I'd say my technique is decent, I've been working on it a lot lately as well as my balance. But of course, it starts to get sloppy when I get tired as with most people. My question is, what should I do to fix this? Do I just need to get in better condition so I don't get tired or do I need to work on my technique more?
Shadowbox while you're EXHAUSTED. 3-4 rounds, alternating 30sec burpees/30sec shadowbox. Try to get 10-14 burpees per set, and focus on technique when you shadowbox. It's great conditioning but it has an element of mental toughness/discipline as well. If nothing else, makes you ridiculously hard to stop. No matter how well-conditioned you are, you can always get tired because you'll just push yourself that much harder when you're able. It's a question of pacing yourself in the ring so you don't approach your limits, and discipline to keep your technique when you do approach them.
I have huge problems with this too. that's why I've been working so hard for it not to happen anymore. when you get to the point where you stop moving and hit the ropes and just think "**** it just hit me" that's when I get ****ed up.
Spar. Get used to fighting when your ****ing knackered. Do a sprint session but in your rests shadow box with a focus on your defense and jab. Sprints are great in that regard as they get you used to being in that ****ed state and once you've done lots of sprints you know that just because you're body is telling you you are ****ed you know you have more in you.
everyting everybody said up top is good, but also what you can do is just increase your stamina and condition by running. running helps you maintain cardio activity longer, eg boxing more rounds. but burpees and sprints will help you explode and still stay strong in each round. The burpees one is a good tip, ill try that out for sure next time im in the gym
Doing interval on bags helps too for example do 30 seconds of punching fast then 30 second of punching hard, but maintain your technique, then 30 seconds of combos, then rinse and repeat.
When your exhausted, and you put in those couple extra rounds, that's when your nervous system really figures out the most efficient way to make those moves. That's when it becomes ingrained and you can execute even while dead tired.
I'm tall (for my weight) and skinny with a very long reach and quick hands, sparring a heavyweight and was told to keep moving but every time I'd stop, I'd get stuck in a corner and battered. ****ing hard not get stuck in corners as well.
Guilty as charged. When I'm tired, I end up having to pick my shots a lot more, especially against the counter-punchers I sparred with in my gym. Made me realize that sometimes, when you're forced to be the stalker, eating jabs without waist movement may not be a lack of ability or defensive awareness, but a necessary sacrifice you chose to make in order to save what you have for the right opening. Makes you re-think what a "no-defense bum" you see on TV coming forward is actually capable of.
