Why I Like Mike

Even on this, his birthday week I should first say that there are certainly plenty of reasons NOT to like Mike Tyson as a person. He is a convicted felon; he is well-known for biting a guy's ear off in the ring; he said he wanted to eat another man's children; and plenty more. It is not uncommon for people who accomplished the greatest things to be flawed- sometimes even deeply flawed- human beings. And Mike really was one of the greatest boxers ever. Maybe he could have been THE greatest had things worked out differently. Alas, they did not, and he has left an infamous legacy of both ups and downs. But none of that takes away from what he accomplished in the boxing ring during the mid-to-late 1980s. As anyone who trains in boxing or is just a fan of boxing knows, Mike Tyson gave us a lot of things not just to like during that time, but a lot of things to learn from that can be a real benefit to your own training. Here are my Top 5:

1)  He Moves Differently

I remember the first time I saw John Elway throw the football at Stanford University in 1982. It wasn't that he was good that struck me, it was the way he threw the ball. It was different. Like nothing I had ever seen. There were quarterbacks with big arms back then but not the way the ball just exploded off of his hands. It looked like a cannon. I not only became a fan of John Elway's but also started to become a real fan of movement, as silly as that might sound. Every human being has a unique style of movement but some are extra special. The first time I saw Mike Tyson box, the same thing happened. Nobody boxed that way. Certainly not at the time and not ever since. Occasionally people will say that someone was like a Mike Tyson of their time, like George Foreman for instance, but only in so much as that they were aggressive and powerful and everybody feared them. But nobody moved like him (certainly not George Foreman, who was quite the opposite). Not even close.

So, what was so different and why do I care? To some degree, it cannot be completely explained. Just watch a highlight package of his and anybody else's and you will see what I mean! If I were to just try and describe it, I would say that it was lightning quick, explosive, extremely tight in the sense that there was nothing floppy, slow, heavy or even just superfluous. All very efficient, direct, and above all, sudden. His transition from a passive mode to an attack state was instantaneous and awesome on a level that almost transcended boxing and sports in general. He reminded me of a real, live superhero. Or perhaps a deadly animal predator that we all have innate, built-in fear of. But don't worry, this list isn't all me waxing philosophical - read on!

2)  He Was Just So Technically Sound

Based on public persona and cultural impact, it is easy to think that Iron Mike was just this vicious, savage brawler and nothing else, but anyone who studies boxing quickly learns just how amazing he was on a purely technical level. His footwork, head movement, defense and punches were absolute perfection during his heyday when he was the baddest man on the planet. I have never seen a heavyweight look that sharp. So much punching power with perfect efficiency, using every muscle to its maximum potential. The knock on Tyson's career is that he never fought anybody that good while he was still good, before his world came crumbling down. This is undeniably true but because he was such an amazing mover and perfect boxer, it almost doesn't really matter to me. Not only are his punches and defense textbook but from a workout perspective as well, you are going to use more muscles and get much better exercise throwing them like he does. Especially those uppercuts! So for teaching people how to box for fitness, there is no one more ideal to study.

3)  He Was/Is a Student of the Game

Mike has repeatedly talked about the boxers like Jack Dempsey, Sugar Ray Robinson and more in great detail, depth and reverence rarely spoken by fellow pugilists, often crediting them with techniques he has emulated. His "Ring IQ" was far higher than his reputation might have suggested. Plus there is also a deep love and passion for the sport, outside of his own experience in it. You just don't hear that a lot from many of the other greats.

4)  Coachability

Along those lines, Mike was by many accounts, extremely coachable, despite his insane physical talents. A system was developed by his original coach and mentor, Cus D'amato, known as the Peekaboo Style. It was different and challenging and something very few fighters of any notoriety of have adopted. For Mike, it was a perfect fit and despite Floyd Patterson's success in that system with Cus, Tyson will always represent that style better than anyone. During those years with D'amato, Kevin Rooney, Teddy Atlas, Mike Tyson an extension of their coaching in the ring. It should also be noted that Peekaboo is at its heart, a defensive style of boxing, something which Tyson had mastered and was also proud of, even though most casual fans don't necessarily perceive this part of his game. BUT it should also be noted that this was the biggest stylistic change between Tyson in the 80s vs the 90s and beyond. Once he moved away from the original training team, so much of the brilliant defensive work seemed to disappear. 

Even just from watching old videos of Mike training with the aforementioned Kevin Rooney, you can tell just by the body language that he stayed humble, listened carefully to ever word coach said, and put it into action. Once again, this is not something I see a lot with other fighters, yet alone fighters as physically talented as Tyson was/is.

5)  He Was Shorter and Smaller Than Everybody He Fought

Again, it almost seems to contradict this reputation a ferocious brawler. Not that you can't be smaller and ferocious, far from it, but Mike fought in the heavyweight division and he was never really a heavyweight. He often gave up anywhere from 4-8 inches of height to his opponent and even more in reach and weight. 

Tyson will tell you that this was to his advantage.  He was able to make this true, but it was not inherently so. Fighting taller people is tough. There are advantages that the smaller fighter has, for sure, but all things being equal, the bigger person will win. Weight is very significant, too, when it comes to both throwing a punch and taking a punch. There is also a psychological component as well. The taller opponent is more threatening, more intimidating. We all have an inherent, human reaction to this but for anyone who is smaller, Mike Tyson is proof that David can not only beat Goliath but completely dominate physically, ragdolling Goliaths on a regular basis.

Beyond just being my favorite boxer, Tyson represents something bigger to me. As I said earlier, he's like a superhero. Or a great warrior who harkens back to the days long before modern society when we lived in tribes, led by the toughest, strongest fighters. I guess I am waxing philosophical here again but at the very least, he inspires me to do better, work harder, and try to understand the sweet science on a deeper level. Though very different as a person, I think he is like Bruce Lee in this regard. It wasn't just about Kung Fu or Jeet Kun Do with Bruce, as it's not just about boxing with Tyson either, it is about human combat and human potential, and the simple, essential form of power. It has been nice to see Mike get himself back into shape in his 50s. Even at age 56, he moves differently and you can tell there is still something magical there.

Should I Get Boxing Shoes?

If you've boxed for a while and haven't worn boxing shoes, you have probably wondered this. Or maybe you didn't even know that boxing shoes existed! What exactly are boxing shoes and how do they help you with boxing? Are there any other shoes not designated specifically for boxing but good for boxing training? Are any shoes BAD for boxing training? Are boxing shoes good for anything else? What about kickboxing? Any downside to having boxing shoes, besides the expense? All good questions and here are your answers:

What are boxing shoes?

The biggest, most critical difference between boxing shoes and all other athletic shoes is the sole. Boxing shoes have very thin, light soles whereas other athletic shoes have thicker, heavier soles.  Boxing soles are also flat, as is the rest of the shoe in general. Most, if not all, of the time, boxing shoes also have ankle support, thus coming up higher on the ankles for the high-top, boot kind of look. 

How do they help you with boxing?

Consider what the feet do while boxing. The boxer generally stays up on their toes but also needs to dig down into the ground and push off for punches. The boxer needs to be very agile and move in any direction at any moment. The fighting stance is relatively wide, providing maximum balance, and crossing your feet is rarely done. While the feet need to move quickly, it is only in short bursts (a split second or two) and never in one uninterrupted direction for any period of time. I.e. there is never any point where the boxer is running or trying to achieve a top speed with their legs. The boxer also does not need to lift their foot off the ground very high. The lower the better, for several reasons. Pivoting quickly is both a huge part of boxing footwork and proper punch technique.

The thin, light soles allow the feet to move quickly, with the least resistance. You can actually feel your feet grip the ground too, which allows you to dig in and drive off more easily with proprioception. The soles themselves do not stick to the ground as much and this ensures that you don't get stuck moving one way and can't change in a split second. They also let you  almost slide your feet along the floor so the amount of time spent on one foot is minimal. The ankle support helps you make all those directional changes most easily too. All of this applies to pivoting as well.

