Training in preparation for my first Sparring match/competition

[moneymayforever]

Hey guys, my sparring match is coming up (finally lol) and I did my mass boxing (idk if this workout exists in the US, just baically a simulation of a sparring exept you don't hit the opponent) the first time in 2 months. I experienced this back in July about 2 times before I went to Las Vegas. I really wasn't thinking of speed until today, more of technique and power. But today my coach told me that I should concentrating on moving faster since my punches are slow. SO slow that when we're doing pad works and when i'm constantly hitting one two's, the first one i can hit but the next one i can't even hit the pads cause im so ****ing slow. if i continue with this i probably won't do good in my fight. and i want to win, no matter what it takes, i want to ****ing WIN. to do that, i MUST increase my speed, however i don't really know the method to. how can i make my movements more crisp and speedy? how can i make my one two's faster?

also i always look down whenever a punch comes at me. My guard is up high though. Can I overcome this by sparing a lot and getting used to punches?

[raf727]

The being afraid of punches thing will go away, you just gotta get used to the idea of getting hit my dude, this is boxing.

Just shadowbox alot and work on your technique, then speed, then power. Thats the order of importance I was always taught. Now this sparring simulation thing, I dont understand at all, unless you mean like catching gloves or something which u should have been doing alot of already.

You dont much "train" for the first sparring match, its not a fight. Your first three or four times you should probably be in there with an instructor, or at a fighter from your gym who understands not to destroy you. The ONLY way to get better at sparring, is to spar. You can do all the sprints you want and run 5 miles a day, but your gonna get sloppy and tired after a couple rounds because its so unlike anything else you do.

The biggest thing in sparring is to RELAX. Thats how fat james toney can fight as good as he does, he used to not even do road work, the guy is just calm, cool, and collected at all times which is something you should work on. Just relax and it will come in time man, boxing if your doing it right is fairly boring and repetative, months and months of the same drills and **** over and over and you dont see the results of your efforts easily either, but when you do it feels great.

[moneymayforever]

its a sparring contest, we put on head gears and box for 2~3 R i think 3 min. per R. and you try to win and idk what happens if you win but i just want to WIN and get some good results

[raf727]

I dont get it.

Are you like having an exhibition bout kind of, or are you going to another gym to spar someone there and your coach is just giving you motivation? If your just sparring in your gym, your already overthinking it entirely too much

[Dudemanguy]

The looking down thing goes away as you fight more, i wish i could spar every day, cus the more you get used to hitting and getting hit the more relaxed you become and everything else just gets a ****-ton easier. For punching speed, sometimes i have like 5 pound wieghts that i shadow box with, but you have to really really carefull you dont over extend your arm and **** your elbow. other than that for hand speed you can try the double bag or hitting with heavy gloves (like 16's or 18's) so that when you go to fight gloves you are like lightning. gl!

[Bullrush]

calm down this aint the olympic finals. its your first sparring, lots of people dont even know how to throw a jab at that point. get in there and see how it goes

do more bag/pad work if you think youre too slow. use LIGHT gloves, not heavy gloves. and dont throw power punches, just make sure you are relaxed and you throw quick punches and quick combos

[LightzOut]

OH DEAR its sparring stop getting so emotional, just get in there and learn! i like the attitude but use it in real fights were it actually matters.

[moneymayforever]

thanks guys, my sparring match is two months away. i think i should be working on more sparring although today all i did was **** loads of shadow boxing, many rounds of heavy bag and two rounds of pad work. my techniques are not perfect, and my coach told me to work on my speed&technique rather than sparring.　

[Mohammedini]

Lol preparing 2 months for a "sparring match" (don't know what you mean with that) after 8 months of training is going overboard. It's just a sparring session, not a "match" so relax bro. Have you not even had light sparring yet?
What kind of coach is so soft he won't let a guy who has trained for 8 months even spar lightly?
If you want to increase your speed and sharpen your technique, you should shadowbox your a'ss off. I mean 5-15 min everyday at home full speed. That way you train your muscle memory and your combination punching + it builds up speed.
Another thing, when you spar try to relax as much as possible. Relax your shoulders and your body will be relaxed
Either way You should put you foot down and tell him you want to spar now.
No bull****, sparring is super important in a boxers development. Without it you can barely learn how to use distance, or footwork, or the mental part of boxing.

[moneymayforever]

thanks man, ill try that. my coach is soft as **** ill have to admit that lol. he doesn't let guys spar cause he STICKS to the BASICS of the BASICS, so ive seen the ace boxer of the gym still throwing ONLY one-twos when doing pad works even though he kicks a$$, cause his hands come out a bit faster than his feet. he'll be competing in the sparring "competition" with me, and today i didn't see him spar at all. my coach doesn't teach me how to weave and head slip, even parrying cause he thinks i don't need it yet. idk what the heck is going on with Japanese boxing these days. they suck serious balls.