Had another crazy week at work and missed a few workouts as a result, but sparred today for the first time in weeks and felt good. Felt terrific, actually - fought smart and smooth and went five strong rounds. Definitely got a huge boost of confidence from today's workout and sparring session, especially since I was working with a guy who's a solid amateur fighter and likes to keep the pressure on. Didn't gas, didn't really get caught, and my counterpunches were timed perfectly - all of which are usually concerns when I get back in the ring after a layoff.
In terms of measuring myself for my bout next Saturday, I feel like I'm about an 8 - in great shape, sparring with the best of them, but just don't quite feel over the top yet. The bout is just an exhibition though, so that in itself will be just another measuring stick and stepping stone to bigger accomplishments. And, moving forward, I know that it will all only get easier - I doubt (hope) work can't maintain this breakneck pace, but even if it does, I know that I can maintain a relatively solid training schedule. More on training later though - tonight I'm focusing on spectating.
Going to spend Valentine's Day watching what, in my opinion, is a pretty great solid card on HBO. (What? You think anything comes before boxing training/fandom, even on Valentine's Day? Psh...) I've seen everyone on the card fight before - for some reason I like having scouted fighters a bit before watching them - but am most excited to watch Cintron/Martinez and Angulo/Rivera. I've always been a big fan of Cintron's and felt bad watching him wilt under Margartito's pressure (both in the ring and his breakdown after) twice and now feel worse that those two losses (his only two) might have been due to his opponent loading his wraps. At the same time, I can't help but be more and more of a fan of Martinez. His slick, sound style and ridiculous speed are literally inspiring - after watching him fight a few times, he's become one of a few fighters whose traits and styles I've tried to emulate a little more. The only strike against him is that he's a southpaw - I hate southpaws. Both fighters are looking for that huge, career-bolstering win tonight, and I see Cintron being unable to land his flush kayo punch and Martinez outpointing him for the win in an entertaining bout.
Rivera is a a fringe contender turned journeyman and I anticipate a reasonably lopsided fight where Angulo will simply overwhelm and overpower the salty veteran. Gotta love fighters like Angulo - you know exactly the type of fight you'll get from him everytime he climbs in the ring.
Campbell/Funeka should be a good fight, but I'm pretty unfamiliar with the latter and still new enough to Campbell that I can't quite bring myself to be overly excited for one of his fights. That, and the idiot couldn't make weight which peeves me beyond words. (You're getting six figures for a bout and have months to get down to a set weight. No excuses - get down to that weight or I reserve the right to dislike you for disappointing me.) All in all, it's a well-rounded card with the potential for some serious fireworks.
So here's to Valentine's Day and my love for boxing. I've been working hard and training harder, and I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday than sparring in the a.m. and watching some great fights at night.
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label training. Show all posts
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Friday, August 22, 2008
Shortest Post to Date
It's been too long since I wrote in here and I don't have much of anything to report, so I went ahead and named this the "shortest post" in advance.
Slowly but surely my achy thumb is feeling better. I've been cross training actively - lots of body weight exercises, plyometrics and running 4-6x/week - but I've made sure to shut everything down at the first sign of pain. My first trainer always told me that the most important thing you can do when training is "listen to your body." I think he kind of used that as an excuse for skipping a tough workout, but I've adopted it as a mantra as I turn the intensity back up.
I actually wouldn't even call my thumb painful at this point - it's more like a dull but frequent soreness. So that's promising I guess. I'm going to try a bag workout tomorrow and see if it still throbs on contact. It will be my first true boxing activity in more than a month. My fingers are crossed that it's pain-free.
Looking at the situation in as positive of light as possible, I think this injury came at a relatively good time. It always stinks having setbacks and injuries, but I have a major project in my life right now (will reveal it at the appropriate time - hopefully soon) that would have thrown off my schedule anyway. All of my setbacks and other "life" obligations decided to strike at once and so I guess I'm "fortunate" they piled up while I was injured. At the same time, it's unfortunate that they're happening at all. But I guess that's what determination is for.
