Time to crank up the old blog again. No I've not stepped back into the ring. It's time to say one final farewell to the sport from a hospital operating theatre where a long awaited operation called a septoplasty was lined up for me after a wait of many months. This is an operation to realign a deviated septum (the cartilage in the nose) which was causing me no end of problems breathing, particularly at night.
I was admitted to ward 7 of the Royal Glamorgan Hospital. There were five other beds, all full. Opposite me was an old chap in stripy pyjamas in for a hernia who looked like he was still in costume from the set of Dad's army. Next to him was a young lad in for a gruesome looking knee replacement. Then there was a very old fellow who kept getting out of bed and caused me to rush to get a nurse before his catheter was ripped from his body as he ambled away. He disappeared when I woke up from a short nap. Another young guy in for a scan on some sort of blood clot and then next to me was trombone man. He was also in for a hernia and had an annoying habit of making random trombone noises incessantly - even when he was asleep. I had my ipod, but in the rush to leave home via a waiting taxi I forgot my headphones so the only respite was to sleep.
At about 1pm the surgeon paid me a visit. He had an air of casualness and kept drawing anaglies between pilots and his job "I can't fly a plane, but they couldn't do my job either." Not quite sure what his point was, but I made a point of engaging him in conversation for longer than he was planning on the notion that if we bonded in some way he would do a better job and not mess my nose up like Michael Jackson. Up until his visit to my bed, I admit I was pretty nervous and had done the obligatory google searches on things that can go wrong in operating theatres and looked for pictures of nasal surgery - there's not a lot of room up there!
At 2pm I changed in to a green checked gown several sizes too small for me and 30 minutes later was escorted by the anesthetist to follow her. Because the gown only covered about 66% of my circumference she put another one on backwards and because again in my rush to leave home I did not pack my slippers, I looked quite a sight walking down the corridors in my heavy leather boots and knee high gown billowing behind me like some caped crusader.
In a small lobby I had to lie on a bed while three nurses had a discussion about whether my underpants contained nylon. After some debate I had to put on a pair of see-through paper pants that ripped in half as I pulled them up, was connected to several machines and halfway through the usual banal pre-anasthetic conversation about the difference between labradors and golden retrievers all I can remember is feeling like I was taking off into space and then waking back in my ward with an oxygen mask on.
I felt nothing apart from sleepy and a wet sensation from a blood-soaked bandage over my face. My nose was numb and I thought about the last time I had an operation to remove my four impacted wisdom teeth and I was violently sick. That became a reality in an instant as, in front of my ward companions who were being served their dinner, I went green and was violently sick over myself, the bed and my pride. I was surprised by how much blood I had swallowed during the operation and the scene reminded me of the opening bit of a book about the ebola virus I read once. The nurses were great though and within a few minutes had transformed my bed from a war zone into a fresh one where I fell into a deep hazy sleep.
I was awoken by a nurse at 5am prodding me with some forceps telling me it was time to remove the nose packs. Still not fully awake I held a tray under my chin while she performed an indelicate procedure of tugging what seemed like a 10ft swollen tampon from each nostril. I can politely describe the sensation as strange, but struggle to find an adjective to describe the feeling of having your eyeballs forcibly extracted through your nostrils.
When it was done I lay back on my bed and and for the first time could feel clean air flow through my nose. The operation was a complete success and I can breathe again. The consultant said it was complicated because the cartilage in my nose was smashed into 12 pieces that were floating around in a gelatinous mass. It took 45 minutes to piece it back together through a tiny incision in one nostril. Full credit to him and his team for an excellent job. There are some truly horrendous videos on the web of the procedure (and pack removal) on youtube if anyone's brave enough to venture over there for a look...
I really miss boxing, but value breathing more. My boxing gloves and boots are hanging in my garage luring me to get them down again one day. We'll see what happens.
October 1, 2009
September 1, 2008
That's All
There's been quite a gap since I last updated this blog, but don't worry, I've kept up the training but just not got around to writing about it. The tempo at the gym has upped a bit due to the cardiff exhibition fight which is 2 weeks away now so everyone's fitness levels (and aggression levels) seem to be on the up. Little Nick's son Ash who is 18 has joined us. He is a southpaw like Joe Calzaghe which is very confusing to fight, and hard not to step on his feet but he is fast and sharp but easy to read.
Thankfully I've missed a few sessions which have given me time to recover from a broken nose - a glancing blow from Geraint whilst I was on the ropes (head down like it shouldn't be) cut me but seemed to do more damage internally. Whatever matter lies beneath the bridge of my nose now clicks to the press and has a tendency to block completely allowing no air to pass whatsoever which is making sleeping well very difficult, waking with a bone dry mouth gasping for air. The bruising on my nose lasted about a week, but this and another black eye prompted me to invest in a headguard as I can't go on getting smashed up like this.
1st September - Monday night
------------------------
I had a strange feeling tonight beforehand and arrived 30 mins early to warm up. Jason arrived and said that Dave had pulled out of the exhibition and Geraint said he was talked back into taking part after getting last minute worries. Yaz had disappeared and some of the fighters from Steve Robinson's gym have backed out too.
Sparring with Ash was good and I found that a good way to get into a southpaw with open guard is with a right hand lead. Probably one of my best punches ever landed square on his forehead sending him reeling backwards. I think the headguard is a bad thing - it made me sloppy and I took more risks and took blows to my head I would never have risked before, plus it was distracting when it slipped up or down.
A round with Bowen was a good one from my point of view, though he was having a bad night and on the defensive and easy to beat. He's a lot smaller than me for sure, but he dropped his hands and did not take advantage of any easy body shots to me which would have put me out. Putting my left hand out like a feeler, almost touching his forehead seemed to unnerve his advance and made keeping distance easy - not to mention doubling the speed of a left right combination.
My last round back with Ash and he seemed to be going all out. He is fitter than me (and 20 years younger!) and the fight was twice the speed of usual. Whether this made me tired, or my headguard-induced laxness made me careless but he got some vicious left hooks across my face, one of which I could feel made contact with my face. The round was over and I reluctantly looked at myself in the mirror. Yet again I was bleeding - this time blood trickling out of a curving slit in my left eyelid. For fuck's sake - the headguard was meant to avoid this and here I am with the most dangerous damage yet sustained in over 9 months of boxing.
I felt devastated, angry, upset and frustrated. Jas said I was up next for a round with Geraint but I excused myself on account of my eye and left the gym. Driving home through torrential rain I felt inconsolable and devastated. Something in me had said this was one damage too far and I should hang up my gloves once and for all. Remembering how I was the new boy back when I started without any clue, to my dedication to training twice a week, almost without a break, so that I could be proud of my progress, skill and fitness was emotional. The concept of throwing in the towel felt like leaving a good friend and as I got onto the M4, the visibility was almost zero partly due to the spray from the incessant rain, and partly from a few tears of frustration and sadness mixing with the blood and stinging open cut.
When I got home I initially felt I had let Jason and the other lads down by quitting. Moreover I had let myself down in breaking my resolve to fight in a public exhibition and put on my best ever performance. All those months of effort, training, fitness and metal focus on boxing skills seemed to me wasted.
Now a few hours and a couple of glasses of red on, I feel somewhat relieved of the incessant pressure in the back of my mind that the next training session was only 1 day or 12 hours or one hour away; that I had to hydrate and focus (which is hard going straight from a desk job to the boxing ring, believe me!). Although my nose is still not 100% and my eye is burning, the thought of no more injuries, particularly smashed ribs that made even the simplest thing like turning over in bed an elaborate and excruciating exercise, sound quite appealing.
I will miss the feeling of bearing down on an opponent in the ring, driving him onto the ropes and then having the choice of delivering hooks to his head or his body, or let him come back onto me with left rights, giving me a chance to counterpunch over his jabs with my particular strength of a left jab left jab right hook combination. Nothing can match that exhilaration and it is on that high that all the tension and apprehension prior to a fight lives a thousand miles away.
Becoming a boxer has given me some valuable lessons in life, not just in sport and now that I have commited to stop, I thought I would write them down for the record.
First, boxing is certainly one of the hardest things I've done and from what I hear, one of the hardest sports to participate in. Stepping into the ring is like stepping into another world - a lonely one where all you have is your skill and fitness (or at least in my case, relative levels of both, the latter usually failing first, closely followed by the former!). It is not, as many of the uninitiated would thing, a violent sport. Sure there is physical punishment, but the camaraderie between sparring partners and the mutual respect between them is a great thing. Saying this, I felt some of this was lacking in my final round with Ash which is how things turned out for the worse.
Second, I have felt what it is to be taken to the limit, and then with 30 seconds left in a round, to have to dig deep and find the commitment, energy and drive to finish off. On this basis I think that "last mile" lies in the mind and with the right amount of willpower, you can always finish.
Third, it is true: you do not feel pain in the ring. Anyone who has had the lack of anything better to do and bothered reading any of my previous blog posts will notice that I have had pain in many parts of my body but I have always managed to overcome and fight.
Fourth and probably the biggest lesson to take out of this is that when you think you're at the limit of anything, be it a boxing round, a run or something boring everyday task... don't slow down for the finish line - imagine that you have to repeat it over again. Speed up, find endurance and get on with it. With boxing there is no room to relax and no second chances. Extrapolate this to everyday life and you will find you can exceed your potential.
So, as the title of this entry says: That's all.
If anyone wants to buy an as-new Cleto Reyes headgear, worn only once, it'll be on eBay tomorrow...
Thankfully I've missed a few sessions which have given me time to recover from a broken nose - a glancing blow from Geraint whilst I was on the ropes (head down like it shouldn't be) cut me but seemed to do more damage internally. Whatever matter lies beneath the bridge of my nose now clicks to the press and has a tendency to block completely allowing no air to pass whatsoever which is making sleeping well very difficult, waking with a bone dry mouth gasping for air. The bruising on my nose lasted about a week, but this and another black eye prompted me to invest in a headguard as I can't go on getting smashed up like this.
1st September - Monday night
------------------------
I had a strange feeling tonight beforehand and arrived 30 mins early to warm up. Jason arrived and said that Dave had pulled out of the exhibition and Geraint said he was talked back into taking part after getting last minute worries. Yaz had disappeared and some of the fighters from Steve Robinson's gym have backed out too.
Sparring with Ash was good and I found that a good way to get into a southpaw with open guard is with a right hand lead. Probably one of my best punches ever landed square on his forehead sending him reeling backwards. I think the headguard is a bad thing - it made me sloppy and I took more risks and took blows to my head I would never have risked before, plus it was distracting when it slipped up or down.
A round with Bowen was a good one from my point of view, though he was having a bad night and on the defensive and easy to beat. He's a lot smaller than me for sure, but he dropped his hands and did not take advantage of any easy body shots to me which would have put me out. Putting my left hand out like a feeler, almost touching his forehead seemed to unnerve his advance and made keeping distance easy - not to mention doubling the speed of a left right combination.
My last round back with Ash and he seemed to be going all out. He is fitter than me (and 20 years younger!) and the fight was twice the speed of usual. Whether this made me tired, or my headguard-induced laxness made me careless but he got some vicious left hooks across my face, one of which I could feel made contact with my face. The round was over and I reluctantly looked at myself in the mirror. Yet again I was bleeding - this time blood trickling out of a curving slit in my left eyelid. For fuck's sake - the headguard was meant to avoid this and here I am with the most dangerous damage yet sustained in over 9 months of boxing.
I felt devastated, angry, upset and frustrated. Jas said I was up next for a round with Geraint but I excused myself on account of my eye and left the gym. Driving home through torrential rain I felt inconsolable and devastated. Something in me had said this was one damage too far and I should hang up my gloves once and for all. Remembering how I was the new boy back when I started without any clue, to my dedication to training twice a week, almost without a break, so that I could be proud of my progress, skill and fitness was emotional. The concept of throwing in the towel felt like leaving a good friend and as I got onto the M4, the visibility was almost zero partly due to the spray from the incessant rain, and partly from a few tears of frustration and sadness mixing with the blood and stinging open cut.
