Expert: Jack Rose - 1/8/2007

Question
Hi, I'm 23 years old and in college. Every year a fraternity on campus has an amateur boxing competition, and I entered last year and didn't leave with the expected outcome. I was tired by the end of the last round and couldn't stay in. Needless to say I lost that bout, but I am coming back this year and want to start training and hopefully do a lot better than last year. I've been doing some running and weight lifting on my own, but the only sport I have really competed in was basketball and I'm not too sure that the same workouts will be sufficient enough for boxing. I would like to know a beginning moderate to vigorous workout that could help me get into shape for this competition. Any advice at all would help greatly.

Thanks

Answer
hi Chris, I wrote you a big long answer and my computer crashed. I was pretty mad. I wish I had saved it, anyway, I'm going to sum up what i said. Focus on three things for your tournament. BE IN SHAPE!  start running a month in advance 4 days a week 3 to 4 miles each... focus on keeping you chin tucked in behind your glove AT ALL TIMES. The only time your gloves should not be up in front of your face is when your throwing punches. Focus on straight punches only, there is not enough training time to teach you a good hook or uppercut and you'll likely get into more trouble throwing them than you will not throwing them. You can win this tournament on good defense and straight punches with a little strategy. We have held the frat tournament at our gym for 25 years for UT... when you hit the bag, throw combinations 1-2  1-1-2   2-1   2-1-2
throw to the body too, work up and down...a good shot to the body opens up the head... move laterally when your not punching...change direction often....only stop moving if your going to throw....throw lots of jabs...jabs dont always have to connect, they are meant to set up the righthand too (assuming your righthanded)... practice pacing yourself during the round...dont throw all the time...dont go longer than 5 seconds without at least throwing a jab....if your show is like ours you only go for 1 1/2 minutes per round for 3 rounds... be aggresive and throw first, dont wait for him to throw....be aggresive means take charge of the fight but dont go nuts, be cool but be intense....

best of luck....stick to this and you'll do fine...

thanks for the question,
jackson