Staying calm and not buring your energy

[Coyote142]

How do you do it? We sparred last night with a pro and while all of us were absolutely dead after three (3 minute) rounds, he was able to do 10 rounds no problem, hardly breaking a sweat.

Now, I know my cardio is damn good. I can outrun and outwork almost anyone, but why is it soo freaking difficult to not get exhausted in the ring? How do the pros do it???

I KNOW it has to be a psychological thing. I am in better shape than this guy! HE is chubby, but man how does he not get tired?

This is the sweet science I need to learn. If I can keep from getting tired, everything else would be easy. I am consciously trying to stay relaxed the entire time, I don't really get wild anymore, but I feel like there is some fundamental psychological key ingredient I am missing.

Everyone says it just comes with experience and time, which I GET, but I want to understand and get better through meditation and research. I feel like If i can master this not getting tired thing I could be a beast.

[NearHypnos]

Being in fighting shape is different than being “in shape”. No disrespect but all the abs in the world arent going to make you able to fight harder. There’s a lot more to it than just killin the road work.

It’s pretty arrogant to get worked every which way and still claim youre in better shape because he’s “chubby”. You dont just lose your fitness or musculature for putting a few on in between fights. Underneath that fat he’s obviously rocking a better engine than you right now. Some people hate to hear it but genetic play a big part. All the running and cardio in the world doesnt give you a Margarito gas tank. Some people overthink it and just gas out quick while others can be in your face throwing a thousand punches a fight while taking a beating. Everyone is different. Leave the ego outside the ring.

The longer you box/fight the more natural your brain and body connection becomes and its less taxing. Muscle memory, etc improves as does your ability to relax when getting hit and all that.

Instead of lingering on how you should be im better shape than him learn from the actual spar and how he moved and closed distance, etc.

Learn instead. Your function will follow form and vice versa so long as youre a hard worker or disciplined in and out of the gym.

As for tips on relaxing? Fight at your pace. Take a step back sometimes and just take a breath and tell yourself to relax and observe. It’s easy to tell yourself tk relax as you obviously already know but sometimes it helps to nkt throw just to throw too (if thats an issue). Stay loose, try to mitigate the nervous energy/shakes and when you find yourself too tense and herky jerky like, just keep it in perspective. A lot will come in time but a lot also depends on your character and the way you are.

Keep it in perspective. You’re sparring, you’re learning. If you’re fighting be patient and be fierce. You hear the term “be the boss” and it starts with you first.

Hang in there, I’m not sure if Ican say it’ll get easier...but it’ll get better. Boxing isn’t easy. Not in the traditional way people would consider easy at least. Props for getting in there by the way. Not many do. They tell you it takes time because they know. There’s no quick way around if man. Put in the time. Everyone has a plan til they get punched, all that.

My bad about the typos. Not bothering to fix on the phone.

[Coyote142]

Being in fighting shape is different than being “in shape”. No disrespect but all the abs in the world arent going to make you able to fight harder. There’s a lot more to it than just killin the road work.

It’s pretty arrogant to get worked every which way and still claim youre in better shape because he’s “chubby”. You dont just lose your fitness or musculature for putting a few on in between fights. Underneath that fat he’s obviously rocking a better engine than you right now. Some people hate to hear it but genetic play a big part. All the running and cardio in the world doesnt give you a Margarito gas tank. Some people overthink it and just gas out quick while others can be in your face throwing a thousand punches a fight while taking a beating. Everyone is different. Leave the ego outside the ring.

The longer you box/fight the more natural your brain and body connection becomes and its less taxing. Muscle memory, etc improves as does your ability to relax when getting hit and all that.

Instead of lingering on how you should be im better shape than him learn from the actual spar and how he moved and closed distance, etc.

Learn instead. Your function will follow form and vice versa so long as youre a hard worker or disciplined in and out of the gym.

As for tips on relaxing? Fight at your pace. Take a step back sometimes and just take a breath and tell yourself to relax and observe. Stay lose, try to mitigate the nervous energy/shakes and when you find yourself too tense and herky jerky like, just keep it in perspective. A lot will come in time but a lot also depends on your character and the way you are.

Keep it in perspective. You’re sparring, you’re learning. If you’re fighting be patient and be fierce. You hear the term “be the boss” and it starts with you first.

