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Effects of Combat Stress: What Your Body Does When You Get in a Boxing Ring
While you probably aren't going to end up dead (with any luck), when you get into a boxing ring, you are putting yourself in a combat situation. That results in combat stress. Combat stress can significantly impair your ability to perform certain tasks and basically, unchecked, is going to make you a lousy boxer.
Most people who get in a boxing ring for the first time - their first official amateur match - or first fight of any sort - don't remember what happened when it's all over with. They know they were there, but for the most part they probably can't recall the intimate details and punch by punch action that took place. Combat stress is what causes this temporary amnesia.
Combat stress will impact what a boxer thinks, sees, hears, how he responds and can even have an effect on how he bleeds (vasoconstriction). You can never cancel out all of the effects of combat stress, but with the proper training, you can minimize some of them or at least recognize the symptoms so you can adjust your gameplan accordingly.
You've probably heard of the "fight or flight" response. Combat stress will initiate your body's sympathetic nervous system (SNS) in order to run or fight. This is an extremely powerful survival mechanism that focuses all of your body's resources on either running or fighting. The response is automatic, involuntary, virtually uncontrollable and will dominate all voluntary systems until the threat is eliminated or avoided.
What Happens When Your SNS is Activated?
Increased Heartrate
That big muscle in your chest called your heart is linked to SNS activation. When the body hits the go button for the SNS, your heart will jump from a normal BPM in the range of 60-80 to over 200 BPM within seconds. This is to surge stress hormones throughout your body instantly in order to react to the threat.
The optimal range for combat is between 115-145 BPM. In that range, the boxer's ability to perform complex motor skills and movements, visual reaction time, and cognitive reaction time are at their peak. Therefore a boxer operating with a heartbeat between 115-145 BPM is going to be alert, sharp, and clear with excellent reaction times.
At 115 BPM, fine motor skills begin to deteriorate (things requiring dexterity like tightening small screws, etc...) At 145 BPM complex motor skills begin to deteriorate. (things like throwing complex combinations). At 145 BPM, the boxer will begin to lose the ability to react and think on his feet. He will not become completely useless, especially with proper training, but ability to change gameplans is going to be severely hampered.
At 175 BPM, full SNS activation has occurred and the only thing you can do is fight or run. Vasoconstriction is at its highest (tightening of blood vessels) so any cuts you do sustain likely aren't going to bleed. You may experience tunnel vision and auditory exclusion (can only hear your immediate threat and nothing going on around you.) You may experience irrational behaviour such as freezing in place, becoming submissive, or passive. Some even lose control of bladder and bowels.
You may be saying to yourself right now that this is a load of crap. After all, you've pushed yourself with wind sprints and other training to a heart rate well over 175 BPM on multiple occasions and haven't crapped yourself. It's a different kind of heart rate increase. It is the stress hormone induced heart rate that causes these symptoms. Same will not happen for exercise induced heart rate increases.
Perceptual narrowing or selective attention is also going to occur. Basically, your body is gathering information from your 5 senses at all times. In a fight situation, it is going to start ignoring some of the senses that aren't helping and increasing the sensitivity of the others. So, you might find yourself seeing really well, but feeling nothing. It is not uncommon to not feel punches until after the fight is over and you've calmed down.
Auditory Exclusion
As I mentioned, during combat, vision is probably the most useful of the senses. So, your body starts shutting off the other senses. One of the first to go is your hearing. I still remember my first time in the ring. Despite being in front of a crowd of 500 plus screaming, drunk, casino going fans, I didn't hear any of them for the entire fight. It wasn't until after the fight that I realized it, but I have no recollection of hearing anything going on around me. I was totally focused on what was happening in the ring.
This is also part of the reason that your training is so important and that drills are drilled in and become second nature. If you think you are going to be able to listen to your trainer inbetween rounds and make huge changes to your gameplan, think again. You aren't going to be in any position to think rationally or hear what he has to say. If he has to say something, he is better off trying to communicate visually by showing you something.
