Learning the Ropes: for dirtyenoughforyou (and kingofarchers if they want)

[smash_stuff]

Bruce was more than a little worried.

He had agreed to some training from Agent Romanov but he wasn't sure exactly what she was going to train him in. He had a little bit of experience with jujitsu but that was just defensive maneuvers. Something to get him by in a pinch.

....plus, and he wouldn't say this aloud to her, he'd never trained with a woman before.

But here he was, dressed in sweats and headed for the Shield gym. He wondered fleetingly if they should have a larger training area. Like outside. In an empty field. In Switzerland.

Comments

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

Natasha was already waiting for Bruce in the gym, her red hair swept back into a ponytail and dressed in a tank top and sweatpants. As used to fighting in her uniform as she was, she didn't actually want to intimidate Bruce, or risk bringing out the Hulk by getting a little carried away.

It didn't stop her being curious as to whether or not this could bring out the Hulk, and the thought did cross her mind that maybe this would be better outside but it was done now.

She finished stretching, and offered a small smile to Bruce as he entered. "Dr Banner, welcome. I know this isn't exactly the jog you wanted, but at least it's a change of scene."

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

Bruce was hoping this was going to be lessons...not an actual fight. But he was going to attempt to be prepared for anything.

He set down his water bottle and towel off to the side, trying for a smile that didn't look nervous in the least. "A change of scene is welcome one way or the other. Thanks." He stretches his arms a bit as he walks over to join her.

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

"Any time. I'll be honest, at one point I was wondering if Tai Chi was the way to go, but that might be a little too relaxed for what I had in mind. It's not something you should discount, though. You said you'd done a little meditation? Tai Chi just brings movement to meditation basically."

She reached down to pick up a couple of boxing gloves and offered them to him before picking up a couple pads that she pulled onto her hands. "So I opted for the basics instead. At least this way I can gage how comfortable you are with general punching, maybe some kicks."

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

"Been there...done that." He gives her a lopsided smile. Yeah, he's tried everything and it does help some to relax. He just has to work at it regularly.

Bruce takes the gloves as if they are foreign objects, oh so it's going to be that kind of training. He puts them on, taking off his heart monitor watch so he can get them on properly. "So this isn't going to be all defensive blocking then?" There's a worried undertone he can't quite get rid of no matter how much he tries to ask casually. Boxing isn't something he's tried before.

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

Natasha offered him another smile as she raised her hands so the pads were facing him. "No need to give me that look, Bruce. We're starting with offensive because the only way to truly understand defense is to be able to dissect the attacks. If you don't completely understand how to through a punch, you'll never block it."

She arched an eyebrow slightly to see if he was still going to question her. "Now lead from your shoulder and use your right hand to hit the left pad. Keep your hands in close to your body and up near your face."

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

Bruce tries to mimic her stance, gloves up. "Right...ok..." He's here to learn and she's a professional. This wasn't completely a bad idea...or so he keeps telling himself.

He tries to adjust his arms, taking her instruction to heart. His right hand punches at her left, not much of a punch really, more working on aim. He keeps his hands up nearly to his nose, Bruce is such an amateur.

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

Natasha hid her smile again as she watched him before tucking one hand under her arm to pull off the pad so that she could reposition his arms a little better. She gave a nod of approval. "Up around the face, yes. But not up your nose, or so that you block your line of sight."

She rolled her shoulders and replaced the pad before holding her own hands up again at the ready. "Try for a little more power this time. Don't be afraid. Truth is I think it might help for you to learn that throwing a punch doesn't automatically lead to Hulking out."

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

He held his hands as shown, widening his stance a little and looking less like he didn't know what he was doing. He was more nervous about this than he realized and took a second to clear his head, taking a step back....

She was right, of course. Sometimes he acted like a mild mannered rabbit when it came to hitting someone. He didn't want to hurt anyone and he was afraid of getting past that idea, afraid of what he might do.

...he stepped up and gave her an honest punch at the left pad, a little more force behind it. That wasn't so bad.

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

"Bruce, you have to remember that not everyone we come up against is going to know what hitting you might provoke. And if they do, then they might assume that they'll be able to do so quick enough that they'll destroy you before the Hulk gets out." She watched him over her pads before giving a nod for him to try again. The second punch really was better.

"Think of the force they'll be using. If you want to be able to block it, then you need to grow some balls of your own." A quirk of her eyebrow. "No offence. Speed, agility, they're all good things and I can teach you those two, but at the end of the day you still need to strike back as strong as the enemy, or stronger. You need some follow through even when you're on the defense."

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

Bruce nods slowly, thinking that over. He hunches down slightly behind his boxing gloves. "I think I can do that. You want me to keep hitting the pads then?" He aims two more punches, one at each, starting to get the hang of this bit.

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

She let herself smile this time. "Better, much better. And yes, keep hitting the pads. We'll do this until I end the count. Just remember to keep leading from the shoulder. An opponent has less chance of seeing the punch coming than if you lead with your fist. Keep alternating, maybe even switch up the pattern when you're comfortable."

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

Ok, hit the pads, he could do this. Pads weren't people after all, he could wail on them all day and nobody would get hurt. A few more punches and his analytcal brain takes over, working out the right angles, hitting with greater force than before.

He pauses for a second, a few beads of sweat running down his forehead. "That wasn't so bad," he says, surprised at himself.

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

Natasha flexed her fingers as she pulled off the pads, actually starting to feel the force of Banner's hits even if she would never openly acknowledge the slight pain.

She glanced at him. "I do know what I'm doing."

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

"I...wouldn't imply otherwise." He says with an awkward lopsided grin. Figuring they were done with the boxing portion of this exercise, he starts to take his gloves off.

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

"Not if you value certain parts of your anatomy," she teased with a grin. Natasha handed Bruce the pads before taking the gloves off him. She still thought it would be safer to stick with at least some kind of protection while training. "Now we'll work on some blocking. I just don't want you getting hurt. I know the pads might be a little awkward, but at least until you get more comfortable and find a natural rhythm, they are safer."

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

Now blocking, that he was familiar with. Feeling a bit more on solid ground with this one, he takes a practiced defensive stance, ready for anything she throws at him....or at least he hopes so.

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

Natasha started slow, aiming punches to his face and torso before she started to pick up the pace and even move forward to make him retreat or stand his ground. She was curious to see what decision Bruce made, fight or flight an instinctual reaction when you started to forget everything around you.

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

He backs up instinctively, avoiding being hit at all costs. Natasha was fast on her feet, more than he had anticipated. One long jab at him, he side steps and uses her own momentum to push her past himself and away, darting to the other side of her. He will pick flight over fight any time.

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

Natasha didn't lose her balance, but she did overstep to the point Bruce could escape her. She spun around, moving low as she moved into an offensive stance.

She crouched, narrowing her eyes as one hand braced against the floor and the other was held out behind her. "Not bad, Banner. Not bad at all."

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

He was leaning against his knees to catch his breath but his face took on a smile at the compliment. "Thanks. At least that part I've had to use before."

[redinmyledger.livejournal.com]

"I can tell, but that's good. Using what you already know along with what you're learning now will help a great deal. It means you'll start to develop your own style of... well, what shall we call it? Offensive defense?" Natasha smiled again before her expression turned serious and she looked like she was readying herself for another round. "Got your breath back yet, doctor?"

[smash-stuff.livejournal.com]

He stands back up with a nod, feeling less winded. "Just Bruce is fine..." He hadn't felt like an actual doctor/scientist since he'd become his own experiment. Everyone here at Shield seemed to call him that though.

"What next?"