Post: #501

All I know is while my grappling keeps my coaches on their toes but striking they giggle as I get toyed with.

I listened to everything everyone said. Stopped trying to force power with my arms n shoulders, focusing on the hips haven't had pain anywhere near the level I did before. Everyones advice was quite good and much appreciated.

Post: #502

Post: #503

my trainer for the past 6 months used to be sparring partners with a lot of HOF fighters and was on the olympic team before turning pro too late. here's a bunch of nuggets of wisdom i've learned with our time together:

1) apart from sparring and 1 on 1 mitt sessions, shadow boxing is the most important part of training that everyone neglects and treats as a warm up. you learn so much from shadow boxing, and it forces you to look your movement and technique. i used to lazily shadow box as a warmup for 2 rounds, now after a stretching routine every training session starts with 5 rounds of shadowboxing. foot movement and "stepping with your punches" is the big emphasis here. a lot of fighters have to get set when they punch, but the best fighters coordinate their shots with the push off their foot, and know how to close distance and pivot to prevent counters. too much heavy bag work in front of a bag that doesn't really force you to step to it can cause this problem.

2) pretend you're sitting in a chair when you're in the pocket. i was taught you should crouch in the pocket, but i never really focused on keeping my ass low and knees bent when i'm really up close. this helps with my favorite touch and go combinations and counters (ie. tuck my elbows to my torso and slightly rotate and dip to parry a body shot/upper, then use my weight to explode up with an upper-hook-straight counter).

3) more speed work and less road work. you have to do roadwork, but not as much as old school trainers will tell you. you need road work to get the weight down if you enjoy eating (like me). boxing is a series of explosive bursts, you have to train your legs and body in this same fashion. instead of running 5 miles 4 times a week, run 10 100's twice a week and an easy paced 30 minute run on your rest day.

4) if you hit the weights, you HAVE to stretch. especially if you're one who likes to lift in the 8 rep range. i always used to think that the whole "lifting weights makes you slower" stuff was just a bunch of old school crap. i was wrong.... partially. lifting weights in an explosive manner (3-5 rep maxes) will put more spring on your punches, only if you balance it out with just as much stretching. when my trainer first started doing mitts with me, he would say "your shots come out like a hammer, not like a whip." once i started stretching i learned that he was on to something.

5) bag work is very important, but it comes second to mitts and shadowboxing. learning the technique comes from a person who knows what their doing teaching you properly (mittwork), practicing the technique in the ring comes from shadowboxing. conditioning that technique comes from bag work. all of this comes together and you're able to apply it once you're sparring.

6) one thing that the old school method of training that's missing nowadays is the importance of feet first. nowadays everyone wants to throw combinations and look like a badass, but only at a stationary target. the best hits are on the blind side when circling, or catching an opponent off guard with a pot shot combo down the middle. for the first week of training he had me walk forwards and backwards for 4 rounds before telling me to jump rope for another 4 (i was pissed and confused because i've been boxing in the amateurs for close to two years) - and that was the whole workout. the next week he had me learning how to pivot correctly once my front and back feet touched the ropes. once i got to a level of fluidity to where i could throw with much more power and control distance did i realize how little i knew about how to use my legs. apart from being in the pocket, every combination starts with a "step", either with a step to the "outside" or "down the middle", followed by "rolling out".

Post: #504

(12-07-2015 07:31 PM)the chef Wrote:  for the first week of training he had me walk forwards and backwards for 4 rounds before telling me to jump rope for another 4 (i was pissed and confused because i've been boxing in the amateurs for close to two years)

Great stuff chef.

This part made me think of this.

Post: #505

Quote:2) pretend you're sitting in a chair when you're in the pocket. i was taught you should crouch in the pocket, but i never really focused on keeping my ass low and knees bent when i'm really up close. this helps with my favorite touch and go combinations and counters (ie. tuck my elbows to my torso and slightly rotate and dip to parry a body shot/upper, then use my weight to explode up with an upper-hook-straight counter).

Been doing this and it's so much easier to block shots. I can squat well so it is a comfortable position.

