About the training

4^th December

I thought I should tell you more about the training. It starts with a run, then some skipping, stretching, warm-up, shadow boxing, sparring, grabbling, pads and optional exercise such as sit-ups etc.

Shadow boxing I have mentioned before: punching and kicking air, and trying to learn the right technique. In sparring first we normally put on shin pads and practice kicking and blocking in pairs. Then it’s turn for gloves, so it’s kicking and punching at the same time. Quite hard remember to block one’s face while kicking and other way around. Next the shin pads come off and it’s time for only punching. That’s my weakness; I just don’t seem how to block my face properly, but I’m getting there.

Grabbling is a lot of fun, but it takes a lot of energy. It’s all about trying to lock the other one around the neck or somehow hold the other person so you can either knee them or throw them on the floor. Between all these changes for more or less protection we always do ten push-ups, after shadow boxing it’s three sets of ten.

Kicking the pads is where you can really let the power out, if you have any left. You kick and punch pads, while the trainer is trying to teach you the right technique. One round usually ends in ten high kicks on each side with all the power you have. Normally we do two rounds of pads.

After the pads I have started doing hundred front kicks kicking the bag and after hundred sit-ups. Sometimes I also try to do a front kick and knee combination or just kneeing the bag, both of them require a lot of energy though so I’m trying to take it easy while I’m building my endurance.   

At the moment I’m bruised all over my body, my right ankle and calf hurt, and my right hand hurts from punching. Still somehow I manage to do the runs and the training. Sleeping in between definitely helps and just the love for the training.