As I revamp my training I'm going to revamp my posting. Promise. My recent "big boxing push" is still very young and has already encountered a number of obstacles, roadblocks and nuisances, but I have reason to believe that my feet (and thumb) are back under me and that there are good times in the squared circle right around the corner.
Slowly but surely my achy thumb is feeling better. I've been cross training actively - lots of body weight exercises, plyometrics and running 4-6x/week - but I've made sure to shut everything down at the first sign of pain. My first trainer always told me that the most important thing you can do when training is "listen to your body." I think he kind of used that as an excuse for skipping a tough workout, but I've adopted it as a mantra as I turn the intensity back up.
I actually wouldn't even call my thumb painful at this point - it's more like a dull but frequent soreness. So that's promising I guess. I'm going to try a bag workout tomorrow and see if it still throbs on contact. It will be my first true boxing activity in more than a month. My fingers are crossed that it's pain-free.
Looking at the situation in as positive of light as possible, I think this injury came at a relatively good time. It always stinks having setbacks and injuries, but I have a major project in my life right now (will reveal it at the appropriate time - hopefully soon) that would have thrown off my schedule anyway. All of my setbacks and other "life" obligations decided to strike at once and so I guess I'm "fortunate" they piled up while I was injured. At the same time, it's unfortunate that they're happening at all. But I guess that's what determination is for.
As I revamp my training I'm going to revamp my posting. Promise. My recent "big boxing push" is still very young and has already encountered a number of obstacles, roadblocks and nuisances, but I have reason to believe that my feet (and thumb) are back under me and that there are good times in the squared circle right around the corner.
Friday, July 11, 2008
Quick hits
Training has taken a detour (but still moving forward, mind you) for a variety of reasons, but I'm definitely about to regain some momentum. Some quick bullets:
- I've suffered a number of boxing-related injuries before, but whatever the hell I did to my thumb a couple of weeks ago definitely qualifies as the first of my revamped amateur campaign. After finishing a "typical" aggressive Sunday sparring session (did well and felt even better) I took my 20-ouncers off and found my left thumb throbbing. Howling. I didn't remember jamming it awkwardly while sparring, but clearly, well, I did something nasty to it. It swelled up and could hardly hold any weight for a couple of days, and now almost three weeks later it's still sensitive to the touch. I've been reluctant to hit anything firmer than a focus mitt from fear of re-aggravating it, but I'm definitely near the point of considering myself cleared to resume my full training regiment (namely sparring) and all the while am incredibly anxious that this will be nagging for awhile.
And no, I didn't get it checked out by a doctor. It's a thumb. Small joint, lots of nerves and tiny bones. Whether it was a break, a chip, a crack, or (the likely culprit) a sprain, there's nothing a doctor can do besides splint it and tell me to not use it. Which I did on my own. Kthanksbye.
- While my thumb woes effected my workout routine and efficiency, it did not alter my training schedule. I've been doing more plyometrics and cardio circuits and have used bag gloves for most of my workout to keep my fist uber-tight and ensure that my punches are landing on my knuckles accurately, far far away from my poor, aching thumb. I've had a healthy dose of weights and roadwork as well, which is an aspect of my training that I want to keep consistent. In all, I don't think I've lost much physically the past couple of weeks. Definitely not peaking, but certainly not declining, either.
- Between nursing my thumb, long hours at the agency, and indulging in the pleasures (read: vices) of summer I'm quite proud of myself for how well I've maintained my training regimen in the face of so many scheduling land mines. Company summer outing? Wake up at 5:30 a.m. and run. Four-day 4th of July weekend on Cape Cod? Train the 3 days immediately before and after the vacation so I utilize both the rest during the break as well as the"freshness" immediately after. Hooray self-discipline!
