The POWER of Bodyweight Exercise (How I Stopped Lifting and Got Stronger)

Not quite 20 years ago, I went through a pretty brief power-lifting phase. I wanted to get big and strong and thought it would be interesting to see how much I could transform myself. I probably wasn't nearly committed enough but I did make some pretty decent lifting gains. I think I had doubled my bench press. A co-worker of mine at the time asked if I could help him move to a new apartment one weekend and I was actually excited to do it, just to see how much different it felt to carry around boxes and furniture with my new guns. Strangely, it wasn't that different. I still struggled with the heavy stuff and my gym strength didn't seem to translate. At the time, I was pretty darn ignorant of how everything worked - I had a bigger chest and arms and everything but no core strength. I was only good at lifting perfectly-balanced things in single planes of motion, which isn't as analogous to the activities of daily life as I had assumed. I just figured, big weights, bigger muscles equaled a stronger me. There is also a whole muscular endurance component that I was completely unaware of too.

I continued lifting for years afterwards but not as consistently and not with the goal of trying to increase my single rep maximum or lifting particularly heavy in general. Instead, I became a little more rounded with the focus on other things, including cardio. I discovered that while I couldn't lift nearly as much for a small amount of reps, I felt stronger in general.

As I got more and more into boxing and with a significant weight loss goal back 10 years ago, I lifted even less consistently and my resistance training became mostly hitting a heavy bag as well as some staple bodyweight exercises. Then finally, over 2 years ago, I stopped lifting entirely, other than my own body weight. The strange thing is, I feel even stronger than ever, even at age 47.

No matter what your personal goals are, every health & fitness organization, including the CDC, recommends some resistance training for all Americans. This does not mean that we need to lift weights, push/pull bands or cables or really use any equipment at all for this training. Of course my favorite type of resistance is still punching heavy bags but really, we are all equipped for resistance training naturally. We can all make significant gains in strength and bone density simply by using our own body weight.

Now if you are looking to build lots of bulky muscle, you are going to need additional weight and a different kind of training regimen. But as mentioned earlier, this does NOT necessarily translate into strength and you would be surprised how jacked one can get from bodyweight training only. It can also be far more effective because it can be done any time, any place, sporadically as opposed to a single gym session. That being said, there are many different variables that must be tuned properly to make these exercises effective. Reps, sets, rest time, frequency, etc.

So what bodyweight exercises should you do? It depends a lot on your particular fitness goals. I did a video once showing what I think the best 5 exercises are for boxing - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHcYuoH128Q - but there are so many others that this list is hardly indicative. I also didn't mention core stuff here, which is not just critical for boxing but also for functional strength.

If you want to get at least a little jacked, you would be amazed what you can get out of just push-ups and pull-ups. I consider both of those the best single movement exercises there are. They are literally all I do consistently, other than hitting a heavy bag, which is also a significant contributor. Now of course there are no short cuts, nothing comes easy, and pull-ups are extremely difficult. The average person cannot even do one.  During the peak of my power lifting stage, I couldn't come anywhere close to pulling myself up either. I could increase my lift on the lat pull machine but this did not change the bottom line. Here is another video that shows how I struggled my way into doing one - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NrO42Sab2Ls&list=PLN0PPf0o8X6VPOZedyHhvx-h7ueGosHc3&index=1

Of course push-ups and pull-ups are focused on the upper body but you hit your legs, hips and glutes simply enough with jumping. Lunge jumps, squat jumps, split squat jumps, narrow squat jumps, broad jumps and high jumps will build that explosive strength as well as cardio. I know that jumps are not for everyone but there other good options, like just a static split squats or better yet, if you have anything elevated that you can put your foot on (like a bench or chair), the Bulgarian split squat is an amazingly effective exercise you can do with no weights at all. Then if you have a bench or stairs, just basic step-ups will work pretty well. Both front and lateral. Combining a lunch to a step-up isolating just one leg will surprise you too. Even basic walking lunges can get tough real fast!

Then there is core. Just about every core exercise is good and something everybody should do. You just want to make sure you are well-balanced, in terms of working all parts of your core and all planes of motion.

As I have said many times, not every body is the same. Not everyone responds to training the same way. And the best workout is always the one you will actually do. You have to like it, at least a little. If pumping iron really is your thing and you are getting results and not getting injured, great! But I know we can all benefit a lot from bodyweight training and build more muscle than we might think, as well as prevent/avoid injuries. You just need a comprehensive program that is going to challenge you to get results. Don't forget shadow boxing either, as a great way to improve your boxing skills and burn calories!

6 Mental Mistakes People New To Boxing Make

Boxing is truly something anybody can do. Doesn't matter how old you are, what kind of shape you're in, whether you ever want to box competitively, or whether you know anything about the sport in general, you can train like a boxer. You can also always get better at boxing too. No matter what reason you decide to train in boxing, it is a sport and a skill-based workout, which makes it different than many other exercise programs. Learning those skills is not necessarily easy but something you can absolutely pick up with time and dedication. The rewards are more than worth it. Besides the general good feelings that come with improvement, your workout benefits overall will also improve (muscles used, calories burned, cardio enhanced) and basic skills will develop too. Coordination, balance, agility, reaction time are all trainable skills that you can increase through boxing. Again though, and like most everything else worth having, it takes work. It takes practice. No one just shows up off the street and is good at boxing. No one. Here are 6 things that will help anyone new to boxing with that learning curve. Note that these aren't necessarily technique-related. More of the right mindset to have when starting up boxing. Also note that these are mistakes EVERYONE makes. I have made them all and seen countless others make them. So if you do too, don't feel bad! This is all part of the wonderful learning process that is boxing!!

1) Not Thinking About Their Hands & Wrists

We usually tell first-timers while we wrap their hands that they can forget just about everything we are about to tell them except for this: keep your wrists straight and your fists tight when you hit the bag. You could forget what an uppercut or a hook is and throw any punch you want and as long as you hit on the big knuckles with a tight fist and straight wrist, you will be okay. Of course this is easier said than done! When you're just getting started with boxing and you're wrapped up with the gloves on and the adrenaline flowing, it can be hard to know exactly what your hand is doing upon impact. You are not just getting used to the movement but the distance and feel of the bag (or mitts). But you've got to pay special attention to the hands. Start slow with your punches and even pause when you hit the bag. Now eventually, you will want to do the opposite, especially getting your hands back quickly, but it is important to make sure you are locking out that hand and hitting with the top 2 knuckles before you start thinking about speed.

2.) Not Breathing

Despite the fact that we all must breathe to live, it is incredibly natural to hold our breath when we throw punches. We're full of adrenaline and we're just trying to remember 50 other things about throwing a punch and breathing falls by the wayside. Someone may not be aware they are doing it! The universally-followed way to fix this problem is to force an exhale on every punch (or exertion in general). Most fighters make a "shh" sound but it doesn't really matter what sound you go with, so long as you exhale. If you ever want to get in the ring and fight something, try doing it without opening your mouth but any breathing is certainly better than none. It will make a HUGE difference. I believe many new folks are also nervous to really make any noise at all while they box, for fear of calling attention to themselves or being that person at the gym that let's out those loud grunts when the they lift but I, and every boxing/martial arts coach in the world, assure that this is not showing off. It is as much a part of the punch as punching is.

