Training Log: Entry 388

Squats of 315
5,5,5,3,3

Notes: Some of my deepest squats ever.  Proper bar placement allows for very deep squats.  Went a little too all out though.  Lower back was kinda stiff afterwards.

Pull ups w/30lbs
5,5,5,4,3

Notes: Working on getting the chin fully over the bar rather than just tapping the bar.  Nice full pull.  Lats are really getting hit.

Overhead presses of 155
5,5,5,3,3

Notes: Had a good song pumping, got my motivation up.  I should start wearing my MP3 player again.  Last 2 reps of final set were a little shakey.

Training Log: Entry 387

Worked my cardio today.  Rope skipping and heavybag stuff.  Working a lot of infighting drills, and still focusing on distance and power in the right hand.

I'm ashamed of my sparring today.  Absolute suckfest.  I have to quit this niceguy bullcrap.  It's boxing.  You hit people.  That's the sport.  All of my punches were pushes and I was moving in slow motion while my partner was wailing on me.  I at least stopped leaning back, but now I gotta focus on actually freakin' punching when I box.

Training Log: Entry 386

Deadlifts of 335
5,5,4,3,4

Notes: Felt great today.  No grip problems.  Maybe next time I can clear it.

Dips w/110lbs
5,4,3,3,2

Notes: This is a great weight.  Had my spotter check to make sure I was meeting parallel.  Apparently I was going beyond it.

Bent over rows of 195
5,5,4,3,2

Notes: Form was much better than last time.  Really felt the pull in my lats.

Up to a 10 second hold on the last rep of my CoC training.  Got the #3 in the mail the other day.  Can get it about halfway closed.  Got a long way to go.

Got a sparring clip to upload.  Guy had no standup game, so I was clowing too much.  Gotta use every opportunity to improve myself.  No more of this hands down at my waist crap.  Did at least focus on using my right hand more.  Nailed him with a ton of body crosses.  Also worked on hitting him with flurries.  Hit him with 13 unanswered punches in one flurry, and several others like it.  Just teed off on him when he would cover.  It was fun rules.  I was boxing and checking kicks, he could kick.  Used the flicker stance a lot, less Peek A Boo. 

Bagwork shows that I'm finally planting my right foot on the cross.  Now I need to do it in sparring.  On almost every cross, I was off balance and my foot came off the ground right at the end.  There was 1 or 2 exceptions to this.

Chin tucked more.  I'm getting sloppy again.

Quit leaning back!

Training Log: Entry 385

Got the runs today.  Dehydrated.  Lifting suffered.

Squats of 315
5,5,3,3,2

Notes: Numbers might be off, but I know I progressed.  Weight wasn't on my back right for first set, and I was pushing off my toes a lot.  Remember to sit back and drive through with the heels.

Pull-ups w/20lbs
5X5

Notes: Made it alright here.

Overhead press of 155
5,5,3,3,1

Notes: Another barely progress.  Might push-pressed the last rep a little.  Watch for form.

 

Recorded more of my bagwork and played it frame by frame to watch my form.  I finally stopped flaring my ankle on the cross, and I'm getting a lot more power.  New problem.  My hands come down before they come back.  Watching frame by frame, I noticed time where I didn't have a hand by my face at all.  This could be easily exploited.  Along with range, this will be a major focus.  Think high hands.

Training Log: Entry 384

Finally got power back in my right hand.  I managed to bruise and cut my knuckles underneath 16oz gloves and handwraps.  The trick is not flaring out the heel.  I always did the opposite, and as such I lost connection with the ground, had no rooting, and was only using the power of my arms.  The floor still sucks, but if I can hit power on a slick floor, I can hit power on a floor with some trackson.  Remember the hinge, swing the body from jab and cross.  Croutching seems to be helping as well.  I seem to hit much lower on the heavybag than on my sparring partner.  Weird.

Haven't been working much defense on the bag.  Pretty much just squaring off and hitting it with single techniques and 2 hit combos.  Been doing jab, cross, Jab-cross, Jab-cross jab jab-cross, and some hooks and shovel hooks.  Also been doing come infighting drills from Boxing Mastery.  A heavier bag would be more beneficial.  I keep hitting the bag away.  The Dempsy Cage is gonna be a regular part of my training.

Training Log: Entry 383

Finally getting some power back into my straights.  The floor I have to practice on is a waxed basketball court, so sticking is tough, but finally getting the driving force into my blows.  I may be a little stiff, but first comes form, then power, then fluidity.  Handwraps are really helping.

Boxing Mastery by Mark Hatmaker has been a big help in this regard.  The hinge principle is helping me out, along with the idea of driving my foot through the floor without flaring my foot out.  Have some new drills to do.  Did a little of the Dempsey cage today.  When my legs can handle it, I'll drill it more.

Grip training is getting solid.  I think 2 days with the #2 has been good for my CNS.  Can do the 5X5 with the right hand with a 5 second hold at the final rep of the 5th set, and can get 1-3 reps per set with the left hand, following the rest with negatives.

Training Log: Entry 382

Deadlifts of 335
5,4,4,3,3

Notes: Form was much better, most likely just a hiccup from coming back after a week off.  Grip was the weak link in here oddly enough.  Perhaps I should work some pinching grip in with my crushing grip work.

Dips w/90lbs
5X5

Notes: A little stretch reflex here and there, but a lifts a lift.  I think 20lbs up should be good.

Bent over rows of 185
5X5

Notes: Form was sharper here.  I kept falling backwards when I tried to bend at the hip.  Use the weight as a stablizer.

I think next week I'll start working in some neck stuff.  I figure deadlifts are pretty good in that regard, but on my double squat week, I could use a little more.  Maybe some pinch grip too.

Training Log: Entry 381

More sparring today.  Wore the headgear so I could be hit harder.  Focused on throwing more with my right hand along with more speed.  Tried to stay on my toes more.  Amazingly, hit someone with a right hook for the first time like ever.  Still moving backwards too much.  Gotta work on moving in.  So hard to bob and weave on a shorter dude.  More form needed.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=LNO-uC6aQjY

Training Log: Entry 380

Squats of 315

5,3,2,2,3

Notes: So happy to be back at this weight.  This is what originally forced me to drop back down to 180 and rework my form.  Now I can nail it, lower than parallel and no knocking knees.  Can't wait to master this and move up.

Wide grip deadhand pull-ups w/20lbs
5,5,4,3,3

Notes: Felt my shoulder pull a little on the 3rd set.  Lats are growing well.  Glad that I'm easing up in weight rather than jumping so I can perfect my form.

Overhead press of 155
5,4,3,3,1

Notes: More rest needed on that last set.  Form was tricky at first, but managed to secure it afterwards.

Head has been killing me today.  More water, less soda.  Impacted my right cross training.  Only managed to throw 50 or so.  Still picking that foot up, but not as bad as before.  For some reason, when looking in the mirror I can do it, but on the bag it falls apart.  MY RIGHT CROSS SUCKS.

Tipping the scales at 197.5ish.  I like how gradual this cut is going.

Training Log: Entry 379

Hit a major milestone in my grip training today.  Finally did a full 5X5 with my CoC#2 gripper on my right hand.  Rest and technique were essential to complete this.

Left hand is getting stronger as well.

Entire body is very sore from lifting and boxing.

Training Log: Entry 378

Deadlifts of 335
5,3,3,2,1

Notes: Form was bad coming back.  Felt a little twinge in my knees.  Drive through the heels, not the toes.  Still, heavy weight.

Dips w/90lbs
5,5,5,2,3

Notes: gave it my all in that third set.  Maybe next time, I'll finish the series.

Bent over rows of 185
5,5,5,5,4

Notes: Form was really wonky on this.  Had to deadlift the bar and then bend over without a mirror to check form.  I'll stick with the weight and perfect the form next time.

Worked my right cross form on the heavybag today.  Wear wraps next time.

Video of me sparring

http://youtube.com/watch?v=XAXLT3hCf7M

http://youtube.com/watch?v=aRAboNTqMSk

Some general notes

I lean back way too much, don't draw my punches back nearly fast enough, drop my hands, move backwards, and arm punch most of my straight punches. I'm also pretty flat footed, which most likely isn't helping, and my body shots generally suck. Need to learn how to go light while still keeping good form.

Training Log: Entry 377

Back from my break.  Mighta put on a little chub, but here comes the cut.  Cycled off of creatine, will begin loading tomorrow.

Did 8 minutes of bagwork today.  I was dying.  The heat combined with my gastank off of a bulk was not great, but I can always build up.

MY RIGHT CROSS IS AWFUL.  I'm putting this in all caps so that it will stare me in the face everytime I see this post, and will serve as a constant reminder.  After reviewing this 8 minutes of tape, even keepign in mind that power comes from the legs, I STILL lifted my right foot every single time I threw a right cross.  All arms, no legs.  This comes as a result of my history of shoudler injuries.  After popping my shoulder out twice throwing right straights, I'm to afraid to do it again.  In an entire night of boxing, I might throw 3 right straights.  This has to stop.  I will make it a habit to throw 100 right crosses at the bag when I do my bagwork.

Other notes:

My range is twice as long as I was giving myself credit for.  I had no idea I could stand so far away from the bag and still hit it with jabs.  Now I need to work on finding my jab and hook range and moving in and out of them.

Stop moving straight back.  Even with head movement, this is retarded.

Hooks are carrying a good amount of power.  I sit in on them.  Need to throw them more.

Throw more uppercuts!  They look destructive on the tape, I need to throw them more often in my combos.

Jab had a lot more power than last time.  Range, shoulder and legs.

Didn't even bother with kicks.  Wanna get my boxing good.  Gonna join the boxing team at Vandenberg.

Work more defense in bag work.  The hilarity is that I'm all defense when I box and all offense on the bag.

Throw jabs straight.  Even though they were the right range, I was throwing down at stomach level for some reason.  Stupid.

On that note, throw more bodyshots. 

Training Log: Entry 376

Did a gymless workout on my break.

Beam pull-ups
5X5

Notes: For some reason, I feel like I engage my lats more when I grip a ledge for pull-ups rather than a bar.  I barely made it through this, and my lats were really stretching.

Plyometric high jumps
4X3

Notes: Don't really know what I'm doing on this.  Just some GPP.

Plyometric push-ups
4X3

Notes: See above.

 

Suspicions confirmed, I'm an arm puncher.  This is not a negative thing, for now that I have identified the problem, I can solve it and add even more power to my punches.  I've been drilling the falling step and driving with my legs when I punch.  For the next 6-8 weeks, I'm going to drill the hell out of the heavy bag. 

Weighing in at 196.6 with clothes on, puts me right at about 195 naked.  That's my goal.  Could see my abs in the mirror at the right light/angle.  Now I need to work on maintaining this.

Training Log: Entry 375

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ6_s72-hTM

Some bag work.

Stop flaring elbows
Work on the cross
Practice my kicks/turning the hips
Distance on the jab

Training Log: Entry 374

Squats of 305
5X5

Notes: A little shakey on the last rep, but everything else nice and deep.  Hamstrings were really tight today.  Better warmup next time.

Pull-ups w/10lbs
5X5

Notes: Easier than anticipated.  Ramping the weight up slower than last time.

Overhead presses of 155
5,5,3,1,2

Notes: I was dying at this part.  Stomach was cramping.  Not enough food, and the food I had beforehand was really crappy.  Still did better than I thought.

Going on a 1 week break.  Will miss 3 workouts.  Timed out right during the deload, so not too bad at least.

Training Log: Entry 373

Deadlifts of 315
5X5

Notes: This was a little tougher than before.  Almost blew my voice out from grunting.  Still managed though with some room to spare.

Dips w/80lbs
5X5

Notes: No hitches here.

Bent over rows of 150
5X5

Notes: Really easy.  Using the weight back from 20 rep squats.

 

Did some interesting improv grip work today.  Worked on tearing a 2" phone book in half.  Made it about 3/4 of the way through with a 5 minute break in between attempts.  Gonna try to find something smaller and work up from there.

Weighed in at 199 again, but that was after a large meal.  Still have a little chub I need to get rid of.

Training Log: Entry 372

New workout.  Essentially the same, just a took out bench, put in bent over row, and switc around the order of a few things.

Squats of 305
5,5,5,4,3

Notes: Going past parallel and pausing makes this a little more difficult than my 20 repers, but that's good.  My form is way better, and I'm feeling nice and strong.

Pull-ups of bodyweight
5X5

Notes: Good to be back.  I'll up weight a little slower than last time, as form was getting bad before.  Lats are really growing in.

Overhead presses of 145

5,5,5,5,4

Notes: Might just cheat and up the weight anyway.  I mighta been able to make the 5th, but didn't wanna push it.  I'm sure with more rest, it could be accomplished.

Training Log: Entry 371

Coc #1 Gripwork

31
10
6

22
7
5

Notes: I think I may switch to 2 days on the number 2 rather than 1 RE, 1 ME day. 

Deadlifts of 295
5X5

Notes: Grip was failing a little, but still completed the lift.  Still nice and smooth.

Dips of 80lbs
2X5

Notes: Had to cut workout short, but I'll use this as an excuse to transition into my new workout.

Training Log: Entry 370

Good day at MMA today.  Did the knife sparring to warm up a bit.  Did some fun mixed sparring.  Partner wore shin guards and 7oz MMA gloves.  I wore 16oz boxing gloves.  He could punch and kick, I could only box and check kicks.  Did 2 rounds of this.  Distancing was tough, but I at least had enough reach that his kick range was my jab range.  Whenever I felt a kick, I threw a counter punch.  Got good at that reaction.  Did a lot of cross checking, not too much same side stuff.  Didn't want to take my rear foot off the ground.  Landed some decent hooks, including one sweet body right hook off of a bob and weave.  Landed a very solid parry/counter jab against his own jab a couple of times.  Overall felt smooth.  This was a good way to teach me to not move straight back.  Whenever I did, I got kicked.  Want to do this more often.