Jumping Rope!

Another post about my very enticing dinners and post WORK adventures. Prepared by the best parents a son could ever ask for. (Saying it a hundred times wouldn't suffice to show how grateful I am).

I was able to eat two healthy portions of chopsuey and fried chicken. I'm really getting used to the habit of drinking water (2 glasses) before eating. I tend to eat less (subjective) and get full faster. I've also learned to slow down whenever I eat. Call it simple, but counting to 10 every spoonful really seems like a long time, but it does the trick.

After that tasty dinner, time to do some more paper work and when it's safe for me to work out, BOOM!

I can't think of a better time for me to workout than after a full day schedule at the clinic and a healthy dinner.

Menu for tonight, jump rope and stretching. Lots of stretching.

In all things, persevere,

Anthony Verrick Dones

S.tarting boxing? 3 things to be aware of when you do.

When people take up boxing, especially if it's just for exercise, they tend to think that the best asset that they can develop is power.

I know this, I'm a pretty good example. I started boxing when I was still very heavy, weighed about 80kilograms (176 pounds) and I really thought, "Boxing, huh? I have to punch hard". The following week, wasn't able to workout at the gym because I sprained my right hand.

My coaches told me that power is easy to add or acquire, versus having proper form, upping their speed, footwork and getting the right timing for your punches.

Here are 3 things to take note when you start boxing.

1. Cardio

Before you start boxing, it's better that you've already been doing some form of exercise, be it another sport, or jogging. At Red Gloves, even the warm up can make it hard to breathe. Then follows the usual routine (heavy bags, mitts, double end and speedball- followed by jump rope and ab workout).

Start building up your cardio by jogging early in the morning or evening, just put a quick 30 minute jog in your village or do 10 minutes or more of jump. Refer to my blog about the benefits of jumping rope.

2. Proper Form

Just like anything that you are starting to learn, be it a new game, a new hobby or a new sport, it's alright to start slow. You learn the proper form, and technique when throwing a punch, doing head slips and the proper footwork when moving around the ring or your opponent.

Learn the proper form, then slowly add the speed and timing and then when you have those down, smack the bags with all you got (all out power!!!).

3. Diet

You will notice that most of my posts (about eating rice, encountering my speedbumps) include "diet" in them. If you really are serious about boxing, boxing will also be serious towards you. Boxing will help you but if you can't control you appetite, even if you work out for 2-3 hours (shed a few tears while training), then you let yourself go during dinner- it would have all been for nothing. When you can't control your appetite and your choice for food to consume, every time you step in the gym, you start at square one all over again.

So guys, boxing isn't all about power. Okay, it sure sounds cool when you hit the bags/mitts hard enough, that you make loud sounds. But you still have a lot of things to take note of.

Build your cardio so you can last longer through the routine and learn from the coaching instead of gasping for air in the corner.

Learn the proper form to be able to protect yourself from injuries and apply the techniques that your coaches tell you.

Control your appetite and stick to your diet (lots of vegetables, protein and avoid junk/fast food).

Lastly, enjoy the experience and let boxing help you improve, not only your physical ability but also help you improve as a person all together.

In all things, persevere,

Anthony Verrick Dones

email: anthonyverrickdones@gmail.com

mobile: 09175481201

P.S. Do you want to learn how to lose 13 pounds in 3 weeks?

"Yes Anthony, I want to know how to do that."

M.ove your feet, or else you get hit.

One of the things that I have to improve on my boxing is footwork. Mobility in the ring, the freedom of movement within the four corners during a fight can become my best weapon. Well, aside from limitless stamina (keep you posted about this one), timing and speed of my punches.

I was searching YouTube for drills that I can add to my routine so I can improve my footwork. I came across Albert Pope, a boxing coach who posts video clips of different boxing techniques and drills. Fortunately, most of his videos are the basic moves for boxing, footwork, bob and weave, head and body movement.

I got to learn cutting the corners, if you want to improve your footwork (getting away from the corner, going around your opponent), add this drill into your workout.

How did you find the drill? If you have drills you can suggest, please do.

In all things, persevere,

Anthony Verrick Dones

email: anthonyverrickdones@gmail.com

mobile: 09175481201

Step by step. You will get to your goal.

A lot of trainers, boxers and boxing enthusiasts will tell you that boxing is a very complex sport. While others will tell you, it is a simple sport. You improve your stamina, timing, speed, power and you are good to go. They will tell you to train both your mind and body to endure every 3-minute round of a boxing match, sparring session or even your routine training.

If you ask me, it's pretty complex. It means a lot more than just hitting somebody trying to knock him out.

It's complex in a sense that boxing is not just about punching and beating the hell out of some guy (or girl). It's much more than that. It trains, not only your physical strength, endurance and stamina, but also your mental toughness. It is a place, a sanctuary wherein you get to know yourself, challenge yourself. You train yourself and achieve success in small or big endeavors of your training. It tells you that if you can go through with such a hard training, you can do any goal you set for yourself to achieve.

As for me, I've set a small goal of lasting the whole 3-minutes of our mitts (2 of these) during my routine workout at the gym. I set this small goal in order to achieve a bigger goal of lasting 3 rounds of the amateur match (with the pressure and an opponent in the ring that actually wants to knock you out) that will happen this November.

You set small goals to achieve an even greater goal. You take small steps, small successes until you can handle bigger ones.

What are your major goals? What have you set for your workouts, for yourself?

In all things, persevere,

Anthony Verrick Dones

email: anthonyverrickdones@gmail.com

website: http://bit.ly/as5agO

mobile: 09175481201

The ROACH and Jump Rope

I was just thinking of how I can input more "fitness time" into my schedule. A schedule which includes staying up, checking my FB account, blogger, reading manga, and listening to audiobooks (yes, I know, dovetailing does not exist).

I came across an article featuring Freddie Roach (Who's this guy again? LOL) and he was asked to share a simple routine that people can follow.

The most intriguing part (well, for me) is the warm up part and the way he keeps mentioning what Pacquiao does during his training (well, because he has an upcoming fight- for sure).

The routine goes like this;

1. WARM-UP. Stretch for 15 minutes.

2. JUMP ROPE. 10 minutes without a break. It's equivalent to 30 minutes of jogging.

The good thing about your jump rope is that you can take it anywhere, need a small space but still enjoy the benefits of a full 30 minute (jogging) exercise. Talk about making the most of your time.

3. HEAVY BAG. Do three three-minute rounds with a minute rest in between rounds. He mentioned that Pacman does the heavy bag rounds WITHOUT between round rest.

At Red Gloves Boxing Gym, I do a series of combinations or what specific combination coach tells me to do. Most of the time, I do double jab-straight, R-upper L-hook Straight, Jab slip R-upper L-hook Straight followed by one-two combination. (I'll follow up with videos for the combinations).

4. SPEED BAG. Do ten minutes without break. What I do at the gym for speed bag are combinations with count (I'll put a video in for this) for two 3-minute rounds with 1 minute break.

5. SIT UPs (the best part). The Roach said four sets of 25. But to make it more challenging, you can hold weights to your chest. He mentioned that Pacman 1,000 sit ups with 25-pound plate (ouch) TWICE a day. At the gym, we do various crunches, 30 counts of each and believe me, they are so good, you WILL cry. (I did.)

6. JUMP ROPE (Yes, again. The reason why I feature this article). Do 5 minutes, its a warm down after a fun set of exercises.

So that's the routine I got from the one and only, Freddie Roach. Till the next feature.

Do you have a routine that you want to share?

In all things, persevere,

Anthony Verrick Dones

mobile: 09175481201

email: anthonyverrickdones@gmail.com