When I got home I initially felt I had let Jason and the other lads down by quitting. Moreover I had let myself down in breaking my resolve to fight in a public exhibition and put on my best ever performance. All those months of effort, training, fitness and metal focus on boxing skills seemed to me wasted.
Now a few hours and a couple of glasses of red on, I feel somewhat relieved of the incessant pressure in the back of my mind that the next training session was only 1 day or 12 hours or one hour away; that I had to hydrate and focus (which is hard going straight from a desk job to the boxing ring, believe me!). Although my nose is still not 100% and my eye is burning, the thought of no more injuries, particularly smashed ribs that made even the simplest thing like turning over in bed an elaborate and excruciating exercise, sound quite appealing.
I will miss the feeling of bearing down on an opponent in the ring, driving him onto the ropes and then having the choice of delivering hooks to his head or his body, or let him come back onto me with left rights, giving me a chance to counterpunch over his jabs with my particular strength of a left jab left jab right hook combination. Nothing can match that exhilaration and it is on that high that all the tension and apprehension prior to a fight lives a thousand miles away.
Becoming a boxer has given me some valuable lessons in life, not just in sport and now that I have commited to stop, I thought I would write them down for the record.
First, boxing is certainly one of the hardest things I've done and from what I hear, one of the hardest sports to participate in. Stepping into the ring is like stepping into another world - a lonely one where all you have is your skill and fitness (or at least in my case, relative levels of both, the latter usually failing first, closely followed by the former!). It is not, as many of the uninitiated would thing, a violent sport. Sure there is physical punishment, but the camaraderie between sparring partners and the mutual respect between them is a great thing. Saying this, I felt some of this was lacking in my final round with Ash which is how things turned out for the worse.
Second, I have felt what it is to be taken to the limit, and then with 30 seconds left in a round, to have to dig deep and find the commitment, energy and drive to finish off. On this basis I think that "last mile" lies in the mind and with the right amount of willpower, you can always finish.
Third, it is true: you do not feel pain in the ring. Anyone who has had the lack of anything better to do and bothered reading any of my previous blog posts will notice that I have had pain in many parts of my body but I have always managed to overcome and fight.
Fourth and probably the biggest lesson to take out of this is that when you think you're at the limit of anything, be it a boxing round, a run or something boring everyday task... don't slow down for the finish line - imagine that you have to repeat it over again. Speed up, find endurance and get on with it. With boxing there is no room to relax and no second chances. Extrapolate this to everyday life and you will find you can exceed your potential.
So, as the title of this entry says: That's all.
If anyone wants to buy an as-new Cleto Reyes headgear, worn only once, it'll be on eBay tomorrow...
July 16, 2008
Monday
I had a strange fear of tonight all day, and this got worse when without a warmup I got into the ring with Jason for a couple of rounds of practice which was OK. His mate called Richard Bowen came along who hadn't trained for a while and it was great to spar with someone who could not reach me. I went easy on him but wished I'd used my advantage to practice my combinations.
Now I realise the jab is just half the battle - the rest is to follow on with left -right - left hook - left hook - left hook. We practiced that on the bags.
Another trick is to jab while standing at a slight angle to your opponent - that way he is constantly confused and adjusting his guard.
So a feared session turned into being one that completely restored my confidence and outlook on my improving technique
Now I realise the jab is just half the battle - the rest is to follow on with left -right - left hook - left hook - left hook. We practiced that on the bags.
Another trick is to jab while standing at a slight angle to your opponent - that way he is constantly confused and adjusting his guard.
So a feared session turned into being one that completely restored my confidence and outlook on my improving technique
July 13, 2008
Spare ribs please?
I missed a Monday so had a one to one with Jason on the Tuesday. I have one word - bastard. I did some light sparring with the Addy and Eddie duo from a few months ago which was OK although I was still a little breathless from Nick's deliveries to my ribs the other week.
Then Jason said to take out my gunshield and put on my bag gloves. Why the hell he did that when he was planning to smash me up I don't know - but I'm not happy about it. He's a great boxer and genuinely intimidating the way he moves around the ring constantly calculating my openings. I was feeling a little tired anyway after the four rounds with the other lads, but he decided to practice cutting me off onto the ropes and I did my stupid instinctive thing of putting my head down and covering up instead of punching forwards to ward of the attack. What felt like a huge blow to the right side of my chest knocked all the wind out of me and saw me sliding down the ropes onto the deck with blurry vision from the sharp and increasing pain. He knew I had a sore chest but I think he was trying to teach me what would happen if I didn't listen to him. Bloody hell it hurt, but I was determined not to let him get the better of me so I had a quick water and got back into my stance to carry on - this time a weaker and more breathless.
Because I was angry I again broke my personal rule about getting in too close and he smashed my already sore nose with an uppercut that I saw coming. His thumb caught the bridge of my nose too leaving a small cut and it was yet another case of blood stopping play.
The funny thing with ribs - I think I've said it before, is that the pain from Nick's punches that was previously keeping me awake at night was cancelled out by Jason's new assault and took me to a higher level altogether of complete discomfort. The Friday after, maybe because I got a cold from my nose being blocked, I was sat at my desk in work as a complete shadow of my usual self barely even to lift a cup of lemsip.
Good news - Jason is away on Holiday. I arranged with Dave to still turn up on Monday night and we did eight rounds back to back until we were exhausted. This time I kept my distance and covered my head while jabbing by remembering to keep my right glove touching my eyebrow. Excellent, and it forced him to try hooks to my head and as he got tired his hand dropped and I landed a great cross to his jaw. Another nosebleed, but not so bad as I got tired and walked straight into his jab.
If anyone wants a pro's account of what ribs can be like, read the bit of Muhammad Ali's autobiography where he is sparring to get fit for his comeback after exhile fight against Jerry Quarry. He was floored and only after x-rays showing bruising did he carry on. He also admits that he had to KO Sonny Liston in under two rounds as he had an injured rib and a blow to the body would have finished him off.
If I quit now I'll be leaving a job half done. It's taken this long to get to a stage where I know what I am doing wrong and what I have to do right, and as Dave says - a small correction to a bad habit can make you 50% better. So now as I sit in a rare sunny afternoon I am thinking about tomorrow which will either build on what I have learned or fall down by not thinking fast enough. The men's Wimbledon final was the other week between Federer and Nadal and it showed how vital mental strength is in sport. If 50% improvements can be made by losing bad habits and even more through the right mental state then I should be ok tomorrow!
Then Jason said to take out my gunshield and put on my bag gloves. Why the hell he did that when he was planning to smash me up I don't know - but I'm not happy about it. He's a great boxer and genuinely intimidating the way he moves around the ring constantly calculating my openings. I was feeling a little tired anyway after the four rounds with the other lads, but he decided to practice cutting me off onto the ropes and I did my stupid instinctive thing of putting my head down and covering up instead of punching forwards to ward of the attack. What felt like a huge blow to the right side of my chest knocked all the wind out of me and saw me sliding down the ropes onto the deck with blurry vision from the sharp and increasing pain. He knew I had a sore chest but I think he was trying to teach me what would happen if I didn't listen to him. Bloody hell it hurt, but I was determined not to let him get the better of me so I had a quick water and got back into my stance to carry on - this time a weaker and more breathless.
Because I was angry I again broke my personal rule about getting in too close and he smashed my already sore nose with an uppercut that I saw coming. His thumb caught the bridge of my nose too leaving a small cut and it was yet another case of blood stopping play.
The funny thing with ribs - I think I've said it before, is that the pain from Nick's punches that was previously keeping me awake at night was cancelled out by Jason's new assault and took me to a higher level altogether of complete discomfort. The Friday after, maybe because I got a cold from my nose being blocked, I was sat at my desk in work as a complete shadow of my usual self barely even to lift a cup of lemsip.
Good news - Jason is away on Holiday. I arranged with Dave to still turn up on Monday night and we did eight rounds back to back until we were exhausted. This time I kept my distance and covered my head while jabbing by remembering to keep my right glove touching my eyebrow. Excellent, and it forced him to try hooks to my head and as he got tired his hand dropped and I landed a great cross to his jaw. Another nosebleed, but not so bad as I got tired and walked straight into his jab.
If anyone wants a pro's account of what ribs can be like, read the bit of Muhammad Ali's autobiography where he is sparring to get fit for his comeback after exhile fight against Jerry Quarry. He was floored and only after x-rays showing bruising did he carry on. He also admits that he had to KO Sonny Liston in under two rounds as he had an injured rib and a blow to the body would have finished him off.
If I quit now I'll be leaving a job half done. It's taken this long to get to a stage where I know what I am doing wrong and what I have to do right, and as Dave says - a small correction to a bad habit can make you 50% better. So now as I sit in a rare sunny afternoon I am thinking about tomorrow which will either build on what I have learned or fall down by not thinking fast enough. The men's Wimbledon final was the other week between Federer and Nadal and it showed how vital mental strength is in sport. If 50% improvements can be made by losing bad habits and even more through the right mental state then I should be ok tomorrow!
June 24, 2008
June 23rd - Ribs again
I've not posted for a while but have been keeping up my training. Gutted that a date has now arrived for our first exhibition on 13th September at the Holland House Hotel in Cardiff and I am away that weekend. Never mind - there will be others and I'm not 100% happy that I could perform in front of 500 people for another few months..
Last week was a hard session - not pleasing boxing - more uncontrolled brawling with Little Nick and Dave resulting in me having a massive bleed from both nostrils making the front of my shirt red which I think shocked a few people at the gym. It always looks worse than it is though and the real pain was my ribs from a hard body punch to my heart from Nick.
In the week that followed I finally started to feel that unless something changed I could not go on week on week getting my face smashed in and spending the following 5 days with my nose feeling like a wet sponge. On Thursday I had a one on one with Jason and he said I had to start doing what he said rather than doing what I feel I want to do. In other words, don't keep piling in up close - most of the other guys are shorter than me and I will always get body blows and punches to my face. In a competiton he said the first thing my opponent's coach will say is "tall guy, just go in with body shots..." So we drew a chalk line around the outside of the ring and spent the whole session circling at that distance doing jabs every second onto the pads. Hard work but it felt much more composed and if I wasn't going to get hit then this was the way forward. Watch the Ali vs Cleveland Williams fight and that's the style I am aiming for (though I am not for one minute even thinking to ever draw a comparison), but seriously, having images of these great fighters in action during sparring is a great inspiration.
So June 23rd I was feeling on top form and just Little Nick turned up. Putting into play sparring using the lessons of Thursday was a revolution - I hardly got hit as my range was beyond my opponent's and if I moved in with a jab I kept him in check. If i moved in with a combination then a punch sometimes got through and if I included a hook it had a good result. Need to practice uppercuts and left hooks more, but afterwards Jason said I looked like a boxer for the first time rather than a novice having a go.
I got in close in the 4th round and again paid the price - Nick literally floored me onto the canvas with a body blow exactly where he got me last week so now my ribs feel so sore I can't think of an adjective to describe the discomfort when I take a deep breath. I don't care though - it is a lesson to me for breaking my rules and a lesson to my ribs to toughen up. Think of Ali / Foreman in Zaire and you'll see how tough ribs can be although there was a fight between Amir Khan and Gomez last weekend where Gomez took to the knee with a similar body shot which weakened him to ultimately lose the fight - see below:
Last week was a hard session - not pleasing boxing - more uncontrolled brawling with Little Nick and Dave resulting in me having a massive bleed from both nostrils making the front of my shirt red which I think shocked a few people at the gym. It always looks worse than it is though and the real pain was my ribs from a hard body punch to my heart from Nick.