3.) Afraid to Step Outside of the Comfort Zone

As I mentioned previously about forced exhales, plenty of people new to boxing (or just about anything, really), fear getting outside of the comfort zone and looking silly, looking different, feeling awkward, or just generally fear of failure. Who doesn't? This is so deeply embedded into our psyches and if it were easy to fix, we'd all be a lot more well-adjusted and probably happier! With boxing, these fears can really hold us back from learning the skills. I know just about everybody has already stepped outside of their comfort zone simply by coming into the gym but to take that next step, we need to give ourselves permission to maybe look a little silly, feel a little awkward and unsure, and to try and fail. It is how progress happens!

4.) Not Training Consistently

Because boxing is such a skill-based workout, you are going to maximize your skills AND your workout by training consistently. Just doing it once in a while means you and your body will have to remember everything all over again, whereas consistent training commits these things to muscle memory. You don't have to process what throwing a hook is, you just throw a hook. Besides saving milliseconds that actually does matter, it allows you to be more explosive, more confident in your movements, and to be able to make refinements that continue your improvement.

I wrote an earlier blog post - https://theboxingmanifesto.blogspot.com/2022/06/wheres-my-mojo.html - about something I see a lot from not just new boxers but people new to any exercise program. If you have real goals for your own fitness and/or boxing development, it is critical that you are able to overcome this obstacle that just about all of us run into.

5.) Quantity Over Quality

This might be something many of us know but don't always follow during a boxing workout. Then there is another percentage of people who separate the boxing from the workout and think that quality is less important to them because they are there for the exercise. As I have said hundreds of times and it will hopefully one day be written on my gravestone, quality will lead to a better workout than quantity. Learning the skills, all the skills, makes your workout better. Throwing non-stop punches at a steady clip is a LOT easier and burns LESS calories and builds LESS cardio than throwing less, explosive punches with head movement and footwork before and after. I can't get too many from this camp to believe me but it is very easy to prove. Just try it. Here are 2 examples I did for a video and I didn't even go as extreme as I could have in Example B, yet is was still much more tiring to me - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NAiQDxT0RWo

One more thing I will say about this is that by focusing on quality over quantity, you also raise your ceiling for workout effectiveness. Not only does it provide a better workout but gives you the chance to make it better still. Just focusing on quantity is going to provide a relatively low ceiling. You will be able to increase your punch output only to a certain point but without improving technique, your speed will never improve nor will your power. Things like Impact Wrap, what we use at our club, and punch trackers can be useful but they will never actually reflect your abilities and if you are a quantity vs quality person, your numbers will plateau, as will your workout.

6.) Thinking They've Got It!

This is kind of the flip side of #3, but they are also two sides of the same coin. Training consistently and learning the technique will take you to new levels. But that doesn't mean you've figured out boxing and got everything down. That NEVER happens. Don't let that discourage you. Let it free you! This is a beautiful thing about boxing. It never ends. You ALWAYS can get better. As mentioned above though, people who value quantity over quality or separate the workout from boxing may not be able to achieve this. This is another thing I like to repeat and will just keep on repeating it because it really is true (and philosophically in line with the concept as well), no boxer ever stops throwing the jab. No baseball player stops taking batting practice. No quarterback stops throwing the football. No basketball player stops taking jump shots. And no coaches ever stop studying. In fact, in many cases, the greatest athletes and coaches put in the most work! We should always be looking at the most basic mechanics with new eyes, looking at how we can improve. The answers won't always be evident. They may take time. But they are there. 

So keep on practicing, even if it feels like the practicing isn't helping- it is, so long as you are practicing the right things in the right ways. What are the right things and what is the right way? Ask me! I am here to help!!

How Do I Defend X???

Boxing is the only fighting system or martial art I know of that uses head movement regularly to evade punches. Everything else relies primarily on blocks and of course, just moving out of the way. These defenses work in boxing too but a nice thing about head movement is that it allows you to evade quickly, counter attack more immediately, not take damage as you might from a block and have more options in general as you are not committing a hand to defend yourself. But it carries with it some cons as well. Below is a guide to the most common defensive options boxers use with a brief explanation of those pros and cons. It is by no means meant to be exhaustive - there are so many ways to defend that I could go on and on about - but if you've ever wondered what basic defenses work for what strikes, this will give you a general idea.

Defending Straight Punches (Jabs & Crosses) To the Head

1.) Slipping to the Outside - This is moving the head just offline enough so that the straight punch does not connect. Slipping specifically to the outside means that you are turning your shoulders to the outside of your opponents hand, i.e. if they throw a straight right hand, you would slip to your left so your right shoulder is outside of their right hand.

Pros

• Very short movement
• Your head is offline and you are loaded to throw another punch to the same side that they threw their punch from, meaning their head is briefly undefended
• Fastest counter options
• Slipping to the outside means that you are temporarily safer from their other hand, as you are farthest away from it.
• Your opponent misses you entirely, which has a psychological and strategical benefit to you.

Cons

• May not be the best direction to go depending on the angle your opponent is standing it. So if they are not lined up with you and they are slightly to the left, yet throw their straight right hand, slipping outside their right hand might move you into the punch.
• Straight punches are usually the fastest punches someone could throw with less telegraph so dodging them requires very fast reaction and recognition time. 

2.) Slipping to the Inside -  This is moving the head just offline enough so that the straight punch does not connect. Slipping specifically to the inside means that you are turning your shoulders inside your opponent's hand - , i.e. if they throw a straight right hand, you would slip to your right so your left shoulder is inside of their right hand.

Pros

• Only that it may be the shortest movement to make, based on the scenario I described in "Cons' above where your opponent is not aligned with you when they throw the punch

Cons

• But it may require more movement if your opponent is lined up with you or is at an angle from the other side.
• Slipping inside means that you are now moving towards their other hand so you are set up for a punch on that side.

3.) Pulls - Pulling your head straight back, generally over towards the rear side. The front hand can be dropped to allow for more space and a punch can also be deflected by your shoulder

Pros

• Probably the most instinctual head movement.
• Works for any punch aimed at the head
• Puts a lot of weight on the back foot for a strong cross counter
• Even if you get hit, you are still moving away from the punch and take less damage

Cons

• Not always as quick as a reaction as slips or rolls.
• Can be more off-balance too
• While good for dodging one punch, not always good for dodging multiple punches or with pressure fighters in general as so much weight is on the back foot.
• No other good counter options other than the cross and reaction must be very quick

4.) Rolling Either Direction - Ducking down underneath and shifting your weight from one side to the other

Pros

• Might make for a smaller target if there are follow-up strikes

Cons

• Often too slow for straight punches. More movement than necessary
• Less time to counter too
• Rolling a jab is pretty much impossible to do effectively. It can work with a cross but is probably the least useful way to defend a straight punch.
• While good for dodging one punch, not always good for dodging multiple punches or with pressure fighters in general as so much weight is on the back foot.

5.) Catching/Front Blocking - Putting one or two hands up to catch or block the punch.

Pros

• Very natural

Cons

• You can still take damage
• Committing a hand gives you fewer counter options
• Being pushed by the punch gives you less or even no counter options
• Can block your own vision
• Opponent can use their punching hand to move yours away or manipulate in some way.
• More susceptible to feints
• Opponent still lands a strike, even if it does no damage and the judges don't score it for them.

6.) Parrying - This is where you bring your mirror-side hand slightly forward to redirect the punch to the inside, taking it off line so that it misses your head.

