MacRea's Amateur Fight Training (Boxing, conditioning, lifting)

JANUARY 21st

4 rounds shadowboxing
6 rounds heavybag

3 rounds of the following:
30 medicine ball sit-ups
30 second left side plank
30 second right side plank

no rest until all 3 circuits are done.

4 rounds sparring.

Sparring went well, needs to work some more on smoother head movement. Jab feels strong, good wind, legs were a bit tired after 4 but nothing I couldn't handle. Double jab is improving. Need to tighten up my hook a tad. Chin is tucked nicely. Footwork was great, I was slipping a few nicely. Caught one of my parteners with a clean hook, best punch of the session. Need to string my punches together a bit more. Possible fight on Feb 3rd... I'll keep you posted.

Might add a 2km run tonight, weather allowing.
 
What style do you use?

And did you get your Tyguns yet?
 
Not yet, they're being shipped as I sit here shovelling oatmeal down my gullet. At just over 6 feet as a welterweight I'm usually more inclined to stay on the outside and snap out straight punches. I'd say I'm an outside fighter, though I can fight on the inside, and I think my left hook is my most effective punch on the inside, so I endeavour to use it whenever I'm being bull-rushed by those short little fuckers
 
So are you more of a volume puncher or do you like to pot-shot. I assume you use footwork to avoid little stumpy guys who try to mow you down. You sound like you'd have a style more like Hearns.
 
I hate to cop out and hug the median, but honestly, it varies. When I'm being swarmed is generally when I let my hands go, then dance away. I try to keep it on the outside with a double jab, the odd 1-2 and sometimes I'll even step in with a hook to end the combo, but I always dance away after I'm done. I'd say my punch output is pretty solid but more importantly pretty consistent throughout the rounds.

Thanks for takin' an interest KK

p.s. you see Pacman KO Morales in the 10th? ohhh shit
 
I hate to cop out and hug the median, but honestly, it varies. When I'm being swarmed is generally when I let my hands go, then dance away. I try to keep it on the outside with a double jab, the odd 1-2 and sometimes I'll even step in with a hook to end the combo, but I always dance away after I'm done. I'd say my punch output is pretty solid but more importantly pretty consistent throughout the rounds.

Thanks for takin' an interest KK

p.s. you see Pacman KO Morales in the 10th? ohhh shit

Well, it still sounds like you fight like Hearns, he wasn't much different. Kind of ironic though because you got motorcityboxingclub (in America Motor city refers to Detroit) in your sig, Tommy is a Detroit fighter and the tend to be pretty well-rounded. Have you studied Arguello and Margarito? They have excellent habits in their styles that would suit you.

And I'm always interested in talking Boxing. There's just no end to discussing what can be accomplished.

And about Pacquiao, yeah I saw that coming. Pac is at the top of his game right now, Morales is on the downward slope. He really should have moved out of 130 a long time ago. Weight-draining is killing him. What I loved most though was seeing Zahir Raheem on Friday Night Fights and that Brian was real adamant about Zahir getting to voice his opinion about getting fucked out of this bout, and that Judah/Mayweather is a disgraceful fight.
 
Yeah, I caught that on FNF too. I have it taped and only found time to sit down and watch the first fight (Reid, I think it was) with all of the rabbit punches, trash talking, that really late shot after the final bell and all the other bullshit

Yeah, I've studied Alexis Arguello, though more from Boxing Hall of Fame related reading because I've always had trouble getting my hands on old boxing tapes in my area.

Big Hitman fan, so it's a pleasure to hear that I've got something in common with the guy stylistically, even if it's on a totally inferior level hah
 
JANUARY 22nd - sandbag strength and conditioning

still sore from yesterday, but once I got warmed up it didn't cross my mind

5 minutes shadowboxing warm-up (emphasis head movement, footwork and hooking on the move)

power/conditioning circuit:
sandbag rowing x10
sandbag deadlifts x10
burpees (with push-up and tuck jump) x10
sandbag clean and press x10
zercher sandbag squats x10
lateral jumps over sandbag x10
rest 1 minute. repeat for 4 rounds.

core work:
zercher sandbag good morning x10
chinnies x20
straight-legged sandbag sit-ups x10
sandbag core twist x12
rest 30 seconds. repeat for 3 rounds.

finisher:
load up my sandbag with all the weight I have and carry it for as long as possible. switched between shouldering, bearhug, attempting overhead (didn't happen), and zercher carries.

Out of time, out of breaaath... time for a shower then off to the graveyard shift. Boo

p.s. Im seeing consistent improvement in my footwork. Also, I'm getting the word on my fight for Feb 3rd this tuesday. I want it baaad
 
JANUARY 23rd

Rest day. Sparring tommorow.
 
Thanks Chad. Glad you're updating your log again, fingal fingers are so fucking cool. keep working hard.

Snowed in today, couldn't make it to the gym for sparring. Had some uninspired training, felt like I had no legs and my knee was hurting mysteriously. Still:

5 minutes animal yoga (bearcrawl, horse stance, crab walk, duck walk, alligator crawl) and light bodyweight exercise warm-up

4 rounds shadowboxing [30 seconds rest]
4 rounds heavybag - at the end of every round bearhug the bag and and fire off 20 squats

3 rounds of the following:
sandbag clean and press x6
sandbag zercher lunges/zercher squats x12
fingertip push-ups x10
lateral jumps over sandbag x10
rest one minute.