- Looking forward to watching Wladimir Klitschko fight Saturday afternoon. I've been a big Klitschko fan for a long time in spite of him becoming a frustratingly inconsistent fighter the past couple of years. I'm not a big fan of heavyweight bouts anyway (especially when junior welterweight - super middleweight are as stacked as they've been in recent memory) but I've just always enjoyed rooting for Klitschko, the athletic specimen with a PhD, and really the only heavyweight who stands out as a true talent worthy of being called "champ." I hope he dispatches Tony Thompson quickly and convincingly to, well, convince the world that he's on a level far-and-away higher than the other "contenders" in the weak division.
It looks like it will be mid-August before the next opportunity for a bout rolls around, which should be the perfect timing for me to be healthy and in top-shape again. In the meanwhile, I'm looking forward to picking up the pace and tackling the work I have in front of me.
- I've suffered a number of boxing-related injuries before, but whatever the hell I did to my thumb a couple of weeks ago definitely qualifies as the first of my revamped amateur campaign. After finishing a "typical" aggressive Sunday sparring session (did well and felt even better) I took my 20-ouncers off and found my left thumb throbbing. Howling. I didn't remember jamming it awkwardly while sparring, but clearly, well, I did something nasty to it. It swelled up and could hardly hold any weight for a couple of days, and now almost three weeks later it's still sensitive to the touch. I've been reluctant to hit anything firmer than a focus mitt from fear of re-aggravating it, but I'm definitely near the point of considering myself cleared to resume my full training regiment (namely sparring) and all the while am incredibly anxious that this will be nagging for awhile.
And no, I didn't get it checked out by a doctor. It's a thumb. Small joint, lots of nerves and tiny bones. Whether it was a break, a chip, a crack, or (the likely culprit) a sprain, there's nothing a doctor can do besides splint it and tell me to not use it. Which I did on my own. Kthanksbye.
- While my thumb woes effected my workout routine and efficiency, it did not alter my training schedule. I've been doing more plyometrics and cardio circuits and have used bag gloves for most of my workout to keep my fist uber-tight and ensure that my punches are landing on my knuckles accurately, far far away from my poor, aching thumb. I've had a healthy dose of weights and roadwork as well, which is an aspect of my training that I want to keep consistent. In all, I don't think I've lost much physically the past couple of weeks. Definitely not peaking, but certainly not declining, either.
- Between nursing my thumb, long hours at the agency, and indulging in the pleasures (read: vices) of summer I'm quite proud of myself for how well I've maintained my training regimen in the face of so many scheduling land mines. Company summer outing? Wake up at 5:30 a.m. and run. Four-day 4th of July weekend on Cape Cod? Train the 3 days immediately before and after the vacation so I utilize both the rest during the break as well as the"freshness" immediately after. Hooray self-discipline!
- Looking forward to watching Wladimir Klitschko fight Saturday afternoon. I've been a big Klitschko fan for a long time in spite of him becoming a frustratingly inconsistent fighter the past couple of years. I'm not a big fan of heavyweight bouts anyway (especially when junior welterweight - super middleweight are as stacked as they've been in recent memory) but I've just always enjoyed rooting for Klitschko, the athletic specimen with a PhD, and really the only heavyweight who stands out as a true talent worthy of being called "champ." I hope he dispatches Tony Thompson quickly and convincingly to, well, convince the world that he's on a level far-and-away higher than the other "contenders" in the weak division.
It looks like it will be mid-August before the next opportunity for a bout rolls around, which should be the perfect timing for me to be healthy and in top-shape again. In the meanwhile, I'm looking forward to picking up the pace and tackling the work I have in front of me.
Sunday, June 1, 2008
Off and running
I feel bad for not posting the results of my fight in a more timely manner, but, well, you see the rate at which I update this. My hectic life aside, not only did it feel good (correction: great) to get back into the ring, but it felt...normal. And real.
I must admit, I'm a bit surprised that I don't have the motivation to write some elegant prose about my bout experience back on the big stage (fine, maybe not that big, but it was legitimately a packed house) but I feel like that would just be a bit too melodramatic. The bout really went that well, and it really did feel that normal.
