The Journey (Boxing Log)

viel cazzo

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Just some info on my.
29 year Old , Ex-Navy Rescue Swimmer. 5'11" 245lbs on 4/11/08 and as of 4/30/08 235 lbs.

Ok, so I've posted previously that I was being train in November by Louie Resto and I got told by a bunch of people it was ok and if he's sorry for the whole ordeal to give him a chance and see what happens. As it turns out I didn't particularly care for his style and lack of fundamentals while training me. What I mean by fundamentals is he never taught me how to punch correctly ( I had an idea but knew there was more to it then just lobbing my fist toward an object). I gave him a month of working with me and broke my ****carpal by throwing punches incorrectly and hard (at his behest) and I was out of training as quick as I started.

I began to train mid Arpil and am using another trainer at the gym. His name is Willie and he's a nice guy who's old school and who really takes time with me. He deals with my excitement and anticipation and treats me like I think a coach should. If I mess up he corrects me and if I keep on he will pretty much stop all training and give me a "what the hell are you doing talk" which motivates me to do it right because I hate them talks! he swears I have a ton of power and he's not worried about me going hard he just wants me to get footwork and technique right. I feel really good about him and I enjoy working out now as before it was more of a chore.

Ok so here is the meat and potatoes:
Goals:
- Get Weight to 190 or so.

- Fight Golden Gloves in January ( willie says it's doable with my ability to pick up new techniques)

- Maintain 3 sessions a week 2 hours a day of gym work and also incorporate a diet and excersice regiment outside of the boxing gym. As January gets closer maybe up that gym workouts to 5 days a week. ( right now it's not possible as I get married in August and it's just really hectic).


Gym Workout as of 4/15/08- 4/30/08
Stretching
50 Jumping jacks
2 rounds of shadowboxing
25 jumping jacks
arm circles 20 one way and 20 other way (you look like an airplane and rotate arms)
1 rounds shadow boxing
4 rounds of mitt work or footwork or both together
2-4 rounds of bag work Either uppercut bag or the big fat round bag good for all punches (forget the name as we call the bag bubba)
1-2 rounds of movement around ring getting used to circling around an opponent shadowboxing.
Head down to the gym:
25 Situps As of 4/30/08 (I know I'm a fat ass)
12 knees to chest on machine used for dips (sorry don't know real name)
20 leg elevations (back on floor holding pole lifting legs to the pole and slowly lowering them).
Medicine ball work 50 passes (around body to another person)
50 Rows either with medicine ball or with machine if it's open/working.
End of workout:
Stretch a lot and head home.

Interesting notes: My trainer / coach tells me I have some of the most muscular legs he's seen and when I learn to really punch with my true power I will hurt people. He also like the fact that if he walks away to speak to someone or to go tot he rest room he comes back and I'm working as hard as when he left. Said I have good work ethic and that he's proud I'm not a quitter. He went so far as to scream in the gym yesterday see this guy here ... he's working harder then all you bums and he's only been coming for 3 weeks... At that point the gym exploded with thuds as people unloaded into their bags to try to show me up which (I gotta admit quite a few did).

I don't know if we are allowed or supposed to ask for advice in this area but if anyone could give me a cheap/ effective idea for something to eat/drink before working out so I don't "Hit the wall" It'd be apprecaited. Thanks for taking the time to read this.
 
4/30/08
Today is my off day as I'm still getting used to working out and I decided to get rid of some of the aches/soreness by doing some light excercise.

Stretching for about 15 mins
50 Jumping Jacks
25 Situps
25 Jumping Jacks
15 situps (slow as ever)
25 Pushups
15 minute bike ride- Around the neighborhood varying terrain.
Stretched and called it a night.

Tonight it's boxing gym time again.
 
5/1/08
I'm trying to get into shape a bit more before I start to run. I find if I run and go to the gym my workout isn't half as good. Once I get accustomed to working out I will incorporate running or bike riding.

Stretching 15 mins (prone to mucle cramps)

50 Jumping jacks

Shadow boxing for 2 rounds

50 jumping jacks ( i do this to work a good sweat)

5 rounds mitts *1 rounds slow to get technique down, 2 rounds faster pace and last 2 rounds as fast as I can without messing up form/footing.

3 Rounds on the double end bag doing 1,2,3 combos.

2 Rounds on double end bag doing 1,2,3,1,2

and finally 2 rounds of 1,2,3,1,2,3,5,6

I then went to the Speed bag and went 4 rounds ( I'm learning so the first 2 rounds were pretty much me trying to get it down and the last 2 rounds I actually got a small rythm down. My trainer Willie was impressed.

