Monday, April 30, 2012
Calm after the storm
I've done some more sparring, this time with a guy in my weight class, and while it's fun to do, there's also a small amount of fear and nerves and other non-fun aspects involved. Taking shots to the face is never fun. Seeing how much of your boxing training you completely forget when you step into the ring is never fun and pushing yourself to the limitations of your physical conditioning is quite taxing on the body. For me, the real enjoyment of sparring comes the next day, when it's all over and I've I had a night to sleep on it. My sparring is always done at night and as soon as it's over my mind tends to be confused, quantifying what I did right, what I did wrong, and so on. But when I wake up the next morning, I am the living embodiment of zen. I'm subdued, calm, peaceful, impervious to stress. Tasks at work I usually dread become simple. Everything is easier when someone isn't trying to punch you in the face.
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Combat fitness students are fit. Others, not so much.
Target selection was something we worked on in last night's boxing class (April 24). Our partner/coach would present targets with their hands in a random order and we had to react. This is good training because too often we are throwing punches at static targets, and while this helps build good punching form, it's not realistic and can even become detrimental to learning proper boxing technique.
We also worked on our firing line and set line. Firing line is the distance from your opponent where you are just out of your range to land punches. Set line is the few inches forward of your firing line where you can now reach your opponent with your strikes. These lines are different for everyone because it depends on size, reach, punching style, etc.
It was a good class for me. It built confidence in my skills and fitness. I'm really starting to see an improvement in my stamina. We did a two-minute punching drill and I feel like I was pretty strong throughout it and when we had to do exercises between drills, I felt good doing them. These exercises between drills is when it becomes very obvious as to who participates in combat fitness and who does not. Example: we had to hold the high plank position for one minute while holding one arm straight out in front of our heads, then we would switch to the other arm. This exercise is all core. All core. You're not supposed to shift your hips or arch your back when you elevate the arm. Combat fitness classes focus a lot on the core. People from combat fitness didn't have a problem holding the plank straight. Others, not so much.
When class was over it was time to get in the ring and do a few rounds of sparring. More on that in another post.
We also worked on our firing line and set line. Firing line is the distance from your opponent where you are just out of your range to land punches. Set line is the few inches forward of your firing line where you can now reach your opponent with your strikes. These lines are different for everyone because it depends on size, reach, punching style, etc.
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| Going to combat fitness classes is really paying off now. Sparring is showing me how crucial conditioning is. Even the exercises we do between drills in boxing class clearly shows the divide between who goes to combat fitness and who doesn't. |
When class was over it was time to get in the ring and do a few rounds of sparring. More on that in another post.
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Closing the distance
In last night's boxing class we practiced closing distance on our opponent. This is basically the process of moving closer to your opponent to be able to hit them. Sounds simple, right? Well, nothing is simple when it involves hitting and avoiding being hit.
Properly closing distance requires you to know what your reach is and what your opponent's reach is. If your reach is longer, than you're in luck. If your opponent's reach is longer, you have a lot more work to do. We practiced closing distance by taking three steps toward our opponent until we reached our firing line. This line marks the spot where we are just out of our range to be able to land punches. From this spot, one more step forward will put us at our set line and from here we can connect with our jab. I was having trouble reaching my firing line, it tended to be too close so that when I stepped to my set line and threw the jab I wasn't able to extend it fully and I had placed myself well within the range of my opponent. This problem can be remedied with practice on the bag.
After class was finished, I continued practing closing distance in the ring with a partner. We drilled the same stuff we had just learned in class. Close distance, fire the jab, step in and to the left and fire the left hook, pivot out and throw the right. Doing it at full speed seemed a little easier than practicing it slow and having my partner punching back really showed the importance of head movement and stepping off line. I need to do some work in front of the mirror to nail this down.
P.S.: I must look silly as I write this at work because I just realized I'm moving my head and shoulders to the left and the right as I think about stepping off line.
Properly closing distance requires you to know what your reach is and what your opponent's reach is. If your reach is longer, than you're in luck. If your opponent's reach is longer, you have a lot more work to do. We practiced closing distance by taking three steps toward our opponent until we reached our firing line. This line marks the spot where we are just out of our range to be able to land punches. From this spot, one more step forward will put us at our set line and from here we can connect with our jab. I was having trouble reaching my firing line, it tended to be too close so that when I stepped to my set line and threw the jab I wasn't able to extend it fully and I had placed myself well within the range of my opponent. This problem can be remedied with practice on the bag.