In the week that followed I finally started to feel that unless something changed I could not go on week on week getting my face smashed in and spending the following 5 days with my nose feeling like a wet sponge. On Thursday I had a one on one with Jason and he said I had to start doing what he said rather than doing what I feel I want to do. In other words, don't keep piling in up close - most of the other guys are shorter than me and I will always get body blows and punches to my face. In a competiton he said the first thing my opponent's coach will say is "tall guy, just go in with body shots..." So we drew a chalk line around the outside of the ring and spent the whole session circling at that distance doing jabs every second onto the pads. Hard work but it felt much more composed and if I wasn't going to get hit then this was the way forward. Watch the Ali vs Cleveland Williams fight and that's the style I am aiming for (though I am not for one minute even thinking to ever draw a comparison), but seriously, having images of these great fighters in action during sparring is a great inspiration.
So June 23rd I was feeling on top form and just Little Nick turned up. Putting into play sparring using the lessons of Thursday was a revolution - I hardly got hit as my range was beyond my opponent's and if I moved in with a jab I kept him in check. If i moved in with a combination then a punch sometimes got through and if I included a hook it had a good result. Need to practice uppercuts and left hooks more, but afterwards Jason said I looked like a boxer for the first time rather than a novice having a go.
I got in close in the 4th round and again paid the price - Nick literally floored me onto the canvas with a body blow exactly where he got me last week so now my ribs feel so sore I can't think of an adjective to describe the discomfort when I take a deep breath. I don't care though - it is a lesson to me for breaking my rules and a lesson to my ribs to toughen up. Think of Ali / Foreman in Zaire and you'll see how tough ribs can be although there was a fight between Amir Khan and Gomez last weekend where Gomez took to the knee with a similar body shot which weakened him to ultimately lose the fight - see below:
June 3, 2008
video coach
Here's some footage from yesterday - my best punch is at 43 sec and shows how a strong stance and a left right left hook combination can win points. It is also obvious how when tired I drop my hands - especially the right and pay the price. Don't waste energy and punches on a covered up opponent.
Meet Dave, and in the second half, little Nick and his big gloves
Meet Dave, and in the second half, little Nick and his big gloves
May 28, 2008
Wednesday Skills just me
Only me today - we've got to get a few more people along otherwise it'll become hard work to keep the club going, not to mention serious lack of sparring partners. OK for me though - a private session with Jason to work on my weaknesses highlighted by my bloody nose last week at Steve's gym. Jason said I should seriously learn to parry incoming punches and follow with a counterpunch rather than using my face!
So we did a lot of practice with pads:
1. parry a jab and follow with a right cross
2. parry a right hand and follow with a left
3. lean backwards to avoid a punch and follow with a strong right hand
Number 3 is great and I can't wait to try it on Rich. Your opponent may be off balance (if he has a weak stance), and the right hand reply enables the full body to be behind it making it a powerful move.
I've stepped up my fitness at home now running most mornings either a 5km circuit via Church Village with sprints between lamp posts along the A473, or hillclimbs on Garth Hill behind my house. Our dog Bruce comes with me and I think he hates these sessions - he can't sniff any smells and his piss stops last only as long as the time his extendable lead takes to reach its maximum length which is about 2 seconds.
It looks like our exhibition in August will be postponed - too many people are away that month, and we're looking for an organiser. Can anyone out there help?
So we did a lot of practice with pads:
1. parry a jab and follow with a right cross
2. parry a right hand and follow with a left
3. lean backwards to avoid a punch and follow with a strong right hand
Number 3 is great and I can't wait to try it on Rich. Your opponent may be off balance (if he has a weak stance), and the right hand reply enables the full body to be behind it making it a powerful move.
I've stepped up my fitness at home now running most mornings either a 5km circuit via Church Village with sprints between lamp posts along the A473, or hillclimbs on Garth Hill behind my house. Our dog Bruce comes with me and I think he hates these sessions - he can't sniff any smells and his piss stops last only as long as the time his extendable lead takes to reach its maximum length which is about 2 seconds.
It looks like our exhibition in August will be postponed - too many people are away that month, and we're looking for an organiser. Can anyone out there help?
May 20, 2008
Tuesday - visit fight to Fitness Factory Cymru
After a lot of thinking about what tonight would be like, I was was off the mark. Anticipating a pummeling by well trained giants it turned out the be an excellent session. Either I am getting better about having less butterflies before a fight and just digging in and getting on with it, or I am getting more stupid... About 12 people turned up and after a long warm up that got rid of the pain in my rear, Steve pitched us against two of his best fighters - Jas said one of them was in a commonwealth boxing team. He also made us wear headguards that kept slipping over my eyes.
The two guys we sparred with were totally professional. They could have taken us apart but instead they gave us every opportunity to come onto them - even going onto the ropes, but they were so well covered up it was hard to land many shots. Their work rate was about half that of ours and they just stood back, covered up and watched us.
My weakness was my right hand coming down with my left jab leaving my head exposed. I paid the price and in the third round did what Henry Cooper said “this boxer is doing what is expected from him... bleeding from the nose”. So much blood I had to leave the ring. A journalist was recording some ringside soundbites for a documentary and wanted too interview me. Unbelievably I had an uncontrollable urge to sneeze blood all over his pink microphone cover which he said had never happened in his career.
So the session turned out to be excellent. I managed to remember a strong stance, forgot to cover my head with my right hand when jabbing and learned from the experienced guys how you can cover up, stand back and watch your opponent.
I was limping badly again as my leg muscles shortened and seized up - this is getting really annoying. I can only run at half speed no matter how hard I try, but I’ve found that sitting on a tennis ball that deeply massages the offending muscle is a big help so there’s always one in my car and at my desk now!
The two guys we sparred with were totally professional. They could have taken us apart but instead they gave us every opportunity to come onto them - even going onto the ropes, but they were so well covered up it was hard to land many shots. Their work rate was about half that of ours and they just stood back, covered up and watched us.
My weakness was my right hand coming down with my left jab leaving my head exposed. I paid the price and in the third round did what Henry Cooper said “this boxer is doing what is expected from him... bleeding from the nose”. So much blood I had to leave the ring. A journalist was recording some ringside soundbites for a documentary and wanted too interview me. Unbelievably I had an uncontrollable urge to sneeze blood all over his pink microphone cover which he said had never happened in his career.
So the session turned out to be excellent. I managed to remember a strong stance, forgot to cover my head with my right hand when jabbing and learned from the experienced guys how you can cover up, stand back and watch your opponent.
I was limping badly again as my leg muscles shortened and seized up - this is getting really annoying. I can only run at half speed no matter how hard I try, but I’ve found that sitting on a tennis ball that deeply massages the offending muscle is a big help so there’s always one in my car and at my desk now!
May 19, 2008
Monday after a week off...
I’ve had a week off in Italy and hoped the break would help me to recover from very sore ribs and a damaged muscle in my backside (piriformis), but for most of the week I could not walk without a severe limp let alone even think about putting on my running shoes. Instead of getting better it got worse, particularly at night where it often kept me awake. Received a text message from Jason telling me that the sparring visit to Steve Robinson’s Gym would be on the Tuesday. He’d rearranged the visit on my behalf and I felt nowhere near fit but had to go.
So tonight’s sparring was Richard and me. He thought we’d have a light easy session in preparation for Tuesday and had left his sparring gloves. After Jason’s beating at my last visit over a week ago I felt quite apprehensive about being back in the ring but proceeded to do four 2 minute rounds on good form and Rich did got some great shots in - including giving me a nose bleed. He said I was scary tonight.
My physio friend Floss has stretched out my legs that afternoon and I’d warmed up well so my muscle problem did not bother me until after the session where I was walking like an invalid again. I wondered how I would ever be ready for the visit to Steve’s gym. Jason said that if any of his guys bullied us then he’d pull us out. Great.
So tonight’s sparring was Richard and me. He thought we’d have a light easy session in preparation for Tuesday and had left his sparring gloves. After Jason’s beating at my last visit over a week ago I felt quite apprehensive about being back in the ring but proceeded to do four 2 minute rounds on good form and Rich did got some great shots in - including giving me a nose bleed. He said I was scary tonight.
My physio friend Floss has stretched out my legs that afternoon and I’d warmed up well so my muscle problem did not bother me until after the session where I was walking like an invalid again. I wondered how I would ever be ready for the visit to Steve’s gym. Jason said that if any of his guys bullied us then he’d pull us out. Great.
May 8, 2008
Punishment
Welll today was a strange one. Just Jason and me and while I was warming up I very nearly left the gym owing to a the pain in my left buttock that had become progressively worse over the week causing me to limp, and a nagging sore throat. It was a kind of stabbing pain caused I think by lunging forward with the left foot one or two sparring sessions ago. It felt a bit better as I warmed up and Jason straight away put on his gloves and said he wanted to do some “light sparring” with me.
What followed was 5 or 6 two minute rounds of pure punishment. Every time my right hand dropped (usually during a jab) he would catch me with a crushing left hook to the side of the head. He said he wouldn’t hit me hard but at least three of those hooks make me see stars through blurry eyes with wobbly legs. I was so used to just doing pad work with him in the ring, and sparring with the other guys, he caught me by surprise in an unfamiliar situation. I even forgot to put my gumshield in. I was thrown onto the ropes a few times but despite the overwhelming urge to curl up and cover up I tried what I was supposed to do - some toe to toe punching and it kind of worked, moving the fight back into the centre of the ring. A few of my one-two’s got through as well but it was hard not to feel a bit scared of raising the tempo and getting double or more back.
I think it was good training by Jas to pick me apart through my weaknesses, although at the time in between rounds during distant gazes from my corner across the gym I wondered what the hell I was doing. So did some of the other “normal” people doing normal gym things like weights or treadmills, some of whom stopped what they were doing to gawp at my punishment. But that’s what boxing is about - finding the heart to go back into the fight and stick to the discipline of what you’ve learned and try to find a way to beat your opponent.
After the sparring my nose and forehead were marked and there were rings of blood around my nostrils plus my lip was cut inside from not wearing my gumshield. It’s hard to see the outcome in a positive light but I hope in the future some lessons will have been driven home - literally:
STANCE: how many times must I remember this is the root of balance and powerful punching
GUARD: don’t drop those hands. It’s a green light to get a KO hook
DISTANCE: out of range is out of danger, although I spend most of my time “in range”
I did the gym challenge - flip a lorry tyre, jump through it, 5 pressups, 5 dips, run round the tyre, repeating this for the length of the gym then finish with 5 laps running around. Insult to injury came when I did the worst time on record of over 6.30 minutes (Dave did it in 5.48 although he was fresh), and I was limping owing to my half functioning backside... On top of the sparring I found this poor result a crushing blow to my confidence and in the shower afterwards couldn’t find much to positiviely reflect on. Apparently I have to lose a stone in weight as well to get down to a proper fighting weight for the exhibition in August. Great.
A day after, my ribs are agony to touch (after Jason pounded my chest and stomach with a medicine ball saying “this is what Enzo does in the Newbridge gym to learn to take body shots), I can barely walk, my jaw hurts to eat. and flakes of dry blood occasionally fall from my left nostril. I was supposed to be training with Dave today at 1pm too, but decided to cancel. and get some rest.
The only thing is to find positives from yesterday and move on. I went way out of my comfort zone but had the mental strength to go back in again and again and remember my basic boxing skills. I even found that under pressure, even though the instinct is to be scared, I could relax. I accept that my fitness levels and strength need working on too, despite injury I should still do stuff like shadow box, eat less crap, drink less and think about those core essentials: stance, guard, distance and combinations.
What followed was 5 or 6 two minute rounds of pure punishment. Every time my right hand dropped (usually during a jab) he would catch me with a crushing left hook to the side of the head. He said he wouldn’t hit me hard but at least three of those hooks make me see stars through blurry eyes with wobbly legs. I was so used to just doing pad work with him in the ring, and sparring with the other guys, he caught me by surprise in an unfamiliar situation. I even forgot to put my gumshield in. I was thrown onto the ropes a few times but despite the overwhelming urge to curl up and cover up I tried what I was supposed to do - some toe to toe punching and it kind of worked, moving the fight back into the centre of the ring. A few of my one-two’s got through as well but it was hard not to feel a bit scared of raising the tempo and getting double or more back.
