Road to the Golden Gloves

[Bamaispriceless]

Do you ever spar or work with a trainer? Or do you just hit in-animate objects?

 

[stickmassacre]

Wednesday: 9-24-08

Gym time 9:30am

2 Rounds of shadow boxing

3 Rounds of heavy bag. The last 30 seconds of the 1st round I did a punch out drill. The last 30 seconds of the 2nd round I started firing power shots with left/right hooks and right crosses.

2 Rounds of double end bag. I'm proving on this. I'm even starting to land left hooks more now.

2 Rounds of speed bag. They finally fixed the one speed bag that was small, all the others are extra small. I did much much better on it.

1 Round of skipping rope. Didn't do that well with this.

 

[stickmassacre]

Do you ever spar or work with a trainer? Or do you just hit in-animate objects?

Of course not, my girlfriend burns my toast and I have to spend a couple of hours punching her around the kitchen. Just kidding, I beat her even if she doesn't burn the toast. Anyways...

I'm saving up for a trainer. It's $155 for six classes but I don't want that as I feel like it's going to be just a couple guys babysitting boxers. It's $450 for 10 one hour sessions with a trainer one on one. I got more than half saved. If everything works out I should be working with one by the first week of October.

 

[Bamaispriceless]

Of course not, my girlfriend burns my toast and I have to spend a couple of hours punching her around the kitchen. Just kidding, I beat her even if she doesn't burn the toast. Anyways...

I'm saving up for a trainer. It's $155 for six classes but I don't want that as I feel like it's going to be just a couple guys babysitting boxers. It's $450 for 10 one hour sessions with a trainer one on one. I got more than half saved. If everything works out I should be working with one by the first week of October.

Haha, nice.

Alright, completely understand. Thats a hell of alot of money man, I'm paying $85 a month to attend the best MMA gym in my state full access as often as I wanna train. I know you wanna get into boxing and win the golden glove, but have you thought about MMA as a cheaper alternative?

Does the trainer not work with you without the money, and do you not get to spar without taking the classes? Just curious, Ive never stepped foot in a boxing gym so im uneducated about such things.

 

[stickmassacre]

Haha, nice.

Alright, completely understand. Thats a hell of alot of money man, I'm paying $85 a month to attend the best MMA gym in my state full access as often as I wanna train. I know you wanna get into boxing and win the golden glove, but have you thought about MMA as a cheaper alternative?

Does the trainer not work with you without the money, and do you not get to spar without taking the classes? Just curious, Ive never stepped foot in a boxing gym so im uneducated about such things.

I know, it's a little under two paychecks. But I'm single and still at home for now so I don't have anything that's really sucking up money right now. I'm not sure about the MMA gyms in chicago but the other boxing gyms are just as costly. Also what guys at the gym told me when I asked about it was that they use the training sessions in moderation. Basically they'll work with a trainer once or twice a week and spend the rest of the week working on what they did with their trainer so the benefits of the sessions last for over 3 months that way.

You can spar without taking classes. I don't have a real sparring partner yet. I have a guy from work that's fit and took some karate classes and is the same height/weight as me. I might use him until I can find a regular at the gym.

 

[stickmassacre]

Gym time 9:30am

2 rounds of shadow boxing.

3 rounds of heavy bag.

2 rounds of double end bag.

3 rounds of speed bag. They already broke the small speed bag again.

1 round of speed rope.

 

[stickmassacre]

Hey, sorry for the haitus. Last week a nasty flu put me on my ass but I recovered now.

9:20 am Gym time

2 rounds of shadow boxing. Felt a little sluggish with the footwork.

3 rounds of heavy bag.

2 rounds of double end bag.

2 rounds of speed bag.

 

[mcmcfit]

Keep it up bro, keep it up!

 

[stickmassacre]

Keep it up bro, keep it up!

Thanks man.

Wednesday 10-8-08

2 rounds of shadow boxing

3 rounds of heavy bag. I didn't get tired at all.

2 rounds of double end bag. I did it with my gloves on this time. It felt a little weird a first but I got use to it.

2 rounds of speed bag.

15 minutes of the stationary bike.

I still am saving up and I do have the money but things have come up that I need to sort out first. I'm still planning on hiring a trainer in Oct though.

 

[stickmassacre]

9:30 am Gym time

1 mile warm up jog.

1 round of shadow boxing

3 rounds of heavy bag. I used King Kabuki heavy bag 101. 1st round just jabbing. I realize I only throw double or single, I need to start trying to at least tripling it up. 2nd round just right crosses. I feel very lethal with my right hand. Doubling up with the cross felt great. 3rd round lead hooks, I feel like my hooks are starting to get wider than they should be.

2 rounds on double end bag.

2 rounds on speed bag.

I've been looking for a trainer the past week. Watching the trainers with their fighters and I met one that I think I'm going to hire. Freddie Cuevas. I introduced myself and let him know I was interested and the first thing he said was that trains his fighters HARD. A couple guys told me that he trains people like he's pissed at them. Which is exactly what I want.

 

[stickmassacre]

9:30 am Gym time

2 rounds of shadow boxing.

3 rounds of heavy bag. Nothing too special here.

2 rounds of double end bag. I did this with my gloves again, I hit the bag a lot more with the gloves.

2 rounds of speed bag.