I was sparring with a new training partner the other day who leaned forward in the pocket, and I realised that whenever he tried to cover the head, he'd expose his ribs and vice versa, due to the back angle created by his forward lean. Hit him with plenty of shots, and after my feedback, as he changed over to sitting back, he could block a lot better too.

Post: #506

Just watched Aldo vs McGregor with my boxing crew and coach. Even a great champion like Aldo can make all the mistakes of a beginner in throwing a punch... wow!

Post: #507

there's always just something "off" about MMA fighters. fighting can be boiled down to just a game of "inches and seconds" (ie. closing distance and controlling time) - and i really just don't see it with these UFC guys. it might be cause the sport is really young compared to boxing which has a super rich history of talented fighters, but it seems like UFC fighters are just athletes pounding the shit out of each other without really mastering movement. of course there are exceptions like mcgregor (and possibly holly holm....?), but i see no mastery of timing and distance with these UFC guys. they all look like they're just trying to sack the quarterback and manhandle each other.

Post: #508

I saw "Creed" - Damn sort of disappointed. Went with my trainer and thought it would be something we could relate too but we just kept noticing bad boxing and the worse was the love interest crap. The movie was almost 2 and 1/2 hours. Could have cut out the love shit, and even added a couple of more fights and still been more entertaining at less than 2 hours.

Rant off.

Post: #509

class is in session with professor chocolatito

Post: #510

currently at 151, body fat hovering around 12% - also 5'8. 3 weeks left to golden gloves. should i bust my ass to push down to 141 (the next lowest weight class), or stay strong at 151?

if training keeps going as expected and i taper down on my diet i believe i'll get down to 9-10% body fat. i'd hate to feel less explosive and weak at 141, but would also hate to get thrown to the wolves at 151.

Post: #511

How long before fights do you have to weigh in? At your height at 151 you will likely be up against much taller rangier opposition. Even at 141 that can often be the case. No harm staying at the weight to see how you get on though and then make the change next time around.

Post: #512

The range is what I'm most worried about. Being a shorter guy, I train and spar with guys taller than me obviously, but I'm physically more developed and skilled than they are. But I know golden gloves is a different story as it's one of the biggest tournaments of the year; and the best athletes from gyms across the city will be competing.

Amateur boxing has a very little window before weigh ins and fight time (2-5 hours) so I'd rather not resort to extreme dehydration. I want to walk in there extremely confident in my explosiveness, speed, and strength.

Post: #513

I think I'd stay at 151 in that case rather than rush it as the weight loss can really affect your mindset. You'd almost certainly be more competitive at 141 with a bit of time to get used to the weight though.

Post: #514

I think it is better to stay at 151. You're fit, you're strong, you'll be confident because you feel as you should feel and how you know your body will feel in the ring.

In the amateurs, you definitely don't want to be hungry or dehydrated with weighins just before the fight. You're a 151lb amateur, you're right where you should be and that's the end of it for me. Everything is perfect, you've come in right where you need to be, no reason to do anything drastic now. I would actually advise against 'cutting' 2% bf at this point, you'll almost certainly perform better at 12% than at 9%. Better to eat well, train well, and come in relaxed, in my view.

Might be worth shooting CBW a message if he doesn't see this thread, as he is a serious coach and will no doubt have some great advice.

Post: #515

I know I'll definitely drop a few percentages in body fat. I'm working hard everyday to take my conditioning to the next level. I believe the conditioning is really where you get that mental edge and allows you to manage the adrenaline and eliminate nervousness come fight day, so upping that for the next 3 weeks will be key.

In the past I've competed at lower weight classes, but I spent the past few months upping my strength training, so this will be my first time at 151.

Just wanted to hear everyone's opinion on weight classes. I appreciate all of the feedback.

Post: #516

(01-02-2016 02:58 PM)H1N1 Wrote:  Might be worth shooting CBW a message.

No need.

Silly weight cutting is one of my major bug bears at pro levels of fightsports, let alone amateur level.

It's stupid, dangerous and most often totally counterproductive.