5 minutes axe levering

I will start adding bodyweight circuits to the end of my training sessions, including dips, pull-ups and push-ups, as I feel I'm not strong enough in these areas.

The snow storm tonight totally bitch-slapped any suggestion that the roads would clear up enough for me to rack up some serious roadwork.
 
JANUARY 25th

20 minutes jump rope warm-up
3 rounds shadowboxing
6 rounds sparring (body work only)
4 rounds heavybag work

3 rounds of the following:
25 leg raises/medicine ball sit-ups/chinnies
30 second left side plank
30 second right side plank
no rest.

3 rounds shadowboxing

Sparring again tommorow, but I won't forget my mouthguard like a jackass.
 
JANUARY 26th

20 minutes jump rope warm-up
stretching and light bodyweight exercise (push-ups, leg lifts, scissor kicks, chinnies, etc)
2 rounds shadowboxing
4 rounds heavybag
3 rounds speedbag
3 rounds double-end bag
4 rounds sparring

Sparring was frustrating. The first two rounds went pretty well, I was landing 1,1,2 and moving pretty well. Caught a heavyweight guy with a big left hook in the ribs on the ropes. The next two rounds were rough. The last rough I felt like a punching bag, got caught with a handful of decent left hook that left my face tingling. Just going to use that humiliation to push myself, though
 
JANUARY 27th - active rest

2km run alternating backwards/forwards/sideways running. Mostly hills. 10:46 time.

Some GTG push-up work.

Some animal yoga in the evening.
 
JANUARY 28th - Rest, fight off a cold

Decided I'm going to add some lifting in the AM, and although the roads are still slick (last night 3 people right around my house spun out their cars and needed to use my phone to call for tows/911), some roadwork as well.
 
Hah, yeah, I was waiting for that

There are a number of "animal movements" that make for some great bodyweight exercises. They can serve as a warm-up, part of a conditioning circuit, or used to increase the difficulty (hugely) of sled dragging.

There are a ton of them, but the ones I stick to are:

the bearcrawl: Get on down on your hands and feet and crawl around. Move your left foot in time with your right hand and vice versa. Feel it in the shoulders and legs. Try and bearcrawl for a mile, or use it as the "walking" part of the prison burpee workout.

the crabwalk: Again, get on your hands and feet and crawl around, only this time your stomach is facing the ceiling, whereas in the bearcrawl it's facing downward. This should be felt in your tricep and shoulder alot, but all of these movements work the core well, also.

the duckwalk: go into a deep squat and "waddle" forward. Put your hands on your head. You look like an idiot, but it hurts, don't it?

the alligator crawl: get into the bottom position of a push-up and crawl around, moving your left arm and leg at the same time, then your right. This is the hardest one for me

horse stance: basically, just squat and hold it for time with your arms out in front of you, or, preferably, up in your guard

Don't let the vaginafied name fool you, animal yoga is good stuff.

Today (AM):

shadowboxing warm-up, working on keeping my chin BURIED in my shoulder when I'm jabbing and some footwork drilling

5 sets deadlift
3 sets chin-ups
3 sets (sloppy) bent-over rows

grip work:
5 wrist roller reps (up and down = 1 rep)
5 axe levering reps per hand
repeated 2 times, then as a finisher:

1 minute sandbag curl-walking.

Tonight I'll be doing some skill work.
 
There are a number of "animal movements" that make for some great bodyweight exercises. They can serve as a warm-up, part of a conditioning circuit, or used to increase the difficulty (hugely) of sled dragging.

There are a ton of them, but the ones I stick to are:

the bearcrawl: Get on down on your hands and feet and crawl around. Move your left foot in time with your right hand and vice versa. Feel it in the shoulders and legs. Try and bearcrawl for a mile, or use it as the "walking" part of the prison burpee workout.

the crabwalk: Again, get on your hands and feet and crawl around, only this time your stomach is facing the ceiling, whereas in the bearcrawl it's facing downward. This should be felt in your tricep and shoulder alot, but all of these movements work the core well, also.

the duckwalk: go into a deep squat and "waddle" forward. Put your hands on your head. You look like an idiot, but it hurts, don't it?

the alligator crawl: get into the bottom position of a push-up and crawl around, moving your left arm and leg at the same time, then your right. This is the hardest one for me

horse stance: basically, just squat and hold it for time with your arms out in front of you, or, preferably, up in your guard

Ahh, okay now I see. Yeah we did a lot of this crap in Football practice when I was younger. One of my coaches was satanic. He used to make us do crazy-eights in Bear-crawls and crab-walks. We were just kids for fuck's sake. lol

But I had never heard the term "animal yoga" applied to these exercises. We'll have to come up with something a little more tough of a general term.
 
JANUARY 29th

(adding on to what I did this morning)

PM:

animal movements, jumping jacks, light shadowboxing warm-up

6 x 3 minute rounds heavy bag work

4 rounds defensive work (bobbing and weaving advancing under a handwrap stretched across the room at shoulder-height. throw a punch at the top, a body punch in the squat, and then another punch when you pop up to the other side)

burpee (full push-up/tuck jump) pyramid 2,4,6,8,10,8,6,4,2 (50 total) with 20 seconds rest between steps
dumbbell hold finisher

Feeling good
 
JANUARY 30th

Exams tommorow so I had to buckle down and study. Did find time for this, though:

roughly 1 km animal crawl (switching bearcrawl/crabwalk). Hurt all over.
 
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