After class was finished, I continued practing closing distance in the ring with a partner. We drilled the same stuff we had just learned in class. Close distance, fire the jab, step in and to the left and fire the left hook, pivot out and throw the right. Doing it at full speed seemed a little easier than practicing it slow and having my partner punching back really showed the importance of head movement and stepping off line. I need to do some work in front of the mirror to nail this down.
P.S.: I must look silly as I write this at work because I just realized I'm moving my head and shoulders to the left and the right as I think about stepping off line.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
It's not called Häagen-Dazs
People who have never done the type of training that we do at the FIGHT Center have no understanding of it. Even after explaining it in detail, some people seem to think that what we do is humorous or even silly. While we have fun doing it, I assure them that it's no joking matter, and if they like I'd be happy to show them the utter lack of humor involved in the uppercut elbow, or how there's absolutely no punchline to a couple of knees to the thighs.
I guess people have always made light of things they don't understand. So lately I'm hearing this, "Do you have your Haagen-Dazs class tonight?" The first time it was funny and I replied, "Yeah. I'm heading to it now. We're gonna sit around and eat gourmet ice cream." After the third or fourth time of hearing it I imagined myself punching the guy in the liver, and as he lay moaning on the ground ask him if he liked that flavor of ice cream, 'cause if not, I've got plenty more flavors to choose from. There's the always popular Super Chocolate Schlock Out. Peaches 'n Knees. Eye Gouge Fudge Sundae. Butter Pecan Throat Strike. Crushed Ankle Cherry Vanilla ....
The heat is on Come August, yesterday's temperature will almost seem chilly, but it felt pretty damn hot during Monday night's (April 16) combat fitness. Doors closed, no fans on, it was steamy inside the gym and it made the circuit a little harder to do. After a few days of temps in the high 80s my body will acclimate, but that first day of training in heat is always a tough one. Even with a shirt change, I was drenched for Haganah class.
I guess people have always made light of things they don't understand. So lately I'm hearing this, "Do you have your Haagen-Dazs class tonight?" The first time it was funny and I replied, "Yeah. I'm heading to it now. We're gonna sit around and eat gourmet ice cream." After the third or fourth time of hearing it I imagined myself punching the guy in the liver, and as he lay moaning on the ground ask him if he liked that flavor of ice cream, 'cause if not, I've got plenty more flavors to choose from. There's the always popular Super Chocolate Schlock Out. Peaches 'n Knees. Eye Gouge Fudge Sundae. Butter Pecan Throat Strike. Crushed Ankle Cherry Vanilla ....
Friday, April 13, 2012
Weakness has infected me
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| I have become a big fat one of these this week. Need a hint? It ryhmes with wussy. |
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
The similarities of combat fitness and getting tattooed
I missed last night's boxing class (April 10) and will miss tonight's combat fitness due to getting tattooed on Tuesday night. I've been getting tattoos for 21 years and even after all that time the process is still god damn painful. As I laid on the table last night in X-Treme Ink in West Chester while Keith, the artist, etched a scorpion just below my armpit on the inside of my bicep, I couldn't help but think of the similarities between getting tattooed and the combat fitness circuit.
The circuit is 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, or 30 seconds of pain, 30 seconds of recovery. This is just like a tattoo. The needle is never on your skin for more than 20 seconds at any given time. The artist has to keep stopping to wipe away blood and ink and this becomes your recovery period. It might only be 5 seconds of recovery, but it's 5 seconds that steel isn't stinging your flesh. And just like during the circuit, it's a mental game of telling yourself to just get through the next few seconds and you will be rewarded with rest, or lack of pain.
The combat fitness circuit and getting tattooed both have the ability to slow time down. This is a peculiar influence of pain and duress. It's just 30 seconds, what's the big deal? I've spent lifetimes of agony lived in seconds. Whether it's hour two of getting inked, or doing jump squats during your second lap of the circuit, seconds can stretch into hours.