Pros

• You take no damage and the opponent misses
• Can give you some great counter opportunities as your parrying hand can manipulate their punching hand.
• Makes it hard for them to follow up with a punch on their other hand

Cons

• Hard to do effectively. Takes a lot of coordination and confidence.
• Brings a hand away from your face, leaving that side undefended and as such, makes you really susceptible to feints

7.) Moving Back/Away - Simply taking a step back so that your head is no longer in range for your opponent's jab or cross.

Pros

• Relatively instinctual, just moving away
• Works for any punch aimed at the head
• Even if you get hit, you are still moving away from the punch and take less damage

Cons

• Not always as quick as a reaction as slips, rolls or blocks
• May be less effective when in close.
• Takes a little less time to do as just a pure reaction
• By moving out of range, your opponent will not be able to hit you but you will unlikely be able to hit them too
• Backing straight up is good to do once but will need to angle out as an opponent charging in will overwhelm you

Defending Hook Punches to the Head

1.) Rolling Towards the Hook - Ducking down underneath and shifting your weight from one side to the other, going underneath the hooking hand.

Pros

• Providing you successfully duck down, your opponent misses and is more off-balance having thrown a hook than a straight punch
• Sets you up perfectly for multiple counters, depending on what is open.

Cons

• Gotta be very quick! Rolling is a bigger movement and takes a little more time to execute and counter off of
• Can be challenging to roll under a punch coming from the direction your weight is already shifted to. For instance, you were to throw a left hook properly and shift your weight to your right foot, and then your opponent were to throw a left hook as well, you would not be able to immediately roll right as your weight is already shifted on that foot. In a case like this, you would need to shift it back to the left before rolling to the right. Often this is done with a slip movement but this does take additional time, not always available.

2.) Pulls - Pulling your head straight back, generally over towards the rear side. The front hand can be dropped to allow for more space and a punch can also be deflected by your shoulder

Pros

• Probably the most instinctual head movement.
• Works for any punch aimed at the head
• Puts a lot of weight on the back foot for a strong cross counter
• Even if you get hit, you are still moving away from the punch and take less damage

Cons

• Not always as quick as a reaction as slips and rolls are
• Can be more off-balance too
• While good for dodging one punch, not always good for dodging multiple punches or with pressure fighters in general as so much weight is on the back foot.
• No other good counter options other than the cross and reaction must be very quick

3.) Cover Blocking/Absorption- Covering the side of your face and head so that your glove and/or forearm and/or elbow block the punch

Pros

• More natural than a roll

Cons

• You can still not only take damage but significant damage, depending on your opponent's power
• Committing a hand gives you less counter options
• Being pushed by the punch gives you less or even no counter options
• Can block your own vision
• Your body is uncovered on that side, making you susceptible for a body shot.
• More susceptible to feints
• Opponent still lands a strike, even if it does no damage and the judges don't score it for them.

4.) Moving Back/Away - Simply taking a step back so that your head is no longer in range for your opponent's hook

Pros

• Relatively instinctual, just moving away
• Works for any punch aimed at the head
• Even if you get hit, you are still moving away from the punch and take less damage

Cons

• Not always as quick as a reaction as slips, rolls or blocks
• May be less effective when in close, where hooks are usually thrown
• Takes a little less time to do as just a pure reaction
• By moving out of range, your opponent will not be able to hit you but you will unlikely be able to hit them too
• Backing straight up is good to do once but will need to angle out as an opponent charging in will overwhelm you

Defending Uppercuts to the Head

1.) Slipping to the Outside - This is moving the head just offline enough so that the punch does not connect. Slipping specifically to the outside means that you are turning your shoulders to the outside of your opponents hand, i.e. if they throw the uppercut with their right hand, you would slip to your left so your right shoulder is outside of their right hand.

Pros

• Very short movement
• Your head is offline and you are loaded to throw another punch to the same side that they threw their punch from, meaning their head is briefly undefended
• Fastest counter options
• Slipping to the outside means that you are temporarily safer from their other hand, as you are farthest away from it.
• Your opponent misses you entirely, which has a psychological and strategical benefit to you.

Cons

• The angle of their arm may not be straight and harder to dodge than a straight punch
• Uppercuts are also shorter punches and their is less time to make that distinction
• May not be the best direction to go depending on the angle your opponent is standing it. So if they are not lined up with you and they are slightly to the left, yet throw their straight right hand, slipping outside their right hand might move you into the punch.

2.) Slipping to the Inside -  This is moving the head just offline enough so that the straight punch does not connect. Slipping specifically to the inside means that you are turning your shoulders inside your opponent's hand - , i.e. if they throw a straight right hand, you would slip to your right so your left shoulder is outside of their right hand.

Pros

• Only that it may be the shortest movement to make, based on the scenario I described in "Cons' above where your opponent is not aligned with you when they throw the punch

Cons

• But it may require more movement if your opponent is lined up with you or is at an angle from the other side.
• Slipping inside means that you are now moving towards their other hand so you are set up for a punch on that side.

3.) Pulls - Pulling your head straight back, generally over towards the rear side. The front hand can be dropped to allow for more space and a punch can also be deflected by your shoulder

Pros

• Probably the most instinctual head movement.
• Works for any punch aimed at the head
• Puts a lot of weight on the back foot for a strong cross counter
• Even if you get hit, you are still moving away from the punch and take less damage
• Since uppercuts come primarily up, you usually don't have to pull your head back too far to evade

Cons

• Not always as quick as a reaction as slips or rolls.
• Can be more off-balance too
• While good for dodging one punch, not always good for dodging multiple punches or with pressure fighters in general as so much weight is on the back foot.
• No other good counter options other than the cross and reaction must be very quick
• May be more movement than is necessary for countering an uppercut

4.) Catching/Front Blocking - Putting one or two hands up to catch or block the punch. In the case of uppercuts, you are usually catching by facing your palm down, almost like you were holding mitts for someone.

Pros

• Natural to put your hands out to block a punch, though not as much for uppercuts.

Cons

• You can still take damage
• Committing a hand gives you fewer counter options
• Being pushed by the punch gives you fewer or even no counter options
• Can block your own vision
• Opponent can use their punching hand to move yours away or manipulate in some way.
• More susceptible to feints
• Opponent still lands a strike, even if it does no damage and the judges don't score it for them.

5.) Parrying - This is where you bring your mirror-side hand slightly forward to redirect the punch to the inside, taking it off line so that it misses your head. In the case of uppercuts, you are usually doing this with a bent arm.

Pros

• You take no damage and the opponent misses
• Can give you some great counter opportunities as your parrying hand can manipulate their punching hand.
• Makes it hard for them to follow up with a punch on their other hand
• By keeping pressure on their arm, you have a better chance of feeling their next move(s)

Cons

• Hard to do effectively. Takes a lot of coordination and confidence.
• Brings a hand away from your face, leaving that side undefended and as such, makes you really susceptible to feints
• In the case of parrying uppercuts specifically, you have to rotate your hips a little more, which requires more recovery time.
• Timing is also more critical with parrying uppercuts, and the angle of your opponent's arm can vary more.

6.) Moving Back/Away - Simply taking a step back so that your head is no longer in range for your opponent's uppercut.

