Sharla's New Log - Attempting to Avoid Becoming A Slovenly Pig

[Sharla]

I've been working on adding to my aerobic base lately, as in, just started. I found down there in the spar already mentioned...that I was lacking the ability to go non stop start to finish. I've focused a lot on interval running, tabatas etc...so the explosiveness is there...but I did find myself getting winded. Would like to discuss this more with you at some point.

But off again for another 12+ hr one way trip for round 2 of training on Thurs-Mon. Good luck with your continued training and keep the log going!

It only just occured to me that perhaps your coaches can give you some ideas of how your boxing technique can be more economical when you're tired - perhaps just for a few seconds - before you go hard again. That would make good use of your interval training strength and only require a moderate aerobic base if done effectively.

I'm not 100 % of your style as it is at the moment but if you use your angles a lot to make your opponent follow you and then step across at another angle just as they step you can counter punch easily without having to present or face a strong forward momentum. I tended to do that a lot sparring bigger people but if i was a heavier, stronger and more explosive person perhaps i wouldn't have trained that part of my technique as much. Of course if your strength is being explosive and strong and direct then go for it but it doesn't hurt to work the angles in between. Of course that's just a suggestion and for all I know you've been working your angles like a pro for years!

Tonight walked another 6 kms towards home until it got dark and then caught the bus the rest of the way. Would've walked about 18 km all up today but it's late now so I'm not sure it's the best choice for times when I have to work extra hours. This week is busy since I have to make up flexi-time at work and i don't think i'm coming up with the most effective solutions so far!

[Youngblood]

I've been working on adding to my aerobic base lately, as in, just started. I found down there in the spar already mentioned...that I was lacking the ability to go non stop start to finish. I've focused a lot on interval running, tabatas etc...so the explosiveness is there...but I did find myself getting winded. Would like to discuss this more with you at some point.

But off again for another 12+ hr one way trip for round 2 of training on Thurs-Mon. Good luck with your continued training and keep the log going!

It only just occured to me that perhaps your coaches can give you some ideas of how your boxing technique can be more economical when you're tired - perhaps just for a few seconds - before you go hard again. That would make good use of your interval training strength and only require a moderate aerobic base if done effectively.

I'm not 100 % of your style as it is at the moment but if you use your angles a lot to make your opponent follow you and then step across at another angle just as they step you can counter punch easily without having to present or face a strong forward momentum. I tended to do that a lot sparring bigger people but if i was a heavier, stronger and more explosive person perhaps i wouldn't have trained that part of my technique as much. Of course if your strength is being explosive and strong and direct then go for it but it doesn't hurt to work the angles in between. Of course that's just a suggestion and for all I know you've been working your angles like a pro for years!

Tonight walked another 6 kms towards home until it got dark and then caught the bus the rest of the way. Would've walked about 18 km all up today but it's late now so I'm not sure it's the best choice for times when I have to work extra hours. This week is busy since I have to make up flexi-time at work and i don't think i'm coming up with the most effective solutions so far!

I believe you are right on the money about the conservation of energy part, and it is the one thing over all else I brought back from this last camp. Which is, my oh so very fancy footwork, is quite shit actually. While I move and dance all around the ring, I'm not doing it properly for both function and economy. Or of even strategy and effectiveness with things such as combos, moving in out. Can't see how angles wouldn't figure in also, as it is pretty much everything.

So back to the drawing board we go! ...but I do still feel I need to consider the aerobic base in also...just that it will not really be the fix all I was thinking it would.

So that was some damn good insight from the other side of the planet, my friend. Almost like you had a little bird with a big blabbering mouth following me this past 5 days.

Wish I had something to help you back with, like...how to manage flex-time, but I don't, so for now will just say - thanks.

[Sharla]

I remember being very bouncy myself for a while. I'm sure you'll work it out and it will be natural for you soon enough. I think you're more helpful to me than you realise too just by being positive and encouraging. It means a lot thanks .

This morning's gym session:
10 mins on the rower
Alternating 2 min rounds of skipping and the following:
- footwork orthodox, footwork southpaw (2 rounds each)
- shadow boxing orthodox (with little arm and hip movement warm-up), shadow boxing southpaw (x 2 each)

Then with approx 30 secs break 4 rounds on the bag - untimed (can't see the clock from this part of the gym, really need to get myself a timer!)