The similarities don't end there. The act of getting tattooed sucks, just like going through the circuit sucks. The enjoyment of both only begins when it's all over. I hate life in the midst of the circuit when all that's before me are burpees and dips and mountain climbers and I hate life in the midst of getting tattooed, I curse myself for volunteering for the pain. It's only once I'm showered and have eaten and I'm sitting down and ease into the wonderful state of relaxation that the stress of the circuit gains its value. It's only after the tattoo gun goes silent and a few days have passed and the pain of the new ink fades away that I actually begin to enjoy my new art.
The circuit is 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off, or 30 seconds of pain, 30 seconds of recovery. This is just like a tattoo. The needle is never on your skin for more than 20 seconds at any given time. The artist has to keep stopping to wipe away blood and ink and this becomes your recovery period. It might only be 5 seconds of recovery, but it's 5 seconds that steel isn't stinging your flesh. And just like during the circuit, it's a mental game of telling yourself to just get through the next few seconds and you will be rewarded with rest, or lack of pain.
The combat fitness circuit and getting tattooed both have the ability to slow time down. This is a peculiar influence of pain and duress. It's just 30 seconds, what's the big deal? I've spent lifetimes of agony lived in seconds. Whether it's hour two of getting inked, or doing jump squats during your second lap of the circuit, seconds can stretch into hours.
The similarities don't end there. The act of getting tattooed sucks, just like going through the circuit sucks. The enjoyment of both only begins when it's all over. I hate life in the midst of the circuit when all that's before me are burpees and dips and mountain climbers and I hate life in the midst of getting tattooed, I curse myself for volunteering for the pain. It's only once I'm showered and have eaten and I'm sitting down and ease into the wonderful state of relaxation that the stress of the circuit gains its value. It's only after the tattoo gun goes silent and a few days have passed and the pain of the new ink fades away that I actually begin to enjoy my new art.
Monday, April 9, 2012
We are not full of S#*@
Saturdays rule! We did the Crazy 8 workout on Saturday morning and the few of us who were there definitively answered the question, Are You Fit or Full of S#*@? Not only did we get to do Crazy 8s, we got to run outside for a warmup. I like that, there's just something cool about running in a group down sidewalks.
The Crazy 8 circuit involves going around the circuit in a ladder down fashion. Eight reps at every station for the first lap, then 7 reps at every station for the second lap and so forth until you're down to one. This means you end up doing 36 reps at each station. With stations like dips and burpee pullups, it becomes a challenge.
Once everyone was down to only one rep, we took a rest, lined up and did the final lap of the circuit one person at time. To make it fun, we were timed. Almost everyone finished at the 35 second mark, except Greg, he finished a few seconds faster because he cheated and skipped a station. Just kidding Greg, don't hurt me.
Easter Sunday
What should have been my day of rest became a day of playing soccer and basketball with my 11-year-old nephews and eating my body weight in deviled eggs. I try to not even walk up stairs on most Sundays, but yesterday involved much unwanted physical activity. It also involved unwanted questions from my mom. "Is your nose black and blue?" she asked. It is, I replied. "Why is your nose black and blue?" she asked. Because I got punched in the face, I said. "Why do you want to do that fighting stuff? I can't understand it," she said. I shrugged my shoulders, I don't expect a 70-year-old woman to understand such things.
The Crazy 8 circuit involves going around the circuit in a ladder down fashion. Eight reps at every station for the first lap, then 7 reps at every station for the second lap and so forth until you're down to one. This means you end up doing 36 reps at each station. With stations like dips and burpee pullups, it becomes a challenge.
Once everyone was down to only one rep, we took a rest, lined up and did the final lap of the circuit one person at time. To make it fun, we were timed. Almost everyone finished at the 35 second mark, except Greg, he finished a few seconds faster because he cheated and skipped a station. Just kidding Greg, don't hurt me.
Easter Sunday
What should have been my day of rest became a day of playing soccer and basketball with my 11-year-old nephews and eating my body weight in deviled eggs. I try to not even walk up stairs on most Sundays, but yesterday involved much unwanted physical activity. It also involved unwanted questions from my mom. "Is your nose black and blue?" she asked. It is, I replied. "Why is your nose black and blue?" she asked. Because I got punched in the face, I said. "Why do you want to do that fighting stuff? I can't understand it," she said. I shrugged my shoulders, I don't expect a 70-year-old woman to understand such things.
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