The sooner it is eradicated from all levels of fighting, the better.

Post: #517

tried out grant gloves this morning. way overrated. don't even know why they're in the "big 3" with winning, and reyes. there are a couple of $100 gloves that are just as good, if not better than $400 grants.

Post: #518

Pretty good channel I just came across. Some of the stuff is a bit obvious, but there is some nice analysis. Good ones on Andre Ward and Duran that I've watched too.





One thing that is instructive, and worth noting: Look at the difference between Golovkin's eyes and those of any of his opponents. It's an incredibly clear illustration of the distinction between being a great athlete and skilled boxer, and being a real fighter and a bad dude. As good as the other guys are, they are guys who have built a skill set over a life time, which coupled with athletic gifts, has seen them rise to the top. Golovkin is a different animal, and perhaps above all else this is why he is so devastating. The others are athletes - tough, competent, skilled and gifted competitors. Golovkin is a killer. Anecdotally, this is the look that you see in every truly great fighter's eyes when he is in the ring.

Post: #519

Golovkin is my favourite boxer. Should see the huge contrast between his eyes in regular mode (joking around, on interviews etc.) vs when he's in the ring, just to add to H1N1's point above.

Post: #520

So I was shadow sparring with my trainer. I did something to annoy him (hehe I was a little late), in my last round (out of 8) he cranked the speed. He is a smaller guy and he said he did 3/4 speed. It was blistering. He was on the Olympic team. At first, I had no idea what was going on. All I could do was block and cover up, eventually I got some shots in (open fisted touching - we didn't have full gear on).

All I can say is holy shit. I think I want to spar with gear and make him go full speed. I really just want to see it. I think I will need a special word in case I need him to stop. Like "little dark" or something in case it gets too much.
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On a slightly different note, how thick of an upper body is too much to box effectively? I am not reaching the point of diminished speed (not that thick in the upper body). More of a question for a terrible thing I do where I size guys up. I am not trying to get into fights, but I see some lifters and I just don't think their hand speed would be that good.

Post: #521

(12-07-2015 07:31 PM)the chef Wrote:  my trainer for the past 6 months used to be sparring partners with a lot of HOF fighters and was on the olympic team before turning pro too late. here's a bunch of nuggets of wisdom i've learned with our time together:

1) apart from sparring and 1 on 1 mitt sessions, shadow boxing is the most important part of training that everyone neglects and treats as a warm up. you learn so much from shadow boxing, and it forces you to look your movement and technique. i used to lazily shadow box as a warmup for 2 rounds, now after a stretching routine every training session starts with 5 rounds of shadowboxing. foot movement and "stepping with your punches" is the big emphasis here. a lot of fighters have to get set when they punch, but the best fighters coordinate their shots with the push off their foot, and know how to close distance and pivot to prevent counters. too much heavy bag work in front of a bag that doesn't really force you to step to it can cause this problem.

2) pretend you're sitting in a chair when you're in the pocket. i was taught you should crouch in the pocket, but i never really focused on keeping my ass low and knees bent when i'm really up close. this helps with my favorite touch and go combinations and counters (ie. tuck my elbows to my torso and slightly rotate and dip to parry a body shot/upper, then use my weight to explode up with an upper-hook-straight counter).

3) more speed work and less road work. you have to do roadwork, but not as much as old school trainers will tell you. you need road work to get the weight down if you enjoy eating (like me). boxing is a series of explosive bursts, you have to train your legs and body in this same fashion. instead of running 5 miles 4 times a week, run 10 100's twice a week and an easy paced 30 minute run on your rest day.

4) if you hit the weights, you HAVE to stretch. especially if you're one who likes to lift in the 8 rep range. i always used to think that the whole "lifting weights makes you slower" stuff was just a bunch of old school crap. i was wrong.... partially. lifting weights in an explosive manner (3-5 rep maxes) will put more spring on your punches, only if you balance it out with just as much stretching. when my trainer first started doing mitts with me, he would say "your shots come out like a hammer, not like a whip." once i started stretching i learned that he was on to something.