I arrived at the gym about 6:30 on Fight Night, thinking I'd be the last one there since all the fighters were supposed to report by 6:00. (Work, again, getting in the way of boxing time, but I knew I was not fighting until late and I'd be OK.) Like any good boxing event, the first fight started about 45 minutes later than it was supposed to. I settled in with my Sports Illustrated, fruit and Powerbars, and tried to pass the time in as relaxed of a state as possible before it was my time to get loose.
I went through my normal pre-workout warm-up routine, wrapped my hands, shadowboxed, and worked 2 rounds of focus mitts with Hector during the last 2 rounds of the fight immediately before mine. I didn't particularly like how fast, hard and active he had me working to get ready (he seemed more pumped than I did) but I walked to the ring loose, in the zone, and well-prepared to crush some skulls.
After noticing that the kid was about 3-4 inches shorter than me but was built sturdy and thick, I decided that it would definitely be a good idea to use the 1st round as the proverbial "feel 'em out" round. I spent the duration of the 2 rounds moving, circling away from his right hand and peppering him with 1-2's after his lumbering power punches careened off of my arms. Besides a couple of cheap shots (and they were cheap, damn it) breaking from the clinch (kid wouldn't stay off of me!) I don't think he hit me cleanly the entire round.
I went back to my corner feeling confident. A guy who I had never seen before (nor have seen since) was in my corner, with a kid named Joe from the gym helping (pamper me) with the chair, towel and water. Suddenly, my old buddy James (remember him from my 1st good workout when I started training again?) hopped up on the apron and spouted some advice between F-bombs. The strategy was simple: abandon the jab, quit dancing so much, throw lead right hands, and take it to this kid.
And take it to him I did.
The 2nd round was an absolute slugfest, with me doing the slugging and the poor kid throwing an occasional straight right to push me off of him. Leaping in with a lead right, I would string 4,5,6,8,12, Lord knows how many power punches together before hopping back out of range. Somewhere along the way I caught a stiff right hand across my nose (kid hadn't hit me much at this point, but when he did, damn it was hard) and began bleeding out of it. But then again, I've had people fart in my general direction from a block away and my nose has started bleeding, so I wasn't worried.
After picking my opponent apart for 2 minutes, the bell sounded and I turned back towards my corner smiling (ear-to-ear, baby). It was as perfect of a round as anyone could ever ask for without knocking their opponent out.
The 2nd break went very similar to the 1st: lots of swearing, Irish accents, squirts of water, and a towel shoved up my nose to stop the bleeding.
The kid was slow to come out of his corner at the start of the 3rd round, but when he did, he threw a curveball that I never recovered from: he switched up and boxed southpaw.
And I HATE southpaws.
Between a little fatigue and a lot of hesitation/overanalyzing my opponent's newfound left-hand, I spent the 3rd round standing in front of the kid far too much and throwing far too few punches. A couple buddies in attendance would later swear that I still won the 3rd round ("you easily took the first 2 rounds, and you at least got a draw if not won the 3rd") but as I went back to my corner after the final bell - my nose an open spigot of blood - I was nothing short of pissed. A dominant performance squandered by a sub-par final round. After dropping a few F-bombs of my own, my cornerman stuck the blood towel in my face and laughed "wipe this off, you won that fight. You won that fight!"
And I did.
While I was far from perfect throughout the entire match, I truly could not have asked for a better performance in my first bout "back." I put on the fight of the night (ask the gym owner - who hugged me and told me "fight of the night!" - or the dozens of gym members and spectators who told me likewise) with a technical, well-rounded win. Perhaps most importantly, I also discovered a number of areas that I need to correct before I compete again, namely making sure I don't square up so much, I prepare to throw non-stop for 3 rounds (rather than box for 3 rounds, and there IS a difference) and make sure that I rig the draw so my opponent is NOT a friggen lefty.
