Is there any information out there on Johnson’s training?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Kamikaze, Sep 17, 2021.

  1. Kamikaze

    Kamikaze Bye for now! banned Full Member

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    Really can’t find a lot of material. I’d like to just see if you may have some scans or something.

    Imagine it’d be in circulation somewhere being an icon of the era.
     
  2. Jackomano

    Jackomano Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Here are a few.

    Here is Jack Johnson Skipping Rope
    https://imgur.com/sp1q8Gt

    Jack doing Roadwork
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    Here is Jack and his sparring Partner George Kid Cotton doing hurdles over a Tennis Net
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    Jack with the Medicine Ball
    https://imgur.com/O2GDysE
    https://imgur.com/Nea0JdW
    https://imgur.com/Z3SaouF


    Jack cutting wood
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    Jack doing labor in garden
    https://imgur.com/833abin

    Johnson weighing 248 lbs less than a month before fighting Willard in Cuba doing roadwork
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    Jack Johnson's training before starting official camp for Jeffries
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    Jack Johnson has evidently made up his mind to train steadily and today did another ten miles on the road, besides boxing four rounds, wrestling, cutting wood and tossing the medicine ball.

    Johnson says that he has the highest regard for Jeffries as a gentleman and a fighter, but that he believes that he can lick the gentleman just the same.

    Article on Jack Johnson starting Camp for Jeffries with a quote from Johnson himself
    https://imgur.com/JJA5Tke
    https://imgur.com/d6jQ375


    Having finished all his theatrical engagement until after his fight with Jeffries, Jack Johnson will now begin hard training for the big mill at Ocean Beach, near San Francisco. The champion weighs 214 pounds at present and is in excellent shape to start hard work. He has laid out a strenuous schedule, which he intends to follow closely until the big fight. Johnson has engaged Tom Flanagan, the old-time trainer of pedestrians, bicycle riders and pugilists, to look after his road work. While Flanagan will have charge of Johnson on the road, the latter has announced that "Jack Johnson" will be his trainer.

    In speaking of having no real head at his training camp recently, Johnson said
    "I have been fighting so long that I do not need to be told what to do. Of course, I will have a large staff of so-called trainers, but they will do what I instruct them to. I am not hiring anyone to tell me how to train. Joe Gans will be in my corner when I need advice, but in the actual preparation for the bout I will follow my own system. I will box with strong men and fast fellows, do road work, eat and sleep. Mind you, I do not say that I do not need taining. It's trainers I don not want."

    Johnson's corps of helpers at present are Joe Rogers, the 300-pound wrestler Joe Cotton, a colored heavyweight and protegee of Joe Choynski, and Gunboat Smith. It is more than likely that one or two more will be added to his staff within the next few weeks.


    An article on Jack Johnson's training regimen for Jeffries.
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    Jack Johnson's adherents are breathing easy now that the colored champion has begun in earnest training for his mill with Jeffries at Ocean Beach near San Francisco. Johnson has outlined a schedule which he intends to follow strictly from now on until a week or so before the big fight. According to the colored champion, it will be all work at his camp. Johnson has declared that he has a real respect for the routine training formalities and that he will not prepare in the haphazard fashion that bids fair to characterize Camp Jeffries at Rowardennan.

    Johnson is a stickler for doing one thing at a certain hour each day. On the other hand, Jeffries while working hard and faithfully, follows a plan that allows him to do practically what he feels like. The wisdom of the daily sameness of Johnson's plan or the wide range in Jeffries' work will not be known until Independence day.

    Johnson's program provides for a daily rising time of 6 o'clock. He then dons spike shoes and runs or walks ten miles over the roads as a starter, accompanied by two trainers. Then come the rubbers, who work over the negro while the morning meal is being prepared. At 7:30 o'clock breakfast will be served.

    Having enjoyed his possum and beverage, which incidentally is not served in a bucket, Johnson tests the county's automobile speed laws. A Spin around San Francisco in a motorcar is calculated to aid the digestion of the day's first meal. A visit to the gymnasium is billed for 10 o'clock. Here the usual bag punching, shadow boxing, medicine ball drill, and other stunts are enacted. A rest follows, and then Johnson assaults the midday efforts of his cooks.

    Another rest is taken after dinner followed by the real work of the day.

    At 3 o'clock Johnson begins boxing. The negro boxes twelve rounds daily. These bouts are the real article without the posing of the vaudaville stage. Rough work is encouraged. Another spin in the ever ready automobile, supper and an orchestral entertainment by the camp's talent complete the routine. At 10 o'clock Johnson is tucked away in the little crib.

    Tom Flanagan, the oldest trainer of pedestrians, bicycle riders and fighters, is conditioning him. While Flanagan has charge of his road work, the colored champion has made it clear that "Jack Johnson" will be his trainer.

    Joe Rogers, the wrestler, is helping him train. Rogers, who commonly is known as the American Apollo, is one of the biggest men in the country. He weights close to 300 pounds and is fairly active for his weight. Besides being a good mat artist. Rogers can go a few with the gloves, and Johnson believes the big fellow will do him a lot of good.

    Kid Cotton, Joe Choynski's protege, and Monte Cutler, who has been Jack's sparring partner in theatrical work, are his other sparring partners. All of his training partners weigh over 190 pounds, and they are young, strong fellows.

     
  3. Kamikaze

    Kamikaze Bye for now! banned Full Member

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    You put a lot of effort into this and I commend it. Thank you for being a top poster I tip my hat to you.

    Cheers!
     
    Jackomano and cross_trainer like this.