Do you have any goals while training?

[JohnnyBuddha]

So I was thinking the other day that it's very easy to just go hit the heavy bag for a while, to spar with friends or training partners, do pad work, etc. But like most anything else in life, if you really want to see some solid progress you need to have some focus and some sort of goal to go after.

So I'm wondering who out there "works on" something while training, and how. When you work on the heavy bag, do you, say, concentrate on moving to your right more, doubling up on the jab, etc. for a week or two? I suppose this is most applicable to guys who don't have a trainer/guys who do a lot of training on their own.

 

[Sinister]

It's funny you mention this because I personally have been told by 4 different people in the past month that this is what separates myself and my chief partner from most other people in the Gym, including working Pros. One of my stablemates even pinpointed, saying higher level guys have a bad habit of surrounding themselves with "yes" men, and then halfass in the Gym to the tune of "oh you lookin' great Champ!"

That would only irk my nerves. And my trainer is the reason I don't just go through the motions, because his gears are always churning mentally about things that need to be polished about my style.

Lately we've been working on me using the ring, but mostly FROM the center of the ring in sparring. Not letting my back get put to the ropes. I fight well off the ropes, but he doesn't want me to HAVE to, even against stalwart pressure Fighters (like the one I have to deal with twice a week). On the mitts we've been working more extensive combinations, especially beginning with my left-hand (which is my power hand, I'm a Southpaw). We ALWAYS work jabbing out of combinations, as I tend to do so too slowly. We've added body-jabs to it.

On the bags (heavybag and uppercut bag), I just repeat what he shows me until I can't move my arms. On the double-end I do the same, only as fast as I can as opposed to as hard as I can, and with defensive head-movement and faster footwork thrown in. The goal of the speed-bag is speed, and correct form, to be able to be fast every round.

A good friend, and one of the best Boxing minds I know told me "for a guy in your position, complacency is cancer"...that's become a slogan of mine. I go to the Gym to hurt, to work, to learn, and if that ever stops, that's the day I ain't worth a shit.

 

[T.J.T]

A good friend, and one of the best Boxing minds I know told me "for a guy in your position, complacency is cancer"...that's become a slogan of mine. I go to the Gym to hurt, to work, to learn, and if that ever stops, that's the day I ain't worth a shit.

Yeah, this is basicly where i stand too, i dont like going to the gym and hanging out and just getting a decent workout. When im there(5-6 days a week) i want to feel the work out and learn as much as i can.

I had a pretty bad lump on my shin from my first continious tourny i went in (placed first and second in novice and advanced kickboxing) and i was kicking some thai pads and every now and then it would hurt pretty good. My partner holding the thai pads asked me what was wrong, so i told him and showed him the decent gash on my shin. He looked at me, and said it with respect, "Well thats a long way from your heart, so lets keep training"

Basiclly from that day on when i bang shins/knee/or toes wrong yeah it hurts, but i just replay that line in my head i think its pricless for a fighter, or someone training in a combat sport at least.

 

[clinchman]

I always try to stay late or go in early to work on something small...I'll make myself do something like 100 1-2 combinations, or 200 front kicks, or something like that. I like to always have something I can reach in the short term. If I feel something isn't good enough or is getting lazy or whatever, I'll work on it until I can make it perfect.

 

[TapSD]

I have a goal every day when i hit the gym..there are certain things i know i do well..certain things im horrible at and certain things i think im good at but I let my trainer tell me the truth about..haha

I always go into the gym with no ego and ready to learn and perfect my technique..i see guys in the gym sometimes who are good but lazy..they dont try so they dont improve and aren't honest with themselves in what they need to improve

 

[Ryukyu Damashi]

My goal is not to get hurt I hate missing training...

 

[AdamL]

My goal at this point is simple: learn technique and build a bigger gas tank from my training. I keep the goals simple, measurable, and attainable. When I reach a goal I get a new goal. This way I can always see progress and push the envelope.

The reason my goals look simple for now is I just made the transition from 100% training at home on my own with an infrequent weekend partner, to a real gym. The difference in intensity has forced me back into simpler goals, which I do not mind in the least. Proper technique is infinitely more important to me than achieving goals on my own outside of professional training.