I'm truly off and running now with my competitive boxing career. I was back in the gym the next day, and while work and Celtics/Red Sox games have impeded my immediate training schedule, as of this weekend I am back on track and already have a couple of prospective bouts lined up for the end of this month. But more on that later. Right now I'm going to go revisit my last bout again - warming at the memories of my mind and body working as one as I landed combinations and the crowd roared, basking in the mountains of post-fight praise, and most importantly, taking notes on what I need to do to elevate my game to where I know it can be.
I must admit, I'm a bit surprised that I don't have the motivation to write some elegant prose about my bout experience back on the big stage (fine, maybe not that big, but it was legitimately a packed house) but I feel like that would just be a bit too melodramatic. The bout really went that well, and it really did feel that normal.
I arrived at the gym about 6:30 on Fight Night, thinking I'd be the last one there since all the fighters were supposed to report by 6:00. (Work, again, getting in the way of boxing time, but I knew I was not fighting until late and I'd be OK.) Like any good boxing event, the first fight started about 45 minutes later than it was supposed to. I settled in with my Sports Illustrated, fruit and Powerbars, and tried to pass the time in as relaxed of a state as possible before it was my time to get loose.
I went through my normal pre-workout warm-up routine, wrapped my hands, shadowboxed, and worked 2 rounds of focus mitts with Hector during the last 2 rounds of the fight immediately before mine. I didn't particularly like how fast, hard and active he had me working to get ready (he seemed more pumped than I did) but I walked to the ring loose, in the zone, and well-prepared to crush some skulls.
After noticing that the kid was about 3-4 inches shorter than me but was built sturdy and thick, I decided that it would definitely be a good idea to use the 1st round as the proverbial "feel 'em out" round. I spent the duration of the 2 rounds moving, circling away from his right hand and peppering him with 1-2's after his lumbering power punches careened off of my arms. Besides a couple of cheap shots (and they were cheap, damn it) breaking from the clinch (kid wouldn't stay off of me!) I don't think he hit me cleanly the entire round.
I went back to my corner feeling confident. A guy who I had never seen before (nor have seen since) was in my corner, with a kid named Joe from the gym helping (pamper me) with the chair, towel and water. Suddenly, my old buddy James (remember him from my 1st good workout when I started training again?) hopped up on the apron and spouted some advice between F-bombs. The strategy was simple: abandon the jab, quit dancing so much, throw lead right hands, and take it to this kid.
And take it to him I did.
The 2nd round was an absolute slugfest, with me doing the slugging and the poor kid throwing an occasional straight right to push me off of him. Leaping in with a lead right, I would string 4,5,6,8,12, Lord knows how many power punches together before hopping back out of range. Somewhere along the way I caught a stiff right hand across my nose (kid hadn't hit me much at this point, but when he did, damn it was hard) and began bleeding out of it. But then again, I've had people fart in my general direction from a block away and my nose has started bleeding, so I wasn't worried.
After picking my opponent apart for 2 minutes, the bell sounded and I turned back towards my corner smiling (ear-to-ear, baby). It was as perfect of a round as anyone could ever ask for without knocking their opponent out.
The 2nd break went very similar to the 1st: lots of swearing, Irish accents, squirts of water, and a towel shoved up my nose to stop the bleeding.
The kid was slow to come out of his corner at the start of the 3rd round, but when he did, he threw a curveball that I never recovered from: he switched up and boxed southpaw.
And I HATE southpaws.
Between a little fatigue and a lot of hesitation/overanalyzing my opponent's newfound left-hand, I spent the 3rd round standing in front of the kid far too much and throwing far too few punches. A couple buddies in attendance would later swear that I still won the 3rd round ("you easily took the first 2 rounds, and you at least got a draw if not won the 3rd") but as I went back to my corner after the final bell - my nose an open spigot of blood - I was nothing short of pissed. A dominant performance squandered by a sub-par final round. After dropping a few F-bombs of my own, my cornerman stuck the blood towel in my face and laughed "wipe this off, you won that fight. You won that fight!"