Pros

• Relatively instinctual, just moving away
• Works for any punch aimed at the head
• Even if you get hit, you are still moving away from the punch and take less damage
• In the case of uppercuts, you don't have to move very far as the punch does not have a ton of range

Cons

• Not always as quick as a reaction as slips, rolls or blocks
• May be less effective when in close.
• Takes a little less time to do as just a pure reaction
• By moving out of range, your opponent will not be able to hit you but you will unlikely be able to hit them too
• Although if you only step back far enough to avoid an uppercut, you may still be in range for other punches.
• Backing straight up is good to do once but will need to angle out as an opponent charging in will overwhelm you

Defending Body Shots

1.) Blocking/Absorption Defense - Using your elbow and arm to cover the ribs and trunk area, blocking the punch. Best practice is to do this almost like a side crunch, moving towards the punch and stuffing it, all without dropping the hand.

Pros

• Is the only consistent, reliable defense for bent-arm strikes to the body.
• Allows you to throw an immediate count uppercut with the blocking arm that has a direct, currently-unguarded path to your opponent's chin

Cons

• You still take some damage absorbing the punch
• There is a greater tendency to drop your hand, opening up your head.

2.) Moving Back/Away - Stepping back or even pulling your hips back as well to avoid the body shot.

Pros

• If you manage to actually do this, you will take no damage compared to a block

Cons

• But good luck doing it effectively. Body shots are generally thrown at close range and rarely do you have time to make this really big movement. While your head is a small target and movable, your trunk and midsection is not. Much harder to move and maneuver
• By making such a big movement, it is very unlikely that you would be in any kind of good position to counter quickly.

So which is the best defense to use? As hopefully you have surmised, there is no one answer other than "all of them." The goal is to not take significant damage from the strike (and if you do, as minimal as possible) and being as less susceptible to follow-up strikes. Better yet if it provides you the best opportunity to effectively counter. Which one fits this criteria depends on how your opponent attacks you so there can never be only one. Plus as you hopefully also noticed, some defensive options weren't even listed for particular strikes. For instance, you would almost definitely not roll an uppercut nor parry a hook. Therefore, it is critical that you get it right when defending.

But take heart, there are things you can do to make this much easier for yourself. Keeping your hands up and covering as much of your head and body as possible will leave you less open for strikes. You could block any punch if you have to, though it is not always as optimal of a defense for boxing as head movement often is. Head movement requires fast reflexes but instead of waiting for your opponent to strike and then moving your head out of the way, it is generally better to always be moving your head side-to-side, up and down, and any other way you can. This will make it easier to react quickly AND has an added benefit of often reducing the number of strikes your opponent throws as you are presenting a moving target.

Are Pumpkins Healthy?

If I were to keep a food journal of everything I eat in the month of October, reading it would be like the scene in that movie, The Shining, where Wendy Torrance finally discovers her husband's manuscript and realizes just how far gone he is. I make some pretty terrible food choices this time of year. Candy corn and candy corn variants (harvest corn, mellowcreme pumpkins and those Brach's caramel apples) are part of my daily diet. I eat other candy too, long before the trick or treating begins. I love pumpkin spice EVERYTHING. Anything sweet you can make with pumpkin spice or any fall flavoring, I will eat or drink. Even a plain old cookie in the shape of a pumpkin or skull or anything seasonal usually will get consumed too. Of course there are also donuts, pie, cider and I could just keep on going but you probably get the point. And you also probably know that none of this stuff is healthy. 

But did you know that pumpkins themselves ARE actually quite healthy? It's true - they are low in calories but high in vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other good stuff including:

• Vitamin A
• Vitamin C
• Vitamin E
• Riboflavin
• Potassium
• Copper
• Manganese
• Thiamin
• Vitamin B-6
• Folate
• Pantothenic Acid
• Niacin
• Iron
• Magnesium
• Phosphorus
• Beta Carotene
• Fiber

These promote eye, skin, heart and metabolic health. Eating pumpkin can also help reduce blood pressure, control diabetes. There are studies that even show how Beta Carotene, something pumpkins are rich in, can reduce your risk of cancer!

So does this mean that some part of my usual October diet actually has some nutritional value? Unfortunately no. Most things that are pumpkin spice-flavored contain little to no pumpkin. And even some things that do contain pumpkin more than cancel themselves out with sugar and other empty calories. Unless you are a big squash fan, eating pumpkin on its own is not particularly exciting. But there are plenty of recipes out there nowadays that are tasty and nutritious.

Then there are also pumpkin seeds, which are pretty rich in iron, zinc, magnesium, antioxidants and even some protein. Toasted and salted pumpkin seeds make for a pretty decent snack and since they do not exactly chew easily, they can be good option if you find yourself hungry but don't plan on eating your next meal for a while and don't want to snack on something unhealthy that you would consume quickly.

Thus, if you are looking to make some healthier food choices and wondering what you should do, give pumpkins a real shot this season. Or at least don't feel quite as bad about having a slice of pumpkin pie on Thanksgiving. And if you're like me and want to get generally back on track with your diet this month yet still keep the fall flavors going, pumpkin may be part of the solution!

What is the Punch Numbering System & Why Don't We Use it Exclusively?

If you've been to classes at our club, you may have occasionally heard us calling out a combination like, "Jab-cross-lead hook-cross" and then following it up with numbers - "1-2-3-2.” Or maybe you've trained somewhere that uses only numbers for punch combinations or heard them referenced in some other way.

It is true that many boxing gyms throughout the country and world use a number system to call for punches. So instead of saying "jab,” they would say "1" to call that punch. It's like a form of shorthand. Saying something with more syllables like "lead uppercut" takes longer to say than just "5.” Makes good sense, especially when training someone 1-on-1 or even a group of people starting with the same skill/experience level. For anything else, I find it less useful and there are several reasons.

First, it is not universal. Different gyms have different numbering systems. Probably the most common looks like this:

1 - jab

2 - cross

3 - lead hook

4 - rear hook

5 - lead uppercut

6 - rear uppercut

But I have seen a bit of variation here and not just from outlier gyms no one has ever heard of. Pedro Diaz, for example, has a system that looks like this:

1 - jab

2 - cross

3 - lead uppercut to the body

4 - rear uppercut to the body

5 - lead hook

6 - rear hook

(goes on to 12)

I have also seen systems where #4 is the rear uppercut, some where it is the overhand, some where #3 is a hook to the body and so on. But then there are also more than just 6 punches. What about the overhand? Any of those punches to the body? Specifically the liver shot? Some systems have separate numbers for all of them. Some just say something like "3 to the body,” which tends to defeat the purpose of the number system (brevity). And as the numbers go above 6, they vary even more widely. Cus D'amato's system apparently looked like this!

1 - lead hook

2 - rear hook

3 - lead uppercut

4 - rear uppercut

5- liver shot

6 - spleen punch

7 - jab

(and so on)

In any case, one doesn't necessarily need a universal number system. Can just be whatever your trainers and coaches like. But for learning, I like the idea of not being locked into something you can't take with you if you move, go to a different gym, whatever. It is true that some people might call a cross a "straight right hand" but for the most part, in English, punch names are universal.

Though the names themselves may not be the greatest names we could give each punch, I do like that many of them are somewhat self-descriptive. If you tell someone brand new to throw an uppercut, without any training or experience even watching boxing, most will assume that the punch comes at somewhat of an upward trajectory. "Upper,”  right? It's in the name. I often tell people that when they throw hooks, they are making their arm into a hook shape and in the case of the lead side, actually pulling their lower body weight back, like hooking something in. Overhand comes over the top, the liver shot goes to the liver, lead side is your front side, rear side is your back side, etc. Jab and cross aren't particularly descriptive but at least they are the only ones. And calling them 1 and 2 respectively brings to mind another numbering system some of us use for the bathroom.