 

[Vector_X]

Yes I will focus on certain things while working the bag/pads I think that is kinda the point.

 

[JohnnyBuddha]

^^^^Yeah, but there are people (especially those with no formal trainer) who will just wail away on the pads or heavy bag for 'x' number of minutes, day in, day out. Though this should help them in a general way, if they want to see some real progress, they'd be better off focusing on a skill or two and dedicating time to improving that skill over a certain amount of time. I'm especially asking because I used to train with a trainer and have the basics down pat. I want to get better (but don't plan on competing) and like to train on my own and with friends.

And KK, I was thinking about you when asking this question too because some of the training routines you've written out in this forum are what I'm getting at: thinking of something that needs improvement (e.g. the jab) and breaking it down into different exercises that are meant to cover most aspects of the goal (e.g. doubling up, jabbing while moving away, etc.).

 

[Chonbody]

My goal is to let my frustration out. This is the 21st century and I've never worn eyeliner, I don't buy trendy clothing and coffee shops are stupid. I work from 9 to 5 and I come to the gym to dominate shit. Plain and simple, don't need no lengthy intro.

 

[Guts & Glory]

you should always have a goal for you training sessions. nobody's game is perfect, I don't care who you are. Right now I am working on throwing an absolute barrage of combinations in sparring. This has paid major dividends already and it's been only two weeks. My other thing right now is using the jab a lot more. This too has also paid major dividends already. The jab is the foundation of a good fighter and you can quote me on that.

 

[Marvin Covar]

My credo is, "Every day is an opportunity to get better." With that being said, I'm always working on something until I am satisfied. Whenever that happens, I move on to something else I can improve.

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

currently my main goal is to get down to about 190/195 pounds.

my trainer wants me to fight this year and i told him only if i'm in fighting shape to do so.

 

[TangBai]

I have a few things I work on at training, however I dont always have a specific goal for each session, which maybe I should.

Now my main measurable goal is 5 x 5 minute rounds at a fast pace with emphasis on kicking and knees (after the run, skip and bag work).

The things I am working on specifically are footwork, balance, kicking and kneeing technique. I don't really know how to measure technique apart from trainer giving feedback.

I need to work on defence more.

 

[GCSD Fighter]

Must have goals. Mine have always been the same, real self protection.

 

[ssullivan80]

My credo is, "Every day is an opportunity to get better." With that being said, I'm always working on something until I am satisfied. Whenever that happens, I move on to something else I can improve.

Very well put! and as said by Kubuki below "complacency is cancer" I can't agree more. My goal in training is simple, give 100%, lose the ego at the door, know my strengths and continue to focus on them and make them stronger, know my weaknesses and develop ways to compensate for or correct them. If you don't think you have any weaknesses or can't identify them refer to the quote above "complacency is cancer". If I train in a gym where I am getting the best of most all my sparring partners consistenly, time to find a new gym, cause there is always someone better.....always! As said by Winston Churchill!

" Every day you may make progress. Every step may be fruitfull. Yet there will stretch out before you an ever-lengthening, ever-ascending, ever-improving path. You know you will never get to the end of the journey. But this, so far from discouraging, only adds to the joy and glory of the climb."

-Winston Churchill-

 

[PWR1982]

I concentrate on my mistakes, so whenever I get submitted or get into a bad position,in which I would get destroyed, I just tell the guy "hey could we start before you got that choke again? I want to learn what to do in that position" and I try to avoid getting into the problem again.

If your goal is getting better, focus and use your brain, that's all you need to know.

 

[millasur]

When sparring, my goal is to be better, hit my opp, and get hit less loll.

Heavy bag I tend to spend the first round just throwing out my jab, circling, and my staple combinations, whilst also concentrating on footwork and stepping with punches. I do a few 'technique' rounds with less frequent power punching, then I do a few power rounds, and lastly I finish rounds aside from the first couple with 10 - 20 kicks just to really gas myself.

So you could say it goes from technique focus, to working on combos focus, to working on power, to finally end up fukin knackered.

damn I wish I cud go train now lol :\

 

[$uperman]

edit.