And I did.
While I was far from perfect throughout the entire match, I truly could not have asked for a better performance in my first bout "back." I put on the fight of the night (ask the gym owner - who hugged me and told me "fight of the night!" - or the dozens of gym members and spectators who told me likewise) with a technical, well-rounded win. Perhaps most importantly, I also discovered a number of areas that I need to correct before I compete again, namely making sure I don't square up so much, I prepare to throw non-stop for 3 rounds (rather than box for 3 rounds, and there IS a difference) and make sure that I rig the draw so my opponent is NOT a friggen lefty.
I'm truly off and running now with my competitive boxing career. I was back in the gym the next day, and while work and Celtics/Red Sox games have impeded my immediate training schedule, as of this weekend I am back on track and already have a couple of prospective bouts lined up for the end of this month. But more on that later. Right now I'm going to go revisit my last bout again - warming at the memories of my mind and body working as one as I landed combinations and the crowd roared, basking in the mountains of post-fight praise, and most importantly, taking notes on what I need to do to elevate my game to where I know it can be.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Disconnected
So this time it hasn’t been a lack of activity so much as a literal lack of Internet that has kept me from posting in a timely manner. My roommate and I canceled our Internet service because it didn’t work half of the time and, even when it did "work," one of our neighbors had an unprotected signal that somehow trumped the connection our router provided. So since there was no reason to continue paying for our crappy Internet, I called and disconnected it. And of course, as soon as I cancel our service, the nice, reliable, unprotected connection…disappears. The only Internet connection I have at home is when I take my laptop over to Fenway (yes, the ballpark) and sit on the sidewalk and use their free Wi-Fi, and work has been crazy so I haven’t had a chance to put together a post until now. Thank goodness it’s warming up outside - probably going to be on my computer outside the ballpark quite a bit.
But yeah, that’s my no-Internet situation. And despite my stinginess leading me to remain disconnected, I still went ahead and got MLB Extra Innings and HBO the other day. Hmm...I'll pay for Royals games and boxing, but not the Internet. Ah, priorities.
- So Antonio has essentially become my training partner, which is working out great in a number of ways. We only meet 2-3x/week, but he has a set of keys to the gym so our workouts are usually at non-peak but super convenient times. We’ve been sparring more and more often, and it’s great work for both of us – Antonio being quicker and taking better angles, me continuously coming forward and keeping the pressure on. We’re at the same skill level as well and we both want to get back to competing ASAP, so our work in the ring is great. Ironically, we also touch base with texts throughout the week when we’re slacking, lamenting about class workloads (Antonio is a fellow BC Eagle and would have graduated with me if I didn’t graduate early) or draining, late days and nights in the office. In short, the support, structure, and intensity of having an unofficial training partner has been awesome thus far.
- I’m starting to vary the weight of gloves I use more and more, and I’m noticing the results. Traditionally I’ve trained with 20 oz. gloves all of the time, only switching to lighter gloves for bouts. Lately I’ve been using 16-ouncers when I work the focus mitts or spar. Not only is my speed and stamina noticeably increased (as it should be) but I’m having better success coordinating my footwork with my upper body movement. I definitely need to keep altering my glove weight with my workouts to develop consistency and continue to keep my body, timing and technique on the same page.