I was then taught the correct way to jump rope and a trip to learning it. When I tried before he showed me I almost broke my face. 1.5 rounds jumping rope and WHAMO!!!!! Charlie Horse in my right Calf!!

I was already getting pretty tired and it was getting late so I called it a day.

Willie said something about a possible ammy bout some time in Oct,Nov he said I've got a lot of natural ability and tons of power. He needs to work on keeping me from getting off balance so much and pushing forward (All my TMA experience has shown me to attack and retreat to a safe distance usually further then a leg could kick). He said he thinks I could be ready for Golden gloves in Jan.'

On a side note I haven't felt this good in a long time. I am already getting compliments about how I look like I'm loosing weight. I don't want to look at the scale yet. I want it to be a shocking experience. I have 5/24 as the next weigh in date.

The hardest part of this whole ordeal is eating right. I have a lot to learn about nutrition. I have the basics down but I can see a consultation with a nutritionist in the near future.

Thank you for reading this log and this whole section of the boards has really been an inspiration to me to go after soemthing I've dreamed about since I was about 8 years old and saw Lou Delvalle Walk into my barbershop with those golden gloves around his neck.
 
5/5/08 Cinco De Mayo!

Started with 15 min warmup/stretches

50 Jumping Jacks

25 airplanes both directions -(Holding arms out at side making circles)

5 Rounds hitting fists of trainer (his hobo mitts he calls them)

4 Rounds heavy bag doing combos and moving

1 round speed bag.

To the gym we went!

2 rounds of rowing at highest setting the machine would go.

50x hump machine (Don't know real name but you grab the bar and use your whole body to push up off the seat looking like your humping the air)

25 Hump machine inside small V Grip

I was drained at this time and didn't have much left to give.

1 rounds step machine

3 rounds stationary bike at low resistance.

Notes: I didn't eat well all day as I only ingested peanuts and an hour or so before the gym I decided to eat a slice of bread with cheese. Two things happened today and I learned my lesson. First I threw up for the first time in the gym (Peanuts and Cheese = nasty) and I felt like I had the crap beat out of me. I will not be repeating that again.

My trainer is still trying to clean up my left hook but discovered I throw all punches Technically better standing Southpaw. I was demonstrating how I can do it lefty but not righty and he asked which do I feel stronger and I told him orthodox.

He wants to hone my skills orthodox and then work me southpaw to change things up if we have to in a fight.

I also reached out to one of the members of this forum for advice on eating as I have read the diet and suppliment FAQ and still have a ton of questions. I don't know if he wants me to mention his name (He might get 100000 requests for help then) but he knows who he is and I'm very appreciative.

Thanks for all the support guys it means a lot to me.
 
5/6/08
Really pressed for time but wanted to go to the gym anyway so had an express workout today.

10 mins stretching

4 rounds combos on the heavy bag (not moving around)

2 rounds Combos moving around bag with head movement.

3 Rounds moving around a traffic cone shadow boxing

1 round speed bag.

Downstairs for conditioning:
25 situps
62 hump machine
32 hump machine close upside down V grip

20 Medicine ball Twists (sitting on floor legs straight out and twisting the ball from one side of my body to the ground and back to the other side).
12 minutes of Stationary bike. ( I had to jet after this).

My left hook sucks and it's really pissing me off. When I think I throw it and it feels unnatural he praises me when I think I'm throwing it right he yells at me.
 
When I think I throw it and it feels unnatural he praises me when I think I'm throwing it right he yells at me.

Welcome to the World of being trained by a true trainer.
 
I can't tell if you're being scarcastic or being honest King lol. It's nice to have him break things down to me in the simplist form as It's easy to get confused when you're just learning the terminology/reasoning for doing things/excersices.

Willie has told me not to worry about impressing him or the other people in the gym and just focus on what I'm doing ( I tend to get to caught up in trying to get it done faster combos...etc.etc. and harder then he wants me to. I've been working on that lately and with time I'm sure it will work out.

I am getting addicted to hitting the mitts. I love them. I could do it for hours if I were able to. I don't even realize the bell has rung and keep going until he looks at the damn thing and yells at me!! lol. It's a great feeling and I can see why so many people are in love with this sport.

Since I began training in Nov I've been watching some fights and have taken a peek as some of the fights in Kings log and I've picked up on some things and bring them up in coversation with Willie and he said I have a decent eye for someone just starting out and that I'm very intuitive. I hope that plays out well in the ring.
 