5) bag work is very important, but it comes second to mitts and shadowboxing. learning the technique comes from a person who knows what their doing teaching you properly (mittwork), practicing the technique in the ring comes from shadowboxing. conditioning that technique comes from bag work. all of this comes together and you're able to apply it once you're sparring.

6) one thing that the old school method of training that's missing nowadays is the importance of feet first. nowadays everyone wants to throw combinations and look like a badass, but only at a stationary target. the best hits are on the blind side when circling, or catching an opponent off guard with a pot shot combo down the middle. for the first week of training he had me walk forwards and backwards for 4 rounds before telling me to jump rope for another 4 (i was pissed and confused because i've been boxing in the amateurs for close to two years) - and that was the whole workout. the next week he had me learning how to pivot correctly once my front and back feet touched the ropes. once i got to a level of fluidity to where i could throw with much more power and control distance did i realize how little i knew about how to use my legs. apart from being in the pocket, every combination starts with a "step", either with a step to the "outside" or "down the middle", followed by "rolling out".

7) you must jump rope. there is no other way around it. this muscle monster MMA guy walked into the gym the other day and sparked up a conversation with my training partner. he said something along the lines of: "yeah, jumping rope is inefficient junk training, you don't need to jump rope to learn proper footwork." he then proceeded to hit the heavy bag for 30 minutes straight before calling it a day . a couple of days later he sparred my friend and his movement looked tight and robotic. all of his movement was linear and could be easily timed. i'm confident that a lightweight could have figured out his rhythm, outpointed him, then eventually knocked him out. point is, jumping rope is extremely effective. will it make you a muhammad ali in 3 months? no. but your coordination, agility, and overall "looseness" in your movement will improve dramatically. you'll pivot quicker, stay lighter on your feet, and capitalize in finding angles better than someone who failed to skip rope. i like to go for 2 to 3 rounds depending on my conditioning training in the morning. also, i make sure to change my speeds and intensity to mimic a fight. when the 30 second bell rings i increase my speed and work to a sprint until the rest bell sounds off.

8) sprints and intervals are probably the quickest way to get into shape, but you can't do them every day or else you'll risk CNS burnout or joint problems. you'll feel drained and start to get nagging injuries and coughs. i know i've done too many intervals when i start waking up with shin splints or feel tired all the time, leading to shit training sessions. this is where other forms of cardio comes into play. three, maybe four days of hard intervals/sprints is more than enough to reap the benefits (assuming that your intensity is high). on off days i prefer using the airdyne bike for 20 minutes at a brisk pace to give my CNS and joints a rest.

9) the hook usually follows the uppercut. when determining the rhythm of your combination, 75% of the time, the uppercut should be strong enough to just expose the jaw, which sets up the kill shot (the hook). i know all of the tyson fans who want to muscle a guy to the ropes and throw a shit ton of hard uppercuts, but usually its the hook that kills. when loading the power in your legs and hips, the upper should be a slight pop (like a quick push press), followed by a strong swing to generate enough torque for your hook to do the damage.

10) master the fundamentals first before you even think about emulating styles. my coach always tells me that learning the offense first gives you the confidence to establish yourself, then learn the defense. once you've got a firm grasp on the fundaments, is when you start to pick up on styles. i've noticed that when black kids walk into the gym, nearly all of them want to fight like a mixture of floyd with the philly shell, and roy jones jr with the loose hands up in the air. what they don't realize is that floyd and roy have had an extensive amateur background, therefore they have 1: learned their body makeup and mechanics, 2: have mastery over timing and 3: spent their childhood drilling the fundamentals before they even developed those styles. the same is with mexican kids who walk into the gym only wanting to walk forward and throw a fuck ton of left hooks to the body and overhand rights. it's easy to spar these kids as they don't even know what the fuck they're doing - their either being taught by trainers who've watched one fighter on youtube or are too incompetent to pick up the basics (ie. learning foot movement, staying tight with the right hand, coordinating the eyes, hands, and feet). my coach always tells me to forget shooting my jab to the chin with amateur's who only want to fight with a mayweather philly shell, and rip hard jabs and right hands to the shoulder and rotator cuff, and shovel hooks to the elbow and gut. since those kids don't know the intricacies of rolling with the shell and they've failed to master the fundamentals, they're essentially checkmated once they've taken enough punishment. same thing with those mexican kids who only want to walk forward and move their head, my coach will instruct me to drop my shots from the head and pot shot to the sternum and diaphragm, stopping their movement. checkmate. this could all be prevented if they learned how to work off foot movement and a traditional fighting stance that old school boxing coaches teach.

