If Yo0u Can't Take A Punch...

 

    ENTRY 529| JANUARY 27 /2024

 ...YOU SHOULDN'T BE A BOXER

Words of wisdom from my coach.

He said that during a sparring session last week.

That statement can't be more true.

He said it after my sparring partner landed a good uppercut to my body and a let out a rather interesting heaving sound. However, it didn't phase me. I just kept right on going.  

Getting struck is fine for me. If it did I wouldn't be involved in a combat sport, just as the coach said. That all-important phrase: "If you can't take a punch, you shouldn't be a boxer". 

He is absolutely right, but after he said I wasn't doing sit-ups. I do. Every day even when I am not at the gym. When I do them at the gym, I purposely do them right in from of the coach. 

He knows I work hard. He just likes to bust my ass, and I really don't mind that he does that. He does it because he cares about his athletes and only wants the best for them.

I appreciate and respect my coach a lot and as I keep mentioning here, he has done a lot for me and I work very hard in return.

I really want to compete again sometime this year. 

As I had mentioned in a previous post, my next bout will be my last in the Novice Division. After that, a whole new chapter in my boing life will open.

Therefore, I am continuing to work very hard and follow the coach's instructions.

I continue to train four time per week of at least 90 minutes each time although I now have no chance of going to the Brampton Cup, I hope something else comes along.

You know that I won't come right out and ask. I will just give subtle hints.

Like this one.

NEXT ENTRY: January 27 /2024 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer, training since 1982.

Political lean: None. (middle)

Personality Type (Myers-Briggs): INTJ

Education: College Diploma (Applied Arts)

Lives in: Toronto, Ontario, Canada  (The Junction/Stockyards Village)

Born in: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Entertainment Likes: Rock music and psychological drama films

Favorite books: Fahrenheit 451, The Catcher In the Rye, Slaughterhouse-Five, Of Mice and Men, 1984

BOXING STATS

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

76 kg (170 lbs.)  

 STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

TRAINING SCHEDULE:

Mon: 0900-1100

Tue 1730-1900

Thu 1730-1900

Sat 1100-1300

COMPETITION STATUS:

ACTIVE

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

"The Rope"

 

    ENTRY 528| JANUARY 20 /2024

 INTRODUCING: THE ROPE

The coach had me do a bit of sparring this week and pad work.

I like doing the target pad work with the coach but the gym recently acquired 'the rope'.

Some of you may already know what that is. The heavy exercise rope.

For those who don't, let me explain quickly. It is a large heavy rope with grips on both ends that you hold and while leaning back with legs slightly bent, you make waves in the rope by flinging your arms...how else?

This is great for strengthening the upper body, particularly the biceps. 

A lot of people don't like this exercise but I enjoy it. I generally do three 60-second rounds of it throughout each training session.

That is another exercise added to my training. 

In all I generally spend about 90 minutes four times per week at the boxing gym and that is a good amount for a competitive boxer.

Now all I need is some competition.

NEXT ENTRY: January 27 /2024 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer, training since 1982.

Political lean: None. (middle)

Personality Type (Myers-Briggs): INTJ

Education: College Diploma (Applied Arts)

Lives in: Toronto, Ontario, Canada  (The Junction/Stockyards Village)

Born in: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Entertainment Likes: Rock music and psychological drama films

Favorite books: Fahrenheit 451, The Catcher In the Rye, Slaughterhouse-Five, Of Mice and Men, 1984

BOXING STATS

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

76 kg (170 lbs.)  

 STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

TRAINING SCHEDULE:

Mon: 0900-1100

Tue 1730-1900

Thu 1730-1900

Sat 1100-1300

COMPETITION STATUS:

ACTIVE

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

The New Sparring Partner: Younger and Smaller, but Can Really Swat Hard!

 

    ENTRY 527| JANUARY 13 /2024

 THAT SMALLER GUY HITS REALLY FREAKING HARD

Now that my chances of going to the Brampton Cup have dwindled to practically nothing, I can now look forward to preparing for the next event, whatever that may be.

My coach and I are still working on a ramped-up training model which includes regular sparring.

