Cut Off the Ring!

 

    ENTRY 509| AUGUST 25 /2023

CUT OFF THE RING!

This week I did 11 rounds of sparring. 

The Thursday evening session was with the younger guys. I like sparring them because it gives a variety and they also make me work really hard. On Friday it was with my age group which is okay too since that group is who I will be boxing in a competition.

One thing that two different coaches told me is that I need to cut off the ring more. That means moving in the same direction as your opponent and blocking him. 

That is easier said than done. As with everything else in boxing, it is always easier to practice on the floor than it is when sparring. Your opponent is not going to just let you block him. He will move all over the place to avoid being stuck in the corner...of course. 

I was also told to finish my combinations. Apparently, while I am on the attack and I get smacked, I stop. Well, yeah. That is the usual reaction to that, but apparently, it is incorrect to do in boxing. You are supposed to keep on the attack.

Something else to work on.

Also, on Thursday there was someone who was learning how to be a referee. The coaches are letting him "referee" the sparring and then they will let him what he missed. That is a really good idea. There are coaches who won't do that but the Cabbagetown coaches will.

They really are a great bunch of coaches.

I am beginning to enjoy the Thursday evening session despite how close it is to the Friday morning session. I am considering not dropping it from my training schedule and keeping the current schedule,

Reminder: Next Friday is a holiday weekend (Labour Day) so there will be no "Comments From the Ring".

NEXT ENTRY: September 8 /2023 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer trained for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

73 kg (165 lbs.)  

 STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE -- MODIFIED

TRAINING SCHEDULE:

Wed. 0900-1100

Thu. 1730-1930

Fri. 0900-1100

Holidays 0900-1030

COMPETITION STATUS:

 ACTIVE

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

September 9 [DEMONSTRATION]

@Cabbagetoown Boxing Clun

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

An Uppercut To the Nose

 

    ENTRY 508| AUGUST 18 /2023

LEFT--STEP BACK--RIGHT

That is what I was working on this week with the coach.

Throw a jab, take a step back, then step forward with a straight right. It works well while doing pad work with the coach, but it is not so easy while sparring.It is something to practice. 

I am also working on throwing to the body and then popping up and landing one to the head. I have been practicing that on the bag. Also a lot harder to do while sparring.

When I tried that while sparring on Friday, I was greeted with an uppercut to the nose. That hurt a bit. 

I am definitely going to have to rethink how I do that.

TRAINING SCHEDULE CHANGE (SOON)

Only nine rounds of sparring this week and I like to do at least ten. For some reason, there was no sparring on Thursday evening and that session is usually a gold mine for sparring.

I am likely going to be dropping Thursdays from my training schedule after September 9. I generally ramp up training before a bout or exhibition. Therefore, after my demonstration on September 9, I will go back to my regular schedule until I am asked to jump into the ring again.

I will of course not be attending the Thursday evening session on "CNE Day" which will also be on a Thursday. I am not sure if it will be this coming Thursday or the next, but it is the one day of the year I can just not care about anything and relax and eat the unhealthiest foods known to man.

Give me a break, it is one day a year!

NEXT ENTRY: August 25 /2023 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer trained for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

73 kg (165 lbs.)  

 STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE -- MODIFIED

TRAINING SCHEDULE:

Wed. 0900-1100

Thu. 1730-1930

Fri. 0900-1100

Holidays 0900-1030

COMPETITION STATUS:

 ACTIVE

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

September 9 [DEMONSTRATION]

@Cabbagetoown Boxing Clun

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

An Abundance of Sparring -and- The Guys Just Want To Fight

 

    ENTRY 507| AUGUST 11 /2023

AN ABUNDANCE OF SPARRING

This week was a banner week for sparring.

I could go to the gym an additional day due to Monday being a holiday and I was off. For a total of four sessions, I was able to spar four times. It was a total of 19 rounds for the week. That is well above my goal of 10 rounds per week and may seem like a lot. However, if you remember there was a lull in sparring for almost a month and a half so this makes up for it.

At this stage, sparring is much more intense and yes I'm a bit stiff from it. My muscles are complaining a bit but I am not in pain. I shouldn't, since someone who exercises as much as I should not have muscle problems. It can still happen. I have had muscle injuries and they are very painful and last a long time. Muscle damage can decommission an athlete for a long time. Which is the reason why one still needs to be careful.

I'm fine.

THE GUYS JUST WANT TO FIGHT

...but it doesn't work that way.

One of the coaches told me about a group of guys who come into his class and all they want to do is jump into the ring and go at it old school. They are not even boxers, and so his response is, how about learning how to box first?

Yeah. That is a good idea, It is a sport after all.

I find guys who think that way to be very disrespectful. There are people who practice and train very hard to be a boxer. It is a difficult sport, and according to ESPN, the most difficult sport. It isn't about jumping onto the ring and fighting everything that walks,

They should let them register to spar, but then put each one of them in there with a boxer. They will be made to look like the biggest fools and perhaps that will change their attitudes.

SEPTEMBER 9 ?

The Cabbagetown Boxing Club boxing exhibition has been announced for the Cabbagetown Festival on September 9.

Although the card has yet to be announced so we don't know who will be in it. As I have mentioned before, I hope I am boxing on that card, but even if I am not I will be there.

NEXT ENTRY: August 18 /2023 

░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░░

ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer trained for over 12 years.

STATS:

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

73 kg (165 lbs.)  

 STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

TRAINING SCHEDULE:

Wed. 0900-1100

Thu. 1730-1930

Fri. 0900-1100

Holidays 0900-1030

COMPETITION STATUS:

 PENDING

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn