With the weekend came another one of Tommy's special training programs. Jackson was looking forward to it, and the fact they weren't leaving the house, but every other boy was coming to them instead, had piqued his curiosity.
Maybe this would be the extra little kick to tide him over until summer training camp began. He'd definitely been solo grinding, as much as he could on his own. Though no amount of running, callisthenics, weight-lifting, and even juggling could make up for feel of a pigskin in his hands. He needed FOOTBALL.
His leg bounced restlessly even as he sat, juggling two balls with his left hand. The rest of the family—bar Tommy, of course—had already left to give the boys the run of the house, and Jackson's energy was burgeoning out to fill the emptiness.
Tommy moved a small table into the living room where Jackson sat, and Jackson flicked one ball over to his right hand, catching and holding both.
'Yo, Tommy. What's going on today?'
'Come on, little bro, don't ruin the surprise.'
'I don't care about a surprise.'
'Hahaha, well I do, so too bad.' Tommy stuck his tongue out at his little brother, and Jackson rolled his eyes. Jackson turned his attention to the street, squeezing the juggling balls tightly.
'Wouldn't it have been faster to pick everyone up?' he asked.
'Maybe, but I thought I'd let them get some extra exercise in by riding here. They've all got bikes, and none of them are that far away. Maybe you should go for a quick ride yourself, burn off that excess energy, huh?'
'Maybe if you told me what was happening today I could calm down a little. Because then I'd know it's something stupid like dodgeball.'
'Oh, come on. Everybody loved dodgeball.'
Jackson groaned. Thankfully he was somewhat saved by Sachin, Eddie, and Marcus soon pulling into their yard in quick succession. Though, of course, as soon as the boys were welcomed inside—before they'd even taken off their backpacks—they bombarded Tommy with the same question Jackson just had.
'Alright, what are we doing this time, Tommy Gun?' Sachin asked.
Tommy shook his head, smirking. 'Such a funny nickname. But you guys know I still can't ruin the surprise.'
'Bruh.'
Marcus shrugged, looking back out the front window. 'I brought my Switch if y'all wanna play some Smash.'
'I'll leave you boys to it. Wouldn't want to beat you all and ruin your moods before the big reveal.'
'Aye, man, I still thought you'd have more of your surprise to set up, so I wasn't really inviting you.'
Tommy grinned as the boys snickered. 'Touché.'
They ventured up to Jackson's room for a couple of rounds, both of which involved Marcus getting an early lead with Captain Falcon, before the other boys—Jackson piloting Joker; Eddie, Pikachu; and Sachin, Steve from Minecraft—ganged up on him to bring his remaining stocks back in line with everyone else's.
Kenny arrived next, and hopped in for a round replacing Jackson, though chose Donkey Kong, but with Freddy following shortly after, Smash had to be put away. Frederick was unbeatable in Smash, even when his Samus was banned.
Though everyone else—Shane, Rudy, and Pete—weren't too far behind, and once they had all arrived, Tommy gathered them in the living room.
'You finally gonna tell us what's up?' Sachin asked.
'Yes, yes,' Tommy said, holding his hands up in defeat. 'Gee, you boys are impatient, but fine, you win.'
He stood before the small table, really more something you'd find at someone's bedside than actually used for any kind of meal. He'd even stacked it atop the footrest, and covered it in a sheet to make it into an almost chest-high podium. Jackson had to admit—partially—his brother's surprises had some merit to them.
Shane, Marcus, and Freddy were quietly patient, while Pete, Eddie, and Kenny shared in Jackson's renewed curiosity, whereas Rudy, and Sachin both had clenched jaws.
'Today's edition of Tommy's Special Training is—drum roll please'—Freddy was the only one to join Tommy in his own drum roll—'Arm-Wrestling!'
Jackson's excitement dropped, and Tommy's announcement was met with crickets until Pete finally said: 'Is that it?'
Tommy's shoulders slumped. 'I thought you'd like this one.'
'Bruh.'
'Don't be like that. I went into a lot of effort, you know. I had to tie the table to the footrest, and I even put some padding on top so we won't hurt ourselves.'
Jackson hid his face in his hands, taking back every bit of praise he'd thought about in regards to Tommy's surprises.
'Yeah, alright, so what is it really?'
'We shouldn't be so dismissive,' Shane said. 'It sounds interesting, and I'm curious to know why you think this'll be good training.'
'I don't know,' Sachin said. 'It ain't gonna be good training for anybody else, 'cause imma whoop ya asses.'
'Now hold on, Sachin,' Tommy said; the others were already glaring at Sachin, 'I like the confidence but don't get too cocky. I know, other than Pete, nobody could come close to your arm strength, but there's a lot more to even arm-wrestling than just brute strength.'
'Ain't no way,' Sachin said.
Marcus reached over and whacked his arm. 'Just shut up and listen, man.'
Tommy smiled. 'Right. I didn't bring you all here just to stroke Sachin's ego. This should be good for everyone's grip strength, and while I'm grateful to Marcus and Eddie who won't really benefit much from this'—the aforementioned boys shrugged, and Eddie glanced towards Jackson—'everyone else should know how important a strong grip is for their craft.'