Are any other shoes good for boxing?

There is nothing I would say is necessarily good for boxing but certainly some are better than others. Tennis is not dissimilar to boxing in terms of footwork and rotation so tennis shoes can work. In tennis however, there are plenty of times to cross feet and get up to maximum speed and thus, the soles are curved in a way to help you spring forward in a way not appropriate for boxing. They also need to absorb a lot more shock so they are heavier and don't slide at all. Basketball shoes generally have good ankle support for boxing and are made with reinforced souls that help with all the omnidirectional movement, pivoting, and wear. But of course those same souls are thicker and heavier, also designed to help you get close to max speed as well us upward spring for jumping high, something NEVER done in boxing. Then there are just the standard cross-trainer shoes that will certainly work for boxing training too. But probably the best are wrestling shoes, since the movement is most similar between the two sports. And wrestling shoes look pretty much the same as boxing shoes. There are even boxers who fight in wrestling shoes. I myself have never done it but if Floyd Mayweather has, we probably could, too.

Are any other shoes BAD for boxing training?

I would say running shoes, particularly distance running shoes, are actually bad for boxing training. Bad for your ankles and bad for your feet. Because they are made for running straight ahead and that is it. They are light, that part is good, but curved and don't allow for safe omnidirectional movement, in my book. The ankle support isn't there at all and pushing off the ground with your left foot, then pushing back the other direction going right, for example, will pressure the sides of your feet in a way that can be uncomfortable in many instances.

Are boxing shoes good for anything besides boxing?

I say no. Even though I mentioned earlier that some boxers fight in wrestling shoes, I don't think boxing shoes would work for wrestling. The main reason is that wrestling shoes need to be more flexible because sometimes your foot gets twisted and rolled in different directions. Most boxing shoes that I know of would pinch in such a situation. And for all other traditional sports, the lack of sole is going to make ground impact uncomfortable.

What about kickboxing?

No! Though a lot of the footwork in boxing and kickboxing is similar, most round/roundhouse kicks involve contact between the kicker’s shin bones and the target. You generally want this contact lower on the shins, right above the ankle. Take a look at any pair of boxing shoes and what do you see covering that area? The tongue and the laces! The ankle support of a boxing shoe covers that area so when you land the roundhouse kick, there is a good chance you are going to land it on the laces and that doesn't feel good, nor is it effective in any way. There are plenty of other smaller reasons but this alone is more than enough. No kickboxer fights in boxing shoes nor are there any shoes specifically designed for kickboxing and the reason is because bare feet really are the best option. If you don't want to use bare feet, a light cross-training shoe will be just fine. You just don't want your ankles covered and something that provides good balance on one leg.

Besides the cost, is there any downside to owning boxing shoes?

I feel a third "no" in a row coming on! No downside at all. Boxing will be better in your boxing shoes, there is no doubt about it. Boxing shoes do tend to wear pretty fast though. My feet are particularly wide and it doesn't take long before the shoe and the sole start to separate on the sides. Plus since the sole is, by design, lighter and smaller, it is going to break down faster. They are just not meant to be particularly durable shoes. But that doesn't mean that you should be buying them every few months, even if you box most days of the week. The tricky part is finding good, quality boxing shoes that work for your particular feet and style of movement. Most places do not sell them so they will have to be ordered online. Just make sure there is a good return policy if you don't like the fit or they fall apart too quickly.

So, should I get boxing shoes?

I think that one is going to depend a lot on you. I would highly recommend them to anybody serious about boxing training for fitness. Then for someone who wants to box competitively on any level, it is a pretty much a must. Footwork is one of the most difficult things in boxing and as I have mentioned on this very blog, it is also the most important thing in boxing. Proper shoes will help your footwork. They will make it easier for you to move in what is generally an awkward for just about anyone. I would say the right pair of boxing shoes will make a more significant difference in your performance than just about any other sport-specific shoe other than cleats.

Another thing to consider is how you feel. I can tell you with just about 100% certainty that if you feel better about the way you look while boxing, you will perform better. A new pair of gloves or shoes or even an outfit can make a significant difference. Having the shoes makes it feel a little more serious. Like you are taking training seriously and that can have a carry-over effect too.

Then there is another mental component kind of along the same lines that when you are about to start training and you take off the shoes you walked in wearing, then sit down to lace up your boxing shoes, it helps get your head in the game. Reinforces that you are boxing now and for many of us, that is particular mindset. The wrapping of hands does this too. Warriors going into battle.

On the flip side, I personally enjoy boxing in non-high top basketball shoes too. I have a wider, more open stance than some and the bigger soles help my feet with balance and push-off but at the same time, I definitely wouldn't say I'm better in basketball shoes. It's just different and both are good for me. At the very least, having a pair specifically for boxing helps too reducing the overall wear on my shoes as a collective. If you have any questions about specific recommendations from me or my shoe collective, let me/us know!

Where is My Mojo Part 3 - The Comeback

In the previous 2 posts, I spoke about a couple different ways we can lose our mojo. Mojo meaning our desire and drive for an exercise program. It can be hard to regain your mojo, once it is lost, and sometimes Life makes this more difficult by throwing a whammy at us, bringing our momentum to a grinding halt. Maybe it's a long vacation, a series of short vacations or an injury that may take more than a couple weeks for recovery. For a lot of people, coming back from such a long layoff will seem daunting at best, impossible at worst. Here are a couple of ways to counteract those feelings and get back on track:

Know That Your Hard Work Is Not Lost

The sense that you could work on something for a period of time, toil over it and then lose everything that you have worked for is just gone is a terrible, disheartening feeling. If you've ever forgot to save something on your computer, you know what I mean. It's more than just the time it would take to redo what you've lost, it is a major psychological blow. When it comes to physical activity though, no matter how long the layoff, none of the training you've ever done in any sport, or even just physical activity in general, is ever lost. Muscles atrophy, sure, skills can decline, absolutely, but it's never all lost. You are still in plus territory, even if other things occur like weight gain, age, etc. Your chances of getting back to a good routine are much statistically higher than someone who has never started BUT don't let that knowledge allow you to put off your comeback!

Avoid the Spiral

Unfortunately, our brains are not always helpful during any kind of a layoff. They tell us things like, "Ugh, I feel so out of shape" and "I used to look so much better and now, I've just let it all go', "I'll never get back to where I was" etc. etc. The sad irony here is that for many of us, telling ourselves these things doesn't actually bring about a call to action but quite the opposite. It discourages us and defeats us, making it harder to get back into a program. This is the same with dieting for many of us too. We have a bad day where our diet restrictions are broken, we feel terrible about it, then we eat those feelings. It can be very difficult to change your self-talk, especially negative self-talk but here is one trick I learned that actually worked surprisingly well for me: Tell yourself to shut up. Immediately. Immediately being the key and I'm not joking here either. Here is an example:

"I used to look so better and now, I've--STOP!"

"I'll never get back to whe--STOP!!"

Literally yell "STOP" in your head as soon as you feel those thoughts creeping in. Don't entertain the thoughts, don't even let your mind finish saying them. Just interrupt with a resounding, powerful "STOP!" And your brain likely will stop, at least for a second. But when it starts up again - STOP! Okay, okay, but here it goes again and STOP! Keep yelling that, the instant you feel the thought. Don't wait even more than a split second. Don't consider these thoughts on any level. Nipping them in the bud like this can actually work. It's almost like when you feel the hiccups coming on. If you hold your breath immediately, you can shut the hiccups down. If you wait too long, you are stuck with hiccups for a while.

Stay Mentally Engaged

There are some good things you brain can do for you doing the layoff. It can stay mentally engaged with what you were doing and want to get back to some day. So if it's boxing, watch boxing videos on Youtube. Watch different fighters. Read about boxing. Read about fitness training in general. Just because your body can't do it, doesn't mean your brain can't. But won't that just make it worse on you? Make you feel worse for NOT being about to exercise while it still occupies your mind? That sounds like a negative, not useful thought so.....STOP!