I stayed afterward to watch a couple guys spar for 3 rounds. Tom is a upcoming fighter that just started a couple weeks ago and trains with this huge guy named Victor. He has very good movement, very fluid, and throws an incredible uppercut. The other guy named Javier that showed up yesterday. Nice guy, kind of keeps to himself though. The first round Tom just pretty much outboxed him with a series of jabs and uppercuts. The second round Tom started to get tired and Javier was just tagging him with uppercuts through his guard. Tom just started leaning on him and hitting with wide hooks to the body. Third round Javier pretty schooled the kid. He started slipping Tom's jab like Whitaker. Tom was out of gas and start clinching to survive the end of the round.

I talked a little to Javier after the session, turns out that he worked out Pernell Whitaker a couple years ago. He said he looked so much from the guy. It was a pretty entertaining show. I can't wait to spar.

 

[stickmassacre]

9:30 am Gym time

1 mile jog

2 rounds of shadow boxing.

3 rounds of heavy bag. I wanted to do 4 rounds by my hand started bothering me for some reason.

2 rounds of double end bag.

3 rounds of speed bag.

1 round of skipping rope.

Later that night I went to Hamlin park to check out their annual boxing show. Most of it was entertaining. There were some kid bouts where it was just two youngns beating each other to kingdom come. A girl fight where I felt bad because the better fighter lost. She was too hesitant to win even though she was better skilled when she did engage. Freddie was there with one of his fighters that won. And the last fight was a heavyweight fight that was god awful. Nothing but 5 punches and then holding and clinching on and off for the rest of the round.

 

[stickmassacre]

I got some good news for you guys.

9:30 am Gym time

1 mile run

I don't remember how many rounds I shadow boxed I was watching Tom spar some other kid for about 3 rounds.

4 rounds on heavy bag. Practicing volume punching and a 1-2-1-2 combo. The first three punches (1-2-1) are all quick punches then I finish with a power right hand. Trying to sneak bombs in speed combos.

3 rounds of speed bag

2 rounds of double end bag.

I talked to Javier and turns out he's only visiting til thursday so I asked if he wanted to spar tomorrow. He was happy to do it. So I have my first sparring session tomorrow. I had a mix of feelings about it. I'm confident that I can hold my own. I'm anxious that I might get an ass kicking. But I finally found a perfect mindset for me.

Live or die, I'm ready for war.

 

[Bamaispriceless]

Great training dude.

Hey, it's just a sparring session man. Don't worry about it. If he's close to your skill level, then you'll do fine.

 

[stickmassacre]

Great training dude.

Hey, it's just a sparring session man. Don't worry about it. If he's close to your skill level, then you'll do fine.

Thanks man.

It's the other way around though. I'll be lucky if I'm close to his skill level. This guy has trained with Pernell Whittaker for a little bit and can emulate his defensive slickness very well.

 

[Bamaispriceless]

Thanks man.

It's the other way around though. I'll be lucky if I'm close to his skill level. This guy has trained with Pernell Whittaker for a little bit and can emulate his defensive slickness very well.

Just don't be intimidated. How hard will you guys be sparring?

 

[stickmassacre]

Just don't be intimidated. How hard will you guys be sparring?

Not that hard, I told how I don't have a trainer yet and everything. He's a very respectable dude and understands that sparring is to learn from each other not trying to kill each other. So I'm not that worried just excited more than anything.

 

[Bamaispriceless]

Not that hard, I told how I don't have a trainer yet and everything. He's a very respectable dude and understands that sparring is to learn from each other not trying to kill each other. So I'm not that worried just excited more than anything.

Ah, cool.

First sparring session is always nervous. First time I sparred in boxing I was real nervous...then I realized getting hit in the head isn't sooo bad. I usually stick in the 70% range when sparring right now, Im slowly building up the intensity though. First time I sparred around 95% or so, I went with the comp team and was pissing blood that night...evidently my body took some evil shots.

 

[stickmassacre]

9:10am Gym time

4 rounds straight of shadow boxing to warm up.

3 rounds sparring.

In short I got my ass kicked. It felt great though. Ever since I've been at Jabb's I couldn't wait to get in that ring. Kicking ass or getting my ass kicked, I wanted to fight. It wasn't so bad though, fatigue killed me worse than pain. I ate a lot of shots and even got clocked in the throat accidentally (the only part of me that is still sore). I had pretty much fell in a beginner's trap of being too tense and gassing because of it. After the second round, I prayed for death. But I did do some things well though. Javier said I have a good strong jab and I did pretty well for my first time. One of my finer moments of the session was when Javier dropped in his hands and tried to get me to head hunt, I dropped down and fired a right hand in the body that backed him off for a little bit.

Things I need improve on:
-Ring comfort.
-The ability to hide the fact I'm hurt.
-RELAXING. Biggest one of all. I started to adapt to the sparring situation. I stopped moving back and started to pressure him a little bit but I had no energy to work with. So I was pretty much running into a burning building with an empty fire extinguisher.

The only way I can describe sparring after the fact is like the feeling you get after you rode your first roller coaster. You don't know if you liked it or not but you sure as hell want to ride it again.

Finished up with two rounds on the speed bag.

Great day, I'm thinking of talking to Freddie if there's tomorrow morning about his schedule and plans on working with him.

 

[Bamaispriceless]

Heck yeah bro! Good stuff.

Coming from someone who also routinely gets his ass kicked by better boxers...distance, movement, footwork, and the jab are your friends.