Check Your Stance

 

    ENTRY 498 | May 26 /2023

CHECK YOUR STANCE

The boxing stance is one of the very basic boxing techniques. It is the first thing you learn when you are new to the sport. 

You stand on your toes with your knees bent and your entire body is sideways, not square.

The reason for being on your toes is so that you can move faster and smoother and can pivot. All of which are very important in boxing.

You stand sideways for balance and it presents a smaller target to your opponent.

The bent knees are very important as it creates a low center of gravity making your boy "bottom-heavy".  It is nearly impossible to push someone off-balance while they are in a boxing stance.

Security guards are taught to stand in a boxing stance when they feel that there could be a confrontation. The reason is so that if someone charges at them, they can't be knocked down.

You can test the quality of your stance in a very simple way, and I will tell how you later.

The boxing stances are as follows: Orthodox Stance, Southpaw Stance, and Buffalo Stance (Sorry. I just had to...)

The Orthodox Stane means that you are standing with your left foot forward. In Southpaw Stance you stand with your right foot forward.

In the Orthodox Stance, you will typically use your left as a lead. and you will never throw a right hook, except to the body. This is the opposite for the Southpaw Stance.

If your opponent is Soutrhpaw, you will always circle to your right, to avoid his strong left. When your opponent is Orthodox, you will circle to his left to avoid his strong right.

How do you know if you are standing in your stance correctly? Test it.

There is an easy way. When you are on a bus or a subway car, try standing in a boxing stance. If you are doing it correctly you will not need to hold onto anything. I am now good enough at this that I can stand on any vehicle without the need to hold onto a pole. It comes in handy on a crowded vehicle.

Do not do this if you are not sure of what you are doing. This is a test for someone who is familiar with the stance and also make sure that a pole is within reach, just in case.

NEXT ENTRY: June 2 /2023

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Like me on Facebook, 

Follow me on Twitter (@paulbrickboxer)  and Mastodon (Paul'TheBrick'boxer)

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training 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:

70 kg (158 lbs.)  

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

PAUSED

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

Selecting the Right Music For Your Workout and Sparring Is Getting Better

 

       ENTRY 497 | May 12 /2023

 MUSIC IS THE KEY TO A HAPPY LIFE AND HAPPY TRAINING

Music has a great impact on all of us. It is especially important when exercising and more so when you are training for competition.

Generally speaking, music played during training should not only "pump" but also inspire.

Here is a list of songs that I use for training, these can also be found on my Spotify playlist "The Bricks Training Music".

Rap/Hip-hop: NO (SORT-OF).  I generally find that the rhythm of rap and hip-hop is too slow for exercising. Although there are very few that do work.

Rock: YES.  Rock is good, but it should be fast-paced. Soft rock will not work.

Pop: YES.  Pop is also good, but like rock, it needs to be fast.

Country and Western. NO, No explanation is needed.

Jazz  MAYBE.  Interestingly, some jazz will work, but I found that some experimenting needs to be done to find which ones are best.

Here are some songs that I have on my personal playlist specifically for training:

To save time from having to re-enter all the titles here, I have screen-captured the playlist to share with you.

 SPARRING REPORT: KICKING BUTT 

 Monday and Wednesday sparring was much better than the previous week.

The coach was pleased with my performance stating that I was becoming more aggressive with much better defense.

Thanks to the help I have been getting from the coach and fellow athletes, my skill as a boxer has been proliferating. Never as much since I have been training at Cabbagetown, but more so pre-pandemic.

I have to suggest training at Cabbagetown for anyone who wants to improve as a boxer or even start as a boxer. The coaches are patient and allow one to learn at a comfortable pace.

Contact the Cabbagetown Boxing Club for more information.

'THE BRICK's ELECTRONICS SHOP OPENING SOON

Sometimes here I like to mention parts of my life other than boxing.

After a few months of experimenting and circuit designs, I am ready to start building to order.

I have a couple of items that are almost ready.

Note: All products are hand-assembled, and hand-soldered with my own strict quality and safety standards, and each unit is tested before being shipped to the customer  I only use high-quality components from Canadian suppliers. If it isn't good enough for me, it isn't good enough for you!

All products come with a 10-year repair warranty.

