Expert: Jack Rose - 3/29/2010

Question
QUESTION: ok i am a ametuer boxer in alabama at da 152 weight class. i run 3 miles a day on mondays through thurday and when the fight is closer in run 15 sprints of 80 yards on tuesdays and thurdays. i jump rope at practice for 15 mins a day and do 300 sit ups and 2 mins of six-inches. shadow box for 3 rounds then do watever my coach tells me. i spar mondays and wednesdays. i do 100 push ups at da end of practice. my stamina is not bad but i feel like i still fade at da end of my fights sumtimes. it only really happens at da regionals when i fight better fights and at a higher pace. it is da reason why i never get pass da regionals to make it to da nationals. i was wondering is there sumthin im doin wrong or not enough? is there sum things u can tell me to help my not fade at da end of fights? if so i would appreciate it. thank u

ANSWER: Terrence,

It is likely not your conditioning. That leaves a couple of things. It could be that your over training. Over training doesn't always mean your working out too much, usually it means you are not eating or sleeping in a way that supports your training.

You should be sleeping on a regular schedule. If your sleep is inconsistent or too short, you will fade during sparring.

If you are not eating enough to support your workouts, this will also effect your stamina during sparring.

If you are not hydrated before sparring, this is the most common reason you fade in a fight or sparring.

Of course this all assumes your cardio and conditioning routine is sufficient, which from what you told me sounds ok.

The last thing it could be is your fight strategy. On a national level, seasoned open fighters must pace themselves to win rounds. The more experience the fighter, the less likely there will be a KO or RSC, so you have to change your strategy to win rounds. This doesn't mean to not throw power, it just means you have to fight smarter. Rounds are very close at the level so you have to finish strong.

I would start at the top of this list and work your way down eliminating everything that could be the cause.

Good Luck and let me know how you progress....



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Ok well I been sleep longer but idk exactly how much do I need? I wake up at 6:45 to run in da morning so wat time should I go to sleep at nite? I been eating more and feeling better since I eat breakfast now. I just won da state golden gloves this past weekend and I have the regional from April 6-10 in Knoxville tn so once I get da sleep thing down da only thing left is strategy which I have been working on but da main thing is see is dat most of da good fighters fights be close til da 3rd round til someone gets tired and da other fighter takes the fight so I just wanna make sure if I lose dat it's from fighting a better fighter and not someone who just won cuz I got tired.

Answer
Terrence,

You should be getting 8 hours of sleep. Sounds like you are on the right track. The eating and sleeping was probably your problem.

Keep eating well and don't miss breakfast. The last thing is water. Make sure your hydrated leading up to the fight.

Good Luck at the Southerns.