How do I develop? - How did you develop?

Alot of people say you have to start boxing when you are young, I don't believe in this logic so much. The younger you are coming in the sport the faster you leave it. Most young people careers are over before they even hit there physical prime 28-35. So age is a factor but its the the end all be all. Train hard with passion and love what you do and the sky is truly the limit.

 

Do you have a coach?

 

This, sergio martinez didnt start boxing until he was 20 or 21 and hes 36 now in his prime. Bernard hopkins started around 20 as well (i think) and hes still in the game.

My advice is just to stick with it and work hard, dont pay attention to how others are doing around you and just focus on yourself and BELIEVE

 

Right on man! Keep growing. In my experience Boxing has been slow progress forward, then a leap, then a review that takes you back, then slow progress forward.

-- Basics - You are hearing everything, but can't seem to do any of it. You are punching, blocking, OR moving. This is where pressure kicks your butt every time! This is also where you are breaking down your aversions to adrenaline dumping, hitting people in the face, and/or fighting off of anger. You can be broken fairly easily.

-- Growth - You are beginning to find what "works" for you but you are pretty much stuck doing that. Still you can be completely stuffed by a guy who is your style poison, counter puncher/pressure. You are seeing some success with your "money" shots, but nerves are still high. You are beginning to "read" men and gain mastery over your composure.

-- Skill Acquired - You can now "get" the subtle stuff your coach was telling you, but seemed so complex before. You are also realizing things that you have forgotten since you have now internalized so many of your mastered offensive sequences. Now you are starting to try to round out your game seeking out the stuff you suck at and training it.

-- Acceptance - You have now come to the Zen state where you accept getting hit is part of the game and you don't have much malicious feeling toward punching others. Boxing is just a progression of events. Your "feelings" are internal to your personal expectations of your game plan(s). You can "see" what guys are even when they first step in the gym. Your physical and mental growth have taken you to a place where you hit hard (even when not trying) and can always pull something from somewhere if you are tired and a guy slips up. You are beginning to look forward to the clash. You are even happier for a challenging clash. Now you are officially dangerous, but this is Boxing so you continue to grow. (and everyone at the gym knows you.:yep)

Honestly I think it takes a few years for an average guy to get "good" at Boxing. No less than 2-4 years. At 33 just enjoy the ride. IMHO it is a wonderful skill for any man to have and an interesting twist on fitness. It is a noble art.

 

If your looking to fight one day then keep mentioning that to your coach, your first fight will teach you so much.

As to fitness add some roadwork and build that up to increase general fitness, that extra fitnes will also allow you to get more out of your time in the gym boxing.

To stop holding your breath start making a hissing noise when you throw a punch, for your footwork spend some time with the heavy bag where you push it to get it swinging and then practice stepping around it to avoid the swings.

 

Yes, indeed.

One of the first things I tell the youngens is that they are not Roy Jones. The average joe just isn't that much better than his opponent (be it in sparring or competition) and so they better get used to taking some shots if they want to give some.

 

I recommend a tram-line for footwork basics. Just do 3 rounds of this a session. Practice moving forward, backward and side to side all while maintaining your balance and not compromising your stance.

* Make sure you are pushing off the rear foot and not stepping and dragging the feet. This can be kind of boring, but its good. Then you can add pivots and jabs etc.

 

Yeah its a long slow process and a lot of it SEEMS to be mental adjustment ... but really, this is hand in hand with just improved timing, having been in a situation before, your body's muscle memory, etc.

I was always huge and strong for my weight, and since I was very young I had been in a very conditioning based external style of karate with no kicks above the waist, lots of shin and forearm and stomach impact training, and for whatever reason I was really naturally fast.

The first time I hit the heavy bag on my college boxing team, the old crusty assistant coach came over and told me, "you can't be beat, you've got a great jab". What he was seeing was speed and power, but what he wasn't seeing was the intangible unfamiliarity with being hit HARD IN THE FACE. When he saw me spar later, he had this look on his face like "How did he just get his ass kicked? he had a great jab"

Plus, the way they had me running reduced my weight from 125 to 112, and I felt so much weaker I would try all kinds of things to avoid doing such long cardio, until I stabilized at about 118 for my first few fights. Bled a lot, did not take shots to the nose well, felt weak by the end of every second round. I needed to be going into these fights at least at 125 to have much punch resistance and not get tired.

I got way way way better, but I was apalled at how much shots hurt me when I was not heavy enough, and how the blood would soak through my underwear and just not stop. But I was still a boy, my real man strength and punch resistance did not come until I was 25 years old, when I would spar ten rounds all the time with medium contact, work 12 hard rounds on the bags, etc, and have less bleeding at 128 lbs.

EVERYBODY GETS BEATEN BADLY WHEN THEY ARE BEGINNING.

 

Whose your coach- how do you know he knows his stuff?

 

Sounds promising buddy excuse my pessimistic attitude re this but I know trainers who have pretty much zero understanding of fitness and poor knowledge of fundamentals- but the people they train with think they're amazing!

 

Whom is ur coach? Uk based?