Product ID 21-02, C-U-P

The C-U-P is a toilet light. Comprised of blue LEDs, a motion sensor, and a light sensor.

It operates with 3 "AAA" cells and clips to the toilet. It will only turn on in the dark and when motion is detected. It will shine a soft blue light towards the target to help you "C-U-P" without a bright light to wake you.

Currently, the unit is set to sell for $73 but this could change once final production costs are calculated.

Hand-made to order and tested. 10-year warranty.

Product ID 22-01, Hand-Eye Coordination Tester

The Hand-Eye Coordination Tester is a device I created for myself as a boxer, but can be used for anyone training in any sport that requires quick coordination. 

It consists of bi-color red/green LEDs, a low-sensitivity motion sensor (to prevent accidental activation, a CMOS logic circuit, and a 555 timer IC circuit.

When the green LED is illuminated, the athlete must perform an action (punch, for example) in front of the sensor to turn the LEDs to red. A display will show the reaction time in milliseconds. Then in a selected amount of time, the device will reset, ready to go again.

The user can select a 5-second, 10-second, or RANDOM reset time.

The unit operates on either 4 "AA" cells or an optional 6-volt supply.

Currently, the unit is set to sell for $290 but this could change once final production costs are calculated.

Hand-made to order and tested. 10-year warranty.

Product ID 22-04, Combat Sports Timer with Display

This timer will count down the amount of time left in the round and between rounds, and will also display the time and current round. It also has an external display that can connect via cable or Bluetooth. There is a display on the base unit in addition to an audible signal.

Yes. These already exist, but mine is better.

The unit comprises of several 555 timer IC circuits, CMOS logic circuits, and a PROM logic circuit for each mode.

It will have Start, Stop, Pause, and Reset controls, plus preset round and intermission settings.

Round lengths of 1, 15., 2, 3, and 5 minutes may be selected along with an intermission of either 0.5, or 1 minute. There will be a "10-second warning" option as well. The user can also select 3, 4, 5, or 6 rounds, or MANUAL. The display will show the current round number along with the time remaining.

The base unit will also be able to be connected to an external display via cable or wireless technology.

The base unit will operate using an external 6-volt supply, and the external displays will operate on an external 4.5-volt supply.

Currently, the unit is set to sell for: 

Base unit without Bluetooth $866

Base unit with Bluetooth $940

External display without Bluetooth $262

External display with Bluetooth and cable connection $318

but these could change once final production costs are calculated.

Hand-made to order and tested. 10-year warranty.

DIAMOND PAINTINGS COME TO LIFE

Diamond painting is all the rage right now and my wife is heavily into it so I suggested that I bring them to life by adding LEDs to them.

This is a project in the works and we may soon be selling these.

The cost of each will depend on the size and number of LEDs but is expected to range between $100 to $300.

They will operate on either 3  "AA: cells, or an external 4.5-volt supply

Hand-made to order and tested. 10-year warranty on electronics parts.

More information on all of these products will be available later.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

NEXT ENTRY: May 26 /2023

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Like me on Facebook, 

Follow me on Twitter (@paulbrickboxer)  and Mastodon (Paul'TheBrick'boxer)

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training 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:

70 kg (158 lbs.)  

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

PAUSED

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

New Title--Same Great Blog!

 

   ENTRY 496 | May 5 /2023

NEW TITLE...SAME GREAT BLOG!

Welcome to "Comments From the Ring",  A new title, a new font, but the same great blog!

SPARRING REPORT: MONDAY, WEDNESDAY, FRIDAY

I did a total of 12 rounds of sparring this week.

Monday's sparring went great. The coach said that I did quite well. I was really aggressive and had good technique.

Wednesday's sparring also went very well. Similar to Monday. I felt really good about myself, but you know what happens when one gets too cocky with himself.

Friday was a disaster.  I didn't feel that I did very well. I got stuck quite often and I was feeling quite tired. The coach didn't even want to comment on Friday's performance. I guess every athlete has a bad day, and that is okay as long as it doesn't happen frequently.

I'm going to chalk up Friday as a bed day and work harder next week.

Not once this week did I have a chance to try the "Philly Shell", but that time will come. I need to shake off Friday's piss-poor performance first.