11) just to reinforce the very first point... how you shadowbox is how you're going to fight.

12) heavy bag work is important for conditioning the body to throw hard shots at a big target, but my trainer only wants us on the heavy bag twice a week - never longer than 4 rounds at a time. i honestly think heavy bag work is quite overrated. yes, you can develop power from heavy bag work, but you also have a higher risk of injuring your hands and wrist. similarly, the more skilled you are, punching power is usually increased by working on straight technique than just banging a heavy bag over and over. after a certain point i believe your gains from the heavy bag plateau at a faster rate than any other tool in the gym, you'll even start to reinforce bad habits like not stepping forward with your punches, and sparring like you're fighting a heavy bag no matter how hard you try to reinforce visualizations that "the bag hits back." he sees the bag as more of a conditioning tool than something for skill development.

13) the double end bag is seriously underrated. it'll get your hands faster, and condition your eyes to react to a fast moving target when hit. once you get the timing and rhythm down, you can start using the bag to emulate a fight. i wouldn't say it develops power, but it develops precision which is paramount to brute force. you'll also be able to put in more rounds weekly as the bag is soft on your wrist and knuckles. my trainer wants us on the heavy bag for at least 4 rounds after every mitt session. the day in day out workout schedule is as follows: 3 rounds skip rope, 4 rounds shadow boxing, 3 rounds mitts, 4 rounds double end bag, 2 rounds speed bag, med ball work, stretch. on days when we're not doing mitt work (once or twice a week), we're on the heavy bag for 4 rounds.

Post: #522

Nice post chef. On the double end bag, someone suggested working with it when it is in your peripheral vision in addition to looking straight at it. I do it every now and then but it definitely helps to improve what you see on the edges.

Wish me luck guys sparring on Thursday. It might not be heavy duty but we are going with headgear. Been a few months for me.

Post: #523

I got destroyed today by my trainer. Things were going so fast, chin became untucked, my guard was all over the place, I was reacting to the previous shot as he landed the new one.

At one point at I asked him, "was that 3 jabs in a row?" They all landed on my face. Don't get me wrong in between we were both laughing at the beating I was getting. Just so fast.

Just reminds me anyone can be dangerous. Never judge someone solely by size.

He had to keep telling everyone I asked for full speed and that it wasn't how he normally treats his clients.

It was a blur.

But...I am gonna keep doing it.

Edit: I am also really grateful to have him as a trainer, not only is a good trainer and good guy, but he is still in competition shape so he can really push me.

Post: #524

Not sure if it is the less heavy weight/slower lifting thing, or the fish oils, experience/training or the stretching or a combination. But I am noticeably faster now in my punching speed.

I am an older guy and I try to avoid violent jerking movements just because of the joints, etc.

But my body feels tight now - not in a stiffness way but in a it moves together sort of way and I have comfort that I can throw fast right now safely.

It is pretty awesome to feel this way and see the hand speed that I have not had until now at 18+ months of training.

Post: #525

I think it's the combination of all of them. Nice work, mate.

Just got the date for my first fight, which is a club exhibition in 5 weeks time. 2x 90s rounds, only using straight punches. Already got matched up with an opponent, he's taller and about 10kg heavier, but not very fast nor skilful.

Was going to do an interclub comp as well 2 weeks after that, but I'm going on holidays then, so that will have to wait until May.

Footwork has been improving in training and sparring, and I've been landing lots of right hands lately as I'm more relaxed. Also been loving the diagonal punches, especially the lead / left hand. I'm still training hard to get them smoother, but have been landing a few good ones every sparring session.