With that, the coach has found me a new guy to work with. Although he is half my age and a lot smaller, I was sure[raised how hard he can hit. It threw me off a bit the first time, but I am now used to it, and it appears that we work great with each other. The coach is pleased with the outcome and we are both learning and improving our boxing skills.

We generally work Tuesday and Thursday evenings by doing 3 x 3 rounds each session. 

That is a long round for me since the Masters' rounds are half that length, but as with every sport, one should practice longer and harder than an actual competition (Of course).

Other than the new sparring partner, not much has changed. As I have mentioned earlier, I am going to keep ramped-up training for the time-being and hope that another chance to step into the ring comes along soon.

NEXT ENTRY: January 20 /2024 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer, training since 1982.

Political lean: None. (middle)

Personality Type (Myers-Briggs): INTJ

Education: College Diploma (Applied Arts)

Lives in: Toronto, Ontario, Canada  (The Junction/Stockyards Village)

Born in: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Entertainment Likes: Rock music and psychological drama films

Favorite books: Fahrenheit 451, The Catcher In the Rye, Slaughterhouse-Five, Of Mice and Men, 1984

BOXING STATS

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

76 kg (170 lbs.)  

 STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

TRAINING SCHEDULE:

Mon: 0900-1100

Tue 1730-1900

Thu 1730-1900

Sat 1100-1300

COMPETITION STATUS:

ACTIVE

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

Someone "Blew Up" the Brampton Cup

 

    ENTRY 526| JANUARY 6 /2024

WHO BLEW UP THE BRAMPTON CUP???

It was back-to-work training for the Brampton Cup this week, but has it all been for nothing?

On Thursday I checked the Brampton Cup entries and there were 317. Keeping in mind that there was a cutoff at 480 I figured I still had a lot of time so on Friday after confirming with my coach that I was going to put in my name for the tournament, I couldn't because the registration had been closed to due reaching the cap in registrants.

I was a bit pissed because I didn't understand how they could get over 100 registrants in less than a day. Somebody ble up the Brampton cup and screwed a lot of us out of the chance.

The Cabbagetown Boxing Club only managed to get three in, and two are in the Funbbox category. I noticed that some clubs didn't get any. For example, I didn't see any entries for the Stockyards Boxing Club and they usually have at least a couple of entrants.

The coaches are going to try to get me and at least another Cabbagetown boxer into the tournament as "late entries", but even if it doesn't happen, it gives me more time to train for the next one. I will be better next time.

Part of the reason for the "blow up|" was the number of entries from outside of Ontario. I have even seen boxers from the U.S. wanting to get in.

The problem is that a lot of these boxers don't qualify and will end up having to drop out.

I have a suggestion for Boxing Ontario (not that they take any of my suggestions), but here it is anyway: Since this is an Ontario event, they should restrict entries to Ontario boxers only at 

first.  After that, if they still need more athletes, open it up to everyone.

That will ensure that local athletes can have a fair try at it.

That makes sense, doesn't it?

Of course, it does, which is exactly why Boxing Ontario won't ever consider doing it.

NEXT ENTRY: January 13 /2024 

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer, training since 1982.

Political lean: None. (middle)

Personality Type (Myers-Briggs): INTJ

Education: College Diploma (Applied Arts)

Lives in: Toronto, Ontario, Canada  (The Junction/Stockyards Village)

Born in: Hamilton, Ontario, Canada

Entertainment Likes: Rock music and psychological drama films

Favorite books: Fahrenheit 451, The Catcher In the Rye, Slaughterhouse-Five, Of Mice and Men, 1984

BOXING STATS

9 bouts (Boxing Ontario) 

2 bouts (Ontario Boxing Association) 

1 bout (Florida State Athletic Commission) 

DIVISION:

Masters Novice

CURRENT WEIGHT:

76 kg (170 lbs.)  

 STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

TRAINING SCHEDULE:

Mon: 0900-1100

Tue 1730-1900

Thu 1730-1900

Sat 1100-1300

COMPETITION STATUS:

ACTIVE

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

Brampton Cup Tournament 

February 1,2,3,4 (TENTATIVE)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn