Nerdcore Boxing

Last night is the scheduled sparring. The prior week I did 3 rounds with 30 sec breaks no problem, then went back for 2 more later in the night. But last night is a disaster. First off an office party interferes with getting over there in time. I have to eat a tiny dinner at 4 before the party so I get something before sparring. At the party everybody is eating nachos and drinking beer, I’m sitting there stomach growling and hating life. Then I take off 30 minutes late and get stuck in traffic, bad traffic.

At the gym an older (well my age) guy has been nice enough to stay around to spar. Mexican Style trainer is the only trainer there. At the time I don’t know this but my sparring partner has  lots of experience, Mexican Style says he really admires his skills. Some notes:

• I get in, he’s going real light and slow, but he’s older and nice enough to stick around so I just match his pace. I kind of feel like he’s letting me hit him, because I’m landing every variety of punch or combo I want, you name it. Great placement of my body punches on the ribs. But he’s landing too.
• This guy is sooo relaxed, it sort of lulls me into not taking him seriously but yet he “sticks on me,” walking through the punches. I’m working hard to keep him off with my feet and jab, I find I’m upping the power no longer matching him just trying to keep him off me. He ups too, no biggie he’s in my weight class unlike the heavies I often get.
• First round is over, then I gas, big time. I have no energy, sucking wind, arms and legs dead. After one round, are you kidding me!?!?
• I used my mobility and was working my lateral movement in the first round, which Mexican Style convinces is me is a mistake, a waste of energy against this guy. This guy has slow feet and just ok footwork and I wasn’t keeping him off anyway. So I concentrate on moving one step and working my jab in the 2^nd & 3^rd rounds – when I get the energy.
• Second round is terrible, he lands more and get’s off some flurries. I’m still landing some when I can muster the strength, but punch output is low. Mouth is open sucking wind, now my jaw is a little sore from getting hit with it open.
• Third round Mexican Style says I’ll get my 2^nd wind, I don’t. I throw little to nothing. He’s flurrying, putting me on the ropes, shining the shoes. Twice I’m stuck on the ropes thinking, “I’m so tired, I’d rather eat this entire flurry than try to punch.”

How can I work harder this week but yet have so much less endurance than last week? I gave Old School trainer the benefit of the doubt, but now I have real doubts. Mexican Style mentions he thought I was overtraining too.

Old School is out of town this week, but wanted me to do a really long run Saturday morning then show up at 11:30 for sparring. Mexican Style says screw the run, do it Sunday. Right now Mexican Style is making more sense, I’m going to stick with him.

A Death March, as in a soldier traveling a long distance in harsh conditions without the proper rest or supplies, entering battle already exhausted and beat down. Napoleon sent his men on a death march into the Russian Winter and sealed his (and their) fate before the fight even started. I’m starting to think I’m on a conditioning death march.

In order to discuss my trainers difference in philosophy more clearly, I will name them Old School and Mexican Style respectively.

I’m into shorter intensity training, I know most amateur boxers run only a couple miles/day with sprints, because boxing is a sprint not a marathon. But at the same time I want to stick with my trainer Old School, even though he’s going crazy on the conditioning.

This week in response to my trainer I cut calories, I’m pushing my runs, I’m doing uber-intense bag work to push punch output way up. I feel the weight come off, but I’m feeling bad.

I’m exhausted, my knuckles and foot are sore. Worse yet I’m getting the chills in the afternoon. I bundle up but I can’t get warm (it’s like 70 degrees in LA). According to a google search a temperature drop in the following day of exercise is from overtraining. But I ignore this, because I want to stick with the program, overtraining the body is training the mind I tell myself.