I think it was good training by Jas to pick me apart through my weaknesses, although at the time in between rounds during distant gazes from my corner across the gym I wondered what the hell I was doing. So did some of the other “normal” people doing normal gym things like weights or treadmills, some of whom stopped what they were doing to gawp at my punishment. But that’s what boxing is about - finding the heart to go back into the fight and stick to the discipline of what you’ve learned and try to find a way to beat your opponent.
After the sparring my nose and forehead were marked and there were rings of blood around my nostrils plus my lip was cut inside from not wearing my gumshield. It’s hard to see the outcome in a positive light but I hope in the future some lessons will have been driven home - literally:
STANCE: how many times must I remember this is the root of balance and powerful punching
GUARD: don’t drop those hands. It’s a green light to get a KO hook
DISTANCE: out of range is out of danger, although I spend most of my time “in range”
I did the gym challenge - flip a lorry tyre, jump through it, 5 pressups, 5 dips, run round the tyre, repeating this for the length of the gym then finish with 5 laps running around. Insult to injury came when I did the worst time on record of over 6.30 minutes (Dave did it in 5.48 although he was fresh), and I was limping owing to my half functioning backside... On top of the sparring I found this poor result a crushing blow to my confidence and in the shower afterwards couldn’t find much to positiviely reflect on. Apparently I have to lose a stone in weight as well to get down to a proper fighting weight for the exhibition in August. Great.
A day after, my ribs are agony to touch (after Jason pounded my chest and stomach with a medicine ball saying “this is what Enzo does in the Newbridge gym to learn to take body shots), I can barely walk, my jaw hurts to eat. and flakes of dry blood occasionally fall from my left nostril. I was supposed to be training with Dave today at 1pm too, but decided to cancel. and get some rest.
The only thing is to find positives from yesterday and move on. I went way out of my comfort zone but had the mental strength to go back in again and again and remember my basic boxing skills. I even found that under pressure, even though the instinct is to be scared, I could relax. I accept that my fitness levels and strength need working on too, despite injury I should still do stuff like shadow box, eat less crap, drink less and think about those core essentials: stance, guard, distance and combinations.
May 1, 2008
Thursday 1pm
after a gruelling meeting in Weston Super Mare with a man who had the ability to make time go backwards with his incessant off the subject tangents, I made it back to Cardiff in time for a 1pm session with Jason and Dave.
Today we had a treat - two other members who used to box called Addy and Eddy. They both has some skill but were did not have the stamina and once they were tired they were easy targets. I still have a problem with my stance - especially against easy opponents where it's easy to wade in punching but a very bad habit against more experienced fighters. My mind went back to the other week where Ashley beat me up and Jas said my legs were all over the place "like f******g bambi". Great.
Did some pad work and my mind wandered an bit only to be violently brought back into the ring by a jab from Jason that caught my right eye which still hurts - especially as he hit me with the pad.
Fitness - a killer today. Three 30 second sprints on the treadmill at maximum speed and max gradient. By the third round I could not have done another second. Bank Holiday on Monday, so no training which maybe isn't a good thing as I can feel a sore throat coming on.. just what I need now that my ribs are back on form...
Today we had a treat - two other members who used to box called Addy and Eddy. They both has some skill but were did not have the stamina and once they were tired they were easy targets. I still have a problem with my stance - especially against easy opponents where it's easy to wade in punching but a very bad habit against more experienced fighters. My mind went back to the other week where Ashley beat me up and Jas said my legs were all over the place "like f******g bambi". Great.
Did some pad work and my mind wandered an bit only to be violently brought back into the ring by a jab from Jason that caught my right eye which still hurts - especially as he hit me with the pad.
Fitness - a killer today. Three 30 second sprints on the treadmill at maximum speed and max gradient. By the third round I could not have done another second. Bank Holiday on Monday, so no training which maybe isn't a good thing as I can feel a sore throat coming on.. just what I need now that my ribs are back on form...
Road Work
Stepping up the fitness in advance of our visit to the other gym we're doing fast road running - basically a circuit from the Trainstation2 over the Penarth Road Taff Bridge along the Taff Trail to the Grangetown bridge and back down Dumballs Road. It's about 2.5 miles and I did it in 14.43 minutes. Just me and Rich tonight and he did it in a bit over 18 mins.
Sparring with Rich was great tonight and a real opportunity to try to put into practice my skills without the pressure of Dave or Ash trying to take my head off. I'm realising now the fitter you are, the easier it is to tire out your opponent and then move in with some combinations. I got some great left and right combinations and even some body blows in and could rush Rich onto the ropes but felt terrible as a hook cut his right eye but later this just seemed to be bruising.
Felt on top form afterwards - it was a hard workout tonight. It's amazing what you can fit into an hour!
Sparring with Rich was great tonight and a real opportunity to try to put into practice my skills without the pressure of Dave or Ash trying to take my head off. I'm realising now the fitter you are, the easier it is to tire out your opponent and then move in with some combinations. I got some great left and right combinations and even some body blows in and could rush Rich onto the ropes but felt terrible as a hook cut his right eye but later this just seemed to be bruising.
Felt on top form afterwards - it was a hard workout tonight. It's amazing what you can fit into an hour!
April 30, 2008
Monday 28
A great night in comparison to a week ago where I was comprehensively beaten up by Ash. For the first time in a while my rib pains had gone and I felt on top form. Straight into the ring and Dave right hooked me on my weakest rib winding me.
Continuous sparring with Nick, Rich and Dave was excellent and I found a huge difference in keeping my distance although as Nick said I was still inclined to move into the danger zone which I know I do because I miss the action skirting around the edge.
Half way through I could taste blood - my gum shield had a sharp edge and it had cut large chunks of skin from the inside of my upper lip. I spat it out and angrily kicked it out of the ring and carried on without it in much less pain. I feel I'm improving, although Jas says I should maintain my stance (and hence balance), and use more combinations. All trainers say this (listen to Enzo Calzaghe between rounds!) but when you are tired it's like being drunk and your mental to physical coordination becomes detached.
2 weeks time we are going to Steve Robinson's gym to spar - not long and Jason says we have to get fit, so he punished us to finish off with 3 sets of shuttle runs the length of the gym - never been so out of breath.
Continuous sparring with Nick, Rich and Dave was excellent and I found a huge difference in keeping my distance although as Nick said I was still inclined to move into the danger zone which I know I do because I miss the action skirting around the edge.
Half way through I could taste blood - my gum shield had a sharp edge and it had cut large chunks of skin from the inside of my upper lip. I spat it out and angrily kicked it out of the ring and carried on without it in much less pain. I feel I'm improving, although Jas says I should maintain my stance (and hence balance), and use more combinations. All trainers say this (listen to Enzo Calzaghe between rounds!) but when you are tired it's like being drunk and your mental to physical coordination becomes detached.
2 weeks time we are going to Steve Robinson's gym to spar - not long and Jason says we have to get fit, so he punished us to finish off with 3 sets of shuttle runs the length of the gym - never been so out of breath.
April 22, 2008
Beaten Up
Just Ashley and me tonight. I have been worrying about my ribs, the pain intensity seems to come and go however writing this the day after - having just done a 5k run I feel on good form...
I don't know what went wrong tonight - sparring with Ashley was a disaster. I must have taken a 20 or so big blows to the head despite him saying he wouldn't hit me hard. I was worried about my ribs and as a result failed to stand up straight. He was different to fighting Dave - 6ft tall and over 16 stone for a start, but very very good at slipping my punches and (because I was in too close) coming in between my punches. I don't think I managed to land a right punch without getting one in the head.
Only one good moment: earlier in the session Jason told me if an opponent is bearing down on you then an uppercut never fails. In our last round this happened and I got him with a nice left. So my mind is working, I know what I should be doing but physically I didn't deliver. I felt like I was a human punchbag but Ash got puffed out very easily which made it a tiny bit easier for me to break through his blocking muscleman arms. By the end I was furious with myself, my head was spinning and again my nose was black.
In 4 weeks we're supposed to be visiting Steve Robinson's club (the Steve Robinson best known for working in Debenhams as a storeman in Cardiff, then with just two days notice, he accepted the fight against John Davison in 1993 for the vacant WBO Featherweight title and won the contest on a points decision). I don't want to embarass myself.
Other than being such an idiot, I should take out from this evening: stand still momentarily when delivering punches; keep my distance (how many more weeks will I write this); don't always circle the ring.
Saw Jas this morning and he said if I wanted to improve I had to shadow box every day, do hill sprints rather than long runs and watch as many fights as possible of the likes of Ali, Khan, Sugar Ray Leonard etc.
I don't know what went wrong tonight - sparring with Ashley was a disaster. I must have taken a 20 or so big blows to the head despite him saying he wouldn't hit me hard. I was worried about my ribs and as a result failed to stand up straight. He was different to fighting Dave - 6ft tall and over 16 stone for a start, but very very good at slipping my punches and (because I was in too close) coming in between my punches. I don't think I managed to land a right punch without getting one in the head.
Only one good moment: earlier in the session Jason told me if an opponent is bearing down on you then an uppercut never fails. In our last round this happened and I got him with a nice left. So my mind is working, I know what I should be doing but physically I didn't deliver. I felt like I was a human punchbag but Ash got puffed out very easily which made it a tiny bit easier for me to break through his blocking muscleman arms. By the end I was furious with myself, my head was spinning and again my nose was black.
In 4 weeks we're supposed to be visiting Steve Robinson's club (the Steve Robinson best known for working in Debenhams as a storeman in Cardiff, then with just two days notice, he accepted the fight against John Davison in 1993 for the vacant WBO Featherweight title and won the contest on a points decision). I don't want to embarass myself.
Other than being such an idiot, I should take out from this evening: stand still momentarily when delivering punches; keep my distance (how many more weeks will I write this); don't always circle the ring.
Saw Jas this morning and he said if I wanted to improve I had to shadow box every day, do hill sprints rather than long runs and watch as many fights as possible of the likes of Ali, Khan, Sugar Ray Leonard etc.
April 17, 2008
Float like a butterfly sting like a bee...
Wednesday... just skill drills and fitness tonight with Rich and Ash. Excellent. A few posts ago I said I thought I was developing my own boxing style, but as frequently happens I feel I'm doing something ok and Jason says something that turns it all on its head.
Tonight he pointed out that I was still not relaxed, and moved around the ring in a way that makes getting in and out to deliver punches slower and leaves me in range of my opponent. So we did two whole rounds with me dancing around the ring, leading with my left foot. Lightfooted, on the toes, dancing - be like Ali he said. You need to be fit, but the difference is amazing. Just look at this famous video clip of Ali fighting Cleveland Williams below and you'll see what I mean...
Apparenly he was worried about damaging Williams and aimed for a KO by the 3rd round. The ref stopped the fight in the third round with a TKO.
Tonight he pointed out that I was still not relaxed, and moved around the ring in a way that makes getting in and out to deliver punches slower and leaves me in range of my opponent. So we did two whole rounds with me dancing around the ring, leading with my left foot. Lightfooted, on the toes, dancing - be like Ali he said. You need to be fit, but the difference is amazing. Just look at this famous video clip of Ali fighting Cleveland Williams below and you'll see what I mean...
Apparenly he was worried about damaging Williams and aimed for a KO by the 3rd round. The ref stopped the fight in the third round with a TKO.
April 15, 2008
Monday Night
A great workout today - me, Nick, Rich and Dave so the biggest group for a while. Apparently Jas told Dave to calm down last week and not be so frenzied in his attacks. This is good news for my ribs!
Straight into rounds of sparring, alternating with each person as an opponent. I felt slow and a bit uncoordinated but the other guys reckoned I'd come on a lot and was stronger. I guess I've thought alot about my tactics and watched a lot of videos since last training, so I knew what I wanted to do, but just became too puffed out to deliver. I did use for the first time in anger some hooks and uppercuts which give a very strong advantage as the opponent covers up and it is relatively easy to charge him into the ropes. Fitness is everything and had to be improved, but as was pointed out, if you are tense in the ring (which after all is a natural instinct!) you use a lot more energy just being there and are inclined to waste even more with untactical punching. There's more thinking in boxing than a game of chess..
