Training off anger?

[southpawed]

anger leads to the darkside. or so yoda told me.

imo, it depends on your general disposition. I am not an aggressive person by nature, which translates bad into contact sports. ie, I never really hit anyone in hockey, and would often look timid just because it wasn't in my nature to try to hurt anyone. This is true of me in boxing as well. Often I'll spar and take the worst of it because the other guy is trying to hit me more than I'm trying to hit him. then a bell rings in my head. I've gotta fight back. So I get a little mad, and that's when I can land shots.

So I think for SOME people, a bit of anger is sometimes the ONLY way for them to succeed in a sport like boxing. you can't let it consume you though. you have to "get mean" while balancing anger. A fine line between...

i feel ya Von, im the same way in the ring, in that i think im too passive. I can get cracked and smile back. I just dont like the thought of me snapping and going ape shit. So i keep my cool when it comes down to the other guy trying to take my head off.

But you know what? I think its a plus for you and i, because most people have to learn to condition that angry mentality out of their system. Because really in the end, it works against you. Yknow? When peoples faces turn beet red and they start swinging for fences? Thats when you gas quick and start making rash decisions and leaving yourself open to counters. On the other hand, if you can take a boppin and not lose your head over it, thats one very vital thing in boxing, and thats staying relaxed and calm under pressure, so that you can operate and retaliate with efficiency and speed. Anger makes you tense, tension makes you lose speed, and without speed you lose power. So on and so forth. So yeah i think we're pretty lucky in that sense.

But yeah, it does work against me sometimes, in that ima slow starter, and wont really kick into high gear until i take a couple of hits to kickstart me. haha