Where this perceptual narrowing is very beneficial is in the reduction of pain. Punches to the face and body that would normally cripple you - you aren't going to feel - for now. You'll be able to take quite a punishment, get cut and not bleed, and still carry on. Just beware of what happens when your heart rate comes back down and the stress hormones subside - you'll suddenly feel the pain and the blood will begin to gush if you've been cut.
Effects on Vision
SNS activation will also have effects on vision. First, you'll probably notice tunnel vision where you start to lose the ability to see out of your periphery vision. It will be like looking down a tube. Unfortunately, this isn't good to see things like hooks coming at you and is especially bad if you are fighting at night as your night vision receptors are located in your periphery.
Second, you may experience loss of near vision. Anything closer than 1 metre will not be clearly defined. Again, a bad thing for boxing where all of your engagements happen at close range. It is due to pupil dilation which is a byproduct of SNS activation. Luckily, you aren't aiming at small items and it is fairly easy to pick out someone's head or body.
Other visual anamolies may include loss of ability to focus, loss of depth perception, loss of night vision, and loss of monocular vision.
Some of these issues can be trained for. For example, rather than using your eyes to observe what your opponent is doing, learn to pivot your entire head. Not only are you presenting a moving target then, but you are combatting the effects of tunnel vision. Similarly, having drilled movements, you will be able to respond without focusing on a target - you just unleash the fury.
Effects on Reaction Time
Reaction time is a four step process:
- Perception
- Analyzing and evaluating the information or threat level
- formulating a response and
- initiating a motor response
All of this has to happen in sequence, you can't jump any portion of it for any reaction. Research has shown that reaction time deteriorates as you exceed a 145 BPM heart rate. By 175 BPM, it really sucks. Most notably, if step 2 and 3 are interrupted, a motor response will not occur. So, if you can disrupt your opponent's reaction process by overloading the information provided or being so far ahead of his decision cycle that he can't catch up - you will literally render him motionless.
Effects on Motor Skill Performance
Boxers aren't too concerned about being able to perform surgery or other fine motor skills, but so you know, those fine motor skills will deteriorate when heart rate hits 115 BPM. Of more concern are complex motor skills and gross motor skills.
Complex motor skills are going to start sucking the big bananna from 145 BPM onward. Complex motor skills are those required to move muscle groups in a series of movements. Therefore the more intricate combinations and movements are going to become increasingly harder to do as your hear rate goes up.
Gross motor skills actually benefit from the increased heart rate. These are simple muscular movements, symmetrical in nature. They involve the large muscle groups such as legs and back - basically strength movements - straight punching and running for example.
Endurance Limitations
The body relies on three energy systems that kick in at different times depending on how long one is fighting/running and the intensity of the combat:
1. ATP System (Adenosin Triphosphate). This system consists of small energy bundles stored in the muscles. When this system is being used as fuel, the boxer has about 10-15 seconds of 100% maximum output before it burns out resulting in a 45% decrease in maximal energy.
2. Lactic Acid System. Once the ATP system has burnt out your body will switch to this system for fuel. It comes online like an afterburner. It doesn't burn as hot as ATP, but will give the boxer intermediate strength for about 45 seconds. Energy level will be at about 35% after 60 seconds in a confrontation.
3. Aerobic System. The last fuel that kicks in is the aerobic system. It is a fuel mixture of oxygen, carbs, and free fatty acids. Benefit is that it can burn for a really long time, especially if the boxer is conditioned well. Unfortunately it will only provide about 30% of maximal power.
So what does that really mean to a boxer?
Considering you are fighting a three minute round, you can expect 10-15 seconds of maximal output followed by intermediate strength for the rest of the first minute. The rest of the round you will be reduced to minimal power. So, you need to plan your attack to be the most effective and engage that one minute or so of maximal/intermediate power at the right time, while maintaining your edge for the rest of the round.
Preventing or Reducing SNS Activation
That was quite a long a technical article describing how your body reacts to combat. Now, here's the meat - what you can do to prevent the bad effects or attempt to shutdown activation as much as possible. Five major variables have an immediate impact on SNS activation:
- Perceived level of threat
- Time Needed to respond
- Level of confidence and personal skill
- Level of experience in dealing with the specific threat
- physical stress (fatigue, sleep deprivation, malnutrition)
In case you didn't pick it out - all of the above variables can be influenced with training. By simulating boxing scenarios (sparring) and doing boxing drills (increasing experience/confidence) and improving conditioning (physical ability) - the boxer can "control" their fight or flight response. What it really comes down to is practice. Nothing fancy, but good old hard work.
There is also a simple breathing exercise that can be done to limit the effects of panic attacks, SNS activation, and increased heart rates:
- inhale through nose for 4 seconds and hold for 4 seconds
- exhale through mouth for 4 seconds and hold for 4 seconds
- repeat 4 times
Happy fighting.
Fast Track to Fat Loss Review
Back in September, 2008, I first introduced the online fitness program - Fast Track to Fat Loss - when I presented 9 members of the program competing for a trip to Mexico based on their body transformations. I also mentioned at the time that once the Fast Track to Fat Loss site opened to the public that I would test it out to present my honest opinions about it.
I have to tell you up front that I had high hopes for the Fast Track to Fat Loss site. I've followed one of the founders, Chad Tackett, since he first started offering online fitness programs with another site called Global Health and Fitness. That site grew and helped thousands and thousands of people get in shape. The impact he has had on so many lives is both amazing and inspiring, and I hoped he could repeat it with Fast Track to Fat Loss.
He has since sold Global Fitness in order to devote himself full time to this new online fitness site, teaming up with fitness superstar Kim Lyons (you may remember her from The Biggest Loser) to bring easy to follow online meal and training programs focusing on fat loss to the internet masses.
When the site opened up to the public, I signed up and have been a member since February of 2009. Now I really didn't need to lose any weight, but decided to give it a go anyways - so that I could report back here. In 10 weeks I managed to cut my bodyfat percentage from approx 13% to 10% and increased lean mass by 12 lbs which I consider to be a success.
So What is Fast Track to Fat Loss and Is it Worth It?
In simplest terms I can think of - it is a complete online training program that focuses on fat loss, emphasizing simplicity, accountability, and uses real trainers to assist with motivation. Whether or not it's worth it is up to you - read on to find out what I think are it's good and bad points.
The Good
The Fast Track to Fat Loss Core
Refreshingly, the entire program is focused around nutrition and meal planning in conjunction with effective exercise rather than prescribing some training plan promising instant results 3 days a week. I've said it on How to Box, emphasize it on How to Box, and will say it again that nutrition accounts for 90% of your results whether it is fat loss, muscle gain, or improved sports performance. The workout is necessary, but it isn't the be all and end all.
Fast Track to Fat Loss focuses on ensuring you are eating right and goes to great lengths to ensure you understand 5 key nutrition rules. They even go so far as to send you a free DVD highlighting these key eating rules. Then, when you become a member, you are given tools that help you create meals that are based on these rules.
The Fast Track to Fat Loss Interface
The site itself is quite easy to use. It has worked out a number of kinks that were initially present such as not catering to the Internet Explorer crowd and various less than desireable usability issues. However, I can honestly say that in the last month or so, it has evolved into a very efficient, easy to use, uncluttered system. Upon logging in and becoming a member you will see a screen like this:
Fast Track to Fat Loss Interface
Like Twitter or Facebook or other social media sites, you have the ability to update your status so your friends on the site can track what you're up to.
Across the top are 5 tabs: Your Profile, Exercise, Nutrition, Motivation, and Community. What you will find under each is pretty much self explanatory, but the three most important are Your Profile, Exercise and Nutrition.
1. Your Profile - Like any fitness site, How to Box included, your profile pages are your control center. The information you put in them lets people find you, cheer you on, leave messages, contact you etc... The information is also used by the site to customize exercise programs and nutrition plans.
2. Exercise - You will go here to print off your training plan and enter your data when you're done so the site can track your progress. I'm not a huge fan of entering data - more on that below.