Most of this is mental. It really is. We tend to divide our lives into chapters, of sorts. If you are doing something like boxing and really into it for a while, that becomes a chapter. But if you take a long vacation, are rehabbing an injury, or just are away from boxing for a while, that chapter tends to close. Doesn't mean you can't start a new chapter but if you are able to stay mentally engaged, there is less of a hard end to the original chapter and thus, getting back into it feels more like a continuation, rather than a full restart.

Some Physical Engagement Too

Taking those examples again - a vacation, an injury or life change that prevents you from doing your normal exercise routine - there still may be ways to stay physically engaged. In the case of an injury, of course you want to clear all of this with your doctor. Maybe you can get a walk in? Maybe you could bust out 5 push-ups? Or 10? In the case of boxing, maybe you can practice footwork only. Anything you can do to keep some form of physical activity in your life while still unable to do your regular exercise routine can be very useful, for both body and mind.

Beware the Double-Whammy

Let's say you, after that long layoff, finally make your comeback and get back to your exercise program. Woo-hoo! Congratulations! I know it was not easy. Instead of being rewarded by The Universe for your impressive achievement, it immediately throws another curveball. Like maybe you just got back from vacation, ready to get back into the swing of things, and then bam! You get sick. Or something unavoidable happens to prevent you from returning to your old routine/exercise program. The ol' double-whammy. It happens far more often than it should. And it very well may happen to you.

So what do you do about the double-whammy? If this DW is truly unavoidable, you have no control, that is true. But it is one of those cases where even though you can't change the thing itself, you can change the way you think about the thing. My recommendation is to simply laugh. Picture those little creatures from the 80s game show, Press Your Luck, that were actually called "Whammies', if you remember them. Laugh because this is Life just trying to mess with you. It thinks it will stop your comeback but haha, you're not going to let it. Nice try, Life. Sure you may not be able to resume your routine for a little while longer and yes, that sucks, but you will ultimately triumph. This will be a blip on the radar, as I sometimes say. Instead of letting that negative self-talk creep in, shut it down and try some positive self-talk. Your laugh is a laugh of superiority because you know you cannot be stopped. And that no matter how hard life hits, you're going to just keep getting up over and over again.

Boxing is full of great comeback stories. The one most refer to as "The Greatest," Muhammad Ali, was unable to box during his prime physical peak years. He left as the champion, came back years later, and then lost his first big fight back. But he kept coming and reclaimed his belt, cementing his legacy of one of boxing's best, most beloved fighters. And I can't imagine he had a lot of negative self-talk going on in his head either. In fact, Ali was the first person I recall in any sport who called himself the Greatest. He said it over and over again. Whether it was true or it wasn't, he believed it and I can't imagine he could have achieved what he did without this kind of positive self-talk. Try it for yourself!

Where is My Mojo Part 2 - The Plateau

Last week, I spoke about the common, recurring phenomenon where someone makes a new, positive life change, is excited by that life change, sticks with that change for a while but gets derailed at some point and finds it very hard, maybe even seemingly impossible to get back on track.

There is similar phenomenon - actually, let's call this one a "paradigm' though - where someone has managed to make it through the first issue but has now been adhering to this new exercise program, or whatever the positive life change is, for a while but feels like they have plateau'd on some level. At first, they were noticing rapid changes and results, staying engaged with the program, broke through the initial mojo drop, continued on but feel like things haven't been progressing any more.

To some degree, plateau-ing is gonna happen. When you initially start a program and you're learning, things can change quickly. As you get deeper into it, the changes come slower and sometimes in spurts vs. a steady climb. It's not always a bad thing either. A plateau stage is sometimes where we unconsciously need to gather the physical and mental resources to take that next climb. But maybe you feel like you've been in that plateau too long and want to break on through.

Breaking through the plateau is highly dependent on what your program is and what your goals are. Specific to boxing, there was another old post of mine which discusses this in general - https://theboxingmanifesto.blogspot.com/2022/03/are-you-comfortable-boxer.html - and it can certainly relate to other exercise programs as well.

Once again, this is a good time to check in with your goals. Have they changed at all? Are you looking to build more strength, more speed, whatever? Then ask yourself why. Why do you want these things and what will you do with them? You have to care that the changes will happen. From there, you need a modified plan. What is going to get you to those goals? You may get there doing things exactly the way you're doing them now but it will likely be slower than it needs to be. 

There are so many different variables here but I will give you an example: let's say you want to develop more power in your punches. And let's say you have listened to me talk about all the different ways to get more power (using lower body, explosive movement, no steady state punching, proper loading, creating the whip effect, etc. etc.) until the cows come home and have gotten better but now you seem to be stuck at a certain point. You may benefit from some supplemental strength work that translates to boxing. Medicine balls, kettlebells, lever presses, bounding, box jumps and beyond. Whatever you do needs to get folded into a periodized plan of some sort, allowing for improvements in overall strength and motor function. In this particular instance, the plan would not want to necessarily target significant gains in muscle mass for boxing but if this was part of your overall fitness goal, it would be easier to tweak. And again, this is just one example out of many. with the unifying principle of creating a plan for getting where you want to go, on the micro and macro levels. Otherwise, it is just a wish.

When it comes to the mental part, staying engaged with your program after you've been doing it for a while, sometimes that example above works here too. A while ago, I decided my jab sucked and went on a little mission to make it better. I experimented with a few things, did a bunch of drills and lo and behold, my jab got snappier and I mostly got rid of my tell (although I notice it still happens if I am talking while punching - see if you can spot it). Anyway, it was kind of fun and at the very least, focused my attention on something specific to work on. If you need ideas, let me know! 

Another thing that might help in the case of boxing is actually watching more boxing and combat sports in general, if you don't currently. And if you do currently, maybe taking a deeper dive into studying a particular fighter. Figure out what they do and maybe even try to emulate. Change up your style a little bit. This may make you feel a little uncomfortable though, as mentioned in the Comfortable Boxer post. Be okay with that. Whether it ends up being a change you adopt full time or not, you will learn something and it will keep your mind engaged.

When it comes to boxing, never think that you just are who you are and will never be any different. I have never been particularly fast and it's hard to imagine that I ever could be now as I approach my 50s but that's not true. I could do it if I made it my focus. At the very least, I could get quicker. And if I can do it, you can do it too! We just need to turn our wishes into plans!!

Where's My Mojo???

It doesn't seem to matter what the exercise program is or if it is just simply exercise in general, a recurring phenomenon we often see in the fitness industry is this:

#1) Someone makes the decision to bring fitness into their life

#2) They take the next step and start a new program

#3) They love it and feel better

#4) They are committed and get a good routine going

#5) Then after maybe a month, maybe two, they suddenly stop. They fall off the wagon.

#6) They abandon the program completely OR maybe they try again, but sporadically over the next couple of weeks/months and cannot get back on track, eventually abandoning it.

So what happened?  If #3 is really true, why stop doing the thing they were enjoying and feeling better with? The answers will vary but almost all can be summed up by one word - Life. Life happened. Something in life caused their momentum to stop. Maybe they got sick, were out of town, got a little extra busy with work, the kids, whatever. Life stuff. Or maybe they were tired after a long day and decided to skip the gym on their normal day. No big deal, right? Can always make it up later.

The issue is that many, many people can't make it up later. Once the momentum is gone and that train derailed, it is extremely hard to get it back on the tracks. They have lost their mojo. It can happen to anyone.

Here is the thing people often miss: Life is not the real problem. And it is certainly never going to stop happening. What makes getting back on track so difficult in this scenario is that the person was lulled into a false sense of security. They started their new program, they were nervous to start but did it anyway, felt proud of themselves (as they should) were having fun and got fired up about this new, positive change in their life. This is what I call the "life-change high.”  But newness doesn't stay new for long and it no longer qualifies as a change once you've been doing it for a while. When this initial high wears off, we will need a different kind of motivation. It's almost like switching gears in a car. You have to find that 2nd gear if you want to get to your destination.

What you must know first is that this fitness journey is NOT going to be easy. Find something you actually enjoy doing, sure, but if you expect yourself to always feel like working out (or sticking to a new diet, which all of this applies to as well), you are in for a rude awakening. Some days you are just gonna want to stay home. Some days you'll say to yourself, "I'm just not feeling it.” When you were still in the life-change high state, you could override these things but not anymore. As I mentioned earlier, we can lull ourselves into a false sense of security. Maybe we tell ourselves it's not going to be easy but we don't fully believe it because it feels so good from the get-go. We can't allow that to happen, though, as it conditions us to think that is all working out should be ALL the time and when it isn't, we aren't compelled to stick with it.

So, by understanding what you're in for, you can set expectations and plan mentally and emotionally. Plan for setbacks. Expect Life to interrupt your routine. And expect to not be deterred by that. You truly have to embrace The Grind. But who wants to embrace a grind? Not many of us, right? We'd much rather have things be easy and quick. This isn't going to be one of them though. There are no magic pills or shortcuts. But always remember that YOU ARE WORTH IT. You are worth the grind. You are worth all the hard work. In fact, there is no better cause!

If and when you find yourself losing that mojo, ask yourself the following questions:

Why did you get started with an exercise routine in the first place? 

What are you goals?

Why do you want those goals?

What would achieving those goals mean to you? Fantasize about it!

What would happen if we DON'T achieve those goals, long term? 

Answer them honestly. Check in with yourself. The easy answer is that you can always put these things on hold. And sometimes, putting things on hold might actually work. But do you absolutely have to though? Why put it off when you really can do it now? It's probably not going to get easier later. Might seem like it because you're dealing with something big/difficult now, etc, etc. Remember that Life always happens. By the time you finish what is holding you back now, there may very likely be something new you're dealing with later. And think of how much better you will feel later if you start now!

Your brain will disagree. It will tell you that later is better and you can start fresh in X. After you finish X. When you get back from X. When X season is over. And it will give you very good, legitimate reasons why this is true and make perfectly logical sense. If you fell off the wagon, it will definitely tell you why you can't get back on. Or why it's not the same for you anymore. It can think of a million reasons NOT to do something or not to do something right now. But you only need one reason - You. I will say it again. And again and again. You are worth it.

So if you start something new and are on that life-change high, you can certainly enjoy it but remember that to, some degree, the life-change high is a lie. At the very least, it will eventually wear off.  You need a new high. While I'm naming things, I am going to call it the "Embracing the Grind High." If you come in and do a boxing class or whatever you do and are not feeling it at all, get excited. That is good! That is real. You are proving you are in it to win it, not just some tourist. So you didn't do your best that day. So you felt a little off or slow or whatever. Good! That shows you've got dedication. You've got grit. Yeah, some days are going to suck but you knew that going in and you did it anyway. Because it doesn't matter if you didn't perform up to your normal standards, you are one step closer on your path. Doesn't matter if Life happened and you weren't able to do your normal weekly return because you will keep getting back up every time Life knocks you down. It is not a sprint, it is a marathon and you are choosing strength over weakness.

Stress, Mental Health and Boxing

May is officially Mental Health Awareness Month and mental health is something we are becoming more aware of every day. Stress, depression, anxiety, anger and plenty of other issues are on the rise and there are many aspects of modern society are contributing to this. And while we cannot fix/change much of these external problems, we can at least change the way we feel about them.

How to do this varies very much on the person and the problem but self-care is almost always part of the solution- doing things to benefit your own health and well-being, mentally and physically. We have had folks come to our club because their doctor specifically recommended that they try out boxing. And while all forms of physical exercise can have a tremendous benefit on our own mental health, boxing may very well be the best.

The obvious reason is because you get to hit stuff! Punching a heavy bag is therapeutic. You can hit it as hard as you want. You won't hurt the bag and so long as you do it properly, you won't hurt yourself either. It is a sudden, powerful release of energy and if you are looking for sources of that energy, stress, frustration and anger can certainly provide that for you.  But there are other benefits too:

Boxing makes you feel (and look) powerful

When you hit that bag, there is distinct tactile and auditory feedback. While heavy bags don't feel pain or get hurt (fingers crossed), they do let you know when they've been struck. They move, they shake and best of all for me, there is that sound. That smack of leather colliding at fast speed. And the better you get, the better the sound. You can really feel the power and it doesn't matter how big or strong you are either. Explosiveness comes from technique, rhythm and coordination.

When you finish a boxing workout, you have truly survived something

You didn't just survive it, you conquered it! Any decent boxing workout is going to be a unique physical challenge. Different than anything else. We encourage everybody to go at their own pace but that works both ways. If you've got to slow down, slow down. But if it doesn't challenge you, it won't change you, so that means pushing past barriers. Once again, as you become a better boxer, you get stronger and the workout becomes even more awesome! The challenge isn't just physical either. It takes perseverance and it takes grit to be able to get through. Your body wants to stop but your mind tells you to keep fighting. That is no small thing. It builds character as well as strength. Maybe you felt the fear or nervousness going in but you did it anyway. Maybe you had a tough day at work, didn't sleep well the night before, whatever but you chose strength instead of weakness and made it through. 

Confidence

When you feel powerful, when you chose strength and don’t just “make it through” a boxing workout, but truly start to become a boxer - someone who has learned how to box and is training to get better, even if only for fitness - your confidence will grow and grow. That feels good but there's even more. Other people sense it. They may not be acutely aware but on some level, they know. It changes the way they interact with you. I have seen this play out in bully-victim dynamics but also just in regular, adult, relationships where potential physical harm is not even in question. Confident people get more out of life and are generally happier. It is almost like magic! Not to mention the physical benefits like weight loss, clothes fitting better, toner muscles, etc., can do wonders for our confidence.

We are all fighters

Doesn't matter if you ever step foot in the ring on the cage, we are all fighters. We are all fighting something - mental, physical or otherwise. Boxing teaches us to fight physically, but just like with everything else, this correlates to mental and emotional fights too. It can symbolize us pushing through any problem that we face. Conquering our fears and coming out stronger for it. If you haven't tried it, there is no better time than now. Or if you have tried but kind of lost your mojo, it's time to rededicate with a new outlook that isn't just for your physical health, it's for your mental health and as we continue to learn, that is just as important!

6 Biggest Myths About Boxing Training

I've said it plenty of times before but I have been lucky enough to meet literally thousands of people brand new to boxing and interested in checking it out. And have probably met hundreds more since I last wrote it. It's always interesting to hear about everyone's expectations going into their first boxing experience. Based on these chats and just what I've read and heard from others, it is safe to say that there are quite a few big myths associated with boxing training. Many of these seem perfectly logical and rational but are not necessarily true at all. Here are my Top 6:

#1) Boxing is an Upper Body Workout Only (Whereas Kickboxing Works the Lower Body)

We definitely hear this a lot and again, it makes sense if you aren't familiar with the sport or experience since you imagine punching as something you do with your hands, arms and chest. By contrast, it would seem logical that since you throw kicks with your legs, kickboxing is all about the lower body while boxing is upper body.

The truth about boxing is that you actually don't throw punches with your hands, chest, upper body, etc. Punches start with the hips and legs. And I think it's fair to say that on certain punches, like hooks, the mast majority of your power comes from the lower body. The lower body is just naturally stronger and the source of most, athletic explosive movements. Now of course we hit someone with our fist and that boxing training very much DOES work the upper body. Every time you land a punch, your arms, shoulders, chest and back absorb the impact. So if you are looking to tone those arms, boxing is a great way to do it but the initial power is generated by the entire body.

#2) Boxing is Cardio Exercise Only

I already gave this one away in the last paragraph but whether you are punching a heavy bag, mitts, or even another person, you receive the benefits of resistance training every time you land a punch. Also, explosive energy and strength is required to generate a punch too. You could extend your arm, touch the bag and bring it back but that would not be a punch. A punch is a sudden distribution of force delivered in a short period of time. Imagine a squat vs a squat jump. You can do a squat in place and take it as slowly as you want. No matter how strong you are, your feet will never leave the ground unless you push both hard and fast, creating enough explosive force upward to make it into a jump. That requires leg strength and it is the same when throwing a punch,

Now of course, boxing is an AMAZING cardio workout too. Going back to the squat/squat jump analogy, if you were to do, say, 15-20 squat jumps in a row. Your heart would be beating fast and you'd be breathing heavy. Exactly how you feel after doing intense cardio. But your legs would feel worked too. Like you had done strength training. Once again, this is the same kind of thing with boxing. Intense cardio PLUS strength.

#3) Boxing is Primarily For Men

This perception has changed a lot over recent years and I hope it continues to do so. In the older days, boxing was primarily for men. Only men competed and very few people trained in boxing who did not do it competitively. We always knew it was a great workout and that if 2 people were going to get into a ring and duke it out, it makes sense to be in the best shape as possible, since your very life depends on it but it took years for us to figure out that you can train exactly like a boxer, get in that great shape, and not have to put your life on the line in combat. There was also this perception, from both movies and in real life, of an old school boxing gym. It's dirty, grimy, in a run down building with spit buckets and hard cases working out. And maybe that works for some but certainly does not have to be the ONLY option for legit boxing training. Fitness has certainly evolved since then and there are lots of good boxing options for everyone. Women also box competitively now, as well as in MMA, kickboxing, etc. and the stigma has definitely changed. At our club, the majority of our members are female.

One side note that I want to throw in here is that in the 90s, a fitness trend emerged at gyms all across the country where cardio kickboxing was introduced into group exercise classes. This was largely due to the success of Tae Bo. It was based on throwing kicks and punches but not in a combat type of scenario. Instead it was more akin to traditional step aerobics. It was fairly popular and since the vast majority of people who took step aerobics classes (or just group exercise classes at big box gyms) were women, I think it created a perception that kickboxing was more friendly to women than boxing was. This was amplified by what I already talked about in Point #1 - the misconception that kickboxing is more lower body and boxing is more upper body - as women generally are more interested in that working their lower body than upper (you will see this in action at just about any weight room you go to). My hope is that women continue to be inspired to take up boxing for fitness because there really are so many benefits that are good for EVERYONE!

#4) You Must Be In Good Shape or Be a Good Athlete To Start Boxing

I can definitely understand an empathize with all of these points that I am identifying as common boxing myths. There is logic to them for sure. This one though, is a little tougher for me to get. I have spoken to people who tell me that they are very interested in boxing but want to get into shape BEFORE they start training. Or lose a few pounds before they start. Boxing training is the best, fastest way to get in shape and burn calories! If these are your goals, start boxing today!! Sure, you will get tired but just like anything else, you can go at your own pace and increase that pace as your physical capacity changes.

You don't have to be a good athlete either. Boxing is something anyone can do and skills like balance and coordination and agility will all improve though boxing, just like your cardio and strength will. 

#5) The Best Boxing Coach is a Competitive or Former Competitive Boxer

If someone has boxed professionally or at the amateur level, they must know what they are doing right? Makes total sense. I would have once agreed with this and in some cases, it can be true but you'd be amazed at how many times it isn't. When it comes to sports, especially sports at a high level, many competitors are blessed with physical talents the rest of us do not have. Certain things come naturally to them and/or, they are able to be coached up by good trainers without necessarily developing an instructional mindset. This is true in just about EVERY sport too. If it weren't, the best athletes would also be the best coaches and this is not even remotely the case. Almost the opposite in fact. Do a cursory search for the best coaches of all time in football (American and otherwise), basketball, boxing and even other individual sports like swimming and sprinting and look at their athletic achievements

Now of course that doesn't mean than any ordinary schmo can be a great boxing coach. Because coaching and teaching are separate, specific skills. Just as important, a great coach must have an understanding of the sport on a deeper level others. Be able to break down the physical and mental elements like an expert and know how to improve those things through drills, training, etc.. Be analytical, thoughtful about every little piece. This usually goes hand-in-hand with loving what you are studying and analyzing but more important than even that is loving the process of teaching and helping people get better. And that last part may be even more important still. Most great coaches care about the people they are coaching. Many fighters and other athletes don't necessarily possess these skills and feelings. It's not a knock on them at all. It's just a totally different job. 

To compound the problem, I have also seen fighters fool themselves into believing they can coach boxing and teach others with no experience how to box. Not only do they not have all the other skills necessary to be a good instructor but they don't know that they don't have them. This makes it very hard to grow and get better, which is essential to the job. Nobody starts off a great boxing coach. It takes time and hard work. I knew how to box, had messed around a little in the ring, was a certified PT and Group Exercise Instructor and had personally trained people for fitness as well as taught other group exercise classes. I just assumed that all this meant that I would be a great boxing instructor. But I wasn't. I was good at some things. probably. but really had to humble myself and put in the work to to get to where I am now, which still isn't good enough. There is no "good enough" for a coach. Note that this can create a false sense of security in the people being trained. I have met folks who trained with legitimate boxers, champions even, who were never taught some of the critical elements of boxing but since they had been taught by someone of high pedigree, assumed they understood everything too.

#6) I Don't Want To Be A Boxer Or Fight Anybody So I Don't Need To Learn All The Proper Technique

If you've read any other posts on this blog, taken one of my classes, watching any of our videos or spoken to me personally, you have probably heard me say this many, many times before: the better your boxing technique gets, on every level, the better your overall workout, health and wellness will be. You will burn more calories, build more muscle, build muscle in more areas, increase all of your cardio measurements, improve your balance, agility, quickness, reaction time, coordination and top of all that, you will feel better mentally. I will continue to say this over and over and over again too because it is demonstrably true and yet still, I am not sure if people always believe me.

On a similar note, when I tell people that if they throw powerful uppercuts like Mike Tyson, for instance, that all of these fitness benefits I have just described will come and they may think, "Well, I can't physically throw uppercuts like Mike Tyson so this ultimately does not matter." It is true that you probably can't throw uppercuts with as much skill and force and power as Mike Tyson but can you throw uppercuts with more skill and force and power than you currently do? You absolutely, 100% can! I don't even have to know you to know that it is true. Everyone can get better. How much better will depend on a number of factors but you can throw better punches, move better and improve every one of these things I have mentioned through learning better technique. If you STILL don't believe me, I can prove it to you really easily. All you have to do is try.

Are Both Hands Created Equal?

Of course boxing is about punching and punching involves striking something with one's fists. And
even more obvious is that we humans have 2 of them. But they are not the same. Most of us, really almost EVERY one of us, has a dominant hand. This is often the hand that you write with but even more often, the one you would throw a ball with.

So what does that mean for boxing? Generally this determines your fighting stance. You want the dominant hand, the one you could throw a ball with as far as possible in back. Why? Because this is your power side. And if you were throwing that ball, you would want the space to throw across your body with balance. When you box, this is also true. You are going to get max power from your dominant hand loaded from the back, giving the punch more space to travel.

This does NOT mean the dominant hand is more important though. In fact, for many it is less important. But really, it's not about more or less important, it is that they are different. And different is good. Your right and left hand should not be interchangeable. Using a more specific ball sport as an example, think of it almost like a baseball mitt. Not in terms of mechanics or even function but the difference. In baseball, you throw with your dominant hand but catch with your non-dominant hand. They are both equally important and in fact, if you've ever tried to catch a baseball with a glove in your dominant hand, you would know it is MUCH harder. Your non-dominant hand is better suited to catch that ball, just as your dominant is better suited to throw.

Again, this example is only meant to illustrate the different roles each hand has. Boxing is not nearly as extreme as fielding in baseball but the things we learn to do with our lead, non-dominant hand would not necessarily be done better with your dominant hand. The #1 example is the jab. Most everybody agrees that the jab is the most important punch in boxing and I wrote a blog post about it too - https://theboxingmanifesto.blogspot.com/2022/02/cmon-is-jab-really-most-important-punch.html

While you might be able to throw a more powerful jab with your dominant hand, the jab is not meant to be powerful and you wouldn't necessarily be able to throw a more effective jab. But what about power punches? Are you going to be able to get as much power on a lead hook vs. rear hook? Maybe! Certainly not at first but the more you learn how to engage the lower body, not the arm, when you throw hooks, the more equal in power they can be. Plenty of boxers have more powerful lead hooks than rear hooks. It's not just about power though here either. Just like your different hands have different roles, your different side punches do too. The lead hook is truly what I believe to be the most dangerous punch in boxing. Wrote a post about that too - https://theboxingmanifesto.blogspot.com/2021/09/what-is-most-dangerous-punch-in-boxing.html

The rear hook, by comparison, is a very different animal. Much harder to land for a number of reasons. There are some boxers who rarely if ever even throw it. I think I'm going to talk about that in a later post. Then of course there are body shots and uppercuts, with similar differences as hooks.

So the most important punch in boxing comes from the non-dominant hand, the most dangerous punch in boxing from the non-dominant hand, and there's even another thing I haven't mentioned yet: the vast majority of punches in any boxing match come from the non-dominant hand. Like 70-80%. Even more true when you talk about punches landed. This is why a case can be made that your non-dominant hand is more important. But again, they have different rolls. The threat of the rear hand is what makes all of the lead hand stuff work and even if you only throw 20% of your punches from that side in a fight, I would still say they are 50% as important.

All that said, I know and have heard from many of you that throwing with your dominant hand feels good and the non-dominant hand feels awkward and less powerful. That is normal but the good news is that it is also fixable! And the key is to truly learn something that is critical to throwing all punches in boxing - using the lower body. When you use your legs and hips to throw a punch. That can make up for any strength and coordination disparities. 

The other key is to use that sudden, explosive whip-like motion that also integral to boxing. So if you're right-handed, you are going to have more space to throw your right uppercut than your left uppercut but if you are explosive and time it right, you don't need a lot of space. Kind of like the classic Bruce Lee 1-inch punch.

So how does this all relate to a workout for someone not at all interested in the details of ring-fighting? First and foremost, learning the proper mechanics like I mentioned above (lower body, explosiveness) will improve your workout more significantly than anything else. Also, the reason that most people feel weaker on their non-dominant hand is not necessarily for a lack of muscle. Unless you are a professional arm-wrestler, the issue is more likely coordination. Coordination is a skill that you can train. Many people tell me that they are uncoordinated but that doesn't mean that this is how they always have to be for the rest of their lives. Boxing can fix this. It requires practice and commitment to the movements.

At our club, we don't quite have you throw 70-80% of the punches from your non-dominant hand but at least in my classes, it is over 50% for sure. But it doesn't mean that you’re building more than 50% of the strength on your non-dominant hand. The punches you throw from the dominant side are going to have more power so while you may throw more total punches on the left, your resistance per-punch (and calories burned per punch) is probably going to be about the same. Plus you are also improving your total overall coordination and balance.

So while both hands are not created equal, boxing helps you embrace those differences and make both sides stronger in their own ways because they are both equally important. You might even say...wait for it...they go hand-in-hand.

How Can David Beat Goliath?

My first somewhat competitive boxing experience was in a fighting program where I was matched up
against other folks in a small group. The idea was that you would spar with everybody, multiple times, regardless of height or weight. Who you were matched up against each day just kind of depended on who the instructor put you with. Even though they were supposed to mix things up, I often got picked to go against another guy named Alex, probably because we had the same name. Only problem was that the Other Alex was 4-5 inches taller than me. He was also younger than me and in better shape than me, so suffice to say, I didn't fare super well against Other Alex. But I did learn some important things while competing against him and afterwards, too.

Fighting someone taller than you is challenging. In boxing, or just about any other combat sport, competitors are divided into weight classes. This isn't just by chance. There is a reason for it. All things being equal, the bigger fighter has the advantage. But even within weight classes, there can be some pretty big disparities in terms of height/reach. And in the heavyweight divisions, there may be no limit or at the very least, be a long range of weight options. It's not abnormal to have 2 heavyweights fighting with a 20-50 pound weight difference. I often talk about my favorite boxer of all time, Mike Tyson, being shorter and generally smaller than every person he ever fought. Another Tyson, Tyson Fury will probably weigh in around 30 pounds heavier than Dillian Whyte for their championship bout this Saturday. In Fury's previous fight against Deontay Wilder, he came in 30 pounds heavier.

Let's look at some of the advantages taller fighters have over shorter opponents

But every physical or stylistic advantage comes with a disadvantage too:

Note of course that all taller fighters are not the same, nor are all shorter fighters. Each has a totally different skill set and certainly if you were going to fight anyone, you would want to know what that skill set is but these are the general differences most often seen.

So, the smaller fighter's goal is ultimately to exploit these differences. Let's take the first one as an easy example. The taller fighter may want to keep you away using their extended reach. They can hit you at a distance you can't hit them. A major advantage. So you need to be in one of two places- too far away for them to hit you or close enough so that you can hit them. Depending on your respective styles, it may make good sense for you to get in extra close and attack the body. Being in close eliminates their longer attacks and even make their shorter attacks, like hooks and uppercuts, less effective as they take a little longer to execute and may be easier to spot due to the longer, bigger limbs.

Looking at the next advantage- the taller fighter utilizing the jab- remember that they may punch at a downward trajectory and this leaves them more open. So, a classic example is your opponent jabbing and moving, using a classic outboxer technique, but if you time that jab and step in with your overhand, you will likely slip their jab and connect with your own, more powerful punch. It will be much harder for them to shoulder roll your overhand if they are punching at all downward. Even if it's a soutpaw vs. orthodox, the overhand punch can take away the taller fighter's dominant hand a little bit for this same reason. Look at the Oleksandr (yet another Alex!) Usyk vs. Anthony Joshua fight as a perfect example. But speaking of examples and overhands, you do have to be careful to not rely on any one technique too often without mixing things up. Any good fighter will get wise to your tactics and use them against you. I did a quick video about one such example involving the overhand in the Olympics last year - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V2JELt0wki4

Remember too that being shorter means that it is easier for you to duck or roll under punches plus harder for your taller opponent to do so. What's more is that may also bring their hands down, trying to hit a lower target that is getting lower still. That opens leaves their head open for strikes. Ali-Frazier 1 is yet another good film-study there as Frazier came from low to high to knock Ali down and win the fight with that lead hook.

A good rule of thumb is usually that a smaller fighter should be the busier, more aggressive fighter. Again, you have to consider your own style vs. your opponent's but often being smaller can mean that you are a little quicker and because of the range issues mentioned earlier, you are going to want to come forward and pressure your taller opponent. Makes a better impression in the judge's eyes too. But if you are matched up against someone taller who really wants to push forward and bring the fight to you, great! Bring it on! Because once they start moving forward, it will likely be harder to change directions rapidly so this gives you a great opportunity to try and catch them. Remember that you are the smaller target to hit too. Countering should be easier, especially if they are the aggressor.

There are plenty of great strategies like this you can employ as a smaller fighter but remember, your bigger opponent may know all this stuff too! They may even use it to try and trap you. And if you're generally a bigger, taller person yourself, make sure you know it and concentrate on using your advantages as well. This is the exciting chess game that is boxing!

One final note on this subject that is actually a question/comment I hear a lot from shorter people. They wonder if they should practice punching a higher, bigger target since in all likelihood, if they were to ever fight anybody, they would be fighting someone bigger. I think if you are indeed training for a specific fight, that makes some sense (more in sparring and mitts than the bag) but otherwise, the answer is NO. Even if you are 4 feet tall, it is important to learn the proper mechanics of each punch, which are based off of fighting someone our exact height. Punching naturally high will cause your form to suffer and limit your ability to learn and improve.

And one more truly "final" note: this all relates to boxing, specifically. There are similar advantages and disadvantages for all combat sports but in something like kickboxing, height generally matters more whereas in MMA, height, in and of itself, isn't as significant but size, mass, certainly can be. In any case, don't think that being smaller necessarily gives your opponent all the advantages. And your skill and toughness will always be the great equalizer! That being said though, I can't say as I would be in a big hurry for a rematch with Other Alex. That guy was pretty good, in addition to having an awesome name!

Why Train At Our Boxing Club (Instead of Someone Else's)?

Hopefully you know by now why boxing training is the best AND most fun way to get in shape. In the old days, you had to be a fighter to train in boxing but now, anyone can (and should) do it for fitness. As I have also stated many times, it is very possible (and recommended) to train in boxing for fitness but not do "fitness boxing". They are two different things. You can learn all the techniques you would use in a fight, beyond just proper form throwing punches, without actually having to fight. Your workout will be far better for it too.

But what makes our club different than other boxing gyms? Why train with us vs someone else? I have been to many of these other places around the country, have spoken with plenty of people who have trained and taught at them, I follow countless more on social media and I can tell you that there really are some key differences. I can also tell you that Marketing 101 says I should boil these differences down into simple, pithy statements but I want to give you more substantial information and speak from the heart. So this might be a longer read than it should be but hopefully explains things thoroughly so you can understand their validity. Thus, here are the key differences I have seen over and over again:

#1) Technique - This one is by far the most baffling to me. If you are a boxing coach/instructor, it makes sense that at the very least, your job would be to teach people how to box, right? But this is often not the case in a class environment (1-on-1 is a little different). Now you might think that I am just saying they aren't good coaches or don't teach the same technique I teach so I am invalidating them but that is not it. I am saying that don't teach it at all. And I'm 100% serious. They might show you what a cross or hook looks like, say a few words about what it is, but they won't teach the technique behind it or correct students' form when it is off. What's even more shocking is that from everything I have witnessed, it does not seem to matter whether the person running the class has combat sports' experience or not. The credentials of the trainer seem irrelevant to me. This might defy conventional wisdom - that of course you would learn more from someone who's fought in the ring vs. someone who hasn't - but it is not the case. I have met many legit fighters who can tell people to throw an uppercut and show a good one themselves but can't explain what an uppercut actually is or properly cue and correct form.

So if what I'm saying here is anywhere remotely correct, it would stand to reason that no one would ever learn boxing in such a format and of course, that can't be true. You'd be right! I have met people who have taken non-technically focused boxing or kickboxing classes and learned how to box/kickbox. Because certain folks can learn under these conditions. They can see something and emulate it. I had written in a previous blog post about my first experience at more traditional, old school gyms -https://theboxingmanifesto.blogspot.com/2022/02/my-first-experience-with-boxing-and-why.html. That approach is very much intentional. It weeds out the people who aren't super serious about fighting. Sink or swim, with the cream eventually rising to the top. But that excludes the vast majority of us. And even people who have learned in formats like this would  have gotten better still with more technical coaching.

In our classes, even the bigger ones, we stress proper technique for everything all the time. Does this mean everybody is going to get it and become an expert boxer? No. Everybody is different, everybody learns things at different speeds, everyone comes from different backgrounds, with different skills. Even the best coaches can lead the proverbial horse to water but it's up to the student to drink. The coach's goal, my goal, is to make that journey and experience as easy and fun as possible.

#2) Class Programming - This is one of those things that is probably hard to perceive from the outside but extremely important. As coaches, we can explain how to throw an uppercut - what to do, what NOT to do, etc. - but the way to get you there is with practice and structure that makes sense. To break down the steps necessary to make it happen and layer them properly in a class format. Utilizing recurring themes and drills to work towards an end goal.

What I often see in other directed class formats are trainers calling out combinations. But why those combinations and punches? What are we working on specifically? Why would you throw this combo in a fight? Are there any nuances to it? Does it consider footwork, reloading (lots of times I just see left-right-left-right), angles, etc.? And does the overall class programming support someone getting better and better after the first few months beyond simply getting reps in?

Again, this may not be something you notice or think about but I can assure you that we think about it all the time. We are always striving to become better as coaches so You can get better as a boxer, which translates directly to more fitness.

#3) Nobody Is Going To Care More Than We Do - If you get nothing else from this, I want you to come away with one important fact: Nobody is going to care more than us. Nobody is going to care more about your training, your fitness, your overall wellness than I do. That is the sole reason I do this. As mentioned in other blog posts, I come from a totally different industry where I was lucky enough to have some success. If I was in this for the money, I would have stayed in the tech world. But boxing, health and wellness is what I truly love. And as I get older, the more I realize how important that is. I have seen the effect of a less active, less healthy lifestyle first-hand and even in my former career, possibly helped promote that lifestyle so if I can help others avoid it/get out of it themselves, I will have repaid some of my karmic debt to the universe.

I'm sure there are plenty of others out there like me in this regard. Maybe they will care as much about you as I do but there is no way they are going to care more. Nobody's going to be more passionate either. This is clear to pretty much everyone who meets me and you can also look at the social media resources that I produce weekly:

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLN0PPf0o8X6X1Te2zEgHrqy-BtyI-RAg3

Blog: https://theboxingmanifesto.blogspot.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TITLEBoxingClubPittsford/

#4) Energy Level - In small group training, I have witnessed undeniable proof that people work harder, push themselves, and learn more, the higher the class energy level is. This is another case where our passion really shines through. Plenty of professional, group exercise instructors manufacture energy and some even do it well but it's not the same when it's not coming from the heart. When you're not legitimately excited to teach somebody something you love. I have also seen plenty of good fighters not be able to keep the energy level up and motivate people. This is why I say that the credentials of the trainer are, in and of only themselves, irrelevant to the overall goal. These are entirely separate skills, just as coaching something vs doing that thing are.

#5) We Do the Most Boxing - This might sound odd but it is maybe somewhat surprisingly true. I have seen all kinds of class formats and modified ours so that people are getting the most, concentrated boxing training per second. Plenty of boxing and kickboxing classes do a lot of other things besides boxing and kickboxing, whether they are old school boxing or more modern concepts. Running, circuits, long warm-ups that no longer officially classify as a "warm-up" and other activities. That's not necessarily a bad thing at all! I'm sure there are folks that would prefer more of a mix. But what we do is teach boxing and kickboxing, making it as fun and effective workout as possible. The only exception is doing core work at the end of the classes because core strength is not just essential to boxing kickboxing, but functional activities of daily life. In my opinion, this is the only workout you need (unless you are solely interested in adding mass/bulk).

And if you want to add other activities to your overall regimen, that is totally fine. When you're in one of our classes though, I want to keep the focus narrow. Because boxing skills aren't narrow. There is so much there to learn and keep learning. Boxing has been practiced for hundreds of years and no one is ever perfect at it. Every time I think I've got something figured out, I realize there is so much more to learn once I get a deeper vantage point.

#6) Schedule - Besides offering the most boxing training per second, we also offer the most, all-levels boxing classes. 7 days a week, with classes morning, noon and night for everyone. I have never seen anything like this. I've seen some large martial arts gyms with maybe more total classes per week but they are in different styles, with different levels so an individual person would not have access to as many as we offer. So while most people have hectic schedules, there are very few who would not be able to train at our club.