- The lack of a trainer who’s involved with my day-to-day training and workouts (like the ones I’ve had, um, everywhere else I’ve trained) is really starting to become frustrating. I’m getting back into competitive shape and the quality of my sparring is definitely getting me back to where I want to be, but there’s no way I’m going to truly peak at this place until a trainer, well, trains me. There are a couple of “assistants” who are helpful holding focus mitts, but there are only 2 true trainers here, and they’re always on their way out the door by the time I arrive around 8 on weekdays. Some of the competitive guys are helpful when they’re watching or in your corner, but at the same time, it’s just not the same as having a good trainer, let alone a trainer at all. More on this again soon…
- There are two fights this weekend that I’m incredibly excited about: Miguel Cotto vs. Alfonzo Gomez and Kermit Cintron vs. Antonio Margarito. Not only are these fights on the same card, but they’re sure to be entertaining barnburners – enough so that they prompted me to get HBO to make sure I could watch them. I think Cotto will outclass a game Gomez (I don’t know whether I underestimated him against Gatti or Arturo was just that far past his prime) and knock him out late or win a pretty lopsided decision. I'm a big Cotto fan, and would love to see him dominate Gomez and get a shot at Mayweather. Lots of people like Margarito to win again in his rematch with Cintron, but I think Cintron is an infinitely better boxer than he was in 2005 and will put Margarito on the canvas. This fight should be a war, and I think Cintron’s strength advantage will be the difference. You heard it hear first, but also check out this MVN.com blog (great site - I check it out all the time) for a more detailed analysis. I agree with their breakdown completely, but disagree with their prediction that Margarito will KO Cintron again. Whatever the case, if you’re a fan of the sport or at least remotely interested in great fights, this card is for you.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Quick hits
Wowee, I'm starting to neglect this thing. Balancing my job, lifestyle and (most importantly) training is tough enough as is, let alone trying to whittle out some time to make a worthwhile post on here. I think I'll try incorporating some posts with a little different format - some "quick hitters" that have bulleted thoughts, links and updates to bridge the gap between opportunities to write more.
- This has been a very inconsistent and frustrating week as far as boxing goes. Just as I felt like I had truly found a rhythm with my schedule, routines and training partners, I run into a week like this where I only made it out to Allston twice, and kept finding myself completely spent at the end of the workday before I even worked out. I must add that the two "boxing workouts" were very solid and encouraging, I lifted/ran/cross-trained two additional days, and am about to head out for some sparring as soon as I'm done with this post. Throw in the Celtics game I went to on Wednesday (played knockout on the court at halftime, too) and I guess you could say I did the best that I could with my schedule. But still - while I didn't lose any ground, I definitely didn't make any progress, either.
- Did some light work in the ring with a kid on Monday. I had a big reach advantage and moved well enough that in between rounds he had to ask "just how long you been boxing?" (Sorry, I just love "sneaking up" on people like this until I've gotten enough exposure and established myself at the gym to where everyone knows how comfortable I am inside the squared circle.) I was very (VERY) happy with my jab and stamina. I'm going to move forward with this a bit as I re-adjust my game: lots of lateral movement and angles, keep my jab in their face, use my hooks and straight rights only when I've set them up or see an opportunity to throw them while countering. I used to be a mix of a brawler and a "puncher" but I'm seeing an opportunity to re-define myself as a little more of a boxer.
- I pride myself on the fact that I never leave the gym with anything left in the tank, but I've become aware that during the process of wearing myself out, my intensity fluctuates. I feel like sometimes I'll just be "going through the motions" on a bag, instead of moving in and out with the speed and ferocity of a bout. To rephrase: I need to make sure that I am optimizing my workouts for competitive boxing and not merely getting in boxing shape. I'm by no means loafing, but I think I'm still looking for that happy medium of pacing myself throughout the (brutal) workouts to where I know that I am working the right muscles/skills the right amount for the entire workout. I have faith that over time and a couple of bouts this will work itself out.
- I think my diet is working itself out nicely, too. I have yet to implement a strict regimen, but I've always eaten very healthy, and the past month has been no exception. I've started making huge pots of beans and rice, eating it for a meal, and then storing the leftovers at work for healthy snacks/meals throughout the week. I'm eating lots of whole grain cereals, oatmeal, canned fruits and veggies, fish, sushi, chicken, turkey, hummus, pasta, and yogurt with fresh fruit. One thing I know I'll eventually have to watch: the amount of pasta I'm eating. My favorite lunch spot is an Italian eatery near my office (Viga). It's super cheap and delicious, but, well, it adds up to a lot of carbs at the end of the week that I ordinarily would not be consuming. When I need to start cutting weight in the near future, I know this will be one of the first places that becomes off-limits.
