Gym Diary: Nov. 1, 2011

Today we went back to work with our usual workout in anticipation of Thursday’s sparring session, so the focus was on jabs, throwing body shots and imposing my style on my opponent. Since I’m tall with absurdly long arms the smart strategy is to keep things on the outside where my reach should give me the advantage. The best way to accomplish that is to jab and move your feet after throwing the straight right.

Boxers that back straight up usually get dropped; the proper way to get out after landing is to step to the side, rotate and then take a step back. We also spent some time working on my head movement and slips; I have a tendency to bend from the waist instead of the knees at times and that leaves you wide open for a low hook or uppercut.

We also worked some more on taking body shots. I’ve seen one of my sparring partners fight before and he’s a vicious body puncher, so here’s hoping my preparation will prove sufficient.