Hang in there, I’m not sure if Ican say it’ll get easier...but it’ll get better. Boxing isn’t easy. Not in the traditional way people would consider easy at least. Props for getting in there by the way. Not many do. They tell you it takes time because they know. There’s no quick way around if man. Put in the time.

My bad about the typos. Not bothering to fix on the phone.

Lol no ego here. I am just using logic. I am not saying I am ripped or shredded or whatever, I'm just saying, here is a chubby guy who is out working me. How is he doing it? I am doing all the right things and I can run 5 miles no prob, but 3 x 3 minute rounds and im dead.

By the way this pro hasen't fought in years, so I wouldn't say he is in fighting shape. He is just staying exceptionally calm, and I want to know how to be like that. There is a key ingredient there that is beyond being in great cardio shape. I feel like a marathon runner would get gassed boxing, there is something BEyond having great cardio. I am just trying to see it. I will keep busting my butt and taking my ass woopings, no problem there. But If i can understand Psychologically how he is staying so calm, and do that myself, I could make leaps and bounds.

Also, this guy is a 220 pound heavyweight while I am 165 pounds 5'9", his reach was definitely a factor. But I find that when I get excited and he is walking me down and I am defending, that is when I feel most tired and vulnerable. But I also probably went too hard the first round and gassed myself not knowing Id be doing three more afterwards.

I'm here to learn, and I can accept criticism btw! Looking forward to being able to stay calm and enjoy sparring more, when you're gasping for breath it's hard to enjoy it.

[Rockybigblower]

1/. He ain't scared of you.
2/, All that concentrating on staying relaxed is defocusing you.
Stick with the job at hand. If you aren't ready to get in then don't get in.

[NearHypnos]

Lol no ego here. I am just using logic. I am not saying I am ripped or shredded or whatever, I'm just saying, here is a chubby guy who is out working me. How is he doing it? I am doing all the right things and I can run 5 miles no prob, but 3 x 3 minute rounds and im dead.

By the way this pro hasen't fought in years, so I wouldn't say he is in fighting shape. He is just staying exceptionally calm, and I want to know how to be like that. There is a key ingredient there that is beyond being in great cardio shape. I feel like a marathon runner would get gassed boxing, there is something BEyong having great cardio. I am just trying to see it. I will keep busting my butt and taking my ass woopings, no problem there. But If i can understand Psychologically how he is staying so calm, and do that myself, I could make leaps and bounds.

I edited a bit not sure if you saw.

He makes better use of his energy. Chub or not, he’s still obviously in good shape to knock out 10 sparring rounds with fresh guys. He’s probably just eating like s hit because he doesnt fight and has a ton of experience. He moves with purpose. You might take 3-4-5 steps to close distance and have to think about each step while thinking about staying calm and getting hit. He’s done it a lot more, had many more looks at many different people and recognizes a lot more patterns and nuances.

He knows what he wants to do and how to do it without much thought. Its experience man. Sure, you coukd develop to be better than him but it’ll take time. On the flip side, there’s no guarantee you’ll ever be as economical as him.

You cant just will experience into manifesting lol

[Evil_Meat]

Being in fighting shape is different than being “in shape? No disrespect but all the abs in the world arent going to make you able to fight harder. There’s a lot more to it than just killin the road work.

It’s pretty arrogant to get worked every which way and still claim youre in better shape because he’s “chubby? You dont just lose your fitness or musculature for putting a few on in between fights. Underneath that fat he’s obviously rocking a better engine than you right now. Some people hate to hear it but genetic play a big part. All the running and cardio in the world doesnt give you a Margarito gas tank. Some people overthink it and just gas out quick while others can be in your face throwing a thousand punches a fight while taking a beating. Everyone is different. Leave the ego outside the ring.

The longer you box/fight the more natural your brain and body connection becomes and its less taxing. Muscle memory, etc improves as does your ability to relax when getting hit and all that.

Instead of lingering on how you should be im better shape than him learn from the actual spar and how he moved and closed distance, etc.

Learn instead. Your function will follow form and vice versa so long as youre a hard worker or disciplined in and out of the gym.