Great log man, and King was being honest, not sarcastic.

Dont worry about your left hook, it is probably the hardest thing in the world to learn, no bullshit. It took me hours and hours to get it right, and i still over rotate my body when i throw it.

And for a pre workout snack i like either a banana or a peanut butter and jelley on whoel wheat bread. I eat them about an hour before i workout and it sits fine on my stomach. If i eat a normal sandwich 2 hours before training i will yack it up so be careful what you eat. The banana always makes me feel best, PBandJ is a close second.

A couple other little tips i learned, teh hard way, is to make sure you are wraping your hands correctly and snug every time. Learning to throw a hook, you are going to be putting some stress on your wrist when it lands wrong so make sure you have your wraps on good. Even ask your trainer to watch you as you do your wraps to make sure you do them right.

Also stretch your wrists after each session. KInda like where you look like you are praying but you have one hand higher up with yoru palm on the other hands fingers and you push on them a little. I have terrible range of motion now because i didnt do this and i tweaked my wrist throwing shitty hooks.

Lastly try to add one round during your bagwork of just jabs. I got this from Kings Heavybag 101 thread in the FAQ(thanks king). Your jab is going to be super important, especially in amatures, so you want to have a good one. If you add one round of jabs a workout, in a month your jab is going to be 10x ahead of where it would be had you just done normal bagwork.

Good luck with the training man, ill be readin your log form now on.
 
Thank you for the comments and reading. I just tried to stretch my wrist the way you stated and whoa.. my right one has been bothering me today all day and when I did that it really hurt. I have been prone to injury with this wrst and yesterday I forgot to bring tape so I just went with Wraps...needless to say I won't be forgetting my tape any more.

My trainer usually wraps my hands for me, Not that I can't but he does it the way they do in amatuers and wants me to get used to it ( I suppose it's diffrent then they do when you're pro).

As for pre workout meal I have to be very careful as I've got a horrible case of IBS ( I was told Colotis by a few Dr.s but come to findout it's really IBS) So I need to make sure it doesn't make spend most of my workout in the toilet.

I will watch them video's when I get home thanks!
 
Only stretch your wrist after your workout, when it is warm. Stretching a cold muscle can cause more damage and acctually reduce the flexibility. After you warmup with your shadowboxing/jump rope i like to kinda flick my wrists around and roll em around to get the blood flowing and loosen em up a bit. Dont stretch them after this though, wait until after your workout. I cant remember the exact timeframe, but stretching your muscles will reduce the strength and coordination for a time of up to one hour i believe.
 
5/12/08

Took a few days off because I hurt my right wrist again in the gym. I also had some personal things come up that made it difficult to make the gym. I did a few pushups and crunches on my off days. I also did lots of stretching.

I work a monstrous Veterans hospital in NYC and walk the stairs every day lately. 9 floors 180 steps up and down.. I've been running down and running up only get to the 7th floor before I start to get the pain.. I'm working on it... I hope to be able to run up then down in the same set. Est. completion date of that will be 6/30.

Today I did the following:

15 minis stretching
2 minutes of jumping jacks fast and furious.
35 airplanes both ways
1 Round jumping rope (my calves kill me I must do this every day)
6 rounds mitt work 2 rounds jab move slip, 2 rounds 1,2,3,4,1,2,3 and 2 rounds of slip 1,2,3,slip,1,2,3,4.
Hit the speed bag for 1 round did ok.

Gym downstairs
20 Situps 25% incline

50 medicine ball twists sitting upright

45 - 6" I call them. I hold a persons legs or a brace at the gym and bring my legs up and 6" above the floor.

27 medicine ball twists sitting upright

Made up an exercise Willie loved ..Held the medicine ball on my right side with hands at pocket area and passed it over my head to my other hand back down to my pocket on the other side. Did 25 of these...killed my shoulders.

Did the Bowling exercise 25 times both sides and was out of energy.

Things I did good...
I didn't stop no matter how bad It burned or hurt or I wanted to.
I am learning how to sit lower with my legs bent more naturally.

things I sucked at....

Staying low (my legs started to burn and I would get upright to correct this and get popped in the mouth/face with the mitts).

Evading punches coming at me.

Slipping correctly and pivoting right after.

Not being crisp with my double jabs (no pop he says)

I am not going to get deterred at all I'm paying him to teach me and he's pointing out what I'm doing incorrectly and I don't get mad I just try to incorporate everything into what I'm doing or not doing.

