Nerdcore Boxing

My prior training conditioned me into a groove where I could do all sorts of crazy running distances and paces without severely taxing myself. Yet my new upper/lower body conditioning intervals are kicking my butt and making my shortcomings obvious. Even more evidence that I’ve solved my endurance mystery.

I’m going on vacation for a week and a half. I’m going to be doing lots of these condition intervals, some sprints and shadow boxing. I’ll try and find a computer to keep up with the blog.

My current’ gym’s trainers leave conditioning up to the boxer. They’ll give you a general outline of what they want, but it’s all on you to do it. I’m quite happy with this because I’m a hard worker when it comes to conditioning. My past issues were frustrating since I did everything my trainers asked, but they appeared to be flabbergasted as to my endurance issues. The issue was either not training smart or overtraining. In any case I’m confident I can do a better job of it myself.

My focus is to build strength, maintaining punch power through fatigue and build hand speed. For speed I’m doing plyometrics and lots of double end bag work. In addition to my normal roadwork I’m doing upper body conditioning intervals. My previous trainers heavily focused on lower body and I felt like my upper body didn’t hold up through fatigue as well. Rope climbs, sledgehammer, band training, burpees, and such are all part of my current regiment.

I’m coming off an 8 year layoff from weight lifting. I was a hardcore gym rat for over a decade before getting serious with kickboxing and boxing, then I became disillusioned with the bodybuilding style workouts. I think quitting weight lifting worked for me because I brought in such a good base of strength from my lifting days. I think I’ve lost too much of that strength. So now I’m doing Olympic lifts twice/week, it’s the lowest priority in my training but I do want to build back some strength.

Two and a half years ago my wife was pregnant and I figured that my time intensively training in boxing was going to end. I decided to have my last hurrah and start NerdcoreBoxing. Fast forward 8+ months and I’m signing on for a unsanctioned smoker just before my wife’s due date.

My trainers at that time were into the school of hard knocks, hard sparring, wearing guys out with long intensive training and no belief in the concept of overtraining. They also like taking you to other gyms to spar experienced guys you will never see again who will beat you up a bit to gauge what you’re made of. Unfortunately they like to do this right before your scheduled fight.

About a week before the scheduled fight they took me out to a gym to spar some guy. This gym liked to bring in a few other clubs to form a crowd, match guys from opposing gyms and put on a big show announcing the fighters like it’s a real fight. I’ve even heard a couple people refer to this venue as a smoker, but there are no judges or refs so I’d hardly call it that.

That night I end up with this short stocky old guy who I was 100% sure I’d outbox easily. Round 1 opens and I’m coming forward, head moving, throwing jabs. Even though this guy is short, somehow I can’t land my jab and he’s catching me with counter jabs. I’m trying to come in at all different angles throwing off different head movement, nothing. Every time he catches me, changes levels and works my body.

I’m running out of tricks, and I come in and whip my head to the inside (my left). Apparently I’ve done this before because onlookers say he times me with a right hook which I whip right into. All I know is that I stepped forward and felt a jarring impact, but that impact was me hitting the floor which woke me up from unconsciousness.

To this day I have no recollection of the offending punch. As I climb off the ground two thoughts race through my head, 1) I’m not a real boxer, and 2) I should quit. Nevertheless pride kicks in and I beat the standing 8 count.

The rest of round 1 my legs are too wobbly to move around much. Round 2 is more of the same, me being a punching bag, him filming a personal highlight reel. At the end of round 2 I’m completely spent and alternating shelling and throwing girly noodle armed punches. I tell my trainers and they pull me out. The rest of the night was a fuzzy blur like I drank too much. Next day I have a headache and some dizziness.

Two days later I call my trainer and tell him I’m putting off my fight. A week later my wife gives birth and there begins the two years I took off. A number of people told me postponing was the right thing, but I spent 2 years regretting that call. This incident is intricately tied with my current boxing obsession.

With my gym switch I’ve changed from the class format to the more traditional but unstructured boxing gym format. I like traditional gyms, their hours are more flexible and they attract more experience boxers that don’t fit into classes. You also have more control over how much trainer time you get, if you have money that is.

Maybe because I am a white collar guy who can actually box, I am sensitive about getting “taken” by trainers. They charge high hourly rates to newbies who are perceived to have money, then train real boxing prospects for close to nothing. I also dislike the drama of switching trainers whom I’ve established a financial obligation with. For all these reasons I’ve been training myself for the past few weeks while scoping out the available trainers.

I have two trainers I can go with. The one I think I might like the most isn’t around very much at the days/times I train, so I may have narrowed down my guy. This more convenient trainer picked me up the other day and gave me a free workout. He seemed to like me and negotiated way down on his prices. I’m just feeling uncertain if I should commit to him or not. I might cruise solo for one more week to watch another trainer and verify their hours.

In any case I need to get moving. I’m still in shape and my weight is good. I’ve been doing all my runs and getting to the gym for work 3+ times/week. Plus I’m doing new conditioning intervals that are combinations of upper & lower body work.

Once I get a trainer I’ll get back to sparring and we’ll work on getting a fight in the masters division.