Technical Notes:
- Found during the footwork i have become a bit automated in my footwork patterns in that i know if i am going to take two steps or one. This is a bad thing as when you're moving you want to be able to change your mind at any moment and i allowed myself to be too high on my toes and my body weight a little too far over the lead leg after the 1st step. That means i pretty much have to take another step to regain balance. Not good.
- Going to work on allowing my weight to drop a little with good suspension through my knees and ankles etc.
- Got my cross back! I think I was letting my elbow rise from my side a little too much as I threw the punch. I was trained to be able to throw a cross simultaneously to stepping with the right foot. I think this cross can't ever really be a very hard one as the rear foot needs to be anchored to get a good pivot in. It's also too easy to lean to the left too high over your hips and to throw something reminiscent of a sloppy overhand without that rear foot anchor.
- Southpaw is much easier in shadow than on the bag! possibly because they've swapped the bag for a shorter lighter one that moves a lot and I'm just not fluent enough as a southpaw yet to keep up with the bag movement. Need to do more southpaw shadow.

After that finished off with another round of shadow boxing, 3 sets of alternating counterweight chin ups and tricep dips, then 3 sets of seated row and shoulder press. Only stretching i had time for then was a stretch band cheat stretch. Wanted to more especially some core work but I had to get to work to make up flexi time. Felt good though even if I now have panzy arms!

[Sharla]

So Yesterday I didn't train. I had to start work early and had friends over for dinner in the evening. I planned it forgetting I had a lot of hours to work up this week - opps!

I should say though even though this week has been a bit crappy I love flexi time. So many jobs out there you work long hours and they're never counted. Most jobs don't have very flexible shift times either. I get to come and go each day at non-specific times and if I let my work mates know I can take up to 2 whole days off a month and make up the time on other days. That works very well when we have public holidays for extra long - long weekends. It will be awesome when I can use it for recreation time rather than PhD meetings etc!

This morning I ran with the road runners. Did about 10 km over small rolling hills - a combination of dirt tracks and streets.

Some nutter in a hotted up black sports car decided to pull over and abuse all the runners going past. Apparently we're not registered vehicles and we shouldn't be on the road. I've heard that many times riding my bike places. Thing is it's not illegal to ride your bike on the road and registration is for vehicles with engines greater than human legs pumping that have far greater potential to kill someone or cause wear and tear to the road.

As it is were running at 6 am - there are very few cars and we have time to get off the road if we see them - unless they're speeding well over the speed limit as this knob was when he approached us.

Most of the runners just ran past ignoring him but John - one of the road runners who volunteers a lot to organize things for the group stopped to talk to him. Immediately i thought that was not a good idea so i stopped too in case i had to step in if this guy lost the plot completely. Luckily he just had a bit more of a rant and John handled it very professionally saying "we'll keep running here and there's nothing you can do about it have a nice day" basically.

Thing is I'm a bit dissappointed with my instincts. I didn't get his rego number! WTF that's the first thing I should've done! Plus I stopped in case things got physical but i watched from the other side of the car.

If he had gone into a sudden frenzy I would've gotten there way too late to prevent John from getting injured. Plus he'd see me coming which would've been bad for me since he was a big-ish guy. I should've walked around to quietly stand behind him. Apparently this guy has been frequently abusing the runners lately so hopefully I remember to do that if it happens again!

[Sharla]

Saturday was another stinking hot day. I lazed around pathetically wishing i had my bathers so i could swim because even inside it was too hot to do anything else. Our home airconditioning policy seems to be to allow it to get at least as hot inside as it is outside - just to confirm that it is a very hot day - and then when you are extreemely uncomfortable turn the aircon on which is only in the living room. Then we all just fall asleep in there.

Sunday looked like it was shaping up to be the same until i winged to someone and they leant me their bathers! Why didn't i think about that earlier!