Now if someone brand new has watched boxing or MMA or even seen a movie/show where they reference boxing or punching in some way, it is very possible that they have heard some of these terms before. Maybe they didn't pay a whole lot of attention but the words are floating around in their mind somewhere. By contrast, it is very unlikely that they have heard the numbering system referenced. Announcers will occasionally mention the numbers but most of the time, it is just the word. Probably about the closest thing your average layperson may have been exposed to is 'the ol' 1-2" referring to a jab-cross, although they may not realize what that means exactly.

The other thing with teaching people new to boxing the number system is that it generally means I have to teach them two things instead of one, right off the bat. So if I'm showing punches and say, "Alright, this punch is called the jab, you're going to blah blah blah (explaining and showing the jab), and we are going to refer to this punch as #1", that becomes two names for one thing. Now it is possible that I never say the word, "jab". It could just be the 1 so I am only teaching them one name for everything but I think that gets awkward in terms of class presentation. Again though, working with someone 1-on-1 or a group who all starts at the same time and will continue for the same time, I see how this can be worth doing.

So, having something more universal, more self-descriptive, with some potential previous awareness (however small) and limiting the amount of terminology to the absolutely minimum are reasons why I prefer to use punch names when calling for combinations and drills. As mentioned earlier, you will often hear me use numbers as well, for anyone familiar with those and to just get more experienced students familiar with them too.

None of this is meant to say that I think teaching people the numbering system is bad or coaches shouldn't do it. We all need to do what we think is best for our particular students in our particular teaching formats. What I would raise objection to is anyone who thinks the numbering system is something significantly better or more authentic. It is shorthand, that is all. An often faster way to call for punches. Anyone who tries to tell you that it is anything else, and that everyone should use it, and anyone who doesn't, sucks, is full of #2 (if you catch my drift).

The Punch That Doesn't Exist?

I have said before that the lead hook is the most dangerous punch in boxing because it is the punch you are the least likely to see coming, in my opinion. The rear hook, on the other hand (literally), is a different story. It is easier to see coming, takes longer to arrive at its target than a straight right and can mostly only land at close range.

Probably because of reasons like these, I have heard boxers and boxing coaches alike not only say that they don't ever throw the rear hook (to the head) but that it doesn't even exist! I doubt they mean it sincerely but nonetheless, people seemingly in the know continue to express this viewpoint. Maybe you've heard something like that too or read it on the internet. Even in some punch numbering systems, the rear hook doesn't appear in the #4 spot as it does in others.

Of course if you have ever watched a boxing card on TV and tried to pay attention to what punches are thrown, you will notice this is not true at all. You will see boxers throw hooks to the head with their dominant, power hand. It is true that they throw fewer rear hooks than many other punches but they certainly do happen. Especially in the clinch or close range scenarios.

And it's not just that we see them in fights, but some very high profile KOs, still talked about to this day, were rear hook KOs like:

• Rocky Marciano's famous "Sunday Punch" vs. Jersey Joe Walcott
• Manny Pacquiao's brutal KO of Ricky Hatton
• Then Manny Pacquiao was KO'd in even more brutal fashion by running into Juan Manuel Marquez' rear hook
• One of Canelo's greatest moment was his rear hook KO over James Kirkland
• Even Jake Paul landed one of the cleanest rear hooks you will ever see against Tyron Woodley

And there are plenty more. Yet sometimes the announcers are even a little complicit in this and refer to a rear hook punch as the overhand right, even when it has no overhand trajectory at all (some even coming slightly upwards). The fighters themselves will do this too. Jake Paul called his punch an overhand that took down Tyron Woodley immediately afterwards. Maybe you could argue that some of these shots are not pitch perfect, 90-degree angle rear hooks but such is the case with plenty of lead hooks too and you would NEVER hear an announcer or fighter refer to them any differently. 

So is there some conspiracy against calling a rear/right hook a "hook"? I am sure there isn't but this has always perplexed me. My guess is that it was one of those old boxing tenets that just kind of floated around for years and years but wasn't worth challenging out loud so people just fell into not acknowledging it at all. If you've heard some boxing coach say there are no rear hooks or you should never throw rear hooks, you may just simply be conditioned into not talking about them, despite what we you clearly see in the ring.

One thing I will acknowledge is that punches are thrown very fast and in the heat of the moment, it can be really hard to even tell what was thrown. We often have to watch a replay or two, especially when dissecting combinations. And as the rear hook is shorter, bent-arm punch, it is much harder to perceive than something like a jab. That can also be why it works in certain cases too. You're in close, punches are flying, your opponent sees your rear hand coming and braces for a cross but you come around their guard and hit them in the side of the jaw or temple area. The rear hook is often the most powerful punch that someone can throw. It doesn't need to be a haymaker like in the movies or a street fight. It can be short, explosive and powerful, travelling a little farther than a lead hook for more force and being on your dominant hand, potentially thrown with more coordination.

Then of course there are rear hooks to the body that are more commonly thrown and plenty effective . I feel like we should start acknowledging rear hooks and end the stigma that they are not useful or even more preposterous, don't exist at all. The next time you hear someone make a cavalier statement like this, tell them to watch a full boxing card, go to YouTube, or better yet, tell Ricky Hatton or Manny Pacquiao or James Kirkland or multiple Roy Jones Jr. opponents that the punch that knocked them out so brutally is not actually real.

Do Pro Boxers Train To Throw Specific Combinations?

This is a good question and something I have been asked several times. If you train in boxing for
fitness, chances are you throwing specific combinations of punches on the heavy bag, mitts, air, etc. This is a great way to train as the alternative is just winging it and I can 100% guarantee you that winging it will NOT significantly improve your boxing skills or your fitness. Even if you are an accomplished boxer, there needs to be a specific goal in your training and without measurable parameters, there is no way to track progression. But do boxers training for a particular fight practice throwing combinations?

The answer is generally "yes" but to varying degrees, based on the fighter and their opponent. While combinations are infinite, there are probably about 8-10 you see thrown over and over again in a fight. Professional fighters throw these a lot with their coaches on the mitts and sometimes the bag as well. When they show boxers backstage before a fight, you will often see them doing this very thing. Basic combos and counters with their trainer on the mitts.

There are some (not many), who rarely throw combinations in a fight and if they do, the combos are super short. Instead they throw mostly single punches. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is the main example and obviously, he makes this work for him and his style but like most everything else Floyd does, this is not a great way to learn. Combinations teach us how to flow between strikes, set up bigger strikes, create openings and keep our opponents off-balance and overwhelmed, as well as simply hit them more. When you throw a punch at someone, they will generally react in some way. Going off this reaction allows an opportunity for another punch and then another, which keeps you in control of the fight.

Unless the opponent is hurt and/or on the ropes, most pro boxers rarely throw longer combinations (more than 3-4 punches) because their opponents tend to move by then, punch back, etc. but there is still plenty of value in practicing longer combinations for the same reasons I mentioned above. You never know at any given time what will be open so learning how to transition efficiently from punch to punch will help you in all scenarios. As punches are meant to flow together, combinations can help you better understand the mechanics behind a single punch. Like for instance if you were to practice throwing a lead body shot-lead uppercut-lead hook combination, it would make each one of those punches on their own better than if you just practiced them individually. The key with longer combos is to just make sure you are executing them quickly, once you have the proper form.