3. Nutrition - The meat and potatoes of the program, this section will let you combine foods to create meals that follow the 5 key rules of the Fast Track to Fat Loss program. It is very intuitive to use, although limited in its initial food offerings. However, you can add your own making it pretty much unlimited.
Fast Track to Fat Loss Trainers
Chad
Kim
Brad
Pam
Brooke
Immediately upon signing up, you are assigned a real life personal trainer. These are people, such as Pam, who have completed the Fast Track to Fat Loss program and then complete a personal trainer certification. As well, you always have full access to both Chad Tackett and Kim Lyons to answer all of your questions.
I've got plenty of experience with both exercise and nutrition and tested my trainer - Brad to gauge the quality and responsiveness of his replies. As potentially hundreds of people could be assigned the same trainer, I wanted to make sure that I could actually access him if I did have questions. I'm happy to report he was both knowledgeable and available, usually within a few minutes - max a couple of hours.
Points and Rewards
Something Chad did well with his previous site was to reward people getting in shape by motivating them with free vacations in a 12 week challenge (win a trip to Loreto, Mexico). That same concept has come over to Fast Track to Fat Loss and also been compounded with addition of points for completing tasks such as workouts, meal plans, tracking progress, etc... The points received can then be used in their online store for various types of fitness related merchandise. Selection isn't all that great at the moment, but will undoubtedly increase over time.
Anyone who has tried to follow an online program understands how hard it is to stay focused. By having a trainer attached to you along with rewards for following the program - an element of accountability and motivation is built in which helps you succeed.
The Bad
I shouldn't really call these things bad - but they are "disappointments" I've had with the program:
1. Accountability - as I've stated, Fast Track to Fat Loss does a lot more in this area than other online programs, but I still believe there is room for improvement. Even on How to Box, I constantly struggle with ways to keep people who join How to Box active on their programs. It's nice to see Fast Track to Fat Loss is tackling the same issues, but I was hoping they had some magic ingredient up their sleeve that I could selfishly steal to implement here.
2. Exercise Programs - while they are geared to various levels of experience, even the most advanced programs were lacking for what I wanted to do. After consulting with my trainer, it became apparent the system is not designed to create your own programs and as such I ended up not using this feature as the most advanced programs were not challenging enough for me. Granted, for most trying to lose some weight, this is going to be more than sufficient, but I wouldn't recommend it for someone who has been involved in sports/strength training for many years.
3. Data Entry - I hate data entry. I do not believe it to be beneficial for the majority of the population out there. Again, it is not a required part of the program, but the system does ask you to log your workouts and meal plans. This is so you can send them to your trainer for review and track progress over time, but I know from experience, the more "work" you make a person do to get in shape, the less likely they will stick it out.
That said, it is a nice feature for those of you who are stats hounds and need to know how many pushups you increased since the beginning of time. You can use it if you wish, but you aren't obligated by any means.
Far more effective than entering data are pictures and video - which you can do on the site as well - to track your progress.
Fast Track to Fat Loss Summary
As I said at the beginning of this I had high hopes for Fast Track to Fat Loss - and overall they have evolved to meet my expectations. I don't agree 100% with the way they have everything setup, but for someone needing to get in shape or wanting to shed some weight, it is a very effective program and I especially like the nutrition aspect of it.
There are many more features than I've gone into here. I didn't even touch on the Motivation and Community aspects of the site which offer some great fitness tips and ways to link up and get support from others in the program. A lot of it is similar to other social networking sites out there, but definitely helps to foster a community feel that you belong to.
No one online fitness program is perfect for everyone and if you're thinking the 12 week boxing training plan isn't your ticket to a better body, then perhaps you should give Fast Track to Fat Loss a try. I maintain my membership there simply to be a part of the community, and have seen the successes people are having. It's simple, effective, and achievable. Take a closer look at what they have to offer now.
Boxing Fitness Test - How Do You Measure Up?
As I've said many times, I like boxing workouts because they are all encompassing. They focus on everything: strength, power, speed, stamina, endurance, agility, balance, flexibility, and reaction times. A complete boxing lifestyle also incorporates good nutrition and coping skills. It's no wonder, I'm such a fan.