Sunday swim in a 50 m pool
2 X 200m freestyle warm up
2 X 100m backstroke normal
2 X 100m backstroke drill with paddles - pausing with arm at top and then going back to meet other arm extended - a bit awkward trying to get my arms right - need to practice.
6 X 100 m freestyle normal - strong/steady pace
4 X 100 m freestyle with paddles
1 X 100 m freestyle normal
1 X 100 m backstroke
2 X 200 m breastroke

LOVED doing this out of the heat - was so much more productive afterwards!

[Sharla]

Monday
10 mins rower

Then set a new timer to go off for 2 min rounds with 30 seconds break. It was a bit quiet so sometimes I didn't hear it beeping for the break (it beeps for the whole 30 secs) but I don't mind that - i'd rather do an extra 10 secs than disturb other people with the noise.

Skipping X 3 rounds
Footwork - X 2 rounds orthodox, X 2 rounds southpaw
X 1 round orthodox shadow
X 2 more rounds southpaw footwork
X 3 rounds orthodox shadow
X 2 rounds on the bag

Chest stretch with band and fit ball hamstring stretch to finish off.

Only had an hour this morning - was actually up on time but a family member who was driving to gym with me wasn't ready so didn't get a long session in.

Technical notes
- Am getting a bit of fatigue in the rear leg when doing southpaw footwork - hip flexor area i think. I have noticed on the my siter's wi fit my weight tends to be back to my right. i've obviously developed the habit of leaving more of my weight on my rear foor in orthodox. Southpaw should be good for me then.
- I found myself 'pushing' the bag - not sure why - perhaps i'm not turning my fist enough and i'm pushing instinctively to compenstate for not having my shoulder in a good position? Or maybe i'm lifting my elbow too early due to not anchoring my punches properly with good footwork?
- I think i know why i was having footwork issues last week - apart from being too automated - i think i was moving my head a little ahead of my body. I don't have the same problem when i stop doing that. Another bad habit i will work on correcting.

[Sharla]

Tuesday

Had to work early to go to a PhD meeting in the afternoon. Only exercise I managed was a pilates session at home at night. If i was more organized I could've done more though - need to pull that into line.

Wednesday

Morning gym session:
10 mins rower
Then in 2 min rounds with 30 (or 15 depending on whether or not i hear the beeper straight away) sec break did the following:

- 3 rounds skipping
- 1 round othodox footwork
- 5 rounds southpaw footwork
- 1 round othrodox footwork
- 3 rounds orthodox shadow boxing
- 3 rounds bag work orthodox.

Then finished off with some pilates:
- Normal plank one minute
- Side plank each side 30 secs
- side plank each side with three legs raises each side. Three is a little pathetic - need to build up to being able to do 50 easily!
- pilates very slow, controlled (so opposite leg doesn't move at all with knee bent) leg circles about 5 each direction per leg (lying down on back).
- kneeled on wobble board and used ab wheel to roll in and out three times

Finished off with a quick chest tretch with band. Need to fit more stretching in. Again could've started earlier but ride to gym co-ordination is off. I think I'll ride when the weather is ok.

Technical Notes:

• Took a while to get into the swing of southpaw footwork. I think I was getting it by the 5th round.
• On the bag worked on very simple one, twos cnocentrating on breaking the habit of 'pushing' the bag. By the end I think i was beginning to get the jab right but the cross still needs more work. I managed to improve a little by remembering to pull the shoulders back but maybe need to work on controlling my rear foot pivot better for the cross.
• Noticed to being with on the bag i was gettting some shock through my neck/shoulder when jabbing. realized after a while that if i relaxed my shoulders and neck more there was no jarring. Need to work on that.

Wednesday Night

Burnside run - about 10 kms on flatish terrain wearing my vibrams. Felt difficult but ok. Slight niggling in the back of my right foot above the heel. Not sure why.

Thursday morning

Finally got to ride my new bike for the 1st time! It was very easy compared to my old one! Did about 30 kms from my house up to Norton Summit and back down to work. Made the mistake of pacing myself for the whole distance when really coming down from Norton Summit the only workout I get is my hands on the brakes! Will have to work harder going up next time.

The new compact handle bars are MUCH better. I can reach the brakes from any position and have no neck strain at all. I still have 170 mm cranks and i feel shorter ones would be better for transfer to my running fitness but will have to make do for now.