Then there might be specific combinations fighters work when preparing for a certain opponent. Every fighter has their own tendencies and style so any good game plan should include ways to exploit those tendencies when possible. If you were going up against someone who say, likes to parry straight, inside punches, you might practice faking the jab and then throwing the lead hook to try to catch them bring their right hand out to parry the jab. Or if they like to charge straight in, you might practice throwing combinations off of straight punches to the body. Or you can practice throwing a certain combination as a trap, to get your opponent to expect it, then change it up and catch them off guard.

There are also certain combinations that individual fighters just like to throw and are usually successful, becoming kind of known for it. Mike Tyson was the biggest example here and he did practice those combinations over and over again on the heavy bag (at least, when he was well-coached throughout the 80s). That can be used to trap your opponents too, as mentioned in the paragraph above. They see you throwing that rear body shot-rear uppercut-lead hook combo a lot on film, prepare for it, but then you throw a new variation of it in the fight they are not expecting, like a rear body shot-rear head hook instead.

Chess games like this can go on and on but since a fight presents so many ever-changing variables that require constant adaptation, you can't get to stuck on on throwing any specific combinations. You have to always adjust for distance, angles, counter attacks and overall movement and must be able to change on a dime. When these other factors prevent you from being able to throw a combo you want to land or even power punches in general, you can't let that frustrate you and take you off of your game. I always talk about one of my favorite and most effective combos was the jab-cross to the body-lead hook but if someone is constantly moving laterally and don't set their feet when the jab lands, I have to abort completely because they won't be there for the next two strikes. Then I have to figure something else out. This is why fighters may not get as attached to combinations as those who train in boxing for fitness but practicing them is still extremely valuable to both camps.

Health, Wellness, and LIES

I've said before that one of the reasons I got into the fitness industry was because I found myself out of shape, tried hard to get back into shape, failed repeatedly, got frustrated and found a lot of diet and wellness culture to be even more frustrating still. I eventually overcame some of my own obstacles, and decided I wanted to help other people do the same. Social media has grown exponentially since then and looking at a lot of the misinformation or at least, misleading information continues to be frustrating to me because I know what a struggle this can be for so many of us. And it's not just randos on Twitter giving suspect fitness advice, it is sometimes comes from larger media outlets as well. I remember reading Men's Health magazine promising me "5 killer ab exercises to melt away my gut". But I quickly learned that I could do 5 million ab exercises and while I would build a stronger core, it would not do anything to flatten my big gut. Plenty of people still believe this to be true and it is not even close. This is pretty much the case with all of those attention-grabbing headlines and bylines.

For the record, creating a caloric deficit is the only universally successful way to get rid of belly (or any) fat. Though fat accumulates in different ways/areas with different people, you cannot spot treat it. You certainly can target certain areas for muscle growth but the sub-cutaneous fat will remain until the overall caloric deficit and body fat loss has been achieved.

WHO HAS THE POWER?

Unsustainable diets, workout regimens that promise anything, and brazen statements that challenge conventional wisdom simply to generate clicks are more examples of the problem. Every body is different and any one who tells you that if you do specifically X, then specifically Y will happen and it really is that simple, is misleading you. They may not be doing this on purpose, they may even be coming from a place of trying to help, but it may be a lot more harmful than helpful. Most of what people know about health and wellness comes from marketing. And much of it is like a game of telephone too, where someone hears something from someone else or read an article somewhere, tells it to a friend who tells it to a friend, etc. 

Fitness is also a multi-billion dollar industry and besides just selling product, people also have to write articles, promote their publications, get readers, get likes and most of all, get your attention. On the other side of this, there are literally millions of people who are desperate to get healthier. Desperate in a way like no other. Their/our very lives hang in the balance, to different degrees, and everything depends on it. So who has the power here? Someone can say or write anything and someone else will be very inclined to the listen to and believe them in the hope that maybe it turns out to be true. This naturally creates a pretty bad dynamic.

THE BACKLASH

Speaking of bad dynamics, everything I mentioned here has understandably led to a backlash. A counter argument that says, "Hey, screw these guys! I don't have to lose my belly or be thin at all!! I don't have to look like people want me to look. I can be seriously overweight and that is okay because that is just me. And I love myself!" Once again, this is often well-intentioned and I don't necessarily disagree with any of these points, but it sometimes turns into another extreme where we have people who live an unhealthy lifestyle and do nothing to change it in the name of general resistance and being their "true selves."

We know that there is value in making exercise/physical activity a part of our lives. We know that proper nutrition has value too. Exactly what we eat, how much, is up for lots and lots of discussion. Same is true for exercise and physical activity. But we shouldn't throw the baby out with the bathwater and reject it all entirely because so much of the modern diet, health and fitness culture is corrupt.

Your trainers, physicians, and any therapists are all on Team You. The people in your life that you engage to help you get healthy and fit are going to be the people with the best advice for you. (And feel free to bring us together! Sharing information about your health is never a bad idea!) Remember that someone you follow online, while possibly smart and well-intentioned, doesn't know YOU. 

Why Do Boxers Hold On To Each Other?

We have been working on fighting in the clinch this week at the club, something you see a lot in boxing, kickboxing and MMA. Several people asked me why fighters often come together and hold onto each other when they get in close. I thought it was a great question because it is something that is not talked about a lot and if you're not super familiar with the sport, may seem strange. There are several reasons why and oftentimes it will be for more than one. The amount of time spent holding onto each other can also be highly dependent on the referee. Some will separate the two fighters quickly, some give them more time, and some change their tolerance level based on the specific fighters. Here the 6 main reasons you will see boxers clinch. These reasons are all true for kickboxers and mixed martial artists but they have some additional reasons (like throwing knees or going for a takedown) that of course don't apply to boxing.

The Sea of Arms

When 2 people stand at close range and try to punch each other simultaneously, arms are going to get entangled. Especially the bigger they are. When this happens, it may be hard to safely untangle. Going into a grab/clinch can be a good way to stop the punches and then disengage.

Frustration

Every boxer goes into the fight with a game plan. Some fighters plan to put a lot of pressure on their opponent, some want to keep their opponent at a distance and pick them apart with longer-ranged punches. With both of these diametrically different game plans, those fighters would find it frustrating to be continually tied up by their opponent. The pressure fighter wants to overwhelm with punches but they can't do that while their arms are being held/stifled. The long-range outboxer can't execute their strategy either when they are being held at close range. An element of boxing tactics is to take whatever your opponent seemingly wants and not let them have it. Tying someone up can accomplish this. Of course it doesn't always work though. Frank Bruno attempted to do it in his rematch with Tyson and it not only did not work but made Bruno look like he didn't really want to fight (which I am guessing he didn't). So it's not going to make you a fan favorite but if used intelligently, can help take your opponent out of their game.

Wear 'Em Down

Particularly with heavyweights, this tactic is to hold on to your opponent and put your weight on them in an attempt to tire them out over time. Another Tyson, Tyson Fury, used this in his second fight against Deontay Wilder pretty well and it's generally more effective when you are the taller, heavier fighter. Of course you will wear someone down even more by hitting them but of course it requires more energy and puts you at more risk.

Survival

This is probably the most common reason you see too fighters clenched up. When punches are raining down on you, sometimes the best thing to do is simply tie your opponent up. Hold their arms so they quit punching you for a second. Get your bearings and then start fighting back. Kind of like I discussed in the frustration paragraph too, you can hopefully break the rhythm of your opponent by tying them up as well.

