Hooked...

[daninnashville]

I've been training in boxing and kickboxing for several months now. After just focusing on my conditioning and countless numbers of drills, I am finally sparring consistently. I do my training at two different facilities and have very helpful trainers.

Yesterday I sparred eight rounds (most ever) and one of those was with a southpaw that I just met. Now, I ate some shots and have *tons* to learn. Everyone was going at about 40-50% but I gotta tell you...it is the greatest feeling. After wanting to do this for so long it finally feels more "real" to be in the ring really working on the stuff. I finally feel like I'm really doing it.

By the way...all of the shadowboxing starts to make more sense when you are sparring people. I respected shadowboxing before but felt kind of silly because I didn't understand how it really applied to the ring. Now I do.

I've got good coaches and have a goal of participating in a smoker or an exhibition in the next couple of months. I respect my coaches and I listen to them a lot. Long term my goal is to do a full contact kickboxing fight and/or smoker. (Have some neck issues...gotta avoid the clinch) One of my coaches gave me several DVDs of classic fights to start studying. This is too much fun.

I have a nice little shiner from sparring yesterday. Kind of feels like the "badge of honor". Anyone ever have these experiences? Just thought I'd share. I'm really fired up.

Have a good weekend guys,
Dan

 

[Cool Hand Luke]

good luck to your future, my man

i broke my jaw sparring, thats probably the worst i did

 

[Kevc]

ive been training for about 5 months now and i havn't spared for real yet but the other day i had a tech spar with someone at the gym and it was the funnest thing I've done there, I enjoy the training and everything but this was just taking it to the next level, trying to apply the techs i learned and it really shows me how much more i still have to work to be good..

 

[ambertch]

Heh. You've reached that happy place where you've started sparring and feeling alive. Enjoy it, because next comes the stage of "shit I have this training injury that severely fucks up my life and my capacity to live as a human being" / "Shit i got staph and now I can't screw my girlfriend for a few weeks"

 

[daninnashville]

Funny thing is I have had broken elbows and countless injuries in grappling related sparring/competition. So I get the idea of dealing with setbacks. It's just cool to finally be in the ring for real.

Talked to my coach yesterday...going to try and get some type of exhibition or smoker match on a card in the next couple of months.

 

[Mef-ninja]

i sprained my ankle yesterday and im pissed as fuck.. might a fractured a bone actually..

 

[Ifight4Beer]

Man every fighter feels that way. thats why we do in inspite of all the set backs. ive been doing it for years and its still all I think about. Ive lost girlfrinds and jobs because of It but I just can't get enuff I live to fight!

 

[mrpopenfresh]

Once you spar you finally understand how incredibl hard fighting is. At this older gym where I did a little muay thai, the trainer, some old scrappy dude, let us spar after the first session. I had no fucking clue what to do.

 

[daninnashville]

Good points all around.

Question for you guys...at what point did you start ramping up your intensity?