So you think you know the rules of amateur boxing? Maybe you do, maybe you don+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-t. Take a look at some of the most common mistakes I see and experience (and sometimes make, myself) on a regular basis. 1. It+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-s not called a fight (Although I call it that sometimes.) Only professional … [Read more...]
The 100 Rounds of Sparring Rule
How many rounds of sparring should you have before you enter your first amateur boxing competition? I love this question, and coaches??enjoy arguing about it. We+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-re naturally argumentative. We+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-ll punch you, if needed. Seriously. If you make the transition from boxing fitness to sparring, … [Read more...]
How to Wrap Your Hands for Boxing Competition
When you+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-re training for boxing, you+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-ll probably wear regular boxing wraps or gel gloves underneath your boxing gloves for protection and support. When you compete under the USA Boxing sanction, the rules on what you can use to wrap your hands, and how you must wrap them, are very … [Read more...]
How Amateur Boxing Matches are REALLY Made
Getting a good amateur boxing match together is never, ever a blissfully effortless ride on the pugilistic merry-go-round. It+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-s the most complex, chaotic, and frequently emotional mess you ever did see. If all you ever do is show up to enjoy a local fight night it might look smooth, from the … [Read more...]
How to Pack Your Coach Bag for Amateur Boxing Events
Since I+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-m usually officiating, I+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-m not the one who packs the gym bag to take our competitive boxing team to their events, but sometimes I pitch in to help the other coaches remember everything we need. And finally I wrote it all down, since that+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-s infinitely preferable to madly … [Read more...]
10 Things I’ve Learned About Camping and Hiking on the Blue Ridge Parkway
We were on the upper NC section of the Blue Ridge Parkway this year, which has more open, rolling pastureland than you see in the +ACYAIw-8220+ADs-High Country+ACYAIw-8221+ADs lower down. The park+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-s boundaries are narrower in this section +ACYAIw-8212+ADs sometimes only a half-mile wide +ACYAIw-8212+ADs so in addition to enjoying … [Read more...]
How to Work Against the Ropes
At most boxing gyms you+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-ll hear coaches tell you to stay off the ropes and control the center of the ring during your rounds. And that+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-s sound advice. But there+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-s also some good things to be said about being the kind of fighter who can perform well against the ropes, and even win a … [Read more...]
How to Work Against the Ropes
At most boxing gyms you+ACY-rsquo+ADs-ll hear coaches tell you to stay off the ropes and control the center of the ring during your rounds. And that+ACY-rsquo+ADs-s sound advice. But there+ACY-rsquo+ADs-s also some good things to be said about being the kind of fighter who can perform well against the ropes, and even win a … [Read more...]
Two Things You Want in a Sparring Partner
The transition from the floor of the gym to the boxing ring can be a bitch.??When you+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-re new, you can barely tell a jab from a cross+ADs the prospect of live sparring feels like being dropped into a pit with Jabba the Hutt+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-s Rancor (pictured above, nomming someone+ACYAIw-8217+ADs-s arm). So how the … [Read more...]
Two Things You Want in a Sparring Partner
The transition from the floor of the gym to the boxing ring can be a bitch.+ACY-nbsp+ADs-When you+ACY-rsquo+ADs-re new, you can barely tell a jab from a cross+ADs the prospect of live sparring feels like being dropped into a pit with Jabba the Hutt+ACY-rsquo+ADs-s Rancor (pictured above, nomming someone+ACY-rsquo+ADs-s arm). So how … [Read more...]