Exhaustion/Break

Along the same lines, fighting for your life is just about the most physically exhausting thing anyone can do. Heavyweights once again in particular, can get tired quickly carrying around that extra mass and you will often see them start clinching more as the rounds go on. It's can be a safer way to take a break other than just moving out of range and dancing around. 

"Dirty Boxing"

This is an MMA term but good boxers are able to use the clinch as an opportunity to do damage to their opponent. Not necessarily with illegal blows that the ref doesn't catch (though you do see this sometimes) but with smart techniques that allow them to hit, control, frustrate and generally rough up their opponents. Pull them down into an uppercut, knock them off balance before striking, turning them into a corner are just some of many tactics which can be used effectively.

What are the Pros and Cons to Different Types of Punching Bags?

Punching bags come in all different shapes and sizes. Just like with most tools, each one is designed for a certain job(s). That being said, you really can do just about anything with a standard, hanging heavy bag but we've also seen specialty bags out there as well become popular. Here is a rundown of the major ones:

Hanging Heavy Bag

The standard, cylindrical bag filled with sand, cloth, and even water nowadays. They come in different weights and in different lengths. My general feeling is, the longer and heavier the better. 100 pounds at least Why? Because there is more surface area to hit and the bag will swing less. Shorter, lighter bags can swing a lot, even with proper punching technique and while this is not a terrible thing, it is not optimal either and if you don't have an extremely solid rig, it means your bag stand will move more too.  But having a strong rig is important too for the heavier heavy bags. Going with 100 pounds or more means that rig will break faster and really, hardcore training on anything other than professional rig or extremely solid metal structure with large chains/pieces will not be possible in the long term. I've tried it and broke many. As mentioned earlier, you can practice everything on these bags. While a lot of people find throwing uppercuts awkward against the flat surface, it certainly can be done and the longer the bag, means body shots are easily doable, no matter how tall you are, as well as kicks in kickboxing.

One thing I hear about heavy bag training is that you can't practice accuracy, as you have such a large surface to hit. But just because there is a lot of surface area, does not mean you can't practice targeting certain spots. This can be done pretty easily using only your eyes and mind but some people actually do mark or tape their bags for targets as well. The only limitation is the boxer, not the bag.

Freestanding Punching Bag

These are the ones you often see in martial arts dojos and at-home boxing programs. Instead of hanging, they are softer, lighter bags with a base floor-level that you can fill with water, sand, or both to keep it from falling over and moving around. One problem is that even if you fill them with concrete, they may still move around your floor. There are now better models that don't move so much but the cheaper and older ones would often slide around and leak as well. Another issue is that the bags sit on the base and lock into with plastic grooves. After heavy use, these grooves and whatever you call the other part of plastic that locks into the grooves wear down and the bag starts spinning on the base. Or if it's one that you can put up at a certain height, it won't remain at that height and start to slide down. Then finally, as these bags are softer and lighter, the workout you get from them is less intense than from a hanging, heavy bag because there is less resistance. I've used them for many years, along with hanging bags, and this is undeniably true. Otherwise, it offers the same pros as the hanging bags.

Teardrop and Ball-Shaped Heavy Bag

The most common variation of this style is the Aqua Bag, which is teardrop shaped, made of something with a vinyl base, and filled with water but there are other stuffed varieties too. The biggest pro with these bags is that they are great for uppercuts. While traditional heavy bags have a flat surface, uppercuts will feel awkward at first and you will never be able to throw that uppercut straight up the middle, whereas you can do this with the teardrop as you are able to get your hand below the bag itself. Of course that also means the problem is that you can't really practice your low punches. Everything has to go to the head or start low and come at an upward trajectory. Another problem are with hooks. Because the bag is spherical, this means that your hook will land before it reaches the mid-point, which is where you actually want it to land. So as much as I like being able to practice uppercuts from all angles, not being able to throw body shots and less-effective hooks make these bags a real downer for me, unless I just want to work one the one thing.

In regards to the Aqua and other bags filled with water specifically, it is nice that this makes the bags heavier yet softer to punch but what's missing for me at least, is that tactile and auditory feedback. Throwing a sharp punch at a traditional, leather bag makes this awesome sound and you can really feel the pop. I can't tell you why but it just feels and sounds so good. I hear this all the time from other people too. And I also like hearing them land a really solid punch with that loud, cracking sound. It's like the bag tells you that you hit it right. The water bags do not give you this. No matter how hard and efficiently you hit them, you won't get much more than a dull thud. The feel is not as good either. In fact, your hand is much more likely to bounce off it, which in some ways is ultimately what you want but YOU need to be the thing making your punches bounce off the bag - snapping them right back to guard - and when the bag does this for you, not only do you not train those skills but it makes them harder to attain.

Space Capsule & Other Curved Heavy Bags

There are some different shapes here that are not flat like a traditional bag, nor completely circular like a teardrop bag. They are just various mixes of both. The idea being to give you the best of both worlds. Sounds great on paper but not so much in practice. In fact, I would not recommend using any of these. We used to have one at our club and I took it down because the inconsistent surface area can lead to hand/wrist injuries. 

  One might think that if you were punching a person, having

inconsistent surface area would be something you'd have to get used to and that is true but that does not mean that curved bags simulate this better. In some ways worse, especially with ones that are fatter at the top and get skinnier as they go down. Plus these bags generally weigh less so you are going to get more non-helpful swinging.

Double-End Bag

Double-end bags are not heavy bags but instead, small, spherical or ovular-shaped balls held together by 2 cables. One is anchored into the ground, the other is anchored into something overhead. The tension in these cables can vary and this varies the experience as well. When you punch the small bag, it bounces around quickly. As such, this can be a great tool for practicing the accuracy of your straight punches in particular. The quick, jittery movement is more similar to that of a person and the small target forces you to really lock in and work on timing, something you can't really do with these other tools. It also helps you to keep your hands up and even move your head as the bag will come back at you quickly as well.

The downsides are that while it that like a teardrop or spherically-shaped bag, you lose out on the opportunity to work on body shots (other than throwing a straight to the lower cable). Hooks to the head are also a little more challenging as once you land a hook, it will be very hard to land another shot immediately after without either stopping the momentum of the ball or slowing down and timing it. You also can't really work too much on power and it is less satisfying to hit for sure but again, a great tool to use for its specific purposes.

Reflex Bag/Ball

These are a lot like double-end bags except they anchor only to the floor and have nothing holding them from the top. It's another small target and bounces back at you when you hit it, and has all the benefits of a double-end bag, although it does move in a different way than the double-end bag does. They also don't tend to last as long as double-end bags do because the parts at the base and supporting the bag can break, whereas the double-end is just a leather bag and cables (though you are on your own for finding something to attach them to). Plus depending on their base, you may have an issue with it sliding around the floor as you punch it.

Wall Mounted Bag/Striking Surface

Not really a bag at all but it is something you can punch so I will mention it. These mount onto your
wall and just look pretty much like an upside-down slight L-shaped cube. I will be honest and say that I have not spent a lot of time hitting these myself, other than a few test punches. I hear a lot of good things about them but the issue I mentioned with those other curved bags is certainly true here. There are spots and angles you definitely do not want to hit without risking injury. They are better for more traditional uppercuts though and because they don't move, that risk should be less. And even though throwing hooks are weird on these things, it can be helpful for those who don't understand how the hooks come in from the side vs. straight punches. But the cube shape means you can't really go nuts on one of these wall mounts, and you need to make sure your wall (and potential neighbors) can handle it. More for just training pure technique though only for punches to the head, so you are limited there as well.

