Ever take a shot to the chin so hard your hand tingled?

[squealpiggy]

i got stopped by a liver shot ..... i was pretty soft around the area

You know something, I have been knocked down in sparring three times. Once I was very green and in against a heavy hitter who caught me as I was off balance. The second time I was hit with an overhand on the end of the chin and I didn't see it coming and I ended up on my knees. The other time was with a well timed shot to the liver. I would swap the two to the chin for the one to the liver any day.

Anyone who has never been hit in the liver, this is what if feels like:

Imagine someone grabbed your nuts, ripped them off, grafted them onto the right side of your body just below the ribcage and then kicked you in them.

Yes. It's that pleasant.

[.Mik.]

Was a decent amateur about 8 years ago before a leg injury took me out of the game, but I've had that type of feeling twice in the past couple of weeks without even boxing.

Was playing as goalkeeper last Sunday in soccer, in a 5-a-side indoor match. Someone drilled a hard shot, came back off the wall, I turned around to gather the ball on the rebound and is smashed me flush on the chin. Was woozy for a bit after that.

Was playing soccer on Thursday gone, went in for a fult-pelt 50-50 challenge with a smaller guy and his head smashed me flush on the chin. Didnt go down, but it took me about 10 minutes before my head had cleared.

I never went down as an amateur though, but then again...I never got to too competetive a level. I think its easier to take a hit when you are expecting it.

[squealpiggy]

So you're a goalie eh? I thought you were alright, now I know why!

I play in goal as well but I haven't had time to play for a couple of seasons because of boxing.

[.Mik.]

When I was younger, I was quite a sports superstar (everyone has a story like this of course). I had been scouted and recommended to turn professional at no less than 5 sports (Football, Cricket, Rugby, Swimming and Boxing...in that order of likelihood) with another few that I had shown great potential in (I was a very good table-tennis player, a junior champion Squash player, I had athletic trials for England in high-jump and discus and played a mean game of American Pool...perhaps my favourite sport).

However not long into the age of 15 I horribly broke my leg in Tenerife on a drunken night out by falling down some stairs. My rehabilitation was very slow and I'd missed that vital year of coming out of school where your avenues for playing sport are drastically decreased. To be honest, my motivation went quite a lot too and I never really got it back. At the age of 24 I'm only now starting to get back into decent shape. I'm still a strong football player (particularly as a goalkeeper, though my body is too soft to play on hard surfaces), but I tend to prefer playing out of goal as it is better for my fitness. I never box any more, rarely play squash although I'm still quite talented at it and havent played cricket or rugby for about 7 years. I still play pool to a decent standard and go swimming every now and again, but I have absolutely no real speed in it whatsoever.

I dont really mind that I missed the opportunity to become a professional athlete, as I think that I prefer the academic route I went down and continue to this day (as a college lecturer in film and media studies). But I am disappointed that I let my general fitness go and so will continue working to get it back.


But then...you never asked for my life story.

[squealpiggy]

I was slightly above average at sports, stopped playing them for a number of years, got fat and lazy and then got back into them in my late 20s. I'm 30 in May and looking forward to joining an over 30 football league over here in Canada!

[.Mik.]

Thinking about it, I'm honestly not sure that there is any sport more fun to play than football. Especially fast-tempo 5-a-side football as you get older. Its good, mostly non-dangerous exercise that is very rewarding.

I wish that more people on your corner of the world gave it more credit.

[demirturk]

exactly !!! hahaha