Wanna Rank?
Anyways, in building How to Box, as I pointed out in 3 Step Secret to Keeping Yourself Motivated to Train, I needed a way for members to measure their current fitness ability in each of the above areas. As boxing is referred to as the "Sweet Science", I figured there must be a boxing fitness test out there that I could incorporate into the site.
Unfortunately, to my surprise, I didn't find a standard boxing fitness test anywhere. Closest I could find was a SPARQ boxing test used on Season 3 of The Contender. It seems, nobody in the boxing industry has created a standardized test that people can use to assess their level of fitness as it pertains to boxing.
Until now...
While I'm not claiming that the fitness assessment you do on How to Box will be recognized industry wide, it does test every major characteristic required of a boxer to perform at his or her peak. This test is also extremely relevant to anyone wanting to improve their overall fitness levels as it is a complete body test, Just like boxing workouts, this test assesses all aspects of your fitness (except health related ie.. blood pressure, bloodwork, etc...)
For How to Box members, you can perform this fitness assessment as often as you like and record your results in your profile so you have a complete historical picture of your development. As well, at a glance, you can see where you rank in terms of fitness level both against the standard test scores and other members on How to Box. Perhaps it is your destiny to prove you are the most fit member of How to Box?
For those of you who aren't members (yet), you can still perform this test. I'm about to describe it, but, of course, the site won't be recording your progress or ranking you against everyone else. Don't let that discourage you though. If you aren't in a position to become a full fledged member right now, do the tests anyways. As I've mentioned before, to improve, you need to know from where you are starting.
The How to Box Boxing Fitness Test
Aerobic Endurance
To measure aerobic endurance, the generally accepted method is a calculation of VO2 Max. There are two formulas that are used, but the formula I use here takes into account the bodyweight of the individual. Your VO2 Max is your body's ability to transport and utilize oxygen during incremental physical activity. For aerobic endurance - this is the most relevant measurement.
The easiest way to come up with the measurement is using the Cooper's Test. The formula is: VO2 Max = (distance in metres-505)/45.
How to Perform the Cooper's Test
1. Determine some way to measure distances to the nearest metre. That could mean investing in a GPS device, using a track, or some other makeshift thing you come up with. You will also need a stopwatch to measure 12 minutes.
2. Run as far and as fast as you can in 12 minutes. Record the distance you run in metres.
3. Plug that distance into the formula and you will get your VO2 Max in ml/min/kg.
In order to determine your current level of fitness in this area, either add a fitness assessment to your How to Box profile and check your ranking, or check this Wikipedia page on VO2 Max for more information, tables, and calculators.
Strength and Power Index
Measuring strength and power is relatively straight forward and consists of taking five exercises and performing them to failure and then determining your "strength index" by taking all of your results and dividing by 5. Some of the exercises are timed while others are just continuous to failure. This test is also referred to as the McCloy Physical Fitness Index.
How To Come Up With Your Strength Index
1. Have a stopwatch available, area to perform exercises, and perhaps a mat if you desire, and pull up bar.
2. Perform the maximum number of pushups you can do (continuous, good form). Record the number.
3. Perform the maximum number of pullups you can do (continuous, good form). Record the number.
4. Perform the maximum number of situps you can do in 2 minutes. Does not have to be continuous, but, of course, must be good form. Record the number.
5. Perform the maximum number of bodyweight Squats you can do in 1 minute. Does not have to be continuous, but of course, must be good form. Record the number.
6. Perform the maximum number of squat jumps you can do in 1 minute. Does not have to be continuous, but of course, must be good form. Record the number.
7. Add the results from all 5 exercises and divide by 5.
In order to determine your current level of fitness in this area, either add a fitness assessment to your How to Box profile and check your ranking, or check this page on McCloy Index for more information, tables, and calculators.
Balance Score
In boxing, the ability to remain balanced while transferring weight effectively is of paramount importance. This test is simple and focuses on your ability to balance on your feet (actually one foot at a time...) If you can stay on your feet, you will be a better boxer - duh. This test is called a Flamingo Test for reasons that will become obvious in a minute.