- I remember watching the first Pacquiao/Marquez fight live. It was an incredible fight, and I wish their rematch wasn't on PPV so I could watch it, but such is life. This is a much-anticipated fight, and both of these guys look to be in tremendous shape. I think Freddie Roach has supplemented Pac-Man's style enough that his strength advantage will be too much for Marquez again. For what it's worth, I see Pacquiao winning by a comfortable margin in a 12-round slugfest.
- I can only hope that the legends in this awesome ESPN.com article weren't the last great generation of boxers, and that some of the current superstars are as highly-regarded as these guys still are 25 years later.
- This has been a very inconsistent and frustrating week as far as boxing goes. Just as I felt like I had truly found a rhythm with my schedule, routines and training partners, I run into a week like this where I only made it out to Allston twice, and kept finding myself completely spent at the end of the workday before I even worked out. I must add that the two "boxing workouts" were very solid and encouraging, I lifted/ran/cross-trained two additional days, and am about to head out for some sparring as soon as I'm done with this post. Throw in the Celtics game I went to on Wednesday (played knockout on the court at halftime, too) and I guess you could say I did the best that I could with my schedule. But still - while I didn't lose any ground, I definitely didn't make any progress, either.
- Did some light work in the ring with a kid on Monday. I had a big reach advantage and moved well enough that in between rounds he had to ask "just how long you been boxing?" (Sorry, I just love "sneaking up" on people like this until I've gotten enough exposure and established myself at the gym to where everyone knows how comfortable I am inside the squared circle.) I was very (VERY) happy with my jab and stamina. I'm going to move forward with this a bit as I re-adjust my game: lots of lateral movement and angles, keep my jab in their face, use my hooks and straight rights only when I've set them up or see an opportunity to throw them while countering. I used to be a mix of a brawler and a "puncher" but I'm seeing an opportunity to re-define myself as a little more of a boxer.
- I pride myself on the fact that I never leave the gym with anything left in the tank, but I've become aware that during the process of wearing myself out, my intensity fluctuates. I feel like sometimes I'll just be "going through the motions" on a bag, instead of moving in and out with the speed and ferocity of a bout. To rephrase: I need to make sure that I am optimizing my workouts for competitive boxing and not merely getting in boxing shape. I'm by no means loafing, but I think I'm still looking for that happy medium of pacing myself throughout the (brutal) workouts to where I know that I am working the right muscles/skills the right amount for the entire workout. I have faith that over time and a couple of bouts this will work itself out.
- I think my diet is working itself out nicely, too. I have yet to implement a strict regimen, but I've always eaten very healthy, and the past month has been no exception. I've started making huge pots of beans and rice, eating it for a meal, and then storing the leftovers at work for healthy snacks/meals throughout the week. I'm eating lots of whole grain cereals, oatmeal, canned fruits and veggies, fish, sushi, chicken, turkey, hummus, pasta, and yogurt with fresh fruit. One thing I know I'll eventually have to watch: the amount of pasta I'm eating. My favorite lunch spot is an Italian eatery near my office (Viga). It's super cheap and delicious, but, well, it adds up to a lot of carbs at the end of the week that I ordinarily would not be consuming. When I need to start cutting weight in the near future, I know this will be one of the first places that becomes off-limits.
- I remember watching the first Pacquiao/Marquez fight live. It was an incredible fight, and I wish their rematch wasn't on PPV so I could watch it, but such is life. This is a much-anticipated fight, and both of these guys look to be in tremendous shape. I think Freddie Roach has supplemented Pac-Man's style enough that his strength advantage will be too much for Marquez again. For what it's worth, I see Pacquiao winning by a comfortable margin in a 12-round slugfest.
- I can only hope that the legends in this awesome ESPN.com article weren't the last great generation of boxers, and that some of the current superstars are as highly-regarded as these guys still are 25 years later.
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