NEXT ENTRY: May 12 /2023

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Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter (@paulbrickboxer)  and Mastodon (Paul'TheBrick'boxer), and see me tear apart inaccurate films and TV about boxing on YouTube at "The Brick"

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training 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:

70 kg (158 lbs.)  

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

PAUSED

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

What the Hell Is the "Philly Shell"?

 

   ENTRY 495 | April 28 /2023

I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU...BUT...

A coach showed me a new technique this week called the:"Philly Shell", but I'm not going to reveal what it is.

The reason is that it is very different from what I would call a normal technique for an amateur boxer.  I want to keep it to myself to try while sparring. There was no sparring this week, so I am very anxious to try it.

This technique was apparently made famous by Floyd Mayweather. 

I didn't feel comfortable with it at first because it is contrary to everything I was told about boxing. In particular, defense.

After practicing it for a while I began to like it so this will definitely be something I will be trying soon.

Other than that new technique, it was just regular training this week without sparring.

I hope I get to climb into the ring next week so I can go all out  "Mayweather" on someone.

NEXT ENTRY: May 5 /2023

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Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter (@paulbrickboxer)  and Mastodon (Paul'TheBrick'boxer), and see me tear apart inaccurate films and TV about boxing on YouTube at "The Brick"

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training 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:

70 kg (158 lbs.)  ↓

TRAINING STATUS:

ACTIVE

COMPETITION STATUS:

PAUSED

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

FEATURE CLUB: Cabbagetown

 

   SPECIAL ENTRY | April 28 /2023

FEATURE CLUB:
CABBAGETOWN BOXING CLUB

Welcome to what might become a regular feature here on the blog. The Feature Club (of the month, maybe?)

Of course, I have to begin with what I feel is the best boxing club in the Toronto area and where I currently train, the Cabbagetown Boxing Club,

Situated in the neighborhood of Cabbagetown in the central-east portion of the city of Toronto, the Cabbagetown Boxing Club and its accompanying Youth Center have been a staple of the community for over 50 years. Established in 1972 on Lancaster Avenue in the Parliament Street/Winchester Street area. 

Now operated under the Kiwanis Boy's and Girl's Clubs of Greater Toronto umbrella, the Cabbagetown Boxing Club is still going strong.

The club has five certified coaches, making for a low coach-to-athlete ratio.

The head coach, Johnny Kalbhenn, represented Canada at the 1984 Olympics and was a professional boxer for seven years. 

He is laid-back and easy-going but is very serious about the sport for anyone who is eager to learn.

The Cabbagetown Boxing Club offers classes for all levels and all ages. There are programs for kids as well as women and of course everyone else.

Plus, the gym is Masters friendly. Meaning that although some of the coaches are younger, they don't mind coaching older boxers.

THE Current membership fee starts at $50 per month but some activities have an additional fee. 

Group classes and one-on-one coaching sessions are available.

A typical class will always involve working on boxing techniques and possibly the coach will introduce a specific technique to work on during the class. Classes will also include traditional boxing training exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, and Burpies. Skipping for warm-up before the class and a cool-down at the end are also part of every session. Classes will also entail working on the bags, shadow boxing, and sometimes target pad work with the coach. Some classes will also include a circuit training module.

When a coach is on site sparring is available to those who qualify using Cabbagetown's new full-sized ring.

Coaches will generally provide feedback on your performance and offer suggestions on how to improve.

The boxing gym is also equipped with all standard boxing equipment, plus an area for weights and other exercise equipment.

Although group classes are held both in the morning and evening, members can access the gym most of the time to do their own training. 

You do not have to be a competitive boxer to train at Cabbagetown. Although the classes are geared towards boxers, non-boxers will also benefit. 

Of course, Cabbagetown Boxing Club is a great place for competitive boxing too. A lot of good boxers had started at Cabbagetown.

Cabbagetown Boxing Club looks after you after your session as well. 

The gym is equipped with a full changing room and showers. Locker rental is also available.

For more information on the Cabbagetown Boxing Club, visit HERE.

Please help me keep this segment going.

If you operate a boxing gym and would like it featured here, please message me with the name and location of your facility and a bit of background information about it.