I think I know why I receive so many head shots - because I'm the tallest of the group I hold my guard down by my chest and as a result it is easy to come in over the top. Yet another bruised nose is testament to this so Dave offered the tip of regularly touching the eyebrows during a fight so your hands are in a position ready to block. An accidental headbut by short Nick to my right hand chest almost completes my collection of aching ribs and I when I took my gloves off I notice my right thumb was swollen - probably again I wasn't thinking about making proper fists.
Straight into rounds of sparring, alternating with each person as an opponent. I felt slow and a bit uncoordinated but the other guys reckoned I'd come on a lot and was stronger. I guess I've thought alot about my tactics and watched a lot of videos since last training, so I knew what I wanted to do, but just became too puffed out to deliver. I did use for the first time in anger some hooks and uppercuts which give a very strong advantage as the opponent covers up and it is relatively easy to charge him into the ropes. Fitness is everything and had to be improved, but as was pointed out, if you are tense in the ring (which after all is a natural instinct!) you use a lot more energy just being there and are inclined to waste even more with untactical punching. There's more thinking in boxing than a game of chess..
I think I know why I receive so many head shots - because I'm the tallest of the group I hold my guard down by my chest and as a result it is easy to come in over the top. Yet another bruised nose is testament to this so Dave offered the tip of regularly touching the eyebrows during a fight so your hands are in a position ready to block. An accidental headbut by short Nick to my right hand chest almost completes my collection of aching ribs and I when I took my gloves off I notice my right thumb was swollen - probably again I wasn't thinking about making proper fists.
April 13, 2008
Calzaghe vs Hopkins - 6 days to go
Just finished reading Joe's autobiography which I think lives up to its reputation of one of the most down to earth sporting autobiogs out there.
He's in Vegas now training for his biggest fight on Saturday with Bernard Hopkins and I found some nice pics on flickr (see here)
He's in Vegas now training for his biggest fight on Saturday with Bernard Hopkins and I found some nice pics on flickr (see here)
April 9, 2008
9th April
Wednesday night - just Rich and I tonight. I haven't seen him for about 4 or 5 weeks as he's had some trouble with his mother but it was good to see him back. I nearly didn't come today as my left lower rib is still extremely painful even to take deep breaths, although after a warm up it is less so. My black eye from Dave's right hook last Friday turned yellow and is now almost gone. Also for the first time had hydrated myself properly over the day with isotonic electolyte and the difference in my alertness and stamina was noticable.
Before he arrived I warmed up with some fast skipping and a few laps of the gym. Did some practice in the ring with Jason - parrying, bobbing and getting some feel of being the fighter (in the middle of the ring). This requires a wider stance and better balance.
Richard had lost some fitness over his time off, but I was surprised at how he apparently seemed to have forgotten his stance and stood in front of me almost square-on with his hands at chest level. In other words if I wanted to take him he was an open book. I felt good about this, as I remember on my second or third training session he worried me a bit with his powerful punches. But the purpose of tonight was defensive practice blocking and ducking for three rounds.
I guess Jason remembered my trouble on the ropes last week when Dave rushed me, so we did some practice moving back, keeping upright and punching until you hit the ropes then to do an electric side-step and if possible give the opponent a cheeky tap on the back of the head to send him into the ropes and off balance. A nice maneuvre that turns the situation I found myself before with my head down, a sitting duck, into an advantage. There's an excellent section on the Don Familton superior boxing tapes about defensive moves.
The time went quickly tonight and finished off with a hard circuit of the usual punishment, although I feel more mentally conditioned to just getting on with it and not complaining to myself. The main thing that comes into my mind is that exercising close to muscle failure on your own doing an exercise is one thing, but if your body becomes exhausted in the ring, there is only one outcome. Never was it more true that you get out what you put in.
A few things to remember from tonight:
- I must do more bag work practive at home - do 3 or 4 rounds and build up stamina. Practice some double left jabs and a left hook.
- When punching or jabbing, snap the arm back. This should deliver more power and make a satisfying slap on the bag.
- put in more feints when sparring and be less mechanical. Boxing is all about combinations and catching your opponent unawares.
Before he arrived I warmed up with some fast skipping and a few laps of the gym. Did some practice in the ring with Jason - parrying, bobbing and getting some feel of being the fighter (in the middle of the ring). This requires a wider stance and better balance.
Richard had lost some fitness over his time off, but I was surprised at how he apparently seemed to have forgotten his stance and stood in front of me almost square-on with his hands at chest level. In other words if I wanted to take him he was an open book. I felt good about this, as I remember on my second or third training session he worried me a bit with his powerful punches. But the purpose of tonight was defensive practice blocking and ducking for three rounds.
I guess Jason remembered my trouble on the ropes last week when Dave rushed me, so we did some practice moving back, keeping upright and punching until you hit the ropes then to do an electric side-step and if possible give the opponent a cheeky tap on the back of the head to send him into the ropes and off balance. A nice maneuvre that turns the situation I found myself before with my head down, a sitting duck, into an advantage. There's an excellent section on the Don Familton superior boxing tapes about defensive moves.
The time went quickly tonight and finished off with a hard circuit of the usual punishment, although I feel more mentally conditioned to just getting on with it and not complaining to myself. The main thing that comes into my mind is that exercising close to muscle failure on your own doing an exercise is one thing, but if your body becomes exhausted in the ring, there is only one outcome. Never was it more true that you get out what you put in.
A few things to remember from tonight:
- I must do more bag work practive at home - do 3 or 4 rounds and build up stamina. Practice some double left jabs and a left hook.
- When punching or jabbing, snap the arm back. This should deliver more power and make a satisfying slap on the bag.
- put in more feints when sparring and be less mechanical. Boxing is all about combinations and catching your opponent unawares.
April 6, 2008
4th April
A Friday session at lunchtime with Dave. I arrived 15 minutes early to warm up properly, compared to Wednesday where we didn't I didn't feel completely focused.
Dave turned up with Jason at 1 o'clock and after some skipping and stretches we began sparring. I asked if Dave could avoid my right hand ribs as they were still very sore and even deep breaths hurt.
We did five rounds and it was the best yet. I was completely focused and whereas before I was just jabbing, getting too close and paying the price, today I could see everything I'd learned and practiced laid out in my mind like a menu. A couple of jabs got through Dave's often low guard and I followed with a right hook that I think was as much a surprise to me that it connected as it was to him.
In the 3rd round Dave started rushing me and cornering me on the ropes. My instinct was to keep my head down and block but that just turns you into a punchbag and is a dead cert to shorten your life in the ring. Jas said the thing to do was to keep upright and keep punching, left, right. It sounds and feels the last thing you'd want to do but it really works. Then you can push your opponent away with all your energy. It's amazing how tiring this is to do, but I send Dave back into the centre following him with lefts rights and hooks until Jason stopped us getting carried away.
The fourth and fifth rounds were hard going as nearly all my energy had gone. How can the pros do 12 x 3 minute rounds? My left eye was feeling sore and Dave forgot my request before we started and landed a blow to the upper left side of my ribs right where I was hurting although he apologized. When the rounds were up I felt great and encouraged that Jason said that I was now showing signs of my own style and was keeping my distance.
It was 1.25 and time for the most grueling fitness workout yet - one minute each of lorry tyre presses, squat jumps, pressups, pullups, kettle bell thrusts and a combo of burpee, pressup and overhead lift with an (empty) aluminium beer barrel. In between each exercise was 15 jack-knives. We did this twice.
Got back to work feeling invigorated and a sense of achievement. Now my whole body aches but I find that is better than a sharp pain in one place so it's easier to forget. My left eye has developed from a blue bruise at the top of my left cheek to a black eye, but I feel less annoyed about this than when Dave smashed my nose a few weeks ago as I was generally happy with my progress this week.
Dave turned up with Jason at 1 o'clock and after some skipping and stretches we began sparring. I asked if Dave could avoid my right hand ribs as they were still very sore and even deep breaths hurt.
We did five rounds and it was the best yet. I was completely focused and whereas before I was just jabbing, getting too close and paying the price, today I could see everything I'd learned and practiced laid out in my mind like a menu. A couple of jabs got through Dave's often low guard and I followed with a right hook that I think was as much a surprise to me that it connected as it was to him.
In the 3rd round Dave started rushing me and cornering me on the ropes. My instinct was to keep my head down and block but that just turns you into a punchbag and is a dead cert to shorten your life in the ring. Jas said the thing to do was to keep upright and keep punching, left, right. It sounds and feels the last thing you'd want to do but it really works. Then you can push your opponent away with all your energy. It's amazing how tiring this is to do, but I send Dave back into the centre following him with lefts rights and hooks until Jason stopped us getting carried away.
The fourth and fifth rounds were hard going as nearly all my energy had gone. How can the pros do 12 x 3 minute rounds? My left eye was feeling sore and Dave forgot my request before we started and landed a blow to the upper left side of my ribs right where I was hurting although he apologized. When the rounds were up I felt great and encouraged that Jason said that I was now showing signs of my own style and was keeping my distance.
It was 1.25 and time for the most grueling fitness workout yet - one minute each of lorry tyre presses, squat jumps, pressups, pullups, kettle bell thrusts and a combo of burpee, pressup and overhead lift with an (empty) aluminium beer barrel. In between each exercise was 15 jack-knives. We did this twice.
Got back to work feeling invigorated and a sense of achievement. Now my whole body aches but I find that is better than a sharp pain in one place so it's easier to forget. My left eye has developed from a blue bruise at the top of my left cheek to a black eye, but I feel less annoyed about this than when Dave smashed my nose a few weeks ago as I was generally happy with my progress this week.
April 3, 2008
April 2nd
Just me and Dave tonight. Jason made us go straight into 3 rounds of sparring without a warmup which in hindsight was not such a good idea. Ash turned up a bit later in time for some intensive skills practice then we went straight into half an hour of fitness work with an interesting exercise involving a lorry tyre, skipping, dumbell pressup burpee combos and a lap of the gym.. three times. Just when we thought it was all over we had to go into a pressup position, I'd do 10 then Ash did 10 then Dave did 10. Still holding a pressup position while the others did their stuff, I started a new round with 8, then 6 then 4 then 2. Talk about going through the pain barrier - I forgot it was my turn on one rep and the others, still in pressup position with veins bulging, cursed me. I hate pressups at the best of times.
Found my distance in the ring and it was harder for Dave to hit me, although as I got tired he cornered me and delivered a left hook to the left of my stomach before Jason told him to stick to the jabs. I got a couple of jabs through his often low guard but the energy soon drains away - a sign I've got to improve my stamina and endurance more. Jas said he wouldn't take us to the other gyms for rival sparring if we got tired half way through a round.
Driving home I had such a sore bottom rib on my left side that I thought the pain was in my kidney but it was just my rib cage being compressed by the car seat as I cornered. Yet more ibuprofen cream dulled the pain, but I ache nearly all the time so it becomes easier to forget soreness only to let it serve as a reminder for bad technique. Things still to remember:
- don't jump around before and during jabs. it just wastes energy
- don't be mechanical, it's easy for your opponent to anticipate what's coming
- keep your safe distance!
- don't let your left glove guard down when doing a right punch
Found some excellent training clips on youtube from an silver haired old guy called Don Familton click here. One of the comments underneath said "isn't it great how old people seem to know everything"...
Found my distance in the ring and it was harder for Dave to hit me, although as I got tired he cornered me and delivered a left hook to the left of my stomach before Jason told him to stick to the jabs. I got a couple of jabs through his often low guard but the energy soon drains away - a sign I've got to improve my stamina and endurance more. Jas said he wouldn't take us to the other gyms for rival sparring if we got tired half way through a round.
