My Goal (boxing)

[GarethBoxer]

This is my first thread and i'm new to this site so bare with me...

When I was around 10 years old I watched Rocky IV for the first time and became in love boxing, started doing the training and everything. However I've always been on and off as I got bored too easily and around 13 years old and onward I started smoking weed and doing various other drugs while other people my age were doing sports and whatever else. I kept the training up but like I said i'm always on and off, I can never keep myself going. After moving on to harder drugs and drinking a lot in my late teens I became sick of the whole scene, and this new years eve just gone I drank a lot of alcohol and took a few too many drugs.

Long story short i've always wanted to be a boxer but I feel i'm not a boxer until i've actually had a fight, instead I have to say "I just do the training" with a sense of shame in my voice. I go over friends houses and they all have football trophies or something to be proud of and I have absolutely nothing besides a weakend heart, liver and lungs. I'm not trying to be world champion or champion of any kind but if I could at least get an amateur fight before my 22nd birthday (October 2013) I'll be happy (obviously if I do well i'll keep going).

My main downside is my motivation and my nerves. I know for a fact i'd be a bag of nerves before a fight (i'd probably spew like no tomorrow) and i'd be likely to lose interest in the training and make up some excuse, but this time there is no excuse and i'm determined to do it. I'm too young to care about my career (I work in a supermarket) and i'm not too old for my only true dream to be gone. I've stopped the drinking and I'm definitely not going anywhere near anymore drugs, I'm going to fully concentrate on boxing as a promise to myself.

I'd love to be state champion, it's a long shot but if Martinez can be one of the best in his division from starting at the age of around 21 I'm sure I can win a few amateur fights and maybe even make a name for myself in the little boxing world.

Thanks for reading, nice to get off my chest otherwise I feel I would've topped myself! Lol.

Any help or suggestions of training schedules/diet would be much appreciated. I'll keep this thread updated for those who are interested.

[Blackjack68]

Congrats on deciding to change your life around. Chance of actually sticking to this New Years Resolution = < 1%.
Now prove me wrong.

Any help or suggestions of training schedules/diet would be much appreciated.

Just get to a boxing gym, sign up, and let the coaches take care of that.

I know for a fact i'd be a bag of nerves before a fight (i'd probably spew like no tomorrow)

I actually threw up after my first several fights. I made it to the locker room before spewing all but once, and had to use the coaches spit bucket.

[GarethBoxer]

Congrats on deciding to change your life around. Chance of actually sticking to this New Years Resolution = < 1%.
Now prove me wrong.


Just get to a boxing gym, sign up, and let the coaches take care of that.



I actually threw up after my first several fights. I made it to the locker room before spewing all but once, and had to use the coaches spit bucket.

Lol yeah I actually have a gym I go to, but its only monday wednesday fridays. I need to do roadwork or something in between those days and fit it around work.

Also, it's not a new years resolution, its a life revolution.

[Blackjack68]

Also, it's not a new years resolution, its a life revolution.

Proper attitude/10

I misunderstood, I thought you were only training on your own with no coach.


In that case, I would offer some training/diet bits:

Diet:
It's best to start learning all about nutrition from the stickies in the nutrition forum. Learn how to track calories and macros. Short of that....
Don't make the mistake of eating everything "low fat". You need around .4g/day or more of fat for each lb of lbm (lean body mass) you have. It's crucial to health/hormone regulation, lots of stuff.
Consciously get some extra protein every day. Doesn't matter how - milk, meat, eggs, protein powder.

Training:
Road work is fine, but most have come to prefer HIIT (look it up) sprints and circuit training. More effective with less stress on joints and not as time consuming as traditional cardio. It also conditions muscles a lot better.

Search youtube for "circuit training". You'll get a thousand different excercises. Pick out a mix of a dozen or so excercises that you like and have the equipment (or lack of) for that work a variety of muscles. Make your circuit out of those. Start with something like 30/30 sec (work/rest), then start increasing work time and decreasing rest time.

Just an example, something like:
Pushups
Pullups
Dips
Ab Rollouts http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4sb7v0_5N0
Barbell Thrusters http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OhqIGYqELk
Burpees http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmuSgwCNSgE
Woodchoppers http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAplQXk3dkU
Bag Slams http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OK8qTE_bUTQ

And finish with heavy bag and a long jump rope session.

[GarethBoxer]

Nice one for the help mate much appreciated. I always thought jogging was a bit tedious and wasn't the right type of exercise for boxing, sprinting and circuit training makes much more sense. Would you recommend a light jog to warm up and then some circuit training? (although I don't really have the equipment or room, but i'll make do).

Why did you spew after your boxing fights??
And do you have any helpful tips for boxing?

P.S. looked at your transformation, very impressive! Keep it up.

[Blackjack68]

Would you recommend a light jog to warm up and then some circuit training? (although I don't really have the equipment or room, but i'll make do).

That'd be fine, though just some warmup calisthenics, dynamic stretching would be just fine. Equipment isn't mandatory, you can always find enough things if you try hard enough to make do (as you said).

Why did you spew after your boxing fights??

Combination of nerves, physical exhaustion, and taking body shots. When I was new, I had a bad tendency of holding my breath during a round. My coach finally realized I was doing that and corrected it.

And do you have any helpful tips for boxing?

Specifics, no, since I haven't seen you fight, but generalities, sure....
Just don't let it intimidate you. If you lose, so what, you learn, you get better. Pride heals just like cuts and bruises.
Always remember the basics and listen to your coach, he can see things you can't.
The feeling you get when you beat a trained fighter into unconsciousness with a crowd of spectators cheering you on is an ego rush that you will not forget for the rest of your life. Do this. You will never regret it.