What If Boxing Was Abolished?

 

   ENTRY 494 | April 21 /2023

WOULD THE ROBOTS TAKE OVER?

An interesting thought:

What would happen if boxing was made illegal?

A lot of people don't know this but combat sports are actually already illegal in the province of Ontario,

It is true. Competitive combat sports are "technically" not allowed. With exceptions. The sport of boxing is one of them. 

The thing is, I don't think boxing will ever really go away. It is one of the world's oldest sports dating back to 688 BC.(I finally got a straight answer to that question thanks to ChatGPT). Since boxing has been around so long, it is likely to be around for a long time yet.

However,  have you ever thought about what would happen if people were no longer allowed in the ring?

It brings to mind 'The Twilight Zone' episode 122 titled 'Steel'. About a future where boxing had been abolished in 1968, so human boxers were replaced by robots, Fully automated robots.

Quite ambitious for a story written in 1964. Predicting fully-automated boxing robots just four years in the future.

Of course, that would not have been possible at that time, but it most certainly could happen now, We do have the technology capable of building such machines.

However, having robots that are programmed with all the rules of boxing would pose one big problem. There would never be a winner. Computers are too perfect and since they would only be able to follow their instruction code, they would never make a mistake.

Fast forward quite a few years to 2011.

The feature film 'Real Steel'. A story that seems to have been copied from this very episode of 'The Twilight Zone' with a slight difference. The robots are operated by humans using a remote control. This would definitely make things more interesting since there would still be a human factor involved, and thus, still be room for mistakes.

This idea is a lot more plausible, but is it likely to happen?

As a boxer myself, I hope not.

The thing is, nobody is forced to be a boxer. Boxers know there is a risk every time one enters the ring. Also, the safety protocols for boxing have also greatly changed since 1964. It is much safer even at the professional level. 

However, I can't help to think that maybe it has become too safe? Could the popularity of boxing been dropping since the safety standards have been increased? The timelines seem to match. 

I really don't like it when an amateur boxer gets injured in the ring because they are doing it for fun. However, professional boxers are getting paid. It is their job. I am not saying that we should roll back the safety standards of boxing back to what they were in the '60s, but maybe just a bit. 

After all, if I have to pay upwards of $100 to see professional boxing, I want to see some blood splatter.

I'm just saying what you all are thinking.

NEXT ENTRY: April 28 /2023

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Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter (@paulbrickboxer)  and Mastodon (Paul'TheBrick'boxer), and see me tear apart inaccurate films and TV about boxing on YouTube at "The Brick"

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training 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:

71 kg (160 lbs.) 

STATUS:

ACTIVE

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA

 

Who Cares If You Get Hit...Keep Going

 

   ENTRY 493 | April 14 /2023

"FINISH YOUR COMBO"

There was no blog entry last week because it was a holiday in this area.

This week wasn't and because I was out of work due to unforeseen circumstances, I went to the gym every second day. It will be a while before I can do that again.

There was quite a bit of sparring, almost every day I went.

Most of you know I like sparring because it is one of the best ways to learn. 

One of the things the coach was focusing on with me was finishing my combo. He said that once I start, and I get hit, I stop. He said that I shouldn't do that,  Even if I get hit in the process, I should keep going and finish.

Okay.

I did not realize I was doing that, but it makes sense.

There is another thing to work on while sparring.

He went me to keep using the "jab-uppercut-hook" combo, plus the "step to the right".

These are all easy on the pads and bag, but prove much more difficult while sparring, but I will keep trying.

Boxing is such an amazing sport. There is always something new to try.

NEXT ENTRY: April 21 /2023

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Like me on Facebook, follow me on Twitter (@paulbrickboxer)  and Mastodon (Paul'TheBrick'boxer), and see me tear apart inaccurate films and TV about boxing on YouTube at "The Brick"

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ABOUT 'The Brick;

'The Brick' is a competitive boxer and has been training 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:

71 kg (160 lbs.) ↓

STATUS:

ACTIVE

STANCE:

Orthodox (left lead)

CURRENT TEAM/CLUB:

Cabbagetown Boxing Club

Toronto

COACH:

Johnny Kalbhenn

NEXT SCHEDULED BOUTS:

TBA