Willie seems to like the fact i don't take things personally and I have thick skin. And today we had a chat about why he likes training me (I really thought he might be just saying this so I didn't fire him lol) but he seems sincere. Says older guys need to realize they aren't dead yet and have the knowledge to be able to go slower and get the basics down faster then these youngsters.

I keep hearing from everyone about how much weight I'm loosing I don't see it as much any more but I don't really look. I won't step on a scale until 5/24. I don't want to see the needle not moving and get discouraged.

Ok enough of my rambling I will stfu now and try to take a nice hot/cold shower and get some sleep.
 
Good work man, take care of those wrists. And dont get discouraged, double jab is a pain in the ass.

And dont worry about how much you weight because you are probably replacing fat with muscle so the scale might not move a whole lot. If you want to track your progress, take before and after pics. Scales dont show the whole picture. You might weight MORE than when you started, but still might have lost a significant ammount of fat and replaced it with muscle.
 
I already have a pic from Decemeber with Matt Serra that I would like to post but I can't host it while I'm at work. If anyone is willing to lend me a hand I can send you a before pic and a current to put in this thread. let me know via email. Thanks people.
 
5/13/08
15 minutes of stretching

2 rounds of shadow boxing
* at this point something dawned on me.. I should really be fighting southpaw. The reason I say this is all my punches be it right or left are crisp and have a nice Pop to them. I spoke to Willie at this point and he asked I show him.

After 3 rounds of mitts he said I should defiantly go for southpaw.

2 rounds heavy bag moving forward double jabs and hooks upstairs as well as downstairs.

2 rounds of speed bag

2 more rounds mitt work

Gym:
75 Rows
25 hump machine
2 rounds of shoulder exercises ( my left shoulder keeps popping)
20 Crunches (stomach is pretty sore from yesterday)
3 rounds stationary bike (Grueling pace)
25 more rows (I like to keep things in even numbers if possible)
1 round of jump rope but my damn right calf is still cramping up even after everything I'm doing stretch wise.
25 twist ups both ways
Attempted to do a pull up.... Didn't go so well.

I may be pushing myself to hard to fast and it's something I need to realize once I'm in the gym. I feel like I can keep going no matter what. I rarely get the shoulder burn I used to now that I'm going southpaw as I'm way more relaxed in that stance.

Things I did well:
-Stepped with my jabs and landed them crisp and with a great pop.
-Moved around more and smoother
- Kept going no matter what the ring timer said! ( I keep forgetting to pay attention to that thing.

Things I didn't do well
- I gotta remember what 1 means now that I'm southpaw
- Footwork although it was easier for me I still need to learn which foot moves first in this stance while moving left or right.
- Need to relax more as far as anticipating punches ( slip exercise)

Today got a call from my lawyer and my clothing line will be ready legally in 3 weeks... I'm excited!

If you've taken the time to read this thank you very much. Knowing someone might one day read this and decide to change their lives is great motivation for me.

Tomorrow I will post my diet. I need some help here as the basics I have down as far as trying to eat greens with every meal and so forth. I just could use someone to maybe give me other ideas is all. I've already read the FAQ and some of that stuff is a little more advance then my simple minded edumacation of body mechanisms.
 
On a side note my frigging knuckles are killing me. I'm hitting a lot harder apparently. Anyone have any ideas as to what I can do to limit the pain/discomfort? I'm probably going to put ice on them for now but is this normal? I know a newbish question.
 
5/14

Stretched 15 minutes

Jogged for 1 mile.

shadow boxed 2 minutes (wrists are killing me so cut it short).

20 crunches

100 Jumping Jacks!!!

20 crunches

20 Jumping Jacks

10 Crunches

10 Jumping jacks

10 minute cool down on bike.

Stretched and relaxed the rest of the day.

I'm trying to get my wrists under control. They are a little swollen and really uncomfortable right now. I was really hitting that bag hard the other day and learned my lesson. I need to slow the hell down with power punches until my body gets used to it.
I was happy / showing off to Willie because I can connect so much better South paw. I won't make that mistake again..I hope!
 
What brand/size of glove are you using for your bagwork? My knuckles would bother me sometime, but usualy i had trouble iwth my wrists. Ask in Kings log, but from my understanding you want to land your punchs with your two BIG knuckles. Sometimes my two small knuckles would get a little sore when i was landing my punchs wrong.

- RossTraining.com :: View topic - Links to STICKBOXER's compilations of boxing technique vid's

That link has a TON of links to boxing technique videos.

Rival Boxing Gear - Training Tips
This link has a set of good videos as well.
 

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