ANNOUNCEMENTS

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ANNOUNCEMENTS 2

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Sunday, April 10, 2011

Team Training Extreme, or How To Kill Paul In One Easy Lesson

Well, followers of your humble boxer, 'The Comeback Kid', I have some news. The training camp scheduled for next weekend has be postponed until next month due to "scheduling conflicts".
In the meantime, I am still training very hard.
As you know, from a previous post, we have team training with the coach and assistant coach every Saturday from 11:00 AM until 1:00 PM. During this time, the coaches run through some drills and discuss upcoming matches.

This was a particularly more "difficult" training session than in the past. For one, this was the first time at this gym that I did technical sparring. That is a few months.
At first the coach had me in with little Nichole. Yes, a small girl. Well, you know what I mean. I guess the coach under-estimated me, because she was not challenging enough for me. Being a much shorter height did not help, either.
After a couple of rounds, the coach switched out Nichole with Chris. That's Big, Tall, Strong Chris, who has been boxing steady for quite a while. I felt better sparring with a male, and I don't mind that he has more experience.  That is how you learn.
One of the things I like about boxing, is that it is one of the few sports, where if you make a mistake, you know immediately. You will also not likely make the same mistake twice, because it hurts.
Chris did not fool around, he took this whole sparring thing very seriously. I did as well, and I also realized a mistake I was making. I **discovered** that I keep my lower ribcage open. How do I know this? Chris pointed it out to me. Now, a normal person might clue in after getting hit in the ribs once, twice maximum. Not Paul. Six times! Yes, my ribs were very sore after that beating. You are probably asking, 'Did you learn anything, Paul?' The answer is, I don't know. I will find out the next time I am sparring with Chris. I'm sure he will remind me.
After sparring, we went for our first jogging of the season. It was sunny and warm, and a nice day for outside training. It is important to note that this is after being inside all winter and also I was just coming off of having a cold, with a chest congestion. The assistant coach took us for a run "just around the block". Well, its a huge block. There is a film studio behind the boxing gym, to give you an idea of the size of this "block".


Our jogging route. Just around the block. Yeah, right.



Since I was not used to jogging, and just having a cold, I unfortunately could not make the run. I made it as far as Norseman Street, and felt like I had to 'ralph', so I did what any tough-guy boxer would do. I took a bus back to the gym.
It is not a big deal. I just have to make sure I am getting out jogging more. Now that the warmer weather is here, I should get out every day.
The coach said that once our run was finished, so were we. The assistant coach had a different idea: Three rounds on the bag, and ab work. Thank you for that.
Before leaving, the coach handed me some forms to get my boxing registration. There is a "team fight" coming up. I am not sure what that is. I believe it is some kind of an exhibition match. I would like to be in it. I hope I am ready.
I think my coaches are very impressed with my progress. I like this sport very much, and I try very hard to stay on top of it.
I have also been asked to keep a fitness log showing everything I do, and also noting my weight and resting pulse. The coach will be checking these every week to be sure we staying on our training. Well, they don't have to worry about me.
That's all for this entry. Until next time, please don't touch me in the ribcage.


My next scheduled match: [TBA]
My current division and class: Master's 89 kg
My current record (Kingsway): 0 - 0 - 0  //0
My next scheduled camp: Kingsway Fight Camp, May 14 - 15


Paul "The Comeback Kid"

Monday, April 4, 2011

Training For Training Camp

Yes, it has been a while since entering something here. that is because I have been very busy...training.
I am at one or another gym every day, doing some kind of training. I am preparing myself for the training camp later this month.
My coach at Kingsway wants the team to work on upper-body strengthening. However, we do not want to 'bulk-up'. The idea is to become stronger without moving into a higher weight class. This involves a series of exercises where you would use small dumbbells, and a high number or reps.
There is also one where you throw a medicine ball against the wall and catch it, as if you were throwing a punch. Well, the first time I did this, I did not catch the ball, and instead bent back my fingers...Ow!
There are also, my favorite, push-ups. I love these almost as much as I like having a colonoscopy.  The coach wants us doing three sets of 20 push-ups, at least. Of course, this is on top of the 100 or so we do in or other regular training classes. That's fine. I have to do these as part of training, but I don't have to like it.
My coach also wants me to start sparring again. That's fine, too. Sparring is the best exersice. However, becuase of my work schedule, I can never make it in time for the sparring class. I have been waiting (hinting) that they should do sparring on Saturdays during team training, after all it is team training !
Anyway, I am looking forward to the Camp, as it is very intensive. They even teach you the rules. Wow! Imagine actaully learning the rules of the sport. That comes in handy.
As for my TV series "The Boxer", I got a bit behind, and I will be submitting the preliminary outline shortly.

My next scheduled match: [TBA]
My current division and class: Master's 88 kg
My current record (Kingsway): 0 - 0 - 0  //0
My next scheduled camp: Kingsway Fight Camp, April 16-17


Paul "The Comeback Kid"