There are also other boxing gyms who offer different kinds of classes, like strength, HIIT, yoga etc. That is something we may address down the road but as I alluded to in #5, boxing is our expertise. There are plenty of places you can lift weights and do yoga classes. But there is no better place to learn boxing. That is what makes us special.

Should You Eat BEFORE Boxing?

Should you eat before you box? If so, what? And how much should you eat? And how long before exercising should you eat?

This is somewhat of a hotly-debated topic in the fitness and nutrition industries, as it can vary person-to-person. Your body relies on stored energy from carbohydrates (glycogen) and body fat to fuel workouts. Of course if you are someone who is trying to lose weight, the idea of adding food before your workouts might seem counterproductive. But here's the thing: pre-workout snack or meal with easy-to-burn carbs may very well improve your performance so you may very well still come out ahead in terms of net calories. When we are talking about boxing specifically, this may lead to other benefits too. As performance increases for boxing, your skills will develop faster and your technique will get better too. As I say every post (and every day), the better you get at boxing, the better the workout becomes. So a better workout today may lead to a better workout tomorrow, next week, next month etc. Whereas if you feel yourself really fading at the end of a boxing session, your ability to absorb technique may suffer.

In general, a quick, healthy snack (200-300 calories) with complex carbohydrates and lean protein is recommended before boxing. If you train early in the morning, like at 5am however, and just work up a few minutes before, eating this snack may not be as beneficial depending on what you had for dinner the night before, when you went bed, etc. Plus for some people, food may not agree with them right upon waking at the crack of dawn. If you train later in the morning, most of us are going to be best served by a snack, 45 minutes to an hour before boxing. There are plenty of studies to show that this will indeed improve overall performance (ex: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7284704/). 

There are also studies that show how fasting before a workout can have advantages too (ex: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40279-016-0594-x). 

I can tell you anecdotally that I and the vast majority I have spoken to had a better experience with the former. Again, this can be a hard sell if your goal is weight loss but you may have to just trust that you will net out better. Of course if you're not finding this to be true for yourself, you can always try to the other way too. Let your own body tell you. If you're starting to feel shaky and can tell that you are really fading (decreased performance) at the end of the workout, maybe consider a better snack. If not, then you are probably on the right track.

When it comes to morning eating in general and losing weight, most studies I have read suggest that skipping breakfast provides no benefit and in some cases, a hinderance to weight loss. But I also want to continue to stress that it can vary from person to person and certainly can depend on what you eat. Remember, carbs provide most of our fuel so if you eat something with no carbs before working out, it likely won't contribute as much to your performance. But then on the other side, if you crush a couple of donuts before boxing, sure you will get tons of carbs and fat but it will cause your glycemic levels to spike and make you tired quickly and require more food, eventually leading to bigger problems like diabetes down the road. Here is link to more information about your glycemic index and food suggestions - https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/glycemic-index#low-glycemic-diet 

What about boxing in the afternoon or evenings? A large meal right before boxing isn't recommended for anybody. 2 hours is a pretty good lead time although like everything else, this can vary person to person, age to age. If you train later than 2 hours after your last meal or your meal provided no-to-low carbohydrates, a quick snack is once again recommended. 200-300 calories.

I've posted earlier about what to eat after boxing - - https://theboxingmanifesto.blogspot.com/2022/02/what-should-you-eat-after-boxing-workout.html - so check that out too.

And don't forget about hydration either! Plenty of people drink water or sports beverages while they're working out or after they finish but if you go into a boxing session already pretty dehydrated, your performance will almost definitely suffer no matter how much you drink during. 

I'm not a nutritionist nor dietician but these basic guidelines are pretty universal and have been followed for a long time. Every body really is different though, so, as I mentioned earlier, you have to listen to yours specifically. What works for someone else may not work for you, when it comes to frequency and the exact foods you eat. Some professional boxers eat 6 small meals a day. Some eat 2 large ones. If energy level and performance are feeling out of your control, this is where a professional nutritionist or dietician can be helpful. Just make sure they understand that your needs may be different than someone else's and don't have a one-size fits all approach.

Wax On, Wax Off - Do Drillers Make Killers?

Something I often tell people is that boxing is NOT natural. It’s natural to fight somewhat, but boxing is a disciplined skill set that beats nature once it is mastered.

Why is boxing so unnatural? Lots of reasons. I won’t go into the details too deeply here but here are several big ones:

1.) We cross our feet when we walk and put our feet together when we stand but we should never do this when we box!

2.) Most people naturally swing their hands wildly in a street fight. Boxing is compact, where the whole body is used to throw punches.

3.) When punches come at our head, most natural instincts are to turn away and start flailing. Boxing teaches us to use head movement to dodge punches without even using our hands.

4.) While covering up may be natural to some in a fight situation, constantly keeping your hands up - like we are taught in boxing - is not!

5.) When an untrained person throws punches, they generally hold their breath. It is true with any exertion, really. Boxers exhale on every punch, which automatically triggers an inhale, which provides oxygen to the blood.

6.) We all have a fight or flight mechanism. Boxing is a little different. It’s a fight, for sure, but strategic, where boxers are aggressive but then suddenly switch to a defensive and/or reactive planning state. There is a whole chess game of set-ups and traps that are different than our natural, fight-for-survival state.

7.) Boxing is extremely dependent on our non-dominant hand. The dominant hand is used for power but the non-dominant is what sets everything up and usually responsible for the vast majority of strikes.

So, how do we overcome nature and master boxing? Since you were probably 11 months old, you have crossed your feet when you walked and brought them together when you stand. That is just how we bipedal human beings are designed to move. And you probably have literally millions of reps practicing! So how are you going to not do that when you box and learn to move in a completely different fashion all of a sudden?

This is where drills come in. There are all types of boxing-specific drills and we do them in classes constantly. We isolate a certain thing or things we want to drill and make the exercise  about training those things in a particular way. Every time you do a burnout, you are doing a drill. Specific combos or round types can be considered a drill as well. Like going back to footwork, we'll have a round that is all about moving in, throwing punches, and then moving out maintaining proper stance and footwork. Every week we have different focuses, and most rounds have specific focuses too. We are still learning boxing all at once but we are breaking down the elements as we do.

Drills also give us something else critical - repetition. Again, so much of this is not natural. The only way to make something like boxing footwork feel natural is doing it properly, over and over again. Get the reps in. But don't just do reps and do reps until you get it right. Do them until you can't get it wrong. Until you no longer have to even think about it. You look at any athlete at any high level in any sport and this is one thing they will all have in common. Reps. Lots and lots of reps. Practicing the specific skills they rely on constantly. From early morning until late at night, after everybody else has gone home.

The biggest enemy of an effective drill is a wandering mind, which also just happens to be totally natural. You may be able to stay pretty focused on your drill when you first get started. But as time passes, your mind starts to wander. You start thinking about other stuff. Or maybe zone out completely. This happens to everybody. And when it does, the drill will suffer and thus, loses most of its value. So you have to work hard to stay present. Another reason your mind will drift is that you will think you have the drill and skill down after that first few repetitions. You're like, "yeah, I got it" and thus, can concentrate on something else. You may very well have it but it's not totally embedded. Or embedded as it should be. You will think it is. It will feel like it is. But it isn't. If it were, your drill would remain perfect even when your mind wanders completely. And for the umpteenth time, you can always get better. You may not see exactly how but through good reps, it will eventually present itself.

This is also why you don't want to do boring drills! As much as I love the classic scene from The Karate Kid where Daniel has to wax on, wax off, drills don't have to be like this. They can be a lot more fun. Because the more engaged and interested you are in the drill, the more you get out of it. And when you are training for boxing, the more boxing-specific your drill is, the better. This is what we focus on in our classes and if you are ever looking for stuff you can do on your own, just ask! Like apps, there is a literally a drill for everything. If something is difficult or just something you want to get better at, I can give you specific things to drill and practice.