As for tips on relaxing? Fight at your pace. Take a step back sometimes and just take a breath and tell yourself to relax and observe. It’s easy to tell yourself tk relax as you obviously already know but sometimes it helps to nkt throw just to throw too (if thats an issue). Stay loose, try to mitigate the nervous energy/shakes and when you find yourself too tense and herky jerky like, just keep it in perspective. A lot will come in time but a lot also depends on your character and the way you are.

Keep it in perspective. You’re sparring, you’re learning. If you’re fighting be patient and be fierce. You hear the term “be the boss?and it starts with you first.

Hang in there, I’m not sure if Ican say it’ll get easier...but it’ll get better. Boxing isn’t easy. Not in the traditional way people would consider easy at least. Props for getting in there by the way. Not many do. They tell you it takes time because they know. There’s no quick way around if man. Put in the time. Everyone has a plan til they get punched, all that.

My bad about the typos. Not bothering to fix on the phone.

Great post I completely agree. Relaxation comes with time but only through character building.

[OctoberRed]

I'm calm for the most part, but if someone hits me with a good shot I start to lose and want to fire back right away.

[b Murphington]

For me, the sparring gets much more difficult if I'm in there with a guy I know is better than me. I know everyone at my gym and I know who's better than me and who isn't better than me.

I'll spar with the new guys and be calm as can be, because I know that they're new and don't know what they're doing, but I do. So I have a psychological edge against them.

I'll spar with someone who's more athletic than I am, more speed and lets his hands go more often than me, but I know that his conditioning sucks and he wastes too much energy, so I remain calm and let him gas himself out.

I might spar with someone who's better than me, but weighs significantly less than me, so I don't feel his punches as much, so I remain calm.

I'll spar against the best guy in the gym and I'm on edge, just because of the fact that I know and he knows that he can take me out at any time. He has a psychological edge over me.

In a real USA Boxing sanctioned show, I'm on edge because psychologically, I realize that this isn't sparring and it isn't the gym anymore, it's a real fight. Being in a real boxing match, with spectators, ring announcers, judges, and a referee, it feels different to me, even though physically, it's the exact same thing that I've been doing. The only difference is in the mind. The mindset changes and the mind will effect the body and that will affect your performance.

[tcbender]

Making someone feel that pressure is a skill. When I spar with Juan, a former pro who taught pro boxers down in Mexico, he just has a skill of making me feel pressure unlike anyone else that I spar with. I don't think it's a psychological thing, but he's extremely good at cutting off the ring and I feel like I need to throw just to try to keep him at bay. Usually I'm the aggressor and moving forward, and I do that with Juan, but he definitely is much better at ring generalship than the other guys I spar.

[tcbender]

When I decided to turn pro, Johnny asked me "what style that I wanted to be?" How do I want to fight? I told him that I wanted to be aggressive. He said ok and told me by phone to meet him at a rec center at this time..... "and be ready to work!"


I met him at CMI, where Jackie and Bronco were already in the room. I want to say that Bill Miller was there too, but my mind is sketchy on that.


The room consisted of a ring, 2 heavy bags, a mirror and space to work. Jackie was beside the ring as Bronco was getting warm shadow boxing. I heard them talk a bit about this guy from Monroe, Michigan. I remember that Bronco had come to where I had trained as an amateur and we had worked. I only recall that he was straight up tough and had one hell of a hook. But we had a good throw.

At this time Johnny demanded that I meet him in Pontiac for a spell, he could see that I wasn't at all sharp and needed to be worked.

I had spent a summer of indulging all of my partying needs, and I loved to party, but I also loved to fight. I had made a deal with myself that I would party in excess until it was time to train. And when it was time to train I would give it my true all and even do so in excess.

I met Johnny at his house where he drove me and a fighter named Courtney Hooper to Pontiac where we were to work.

My amateur days were spent walking the ring and fighting when I wanted to while controlling with the jab. Greg Owens worked with me starting out and then Greg Rice worked with me after about my 12th amateur bout or so. That's when I was really opened up to the art of boxing. Greg so absolutely loved Sugar Ray Robinson and would always talk about his style. He gave me a video of Ray Robinson, Pound for Pound. He told me too work like Ray, to jab like Ray, to walk the ring and an opponent like Ray. Always do it with class, like Ray.


When we got to Pontiac I met: a guy named Moochie, a former opponent Steve Thomas and of course Courtney had driven with us. We warmed up and gloved up. Then I don't remember anything...?.

Good read.