Driving home I had such a sore bottom rib on my left side that I thought the pain was in my kidney but it was just my rib cage being compressed by the car seat as I cornered. Yet more ibuprofen cream dulled the pain, but I ache nearly all the time so it becomes easier to forget soreness only to let it serve as a reminder for bad technique. Things still to remember:
- don't jump around before and during jabs. it just wastes energy
- don't be mechanical, it's easy for your opponent to anticipate what's coming
- keep your safe distance!
- don't let your left glove guard down when doing a right punch
Found some excellent training clips on youtube from an silver haired old guy called Don Familton click here. One of the comments underneath said "isn't it great how old people seem to know everything"...
April 1, 2008
Osteopath
After finding out that my spine was twisted I felt a bit broken. Thinking about it, from the age of about 12 when I was fitted for a school uniform I remember comments about my right shoulder being lower than my left.
So I gave John Mullins in Newport Road a call and he said he'd see me at 4:00 that day. He made me lie on my back and straight away said my right leg was longer and I should have tenderness in my pelvis, ribs, shoulder and neck. He was spot on and said there was a spiraling distortion in my bones but he could put it right in 10 minutes. And that's exactly what he did - he bent my legs and arms across my body and then jumped on me to the tune of sickening cracks and I couldn't help laughing at the comical sight.
By 4:20 he said "that's it" and I said OK, when do I see you again envisaging a lengthy course of bone cracking but he said I was fixed. I walked out in disbelief that every ache in my body had evaporated, my posture was better and I felt stronger and clearer. Best £30 I've ever spent.
Let's see how my new posture works for me tomorrow night...
So I gave John Mullins in Newport Road a call and he said he'd see me at 4:00 that day. He made me lie on my back and straight away said my right leg was longer and I should have tenderness in my pelvis, ribs, shoulder and neck. He was spot on and said there was a spiraling distortion in my bones but he could put it right in 10 minutes. And that's exactly what he did - he bent my legs and arms across my body and then jumped on me to the tune of sickening cracks and I couldn't help laughing at the comical sight.
By 4:20 he said "that's it" and I said OK, when do I see you again envisaging a lengthy course of bone cracking but he said I was fixed. I walked out in disbelief that every ache in my body had evaporated, my posture was better and I felt stronger and clearer. Best £30 I've ever spent.
Let's see how my new posture works for me tomorrow night...
March 31, 2008
March 31st
Just prior to tonight's training I spent a couple of hours with a friend who is training to be a sports physio. Her synopsis of my body was that it was a dehydrated mess of knotted muscles and tight ligaments but she sorted them all out and going into the session, which tonight was just me and Jason, I felt great. She also pointed out that I had a kinked spine and recommended an osteopath but more about that later.
I bought some new boxing boots - a pair of Lonsdale Tornadoes which are a big contrast to my running shoes which give no ankle support and have too much movement about the toes which makes my feet sore after dancing around on my toes for an hour.
Whether it was my flashy boots or just that the training is starting to pay off, but I felt my technique is getting better. I'm lighter on my feet and my arms are stronger now so I can keep my guard up without getting so tired. Did about 5 rounds of jab-block, left jab-right-left hook-right plus lots of blocking practice with Jason. He said that because of my height I would be hard to hit if I worked out my distance. I worked out my distance and it felt safer although there was still an urge to get in close and fight, but that is how to get hurt. At least wait until your opponent is tired.
The worst thing about one to one sessions are the fitness - the last 20 minutes or so. There is nowhere to hide as we did more kettle bells, sprinting and jump pressups and by the end I was exhausted. Apparently Dave is back in on Wednesday so I'd better get some sleep and plenty to drink...
I bought some new boxing boots - a pair of Lonsdale Tornadoes which are a big contrast to my running shoes which give no ankle support and have too much movement about the toes which makes my feet sore after dancing around on my toes for an hour.
Whether it was my flashy boots or just that the training is starting to pay off, but I felt my technique is getting better. I'm lighter on my feet and my arms are stronger now so I can keep my guard up without getting so tired. Did about 5 rounds of jab-block, left jab-right-left hook-right plus lots of blocking practice with Jason. He said that because of my height I would be hard to hit if I worked out my distance. I worked out my distance and it felt safer although there was still an urge to get in close and fight, but that is how to get hurt. At least wait until your opponent is tired.
The worst thing about one to one sessions are the fitness - the last 20 minutes or so. There is nowhere to hide as we did more kettle bells, sprinting and jump pressups and by the end I was exhausted. Apparently Dave is back in on Wednesday so I'd better get some sleep and plenty to drink...
March 24, 2008
24th & 26th March
After Dave's punishment the other week the bridge of my nose phased through all the colours between black and yellow before going back to normal.
Monday's session was much better, two new guys Ricky and Yaz did some technique with Jason so Ash and I did some sparring practice. Ash gave me a lot of tips and at least explained how he kept breaking through my jabs and delivering some clean body shots making it feel impossible to go near him without being hit.
Another thing is I hate being hit in the eyes - it feels as if my eyeballs are going to burst - yet another reason to keep my guard up!
At the end of the third round I heard the bell go so walked away but did not notice that Ash was in the middle of delivering a hard right hook which connected with my left ear. Jason looked up just in time to see me crash into the ropes in a bemused kind of way.
Wednesday was just me and the two youngsters Ricky and Yaz who had new gloves. Did non-stop block practice alternating between being the boxer and fighter and on one occasion I lost my concentration so one of Yaz's jabs got through square on my still sore nose which really pissed me off. There's no middle ground in boxing. Got my own back by tiring him out until his arms dropped and then left them both for dust in fitness coming in first after all the sets of pressups, squats and running laps of the gym.
Monday's session was much better, two new guys Ricky and Yaz did some technique with Jason so Ash and I did some sparring practice. Ash gave me a lot of tips and at least explained how he kept breaking through my jabs and delivering some clean body shots making it feel impossible to go near him without being hit.
Another thing is I hate being hit in the eyes - it feels as if my eyeballs are going to burst - yet another reason to keep my guard up!
At the end of the third round I heard the bell go so walked away but did not notice that Ash was in the middle of delivering a hard right hook which connected with my left ear. Jason looked up just in time to see me crash into the ropes in a bemused kind of way.
Wednesday was just me and the two youngsters Ricky and Yaz who had new gloves. Did non-stop block practice alternating between being the boxer and fighter and on one occasion I lost my concentration so one of Yaz's jabs got through square on my still sore nose which really pissed me off. There's no middle ground in boxing. Got my own back by tiring him out until his arms dropped and then left them both for dust in fitness coming in first after all the sets of pressups, squats and running laps of the gym.
March 17, 2008
Monday night, sparring night. Just Dave and I this evening and after a brief warm up we were straight into the ring for three rounds of sparring. I had new gloves (14 Oz BBE Pro Spar) which felt much more the business than the ones I'd used before. They smell of new leather instead of rotten mouldy fungus too.
First I put in my new gumshield that I'd not heated in boiling water and formed properly, so it cut into my gums which was a mixed blessing as the pain distracted from the fact I could not breath properly with it blocking my mouth.
The first round was pretty good and I felt I could remember everything from my experience with Nick last week. At the end of that round Dave told me I had to be more efficient with my punches - I was throwing about 10 for every one of his. I found out what he meant in the second round - I had used all my energy in 1.5 minutes. I knew I had to be on my toes so I could left jab and get back out of range but my legs were tired and I jabbed and stayed in range and Dave took the opportunity of his shorter reach to deliver some harder than I expected body blows. I landed a good right hand that got through his block and instictively dropped my arms and said "oh sorry!". Before I'd finished the "y" in sorry, Dave responded like a lunatic with with a volley of punches and uppercuts that saw me back to the ropes with nowhere to go. Gasping for air through the gumshield constriction, with bruised ribs and sweat running into my eyes, Jason shouted out there was still 30 seconds to go. The realisation that you are on your own dawns very quickly and there is no choice but to get back into the middle, get a good stance and think. Dave seemed such a nice bloke when we were getting changed, but then again the boxing ring is not a place to discuss the ins and outs of commuting in the Cardiff traffic.
Simon who runs the Trainstation came to watch and laughingly asked if any of my colleagues knew what I did after work and the ironical juxtaposition of the boxing ring and the desk where I was 20 minutes previously. His distraction cost me three heavy blows in the chest and I wondered if Dave was holding back or he really did mean to hit me that hard.
Clearly I have no technique. Other than a good reach owing to my height, and strong left and right punches I have to get over thinking of three rounds the same way as an intensive 30 seconds on a punch bag. I need to feint more to out-psyche the opponent, stay on my toes and get back out of range once I've delivered. I tired myself out in the first round and had little left to give in the remaining too and paid the price.
The rest of the session was shadow boxing, practicing blocks (which I completely forgot during sparring) and then 20 minutes of fitness. When there are just two of you in the training session there is no chance of hiding at the back or having an easy ride and by the hour we were both gasping for breath.
Strange thing is, you go into a training session feeling a bit jaded after a day in the office, a few aches and pains hanging on from the last week, but come out feeling on top of the world - 110% figure of fitness and health (if you discount a bruised gum and red nose which serve as a reminder to learn from mistakes and losing focus).
First I put in my new gumshield that I'd not heated in boiling water and formed properly, so it cut into my gums which was a mixed blessing as the pain distracted from the fact I could not breath properly with it blocking my mouth.
The first round was pretty good and I felt I could remember everything from my experience with Nick last week. At the end of that round Dave told me I had to be more efficient with my punches - I was throwing about 10 for every one of his. I found out what he meant in the second round - I had used all my energy in 1.5 minutes. I knew I had to be on my toes so I could left jab and get back out of range but my legs were tired and I jabbed and stayed in range and Dave took the opportunity of his shorter reach to deliver some harder than I expected body blows. I landed a good right hand that got through his block and instictively dropped my arms and said "oh sorry!". Before I'd finished the "y" in sorry, Dave responded like a lunatic with with a volley of punches and uppercuts that saw me back to the ropes with nowhere to go. Gasping for air through the gumshield constriction, with bruised ribs and sweat running into my eyes, Jason shouted out there was still 30 seconds to go. The realisation that you are on your own dawns very quickly and there is no choice but to get back into the middle, get a good stance and think. Dave seemed such a nice bloke when we were getting changed, but then again the boxing ring is not a place to discuss the ins and outs of commuting in the Cardiff traffic.
Simon who runs the Trainstation came to watch and laughingly asked if any of my colleagues knew what I did after work and the ironical juxtaposition of the boxing ring and the desk where I was 20 minutes previously. His distraction cost me three heavy blows in the chest and I wondered if Dave was holding back or he really did mean to hit me that hard.
Clearly I have no technique. Other than a good reach owing to my height, and strong left and right punches I have to get over thinking of three rounds the same way as an intensive 30 seconds on a punch bag. I need to feint more to out-psyche the opponent, stay on my toes and get back out of range once I've delivered. I tired myself out in the first round and had little left to give in the remaining too and paid the price.
The rest of the session was shadow boxing, practicing blocks (which I completely forgot during sparring) and then 20 minutes of fitness. When there are just two of you in the training session there is no chance of hiding at the back or having an easy ride and by the hour we were both gasping for breath.
Strange thing is, you go into a training session feeling a bit jaded after a day in the office, a few aches and pains hanging on from the last week, but come out feeling on top of the world - 110% figure of fitness and health (if you discount a bruised gum and red nose which serve as a reminder to learn from mistakes and losing focus).
March 13, 2008
Week 6
Despite still having a head like a flu-sponge I turned up to find that I was the only one there this week. Jason got me to shadow box in front of the mirror - carrying on from our session the previous week and I promptly demonstrated that I had forgotten everything he told me. For the record, and hopefully so I remember next time:
- don't lean forward or stand to square on as my balance is completely off and I can be toppled like an old tree
- keep off flat feet and on the toes at all times
- keep my hands up in front my face, step jab, step jab, jab -right, left hook, right hook, uppercut uppercut etc. keeping light on my feet
- punch and jab from cheekbone level. This is easy to remember, but as you get tired you really believe you are doing it right but your hands are down by your shoulders, head exposed...
