The transformation begins!!!

[RozzySean]

I'm just back to the gym myself, Lyle. I've only been out about six months, but there was still plenty of rust. One of my favorite sparring partners was there and actually sparred two rounds( not too intense) .I'm heading over a little later tonight.

While I certainly don't consider myself an expert, I've put a fair amount of effort in that direction and it's probably one of my relative strengths. I've had a few different trainers, but my best so far and the one who taught me the most is Franco DiOrio. His biggest claim to fame is a 10 round decision loss to Hector Camacho. He was one of Vinnie Paz's main sparring partners and he sparred with all the good New England JWW/WW's of that time- Ward, Oliveira, Curet, etc.

I use two main drills to practice countering. The first is with hitting pads and you've probably done it at some point. While running through your pad work, the trainer "counters", smacking you with the pad, and you in turn counter the counter.

Countering with the same hand I use to block was not intuitive for me, and this really helped. Throw a 1-2, making sure to the right back into position immediately. Then the trainer throws a left hook at your head. Block with the right and throw a straight right followed by a left hook. The trainer counters your left with a right. You wait for the contact, the fire a 3-2. Trainer throws a 3 to the body, block with elbow, counter with 4-3. You get the picture. It will build counterpunch sequences into your muscle memory based actually feeling the contact. As you get better increase the speed and make the sequences longer.

The second main thing I do it more or less the same drill, but substitute a sparring partner for the trainer with pads. I almost always spend two rounds with a partner jabbing, parrying, and counter jabbing, alternating leading or even free sparring with jabs and parries only. The I'll do a round of partner jabs, I swat jab, counter right. Then I'll move on to something like your partner throwing a 1-2, you parry, block, counter left hook or parry, slip and step, left hook to body. They you build in blocking the left hook with your right hand/elbow, and countering right a 2 or 4, building and building until it becomes automatic with different sequences.

Obviously there are different possible counters to different punches, and you can drill them all. Normally, I take what I learned on the pad work and then partner up, agree on the sequences, and work, and eventually, apply it for real in sparring.

This really helped my overall sparring, but in particular, it helped my inside game.

PS, if you ever come up Boston way, I'm currently a cruiser, hopefully soon back to light heavy, but I'm happy with hw's.

[El Kabong]

I went to the gym again today, and had a good workout today.

I have so much rust I haven't even worked on the pads....I'm trying to work on my breathing, my form, and my stamina. I found my jab today, man, I really popped it good today and my handspeed was going pretty good as well. I know I haven't reached any goals yet but I can start to sense things coming together a bit.

[RozzySean]

I went to the gym again today, and had a good workout today.

I have so much rust I haven't even worked on the pads....I'm trying to work on my breathing, my form, and my stamina. I found my jab today, man, I really popped it good today and my handspeed was going pretty good as well. I know I haven't reached any goals yet but I can start to sense things coming together a bit.

I don't know how long you've been out of training. Obviously, the longer you've been out, combined with your proficiency before the break will determ who long it takes to start to feel like yourself again. You might have three more sessions and have it "click" for you instantly. You turn up at the gym, get loose, and shadowbox. You're feeling surprisingly good. You go over to the heavybag, and bang!! there it is. You're not tripping over your feet. You're balance is good. The left hook is smooth and tight. For me, it's happened like that. The big thing for me is getting my stamina up to a reasonable level, and you can't force it. It doesn't come back over night.

Good to hear that the jab is snapping. That's the first step back. Anyway, for the suggestions I made, I would wait until you feel really comfortable with your form with the standard combinations on the pads and heavy bag. I worked a couple rounds on the pads, but I stuck to basics. I mean the REAL basics.

Rock on,man!

[El Kabong]

Well it's been so long since I had been to my boxing gym that I forgot about it being closed on Fridays but not to worry I made it to the YMCA where I am also a member and got in a very solid cardio and weight lifting workout. 30 mins full throttle on the elliptical, 3 sets on the bench press (which was harder than usual because my arms, chest, and shoulders were sore from boxing), tricep pushdowns, and ab work until I felt like I was going to puke. It wasn't a "fantastic" workout but it's great seeing how long it's been since I have worked out on a regular basis. The cardio was amazingly easy compared to shaddow boxing or hitting the heavybag...I guess that shows how much I'm putting into my punches and maybe I need to pull back some.

