Put It All Together

It starts with listening to your coaches. Learn from their knowledge and experiences. They are there for you! Make a plan and follow it, get prepared. Remember that saying, "Luck is when opportunity and preparation meet."

It takes dedication, perseverance and fortitude, to put it all together for boxing. Then you must put in the work, it starts with your conditioning. One myth is that on fight day the best conditioned athlete wins. Well if that is true, the fighter who runs the fastest or does the most pushups and sit-ups will always win. But, as you know that is not necessarily the case. It goes back to that old saying what you do in the gym is what you will bring to the fight. Now hear this, you must first get in shape to train properly. When you are in shape to train for boxing you can pyramid or multiply every thing you are taught each and everyday. It will allow you to become a stronger, sharper, faster even a smarter fighter.

Fatigue will make a coward of anyone whether in training or competing, so why not nip it in the bud. Separate your conditioning from your skill training. Polish your skills then do your conditioning workout. Don't tire yourself out the start your mirror work or shadow boxing with fatigued muscles it will make you sloppy. You would never polish a rusty car: would you? Learn your skills slowly and correctly, do them in front of the mirror or your coach. Then when comfortable move to the heavy bag, this will be the first chance for you to put your punches together with some speed and power. When determined by your coach you should then begin to work the mitts. This will be the closest thing to sparring. It will allow you to put your footwork together with throwing combination punches at a moving target and after awhile your coach will be teaching you defense and be throwing punches back. This will give your coach a true chance to evaluate your skills. When your coach feels you have put together your punching skills with defense he will allow you to spar. Sparring will enable you to use all you have learned in training. Remember, spar with a purpose, learn.

A common mistake made in training is getting to competition weight at the last minute. You should schedule your weight control into your training regiment. Waiting to the last minute to get to fighting weight will not only inhibit your training but may drain you on fight day. It all starts with dedication. You must, live the life and love the game. Control your weight by getting on a good diet and sticking to it.

Putting it all together takes time and hard work. You also must regiment and discipline your life so that boxing and your daily tasks do not conflict. Be sure to set your priorities! The only things that should come between you and your training are god, family, education, or your health. Please don't forget the never rules, no drinking, no drugs they don't mix with boxing or those priorities.

A basic guide to proper training should always include running distances for stamina, sprints for wind to let you explode, weight training with calisthenics for strength and muscle endurance, shadow boxing to sharpen your skills (use the mirror), bag work to put power on your punches and enable you to put your punches together. Then add mitt work to sharpen combinations with proper footwork then to the job sparring. Always take the proper safety precautions when training and never train injured. Now you will be ready to compete. You are prepared!