Thus, if you want something to punch, the hanging heavy bag is always going to be the best bet. It's also the best option for kickboxing as well, as only the freestanding bag listed here would even be appropriate. Depending on how much time you time you have for training, other options can certainly be of value but none replace the classic HHB. And believe me, I am not just being an old-timer either. I love trying new stuff. Anytime someone comes up with a new thing, I will want to check it out but in this case, the original really is still the best.

The Scale

Probably the most common fitness goal people have is still weight loss. Even if just 5-10 pounds, many of us would feel better or at least, more in-shape if we could shed them. Nowadays, we acknowledge that the specific number is not always that important. The goal being to lose some weight but ultimately feel better- the amount of pounds to get there is indeterminate. People are also a lot more aware of body composition, muscle mass, etc. now and no longer want to just "be skinny," like in decades past. 

I generally encourage this kind of thinking and though far less exact, using metrics like "how do your clothes fit?" and "how strong do you feel?" to determine health and fitness changes instead of simply, how much weight you've lost. That doesn't mean we should just throw out our scales though. Measuring and tracking your weight still has plenty of value. The key is just not to obsess too completely about it and turn it into a negative experience. Here are 6 tips to keep in mind:

1) Don't Weigh Yourself Every Day

Unless there is some medical reason to do it, I don't think you should weigh yourself every day. Weight loss usually does not function like a steady grade. Your results might be all over the place and you don't get a clear picture with such a high frequency of weigh-ins. I would recommend doing it every week. You still probably won't see a steady grade, but it will give you a better sense of where you're going. Just make sure it is the same day of the week. So if it's Mondays, weigh yourself every Monday.

2) Weigh Yourself First Thing in the Morning

Along those lines, your weight will likely fluctuate wildly throughout the day, depending on many different factors. Best way to ensure that those factors are not affecting your number is to weigh yourself immediately after you wake up. Don't do anything before. Just get up and step on the scale. It is true your weight will likely go up throughout the day so it gives you the lowest possible number but if we're tracking progress, this will be the clearest method.

3) Eliminate As Many Variables As Possible

And along THOSE lines, we want to eliminate as many variables as possible so the number on the scale is as true as it can be. Use the same scale, make sure the settings don't change, and get naked. Or at the very least, wear the same clothes you wear every time you do it. If you normally take/don't take a shower or go/don't go to the bathroom before you step on the scale, stick with that and don't change. Also make sure that you don't do anything drastically different the day before that might affect your reading. For instance, if you weigh yourself every Monday morning upon waking, don't go out drinking on a Sunday night. Or eat a bunch of super salty food when you usually don't do that on Sundays. Of course those are both wonderful Sunday activities so if they happen from time to time, maybe make your weigh day Wednesday when your eating and drinking behavior are a little more consistent and manageable. If that's not your lifestyle, that is okay. Just know that things like that will make a huge difference. Not just for calories but how you retain water. Eating out usually means a lot more sodium and can add a lot of water weight. Drinking a lot of alcohol can dehydrate you. These things will have an affect on your weigh-in. May not be a huge difference but can definitely add/subtract pounds. Healthy weight loss is generally considered a pound or 2 a week so that can drastically skew your results.

4) Don't Get Too High, Don't Get Too Low

As I mentioned earlier, weight loss doesn't necessarily work on a gradual, steady grade, even if you're doing all the right things and sticking to your plan perfectly. And everybody's body is different. If you weigh yourself every week and discover that you haven't lost any pounds one week despite all your hard work, don't get discouraged! Maybe you will lose 0 pounds one week, 5 the next. Or maybe you won't lose any weight for a while because your body is still adapting to diet and exercise changes but then it starts to steadily drop. Or you even gain some weight from building muscle. No matter how much you limit your variables, there WILL be variables and this is not an exact science. I will say this again (and again and again): every body is different. What works for someone else may not work for you. Or it may not work in the same way it does for them. You can't go into this with those kind of expectations or you will likely be disappointed.

Plus, getting down on yourself will not help you. If you are not sticking to your plan to lose weight, you can try to use this to motivate and rededicate yourself but apart from that, that negative part of your brain is not your friend. It will tell you all kinds of things that aren't necessarily true. And certainly not productive. So if you find yourself deflated on weigh day, put it out of your mind and start working towards next week. You can do this. It's not gonna be easy but you can do it. Maybe it's harder for you than everybody else. Maybe you got dealt a bad hand and have issues other people do not. But you CAN do it! Don't let anyone, including yourself, tell you otherwise!!

On the flip side, if you step on the scale and see that your hard work has paid off, maybe you even get to your goal weight, GREAT! You should be very proud. Celebrate in some way even. But don't get too high either. Even if you do hit that goal, you probably want to sustain it. Or just because you had a good week or two or ten, doesn't mean you are "through the woods." Again, this is not easy. And it's not going to be easy. It is work and don't let complacency stop all of that great momentum you have been building up.

5) Monitor Your Energy Levels

No matter how you feel about food or particular macronutrients like carbs and protein, we use food for fuel. Changes to your diet will likely lead to changes in your energy levels. Especially at first. This is true of exercise as well. Can go both ways. Can give you more energy, can make you more tired, and once more, your body's initial reaction it may be different than once it gets settled in. The idea here is to just monitor it in some way. Maybe if you keep a food journal (highly recommended), you can just note what your overall energy level was that day. You don't have to spend a lot of time on this. Could even just rate it on a scale of 1-10 and write in a number for each day and then if there is anything additional to say, note that separately. Then compare it to what your weight numbers are (e.g., if you lost 5 pounds one week, did you feel more tired for most of that week, etc.) This is important, as it leads to my final thought, which is in itself very important:

6) Sustainability

I know there are outlier cases here where maybe somebody just wants to fit into their wedding dress and then doesn't really care what happens afterwards. Or maybe making a lower weight class for a fight that you will never compete at again or whatever but for the most part, I am guessing that if weight loss is your goal, that goal also involves keeping the weight off in the longer term. Does that mean you have to diet your whole life? No. Once you get to where you want to be, you may be able to sustain it with less restrictions but you have to be careful that the methods used to get there were not so extreme that any return to regular patterns won't destroy your hard work. So if you're doing intense workouts 5 days a week and eating only 1,200 calories a day (highly not recommended), you will almost definitely see relatively quick results but if you suddenly stop doing that, those results can reverse themselves just as quickly. Some people are able to very slowly taper something like this into a more sustainable lifestyle but plenty of others are not.

Even just for the duration of the diet period, if you are able to lose weight by making a significant dietary change but have absolutely no energy throughout the day or you find yourself getting sick more frequently or just generally feel down, I would not consider that sustainable. Time is also a major consideration. If you spend a lot of time planning meals, exercising or doing whatever you need to do for your plan, make sure you actually can make that time without it causing major stress and aggravation in your life. For these reasons and others, I would highly, highly recommend you talk to your doctor about your weight loss goals and let them know what you are planning to achieve those goals. 

You can continue to keep weighing yourself indefinitely, and if that helps keep you in-line without adding extra stress and anxiety, great! But if I were you, I'd suggest doing it a lot less frequently. Like once a month. Or more. Or not at all. For me, personally, it is about those things I mentioned at the beginning. How your clothes fit, how you feel, etc. Pay attention to them and don't let numbers rule your life.