I felt guilty for not having praticed since Thursday and just as I was starting to feel self concious about my wooden style the other Nick turned up, doubling the size of the training session. Nick is a short, shaven headed man covered in tattoos who mean looks belie a nice guy underneath who is willing to help me along with my style and said this week he wouldn't hit me too hard.
We alternated three rounds bag work and three rounds in the ring with Jason throwing jabs that I had to block and step around the ring, keeping my distance, again letting my hands drop leaving my head vulnerable. My stance was too wide and my steps too big making me clumsy and slow but I corrected this and suddenly felt lighter and more agile. There are two people in the ring - the fighter and the boxer. The figher dominates the middle of the ring and the boxer moves around the edge, forwards and backwards. I am always the boxer and must learn to use my height and reach advantage to maintain a distance out of range and have momentum when I step in and punch.
Next came my first experince of sparring. Nick put in his gumshield and moved to the centre of the ring. I don't have a gumshield and my 10Oz gloves that came free with the bag I bought from JJB sports are to thin for sparring so I'll have to put that right by next time.We were to do three 1.5 minute rounds, scoring (theoretical) points if any of our punches got through. Again I was the boxer and it felt amazing compared to skills practics. The heightened feeling of the both of us being on a hair-trigger gave rise to a clarity and focus in the mind where the world outside the ring does not exist. If I fainted a jab by twitching my shoulder or stepping in and out would send my opponent into a defensive block. Suddenly I could see how everything I had learned so far needed to be called upon almost simultaneously - hands up protecting my head, keep light footed, move around the fighter, block his jabs or lean out the way, step in and back...
Well that is me recalling what I should have done, writing about it afterwards on a train en route to York. In reality I forgot to block half the time, delivered a jab to Nick's head which he blocked but then didn't move back for an age, leaving my lower body open to a punch - which was pretty easy since he was a head shorter than me. Good thing that he'd agreed to go easy this time. I mentioned to Nick afterwards that I couldn't see how it was possible to deliver a jab when he could duck it and despatch a body blow while I was in range, but he said he always gets hit because his more experienced opponents deliver a shot over the top while he is ducking down. I'll have to remember that.
The third round was hard work - my sinuses decided to evacuate their evil contents onto my shirt, sweat was pouring off me and my arms were too tired to keep my hands up. I knew this, and Jason was shouting at me from the side of the ring to keep them up too which distracted me and frustrated me quite a lot. Nick was more or less choosing when to hit me and I my blocks were uncoordinated thrashes of my arms. I wasn't best pleased with my performance, but it did give me an insight into just how much there was to learn, how much there is to think about, and how important strength and stamina are to getting anywhere close to going the distance.
Jason said that he'd spoken to another club in Cardiff and got some plans for an exhibition fight in August. That gives me just over 5 months to get into condition and practice. I don't think I've ever even contemplated doing 5 months preparation for something that will last (I hope) four and a half minutes!
We both stepped out of the ring and Jason informed us it was fitness time. Feeling like I'd already burned off more calories than I'd ingested all week, we moved over to the weights area to do alternate kettle bell raises followed by 15 pressups - repeated three times.
I got home feeling weak as a robin and was fast asleep in bed by 9:30.
- don't lean forward or stand to square on as my balance is completely off and I can be toppled like an old tree
- keep off flat feet and on the toes at all times
- keep my hands up in front my face, step jab, step jab, jab -right, left hook, right hook, uppercut uppercut etc. keeping light on my feet
- punch and jab from cheekbone level. This is easy to remember, but as you get tired you really believe you are doing it right but your hands are down by your shoulders, head exposed...
I felt guilty for not having praticed since Thursday and just as I was starting to feel self concious about my wooden style the other Nick turned up, doubling the size of the training session. Nick is a short, shaven headed man covered in tattoos who mean looks belie a nice guy underneath who is willing to help me along with my style and said this week he wouldn't hit me too hard.
We alternated three rounds bag work and three rounds in the ring with Jason throwing jabs that I had to block and step around the ring, keeping my distance, again letting my hands drop leaving my head vulnerable. My stance was too wide and my steps too big making me clumsy and slow but I corrected this and suddenly felt lighter and more agile. There are two people in the ring - the fighter and the boxer. The figher dominates the middle of the ring and the boxer moves around the edge, forwards and backwards. I am always the boxer and must learn to use my height and reach advantage to maintain a distance out of range and have momentum when I step in and punch.
Next came my first experince of sparring. Nick put in his gumshield and moved to the centre of the ring. I don't have a gumshield and my 10Oz gloves that came free with the bag I bought from JJB sports are to thin for sparring so I'll have to put that right by next time.We were to do three 1.5 minute rounds, scoring (theoretical) points if any of our punches got through. Again I was the boxer and it felt amazing compared to skills practics. The heightened feeling of the both of us being on a hair-trigger gave rise to a clarity and focus in the mind where the world outside the ring does not exist. If I fainted a jab by twitching my shoulder or stepping in and out would send my opponent into a defensive block. Suddenly I could see how everything I had learned so far needed to be called upon almost simultaneously - hands up protecting my head, keep light footed, move around the fighter, block his jabs or lean out the way, step in and back...
Well that is me recalling what I should have done, writing about it afterwards on a train en route to York. In reality I forgot to block half the time, delivered a jab to Nick's head which he blocked but then didn't move back for an age, leaving my lower body open to a punch - which was pretty easy since he was a head shorter than me. Good thing that he'd agreed to go easy this time. I mentioned to Nick afterwards that I couldn't see how it was possible to deliver a jab when he could duck it and despatch a body blow while I was in range, but he said he always gets hit because his more experienced opponents deliver a shot over the top while he is ducking down. I'll have to remember that.
The third round was hard work - my sinuses decided to evacuate their evil contents onto my shirt, sweat was pouring off me and my arms were too tired to keep my hands up. I knew this, and Jason was shouting at me from the side of the ring to keep them up too which distracted me and frustrated me quite a lot. Nick was more or less choosing when to hit me and I my blocks were uncoordinated thrashes of my arms. I wasn't best pleased with my performance, but it did give me an insight into just how much there was to learn, how much there is to think about, and how important strength and stamina are to getting anywhere close to going the distance.
Jason said that he'd spoken to another club in Cardiff and got some plans for an exhibition fight in August. That gives me just over 5 months to get into condition and practice. I don't think I've ever even contemplated doing 5 months preparation for something that will last (I hope) four and a half minutes!
We both stepped out of the ring and Jason informed us it was fitness time. Feeling like I'd already burned off more calories than I'd ingested all week, we moved over to the weights area to do alternate kettle bell raises followed by 15 pressups - repeated three times.
I got home feeling weak as a robin and was fast asleep in bed by 9:30.
Week 5
I missed the next two sessions but used the time in bed when I wasn't sleeping or fighting my email inbox to watch some classic boxing bouts on youtube.com. I could see a what of what Jason was trying to get me to do, but a lot of different styles that seem to break the rules - like the Maccarenelli - Haye fight last weekend. Haye keeps his left hand down by his waist and is not often on his toes, but then when you're World Champion you are allowed to do that.
I popped into the gym to arrange a catchup session with Jason. Simon told me that the running track around the perimeter of the gym totals 90 metres. I kind of wish I didn't know that bit of information.
I had another one to one session with Jason and we missed out fitness as I was still not completely better. We spent most of the time shadow boxing in front of the mirror and then endless practice going round in circles doing left step jab, left step jab. Finished off in the ring learning how to be defensive by blocking punches with both hands, parrying with one hand, ducking and stepping back. Worth remembering that stuff.
I popped into the gym to arrange a catchup session with Jason. Simon told me that the running track around the perimeter of the gym totals 90 metres. I kind of wish I didn't know that bit of information.
I had another one to one session with Jason and we missed out fitness as I was still not completely better. We spent most of the time shadow boxing in front of the mirror and then endless practice going round in circles doing left step jab, left step jab. Finished off in the ring learning how to be defensive by blocking punches with both hands, parrying with one hand, ducking and stepping back. Worth remembering that stuff.
Week 4
This week I had a hard schedule at work. I had to go to Oslo for a meeting on Monday. My flight home was at 4:30 in the morning and as soon as I landed in Cardiff I had to collect my car and drive up to Sheffield to survey a dam that had been in danger of bursting. I'm saying this here because that day was spent that day raising and lowering a 15m telescopic camera mast for 7 hours in blustery northern weather before driving home. I started sneezing at Strencham Services on the M5 and felt the fear of yet another cold..
Since I'd missed Monday and Wednesday nights training I booked a one to one session with Jason on Thursday afternoon. This turned out the be my best session yet - he could see that I'd been practicing and his complete attention meant that we could tackle a lot of my bad habits like flat feet, dropping hands, swimming punches... a lot of things.
The last part of the session was a mistake. I refused to admit that the storm clouds of a bad cold were brewing in the background and Jason put me through 15 minutes of fitness - 30 seconds of pressups, 30 seconds of dumbell punches and 30 seconds of squats with a sprint lap of the gym in between each set. This was repeated 3 times and on the third repetition I tried a mindfulness of breathing exercise while sprinting round the track which was like kicking into another gear. Interesting. It felt amazing.
The next two days I couldn't get out of bed and was incapacitated with the worst fever and flu I can remember. I felt so stupid for pushing myself when my body clearly needed it's reserve to fight a virus.
Since I'd missed Monday and Wednesday nights training I booked a one to one session with Jason on Thursday afternoon. This turned out the be my best session yet - he could see that I'd been practicing and his complete attention meant that we could tackle a lot of my bad habits like flat feet, dropping hands, swimming punches... a lot of things.
The last part of the session was a mistake. I refused to admit that the storm clouds of a bad cold were brewing in the background and Jason put me through 15 minutes of fitness - 30 seconds of pressups, 30 seconds of dumbell punches and 30 seconds of squats with a sprint lap of the gym in between each set. This was repeated 3 times and on the third repetition I tried a mindfulness of breathing exercise while sprinting round the track which was like kicking into another gear. Interesting. It felt amazing.
The next two days I couldn't get out of bed and was incapacitated with the worst fever and flu I can remember. I felt so stupid for pushing myself when my body clearly needed it's reserve to fight a virus.
Week 3
A new person joined the group - a girl called Emma. I remember seeing her turn up on her bike wearing just a vest in the subzero night. She was my partner for the night and we did nothing but jabs and blocking (jab with the left, block with the right). It felt strange trying to punch a woman in the face but she did pretty well. Afterwards she said she was surprised it was so male oriented. I nearly said "what do you expect?" but she never came back.
Rich explained to me afterwards that boxing is more about not getting hit rather than landing big punches. I'd not thought of it this way around and suddenly I could see where all the skills training we do comes into it's own - not to mention being light on your feet and agile. I still feel like a bog oak rooted in thick mud and wonder what I can do to loosen up.
I'm starting to really enjoy this new sport and working out with guys from cross sections of life I'd not meet day to day. Every now and then things I've learned come into my mind. I bought a bag so now I can practice some of the things I think of more easily.
Rich explained to me afterwards that boxing is more about not getting hit rather than landing big punches. I'd not thought of it this way around and suddenly I could see where all the skills training we do comes into it's own - not to mention being light on your feet and agile. I still feel like a bog oak rooted in thick mud and wonder what I can do to loosen up.
I'm starting to really enjoy this new sport and working out with guys from cross sections of life I'd not meet day to day. Every now and then things I've learned come into my mind. I bought a bag so now I can practice some of the things I think of more easily.
Week 2
I got there early this week and stared skipping to warm up. I'm quite good at skipping and realised I have more stamina than some of the heavy built guys who work out more. Bought a strap for my injured knee which had developed a mobile sack of fluid from the injury. I showed Ash who promptly rolled up his trouser leg and showed me two wounds through his knee - bullet entry and exit wounds. I carried on skipping.