Monday we start again, and I'm looking forward to another great week of workouts and eventually doing squats to strengthen my legs which will in turn help my power and help me lose more weight as your legs are the biggest groups of muscles and therefore once "turned on" with the rest of the muscle groups they really help you burn more calories.

I've been eating pretty healthy too...aside from caving on my "I'm not going to drink the entire month of January" promise (work and family pushed me to do it for the sake of my sanity) I haven't been doing much wrong. I had an entire bottle of wine Friday night but with a huge ribeye steak and steamed veggies so that's not "horrible"...it was a great bottle of wine though

[El Kabong]

Man, today was difficult, not even halfway through my jump rope session my calves cramped up and they are still cramped right now. I got an only halfway decent workout in but I tried my damnedest to get one in and althought that could be demoralizing I tend to look at it like I tried, thinks didn't go my way, but at least I went and worked out.

[El Kabong]

My calves are still killing me but I worked out pretty damn good today. I got my rounds in with the jump rope, heavybag and yes brothers I got my speed bag on batabatabatabatabata...I was working it baby!

Now I'm just going to work on my stamina and I'm going to get my weight lifting on too. I feel I need to work on my legs a lot which sucks because having not worked on them in forever it's going to hurt like a son of bitch for a long time and I hate that.

I am moving on to Phase 1 "start the habit" complete, moving on to Phase 2 "Get in Shape" and then Phase 3 "Get a harder routine"!

[El Kabong]

....well Son of a B*tch!!!!

So I work out today, I was doing great, got my rounds in on jump rope, got my rounds in shaddow boxing, and I was starting to hit the heavybag when I felt tightness in my right calf (being right handed that leg is extremely important for power punching) and I kept trying to stretch it out and in my second round "pop".......so I either have a ruptured achillies or at best a strained calf muscle.

I knew I should have stuck to drinking

[jamiebhoy]

I think the hardest part is the mental prep of not reverting back to type when things get hard, dare I mention Hatton. Knowing you have to change is the first biggest step then sticking to it is the next 90%

I would look at some sports psychology as well as the physical aspect of changing style.

Good luck buddy.

[El Kabong]

Well there is good news everyone, it seems like it's just a muscle pull/strain so I should be ok in a matter of weeks. The shitty part is I was ready to start sparring the day it happened.

jamiebhoy, I had been doing very well on my style change. To be honest it wasn't so much of a total style "overhaul" as it was just adding more dimensions to my game. I wanted to go from face first plodding slugger to a better mover and involve better defense and counter punching. I still wanted to punch with power and I still wanted to be rough when I needed to be but I wanted to move better and be able to put together combinations better and my handspeed was getting loads better just by forcing myself to try and throw 3-5 punches at a time on the heavybag instead of just 1 at a time. When I jabbed I tried to triple jab and have the same amount of pop on each punch, when I threw the 1-2 I'd double jab and throw the cross or end with the left hook and I even tried to add on to my favorite combo (left hook[body], right hook[body], left hook[head]) by adding on a right uppercut[head] and left hook[head] at the end. Things were clicking pretty damn well, but I wouldn't know what to work on until I got to spar.

[tillman78]

Keep it up man...Get that cardio up and everything else will come easy.

[El Kabong]

Keep it up man...Get that cardio up and everything else will come easy.

Thanks man...I hope you're doing well. Had many fights lately?

[Howlin Mad Missy]

ah well. getting injured when things are going well sucks. you'll be back soon.

[El Kabong]

ah well. getting injured when things are going well sucks. you'll be back soon.

I certainly hope so...my leg is getting better, I don't have to limp as much anymore, but it'll be a while before I'm able to get a solid workout in.

[rowza]

HI mate intresting thread. Im back boxing now after 4 years! im now 18 lol had 5 amature fights and won 4 of them. Back then i was A forward fighter Slugger all i done. Now im trying to do the same. be more balanced Fast and Slippy.
Will be keeping eye on your progress

[El Kabong]

HI mate intresting thread. Im back boxing now after 4 years! im now 18 lol had 5 amature fights and won 4 of them. Back then i was A forward fighter Slugger all i done. Now im trying to do the same. be more balanced Fast and Slippy.
Will be keeping eye on your progress

...well my progress has hit a brick wall for the moment. Currently I am working on just getting back in decent overall shape before I switch my focus back to boxing.

I worked out today. I did some curls, bench press, sit ups, and elliptical machine....I may hit up GNC to get some stuff to help me out.