’t.  They didn’t get the real story and besides, I took the beating pretty well and I’m sure I earned a lot of respect especially from their leader.  I‘m pretty sure they stopped beating on me only because they were all getting tired!  When they let me go and I came around and got to my feet, I turned back to their leader and shook his hand.  The big guy was shocked.  I congratulated him on a great right hook and a hell of on uppercut.  Then I kind of grinned and told him “We’ll do this again.  Just you and me.  I proved I can take a hell of a beating but you know what?  I can dish one out even better.  That should give you something to think about!” I turned to the rest and told them “As a matter of fact - that goes for the rest of you too!”

I got in my truck and came home.  Like I said, if they wanted to do any serious damage they could have.  Now, we’ve got some serious training to do.

Later, one of the really tough guys who never talks much came up to Marco and just said “listen, if you intend to mix it up with a street gang, I’ve got a lot of things I can teach you that should help you out.  We’ll talk.”  He turned and disappeared behind some crates.

Marco and his “quiet friend” started spending time together as the guy trained the kid on his “special” techniques and after a short time, Marco started catching the gang members one at a time and having a number of good battles.  He held his own and got some payback.  He actually worked over the arm wrestler and got the truth of what he told his gang.  They went to a gang meeting together and he spilled the beans.  Marco stood up for him in front of the pissed off gang and convinced the guys to let it all go.  It was done and a lot of lessons were learned.  The guys asked him to join the gang but Marco begged off as that wasn’t his thing and besides it would take too much of his time but he would still be around if any of them want to “mix it up”, just for fun, of course, then left with a laugh.

……..

His story told me a great deal about my buff new workout partner.  Marco has helped train me hard and, on the mats, he’s taught me a lot of the “secret” wrestling techniques the “quiet man” taught him on the docks.  They work, and really well.  If you’re the real lucky type you’ll find out about them by reading, instead of first hand.  Trust me, it’s much better that way. 

Just remember …. If you’re lucky enough to find a guy who can kick your ass, offer to train with him and find out how he does it and learn how to do it too.  Most good fighters know this and will be happy to train you even if only for the competition.  You can make a lot of good friends that way while building up a solid support group.  What’s not to like????