Met two new guys this week - Dave and Rich. Dave was wearing black laceup boxing boots and looked serious. Rich is a jovial law lecturer in Pontypridd. He is interesting because he is so amicable to chat to, but an animal when he gets his gloves on and is on the pads. They've both been coming for a long time and both competed in the last exhibition fight at the Cardiff Coal Exchange in front of a crowd of 500 people.
Rich told me afterwards that he turned up with his wife and had a nice glass of wine whilst awaiting his turn. His opponent turned up sweating from a warm up with his personal trainer and he said he thought "what the hell am I doing?." He didn't say if he finished or not.
Dave and Ash looked good sparring - especially Dave who's probably the most experienced of the group. The contrast of seeing him arrive in a pressed white shirt and suit to his snorting and jabbing at Ashley's head was something else. During fitness he sprinted round the gym like a greyhound ahead of everyone else.
Met two new guys this week - Dave and Rich. Dave was wearing black laceup boxing boots and looked serious. Rich is a jovial law lecturer in Pontypridd. He is interesting because he is so amicable to chat to, but an animal when he gets his gloves on and is on the pads. They've both been coming for a long time and both competed in the last exhibition fight at the Cardiff Coal Exchange in front of a crowd of 500 people.
Rich told me afterwards that he turned up with his wife and had a nice glass of wine whilst awaiting his turn. His opponent turned up sweating from a warm up with his personal trainer and he said he thought "what the hell am I doing?." He didn't say if he finished or not.
Dave and Ash looked good sparring - especially Dave who's probably the most experienced of the group. The contrast of seeing him arrive in a pressed white shirt and suit to his snorting and jabbing at Ashley's head was something else. During fitness he sprinted round the gym like a greyhound ahead of everyone else.
Week 1
I turned up a bit late and had a first look at the rest of the group. There were three other guys - all struck me as Cardiff hard men with no hair and lots of tattoos. Another Nick who reminded me of a fighting dog and looked like he could punch through a brick wall. Ashley - a 6 foot plus muscle man with a diamond earring and another guy who's name I don't remember who was through and through Cardiff lad and said "you knows I'm not gonna be good tonight as I had to bury me dad yesterday, like". The coach is called Jason who has the build and posture of a street fighter and is amazing to watch how light footed and powerful he is when he demonstrates shadow boxing or bag work. He's a top guy and 100% committed to getting us up to a level where we can go and spar with other clubs in the area.
They all turned out the be really nice guys and seemed willing to pass on tips to me and be generally encouraging. I felt foolish telling Jason that I'd done a lot of boxercise classes in the past and after seeing how the other guys moved around I realised I should have said my experience was - nothing. I thought I had a pretty good right punch, but within thirty seconds after I'd learned the correct stance, posture, where to hold my hands etc. I realised this was the complete beginning being built on a foundation of nothing but uncertainty.
I thought we would be in the ring from the word go, but the session involved endless bag work, watching Jason look good and failing to look anything like him. People had billed this as some kind of fight club where frustrated white collar worker go to knock seven bells out of each other after work for an hour or so. The reality was a new and exciting sport of which I knew nothing that combines mental and physical agility with extreme fitness, strength and stamina.
The last 15 minutes were fitness time - (as if what we had been doing for the past 45 was not). This involved relays around the running track doing squat thrusts, pressups and jack-knifes, three times. It was exhausting - plus my knee was still weeping blood from a deep cut inflicted in a snowboarding collision with a buried rock in Switzerland a week before.
For the first time in a long time I felt invigorated, fit, focused and knew that there was a lot more to this than I thought.
If anybody reads this blog and wants to know more about boxing terminology, here is a great wiki page
They all turned out the be really nice guys and seemed willing to pass on tips to me and be generally encouraging. I felt foolish telling Jason that I'd done a lot of boxercise classes in the past and after seeing how the other guys moved around I realised I should have said my experience was - nothing. I thought I had a pretty good right punch, but within thirty seconds after I'd learned the correct stance, posture, where to hold my hands etc. I realised this was the complete beginning being built on a foundation of nothing but uncertainty.
I thought we would be in the ring from the word go, but the session involved endless bag work, watching Jason look good and failing to look anything like him. People had billed this as some kind of fight club where frustrated white collar worker go to knock seven bells out of each other after work for an hour or so. The reality was a new and exciting sport of which I knew nothing that combines mental and physical agility with extreme fitness, strength and stamina.
The last 15 minutes were fitness time - (as if what we had been doing for the past 45 was not). This involved relays around the running track doing squat thrusts, pressups and jack-knifes, three times. It was exhausting - plus my knee was still weeping blood from a deep cut inflicted in a snowboarding collision with a buried rock in Switzerland a week before.
For the first time in a long time I felt invigorated, fit, focused and knew that there was a lot more to this than I thought.
If anybody reads this blog and wants to know more about boxing terminology, here is a great wiki page
February 1, 2008
Why?
Quite why I decided to join a white collar boxing club, I don't know. I've been a member of most of the health clubs in Cardiff at some point or another and found combined lure of relaxing spa facilites and apathetic members trying to shift excess pounds from too many Friday nights or indulgent business lunches just not motivating. I ran pretty regulary for two years and even did the Cardiff marathon in '97 (I did no training and finished in over 5 hours but proved my persuasion that a large part of physical achievement was mental and not just physical). Repetitive colds, chest infections, damaged knees from snowboarding depressingly showed me how much easier it is to lose physical condition than gain it so for many months I did nothing apart from the occasional game of squash with my mates Rich and Steve.
For the record, white collar boxing is a relatively new sport in the UK coming over from the USA. It is aimed at professionals who do office jobs in the day and have the desire to pursue a sport that combines high levels of stamina with the unrivalled thrill of stepping into a boxing ring for refereed sparring fights where points are awarded for technique.
I'm 37 and suddenly became aware that a lot of the athletes and sportsmen I admire are younger than me and I was hanging out on Monday nights with people almost twice my age at meetings of Cardiff Business Club (which is an inspirational organisation given new energy by my friend Alun Davies) but not the best place to feel your age or achieve a peak of fitness.. I used to train with Simon Baston, a local developer who was a triathlete and had started playing rugby again. I thought about this too, but don't think I could make the commitment to team training. Simon left to live in Vancouver.
For the past 3-4 years I've been practicing on and off at the Cardiff Buddhist Centre which sparked an interest in increased awareness in everything from breathing to our effect on people and the environment around us. Deep inside me was a burning desire to satisfy a competitive urge. The guys at work go mountain biking a lot and do a lot of other outdoory things but I was after something different and something that nodody else in my group of friends or acquaintances had done.
Recalling the way I dealt with that long 26 mile run by breaking the journey down into tiny fragments and overcoming each one in turn I thought that maybe there could be some synnergy between the practices I'd learned at the Buddhist Centre and a high stamina mentally challenging sport like Boxing. Maybe this is bollocks and I'm trying to find an excuse for my absence from Wednesday evenings with my loving-mindful-peaceful friends in St Peter's Street. Seriously though, as time goes on I am starting to believe I could be onto something although I can imagine some of them would be horrified if I told them what I'm doing (which I will).
I knew there was a place called Trainstation somewhere in Butetown, Cardiff because one of my better gym experiences was boxercise with a trainer called John at the St David's Spa. I found them about 3 minutes from my office in one of my favourite areas of Cardiff - Curran Road. I like this area because despite all the trendy loft-living cafe culture of the new Cardiff Bay, this place remains an enclave of the dirty industrial Cardiff Docks that was commonplace when I was a student. It is a potholed road, stil with rail tracks set into the crumbling tarmac flanked by derelict warehouses, car breakers, overflowing skips and more than one greasy spoon cafe. The gym is on the top floor of a unit opposite a used office furniture warehouse (where we bought our first TerraDat office desk and a padded swivel chair with foam appearing out of the arm rests about 15 years ago). I think some PhD student in Cardiff University is sitting in it now or maybe it ended up in a skip as it was probably a fire hazard.
I met Simon who runs the Trainstation2 who showed me around. At one end is a boxing ring with ripped blue canvas deck held together with silver gaffa tape and at the other, a weights and fitness area. Around the edge is a running track around which several red faced middle-aged men were being forcibly made to drag lorry tyres orcarry beer kegs on their shoulders by a coach. There were no TV screens to distract, a slight smell of rubber, sweat and dampness and the changing rooms resemble a rugby club. No motivational posters or scented flowers in the toilets - just a notice showing varying shades of yellow instructing you that if your piss was darker than shade 6 then you should drink more...
The main thing was that this appeared to be a place of hard work where people came to get results which is what I wanted. Several letters stapled to the wall from people like the Cheif Exec of Brains Brewery and Frank Holmes thanking Simon for the transformation in their fitness added further testament to this.
For the record, white collar boxing is a relatively new sport in the UK coming over from the USA. It is aimed at professionals who do office jobs in the day and have the desire to pursue a sport that combines high levels of stamina with the unrivalled thrill of stepping into a boxing ring for refereed sparring fights where points are awarded for technique.
I'm 37 and suddenly became aware that a lot of the athletes and sportsmen I admire are younger than me and I was hanging out on Monday nights with people almost twice my age at meetings of Cardiff Business Club (which is an inspirational organisation given new energy by my friend Alun Davies) but not the best place to feel your age or achieve a peak of fitness.. I used to train with Simon Baston, a local developer who was a triathlete and had started playing rugby again. I thought about this too, but don't think I could make the commitment to team training. Simon left to live in Vancouver.
For the past 3-4 years I've been practicing on and off at the Cardiff Buddhist Centre which sparked an interest in increased awareness in everything from breathing to our effect on people and the environment around us. Deep inside me was a burning desire to satisfy a competitive urge. The guys at work go mountain biking a lot and do a lot of other outdoory things but I was after something different and something that nodody else in my group of friends or acquaintances had done.
Recalling the way I dealt with that long 26 mile run by breaking the journey down into tiny fragments and overcoming each one in turn I thought that maybe there could be some synnergy between the practices I'd learned at the Buddhist Centre and a high stamina mentally challenging sport like Boxing. Maybe this is bollocks and I'm trying to find an excuse for my absence from Wednesday evenings with my loving-mindful-peaceful friends in St Peter's Street. Seriously though, as time goes on I am starting to believe I could be onto something although I can imagine some of them would be horrified if I told them what I'm doing (which I will).
I knew there was a place called Trainstation somewhere in Butetown, Cardiff because one of my better gym experiences was boxercise with a trainer called John at the St David's Spa. I found them about 3 minutes from my office in one of my favourite areas of Cardiff - Curran Road. I like this area because despite all the trendy loft-living cafe culture of the new Cardiff Bay, this place remains an enclave of the dirty industrial Cardiff Docks that was commonplace when I was a student. It is a potholed road, stil with rail tracks set into the crumbling tarmac flanked by derelict warehouses, car breakers, overflowing skips and more than one greasy spoon cafe. The gym is on the top floor of a unit opposite a used office furniture warehouse (where we bought our first TerraDat office desk and a padded swivel chair with foam appearing out of the arm rests about 15 years ago). I think some PhD student in Cardiff University is sitting in it now or maybe it ended up in a skip as it was probably a fire hazard.
I met Simon who runs the Trainstation2 who showed me around. At one end is a boxing ring with ripped blue canvas deck held together with silver gaffa tape and at the other, a weights and fitness area. Around the edge is a running track around which several red faced middle-aged men were being forcibly made to drag lorry tyres orcarry beer kegs on their shoulders by a coach. There were no TV screens to distract, a slight smell of rubber, sweat and dampness and the changing rooms resemble a rugby club. No motivational posters or scented flowers in the toilets - just a notice showing varying shades of yellow instructing you that if your piss was darker than shade 6 then you should drink more...
The main thing was that this appeared to be a place of hard work where people came to get results which is what I wanted. Several letters stapled to the wall from people like the Cheif Exec of Brains Brewery and Frank Holmes thanking Simon for the transformation in their fitness added further testament to this.
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