Arthur had to admit, he enjoyed the night time training sessions in their new training hall. Weeks after its debut, and it was now looking more like an actual gym, with a set of wooden dummies and the pair of canvas and leather punching bags in one corner, a heavy duty set of weights and strap-on weights in another corner, a padded obstacle course corner that also doubled as a complicated fighting scenario space with requisite moving obstacle racks and a much larger, open floor space for generic training. Right now, they hadn't set up firing lanes and protection, so the ranged enthusiasts had to wait till the melee combatants cleared the floor, but it was on the list of things to improve.
Some of the more enthusiastic in the group were discussing putting a sprung floor, adding just enough spacing on a bunch of wood risers beneath so that when one was thrown - or fell - it hurt somewhat less. Arthur could not help but scoff at the idea, a sentiment shared by Eric but not Leia who called them over-tetestorened masochists.
The training hall was also filling up on the regular, not just with Clan members who made use of the facility and the trainers but also, slowly with Climbers purchasing memberships and classes. Rick was busy managing the membership roles and pricing, working with Mel and Yao Jing to build out various options that would work for their limited space. He was even talking about adding a second building on the floor and putting together a document to send down to the first floor when they exited, enthusiastically discussing how the Clan - and his family if necessary - could provide the funds and what not to build it.
In truth, Arthur was glad to see his idea was having fruit. He was even quietly making plans on how he could do the same in the real world, though training halls in the real world were - not surprisingly - quite numerous. It was likely a more public one would have to wait, at least till a Clan only one was filled.
Even with all the newcomers to the training hall, night time sessions were less popular. Even if night owls were not as uncommon, many enjoyed the silence and peacefulness of the evening to themselves, cultivating or reading or recharging batteries in the darkness. As such, the training hall especially in the late of the evening was often at the quietest.
Breathing in a little deeply, his nose no longer smelling the slightly stale sweat of the warehouse - a factor that no amount of vinegar seemed to be able to remove entirely, no matter how often they cleaned the place - he took in his other late night companions. Uswah wasn't here, the pair having chosen to take alternate nights - mostly - to give the hall more overlap. Which left him with Jan from the regular group and Noor here.
Like Li Sun, Noor was on the older side, the woman having allowed herself to slack on her training over the last few years. She had no intention of going further, seeming to have grown quite accustomed to life on the seventh floor, including having a husband, a house and a garden. Still, perhaps it was the enthusiastic addition of the others that had her joining in the training sessions.
Though, late night was uncommon entirely for her. Though Arthur was curious, the pinched look on her face and silent tossing around of heavy weights was giving off real 'don't talk to me' vibes. One that he was happy to listen to.
Especially since he had the trio of 'his' students here. His only in the sense that they showed up each evening and managed to convince him to help them out.
"Jai, knee." Long stick in hand, he pushed the folding knee outwards so that it was in line. The African kid was one of the many children of immigrants who'd made their way to Malaysia in the early '00s before things took a turn. Still rare, though. "Remember, keep it in a straight line when you lunge otherwise you're going to be in pain eventually."
Or at least, that was how it worked for normal humans. Who knew between their healing technique and Climber physique. It probably wouldn't matter as much, but it did reduce efficiency and effectiveness by fractions.
"Good," Arthur said to the other pair. They were working together, moving through a series of semi-static blocks. Inside right upper block, inside left upper block, inside right lower block, inside right lower block, then step to the right, turn and block with outside left arm. Turn again, outside right, cross body block, outside left, cross body block and so on, so forth. "Movements crisp, blocks are fast - but soft till contact. Don't tense till you need to. Watch where your hand is moving. Now, faster."
Zhiang Lin and Aman moved around one another, Aman surprisingly only a little taller than Zhiang Lin - and she was only five three. Not tall at all, even for a Chinese woman, especially with the increased height of the population in the last couple of generations thanks to better nutrition, way too many growth hormones in meat and tofu and just the combination of good genetics. Then again, he knew better than to mention Aman's shortness to the little Indian man. Height - like other sizes - were always a bit touchy.
The entire blocking routine used both inside and outside portions of the arms, meant to train the instinctive reactions. It was a favorite of his tsifu's, taught to newbies until their arms were glowing black and blue with bruises as you sped up. No pain, no gain though and eventually the bruises would fade - helped along with Chinese medicine rubbed on the arms, of course - and the movements would happen purely instinctively.
Later, of course, there would be other techniques to add. High blocks, lower blocks, knee blocks, elbow and knee checks, slips and rolls. It all worked together, until you stopped thinking about what you were going to do and just reacted to the incoming fist or sword or monster.
Foot movement too, positioning. That would be later, when they shifted to the one step and two step drills. The training to understand where you needed to be, when someone was coming at you. Then, speeding up the drills so that you could make those decisions at speed with other, fun little variations - no hand, no trips, only hips - to make it interesting and challenging.
Training was both arduous and painful and fun, or it should be. At least, that's the way his master had trained him and how he tried to show the others.
Though too many ran off at the disciplined and painful part, that they never learnt to embrace the pain.
"Aaargh!" Arthur tilted his head to the side at the thump and cry, looked over to see the girl rubbing her leg. She was one of his Clan members in her mid-twenties. Older, with short cut hair and a determined look on her face as she stood up again to try once more.
"You're doing fine," Arthur called out encouragingly. "Most can't even do two steps, three is really hard."
"I know..." she said, curtly. Then narrowed her eyes, readying herself to jump, even as she favored her injured foot.
Foolish, but who was he to complain. He had his own tendency to be stubborn.
Finished with the review of the group, he walked off to a corner, content to let them run through the set. They'd switch out once the timer went-off, practicing forms and punches, and then the various drills. As for himself, well, he was working on adding to his stores. Extracting the stone he had begun to draw from, he took a seat, cast one last look at everyone and began the process of draining the beast core.
Of course, it was only five minutes later when the building was attacked.