Logan60 said:
I spoke with my doc, and he said it was OK to return to sparring, but only under close supervision of a qualified trainer and with more experienced partners (basically just mirroring what people here had recommended).
We both agreed that competing at this stage of the game is probably not such a good idea, and that if I have any more head incidents that I need to contact him ASAP.
Thus far I've been happily hitting the gym hard, but haven't sparred yet (probably next week when I get all the kinks out).
ASAP your doctor said! What I hear him saying is that he knows that your not going to stop fighting, and he knows that in your case that what happened to you is soon going to happen again, and then maybe it will convince you to turn to a more non-violent sport in which there is less risk of brain injury.
And he may be right!
Amateur boxing over the years has come to be softened a lot. So much so in fact that within the last ten years that there has come to be even girls out there boxing now.
The new rules and regulations of now requiring protective head gear to be worn in contests have reduced the risk of injury a lot.
As well as some other rules and regulations have come to be in place that also helps to reduce the risk of injury.
I hear a lot today especially on boxing bulletions boards about youngers suffering a lot of injuries and seemingly serious injury.
Kind of makes me wonder why I had not seen much of that in my time boxing amateur back in the 1960s.
Of course, you have to be in shape for it. You have to be tough in body, and if your not you can easily suffer injury, even serious injury.
You got to be in shape for it!
In part, here is that problem ...
NO ONE TRAINS TODAY AS HARD AS BOXERS ONCE DID.
If they do, it is certianly NOT with the knowledge of those before them.
The truth is the great trainers of boxing are history.
I could give names of those who were great trainers in boxing and chances are you may be would have even heard of them only because they were not in you time in boxing. And they are like master pieces that will never be replaced.
In fact, just recently an old times who is still out there training amateur boxers in his case just recenty said that to me. He was right!
The great boxing trainers are history, and are like great master pieces that can never be replaced.
Boxers today, now have strength trainers, rub down guys, physical therapists, and even trainers who have never boxed out there, or if they did box, may not have had more that two or three amateur fights.
Well, maybe they are nice guys. But EXPERTS?
Now this is the advice I would now give to you .....
Over the next three months stay out of the ring, not sparring, or you may soon end up hurt as you were before again.
And do this over the next three months ....
* Get out there at the break of day in the mornings at 5:30 am, or at 6:00 am and do your roadwork (running). Get out there earky in the mornings when the air is more pure and clean to breath. And do that EVERY DAY, not just on some days.
* Evenings ... forget all that stuff about lifting weights. You don't need that to get stronger. If you know how exercise you don't need that to get stronger.
In the early evenings have about half workout of of doing hard calisthenics (such as basic exercises such as push ups, situps, or crunches, and deep kneebends, squats and those kinds of exercises) and stretching exercises.
And do this EVERDAY!
This will strengthen and harden your body, and make your body more flexible. And the roadwork in the mornings will build you stamina.
* On top of all that if you are able to go to the gym FIVE DAYS A WEEK in the early evenings do it, but NOT SPARRING for at least three months. Just skip rope and shadow box, and workout on the heavy bag, speed bag, and on the mitts.
And with the calisthenics and stretching exercises added all that make for it to be at least a two -- to two and half hour workout not not than FIVE DAYS A WEEK.
And there is also something else you need to do ... DO NOT KEEP LATE NIGHTS. Go to bed at time no later than 10:00 or 10:30 pm.
And also have a well-rounded balanced diet, eat three square meals a day.
You do that you do not need supplements.
But taking a multi vitamin and mineral tablet or pill is okay.
Having a well-rounded and balance diet, and getting enough sleep at night both will serve to get you more strength and energy.
You do that for three months, and your going to be in shape, and there will be less risk of injury sparring as long as your not mismatched, and if you have a trainer that at least half way knows what he's doing and he's going to watch out for you and not going to let you get hurt again LIKE HE DID LAST TIME we hope. Maybe you also need to get a better trainer. But of course, I was not there and did not see what happened when you got hurt so I don't really know.
Your still young, you got plenty of time. You don't need to get in a big hurry with this. You most need at this time in my opinion is to mostly exercise and to do the things I said and to get yourself in shape.
Hope you are not offended by any thing I said or by the way I said it. Boxing isn't for wussies! And if your going to be a fighter you need to get out there and get in real good shape and that will toughen you up. For you are going to have to take some punishment to your body if your going to be a boxer.
Thanks for the up date!
I wish you well.
JCC