The others nodded; Tommy's logic was sound, and so he continued. 'Of course, there's also a good chance for some trash-talking and mental warfare, and in a contest that can be decided in the blink of an eye—like arm-wrestling, but also like receiving in football—keeping your focus no matter what insults and distractions your opponent throws at you is paramount; you must always stay sharp.
'Still, there is more to it than just who's the strongest, and who can maintain their focus. You won't win with brute strength alone. It may be subtle, but there's an art to arm-wrestling, and technique plays as big a role as anything.' He looked around, grinning. 'Again, much like an aerial contest in football, no matter the size or strength difference, winning and losing can be down to matters as simple as positioning and leverage.'
Sachin scoffed, and Tommy tilted his head. 'Don't believe me, Sachin? Why don't you step up and find out for yourself? Unless you're scared.'
Sachin narrowed his eyes, as "ooo's" came from the other boys. He rolled up his already short sleeves as he approached the makeshift podium.
'You're on, Tommy Gun. Don't blame me if you misfire.'
'BOOOOO!'
Marcus started the heckling cry, though the others quickly picked it up. Sachin flipped them off in response, which caused Tommy's grin to flip to a tensely clenched jaw.
'I should make you use only that finger,' he said.
'I could beat you with just one finger,' Sachin replied.
Tommy cracked a slight smile. 'You're lucky I want to embarrass you at full strength.'
He laid his elbow onto the podium, and flexed his fingers. Shane stood and approached from the side, as Sachin linked his hand with Tommy's, both gripped the edge of the table with their free hand. Shane made sure the pair had an equal starting position, and nobody was pushing early. Then he counted them down.
'Three, two, one, wrestle!'
Shane hopped back as the table rattled, but stabilised as Sachin heaved against it and Tommy. Both young men tensed, muscles undulating under their skin, all along their arms. Sachin had the advantage at first, tilting Tommy's hand back and forcing his arm down, though he only gained two inches of ground. Tommy kept his grip firm, and in the blink of an eye had reversed their positions. Now Sachin was on the back foot, with his arm bending closer and closer towards the padded podium.
With a definitive, hollow "thunk," the back of Sachin's hand smacked the podium, and Tommy was declared the winner. A few laughs came from Eddie and Marcus, as Sachin stared at his tender hand, shocked and appalled.
'How'd you do that?' he muttered.
'I told you,' Tommy said, unable to keep the smile from his voice, 'it's all about leverage and positioning. Who wants a go next, come on.'
He backed away from the podium, and Sachin shuffled off too, still staring at his hand. Shane was eager to have a proper go rather than just referee, and Pete stepped up to meet his challenge.
Despite watching closely, Jackson was unsure just how Tommy had so easily overpowered Sachin. It would've been simple to think Tommy's age was the deciding factor, and while it would've helped, Sachin HAD been overpowering him for a moment. If anyone had seen what Tommy meant by "leverage and positioning," it wasn't Shane.
Pete's thick shoulder seemed to grow another size as he and Shane engaged in the second bout, and despite Shane's best effort's his hand soon thudded into the podium much like Sachin's had.
'Woo!' Pete jumped back from the contest, adrenaline pumping as much as his fists.
Shane flexed and rubbed his vanquished hand. There were no hard feelings, and the two dapped up before Shane stepped back.
Eddie strode forward, throwing down the next challenge. 'You and me, Jackson, let's go.'
Grinning, Jackson accepted, and soon the two locked hands. For a few moments, it didn't look like anything was happening, the two were so evenly matched. Strain as they might, neither hand budged more than an inch, if even that.
For a minute they remained locked together that way, arms like coiled steel, trembling but neither falling nor rising. Sweat beaded up, and rolled down their foreheads.
Eventually, as their bodies remained tensed for another minute as they pushed against each other, everyone's cheering turning to silent but rapt observation, Jackson started to fade. It had become a battle of endurance, and Eddie wasn't losing on that front. He ground Jackson down, and eventually pinned his hand to the podium.
Both boys staggered back afterwards, panting, and received a round of applause from their friends.
More rounds came rapid-fire then, as Rudy stepped up, challenging anyone and everyone. It was Freddy who met him, and surprised everyone when he emerged victorious; Rudy was so stunned by his loss he couldn't even be angry about it.
Still, Jackson hadn't seen it, but Freddy MUST have already mastered the use of leverage Tommy was talking about.
Kenny and Marcus were next in a battle of speed, and though Marcus's initial burst almost flattened Kenny's arm before anyone could blink, Kenny withstood and powered up. Once they were back in an even position, it was Marcus's hand which rocketed into the podium.
With everyone having had a match, Pete stepped up again, eager to prove he was the most dominant, though his mask of arrogance slipped slightly when Freddy answered his call.
Tommy had moved into a near-permanent referee position, and had the biggest grin on his face as he checked the grip of both competitors before letting them have at it.
