Does Sparring Generally Take Its Toll On You Quickly

Exactly.

I want to spar to learn not to "***** out" and fear getting hurt, but when a dude is heavier using lighter gloves. The ****?

But back on topic, yeah it is draining, hitting pads is nothing but when you're getting hit energy levels dip so quickly.

 

...

 

:twisted: oh yeah that's annoying.

 

Depends on the level of sparring.

The harder you spar the more it is like a real fight. It begins to release a bunch of stress hormones that while good for your immediate survival should probably be allowed to process out of your body. Probably worse if you are doing inter-club sparring as the lack of familiarity always makes sparring more "intense". It also makes sense that your cold picked up as the stress probably lowered your immunity temporarily.

If your body is telling you it feels like crap? Listen to it. :good

 

How' bout this,BK: When ya first started sparring, ya balled-up your fists tight as you could to throw bombs; but very quickly because of nervous energy, ya had no sensation at all in them; 'n between the weight of 12 or 16-ounce wet gloves, it felt like trying ta lift bowling balls outta mud, leaving you totally exhausted, unable to get out of the way of anything.

 

An all too common occurance.I've seen younger guys put right off because their first spar is a bad overmatch and they get their head punched about and cut up.
An excellent point.You need a gym where you're not just a number.It's very disheartening when you see people staying away after a bad spar.

 

If I was training you, I'd let you spar properly two of the three nights, but the 2nd night, inbetween the two sessions I would have you in the ring with someone, going at about 60%, focussing on something specific; movement, defense, cutting the ring off, etc, this way you're still getting ring experiance but your body is getting a chance to re-cuperate.

 

Very savvy, S

 

I train kids JG :good

I'd like to have a future in training fighters but there's very little money in it, unless someone special walks through the gym doors.

 

Take as much rest as you need. If you get hurt, cover up and keep your opponent in your view. Last time I did not do that after getting a mean bodyshot and was lucky my opponent did not take advantage. I needed at least 3-6 days to recover but I don't remember how soon I went back. I heard Terry Norris sparred nonstop and his career didn't pan out that long but with his chin it wouldn't have anyways though his skills made up for that many times.

 

Thoughtya might relate to this incident, S:

You go to the gym, you get to know the fighters and trainers.

One trainer in particular, a flinty, former Eastern Bloc Olympian, impressed me. Never ingratiated himself with anyone. Even when handed glowing write-ups in the morning about one of his boxers, he brushed them aside with a tight smile, barely nodding to the other trainers and went about his business.

He had Tony Zale’s cheekbones, a military brush-cut, Charles Bronson’s squint, steel in his spine and fixed disappointment on his face.

He knew his stuff – no towel carrier -- a tyrant as conditioner. Brooked no nonsense. “Discipline! Discipline! Discipline!” he pounded home in Russian, Armenian, Bulgarian and Cyrillic-cadenced English, working tirelessly on balance, mechanics, correcting mistakes and demonstrating, with the precision of a watchmaker, how to exploit weaknesses, re-running sparring videos.

He even earned the trust of the gifted enfant terribles -– always testing, quick to lash out – never pulling punches and gloving-up himself, showing how easily they could be picked apart. Maybe twenty pounds heavier then when he competed as a middleweight, but not hard to imagine how accomplished he was in his youth.

When there was any hoopla in the gym…say, a press conference with two big-name fighters -- promoters, publicists, reporters and photographers hogging every inch of space, yelling for attention, he ignored it -- kept his charges focused, grunting only “Whatever you having,” when a trainer passed him a deli menu for lunch.

We had long talks about boxing greats and tactics. Razor-sharp observations -- knew the game inside out.

Like most trainers, to scrape by -- aside from his own boxers -- he worked corners in the gym, did pads, and seconded main-eventers and prelim kids on cards all over California and Vegas at a moment’s notice.

So, when I received an email from a film producer asking me to play a cornerman in a TV promo for the Tyson-Etienne fight for a healthy payday, I told him a conflict prevented me, but I had just the guy. I'd pose it to him.

Handing the trainer the offer at the gym, I was bursting for his reaction, repeating over and over how perfect he’d be for the commercial and how good the money was, pointing to the paragraph.

He studied it carefully -- pored over every word, then looked up, shook his head, returned the offer and smiled that same tight smile: "It's not for me," and went back to working with a fighter on the heavy bag.

Puzzled, didn’t begin to cover it: The money was fantastic, the hours were good, he wouldn’t have to say anything, do only what he did normally, and it was being shot on a stage just blocks from the gym. Didn’t add up. Fight jobs weren't falling outta trees...and they weren't asking him to wear a ski mask and carry a gun. So, why not? A gig was gig.

I kept turning it over in my head driving home: Why would he say no? He needed the money. What possible reason could he have? Then it dawned on me…sadly: the shunting aside of favorable write-ups, never looking at a menu, not a flicker at the money in the offer, this proud man couldn't read.

 

jg, you need to make a book if you have the time.

 

I enjoyed that, thanks!

Just like to point out that I can read, and won't be turning down any stage roles that come my way in the future :good Fair to say you've had an intresting life John, I've seen you write things about everyone from Sugar Ray Robinson to Floyd Mayweather Junior. If it's okay with you, I may PM you from time to time to learn a little more about the characters from Boxings past.

Again, thanks for the re-collection!

 

Keep em coming !! Great read !!:good