Page 183 - Fighting Fit: Boxing, Workouts, Techniques, and Sparring

Sparring

almost dreamlike experience. Hey, it’s combat. Just you
and the other guy looking for a shot.You don’t think
much. It’s mostly action and reaction.

Your performance is a direct product of your training.
It’s not enough to know what to do in your head.
You’ve got to know in your hands and legs. Hence the
need for a long, sustained training period before your
first bout.

Go easy
It’s wise to adopt an easy-does-it approach to sparring.
Learning how to hit and take hits in live action takes
some getting used to. Just swinging away without pur-
pose is no good. It won’t be boxing, it won’t be safe
and it won’t be much fun.There’s simply no point to it.

Plans
Your initial sparring should be highly controlled
learning sessions.You’re working stuff out, not trying to
beat somebody up. Go into these practice bouts with
simple game plans.Work on specific things. Perhaps
during one round you’d like to sharpen your jab and
use a lot of slips. During another round try a lead right
and certain counterpunches. Pick one or two offensive
things and one or two defensive moves.

Keep it manageable in your mind. Otherwise it’ll
become a brawl.Why all the training if you’re just
going to throw it away in a free-for-all? Keep a sense of
purpose at all times.You are working toward specific
fitness and skill levels.

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