Everyone watched with silence and dedication as Pete heaved forward. Then, like an inverted pendulum, his hand and arm flowed back as Freddy somehow powered through him, and slammed him down against the podium. It all happened in just under a second.
Every jaw apart from Jackson's, Tommy's, and Freddy's was hanging wide open. It was a wonder Pete wouldn't have to pick his up from off the ground. And STILL, Jackson hadn't seen how Freddy had managed to pull off such a miraculous feat.
'Is this guy a cheat code?' Sachin said, still not quite believing what his eyes were seeing.
Marcus shook his head. 'Smash I understand, but THIS?'
'I must've slipped,' Pete mumbled, looking at his hand much the same way Sachin had after his loss to Tommy, though this defeat was five times as shocking as that one.
'Yo, Freddy, I'm next,' Kenny said, laying his elbow onto the podium. 'Bring it.'
Freddy's cheeks reddened as he found himself suddenly under the spotlight, but he nodded and accepted Kenny's challenge; Kenny was beaten as easily as Pete, even if not quite as fast.
Shock was replaced with laughter, though it sounded more like the room was undergoing mass hysteria. Eddie walked up next, and Marcus after him, but they both fell before Freddy.
Sachin shook his head. 'Ain't no way you guys are losing like that. Imma show ya how it's really done.'
But before he could step forward, Jackson thrust a hand out to block his way. 'Wait. We should save the best for last.'
Sachin grinned at that, and acquiesced, letting Jackson go first. Jackson strode up to the podium confidently; he'd finally seen the "secret" to Freddy's success, and how he was using the leverage and positioning Tommy had been talking about.
It WAS subtle, and really quite clever. It was almost like joint or pressure point manipulation if Jackson had to guess at the inner machinations of why this technique worked so effectively.
There were two parts to it. First was defence—how Freddy was able to withstand onslaughts from competitors faster and stronger than him: this involved bracing the heel of your palm against your opponent's—bone-to-bone almost—to absorb the brunt of your opponent's force and stop it.
Second, was the counterattack: to accomplish this, you had to use your fingers and pinch your opponent's wrist. Then, you forced your palm up against the inside of their knuckles, right where the roots of their fingers began, forcing their hand back.
Maybe it also worked so well because arm-wrestling was a contest where you quite naturally overrode your opponent, and tried to push up high on them. Which gave away the underneath, where all the real power lay. It was quite nasty and insidious now Jackson thought about it. He glanced towards Tommy.
All's fair in love and war.
So when Freddy tried this technique on Jackson, Jackson was right there to meet him, nullifying this leverage, and bringing it back to a simple contest of strength, where Freddy was no match.
'He did it! The dragon's been slain!' Kenny yelled, drawing more laughter from the others. Rudy, however, watched on with a scowl. The secrets of their technique were not yet known to him, but he would make sure they were. And soon.
Sachin clapped and rubbed his hands together. 'Oh yeah, come to papa. You might seem the hero now, Jackie, but the REAL big bad boss man is back to take his throne.'
'This coming from the guy who was too scared to take on Freddy?' Jackson retorted.
More cheers and jeers came from the others, most siding with Jackson, as he and Sachin faced off. But Sachin was still ignorant to the ways of leverage, and thus quickly fell victim to the same trap most others had.
Eddie and Marcus were laughing hysterically, but Jackson had no time for celebrating or showboating. He was locked on his older brother, the only challenge left to conquer in the room.
Tommy stepped aside from his role as referee—Shane quickly took his place—and smiled at his brother as they laced hands.
'Got it all figured out, huh, little bro?'
Jackson nodded, readying himself.
'Nah,' Tommy said, 'you've still got a lot to learn.'
At the start, Tommy put his all into his attack, and though Jackson defended as he'd seen Freddy do to everyone—as he himself had just done to Sachin—it felt like an avalanche was falling directly on his arm, and he could only withstand the mighty power of it for a second before succumbing.
There were some disappointed groans around the room, and Sachin suggested his loss was probably just a fluke, as was Freddy's whole run.
Tommy maintained his grip on Jackson's hand, pulling him into a hug. 'There's still a lot you need to learn, little bro.'
Afterwards, they kept trying new matchups, as Tommy wanted everyone to figure out at least the basics before they were done. Rudy only needed one more round before he took out Shane, but then Shane got him right back.
Eddie soon figured it out, nullifying, then wearing down Jackson once more; though Kenny got Eddie back soon after; Pete's realisation came against Shane; and Marcus redeemed himself against Freddy.
Sachin was the last to learn, but his came at the expense of Tommy. Finally, he accomplished what no other could and forced Tommy's hand against the podium. With the way he celebrated afterwards, you'd have thought he was world champion.
Jackson had been watching, and wondering, even amongst the fun, which—like always with Tommy's training—the day turned out to be full of. Yet he was curious to see how this specific lesson might translate onto the football field, and more than a little frustrated he'd have to wait so long to find out.
Could it be the key to beating high-flyers like Kentavious Rice and Tyrese Samuels?