To Get Your Balance Score Using the Flamingo Test
1. Find yourself a 2 x 4 (on the narrow side) or some other raised, narrow surface that is no wider than your foot. The ideal width is 3cm. (yes that's really narrow). Lacking that, you can draw a line on the floor, but it is a much better test if you are standing on something. Make sure it isn't super slippery and it is anchored so it isn't going to move while you are trying to stand on it. Also going to need a stopwatch and likely someone to assist you.
2. Take off your shoes.
3. Stand on the beam and raise one of your legs, bend it at the knee, grab it with a hand and hold it close to your buttocks. Doesn't matter which leg you stand on - go with your preferred leg. Likely going to need someone to help you get into this position.
4. When you are in position, let go of whoever is helping you and start the stopwatch.
5. Stop the stopwatch immediately if you fall of the beam or let go of your leg letting it fall out of position. Record the time in seconds.
6. Repeat 3 times - add up all your times and divide by 3 for the average.
In order to determine your current level of fitness in this area, either add a fitness assessment to your How to Box profile and check your ranking, or check this page on The Flamingo Test which is part of the Eurofit Battery of tests for more information, tables, and calculators.
Reaction Score
Determining reaction speeds accurately without specialized equipment in boxing is extremely difficult. Ideally, one wants to use an electronic setup that will force a response and measure the time it takes in milliseconds.
To complicate things further, the movements should mimic boxing. For most of us, that isn't possible, so this is the next best thing and measures limb speed. It isn't a true reaction test - more of a muscular function test, but will give you an idea of how fast you can move your arms to respond to an event.
How to Get Your Reaction Score with the Tap Test
1. Find yourself a vertical wall and tape a rectangle at chin level. It should be 30cm x 20cm. You can make it out of paper, cardboard or whatever. On either side of the rectangle, with their centers 60cm apart, attach discs that have 20cm diameter. So, on the wall, you will have a disc, a rectangle, and then other disc. The rectangle is midway between the discs. Have a stopwatch ready and someone to use it.
2. You get to do this once with each arm. First, put your left hand on the rectangle. You move your right hand from disc to disc as fast as you can 25 times (50 taps in total). Stop the stopwatch on the 50th tap and record your time in seconds.
3. Switch arms and repeat.
In order to determine your current level of fitness in this area, either add a fitness assessment to your How to Box profile and check your ranking, or check this page on the Plate Tapping Test which is part of the Eurofit Battery of tests for more information, tables, and calculators.
Agility Score
Good agility will enhance your ability to move in various directions, change directions very quickly, and do all of that while maintaining control. In boxing, this lets you create angles and openings and punch from various positions. Good agility is very obvious in a boxer's footwork
Using the Quadrant Test to Determine Your Agility Score
Quadrant Test
1. Draw out a cross on the floor. This will make 4 quadrants (open sided squares). Bottom left is number 1, top left is number 2, top right is number 3, bottom right is number 4. Start line is below quadrant 1. See picture for layout. Have a stopwatch ready and someone to use it.
2. Starting at start line, you will jump with both feet into quadrant 1, 2, 3, 4 moving in clockwise direction. You must land completely in each quadrant - no touching lines or landing in wrong quadrant. You will do this 2 times clockwise and 2 times counterclockwise (4, 3, 2, 1).
3. When ready, go and jump for 10 seconds. Count the number of complete hops you are able to do.
4. If you touch a line or land in the wrong quadrant, you lose 0.5 points. You get 1 point for every correct hop. At the end of two clockwise trials and two counter clockwise trials, take your 4 scores and divide by 4 for the average score.
In order to determine your current level of fitness in this area, either add a fitness assessment to your How to Box profile and check your ranking. I have yet to find a standardized set of scores for this test, so best you will be able to do is improve on what you do rather than compare yourself to proven athlete scores.
Advanced Tests
There are two obvious tests that are missing to determine current level of boxing ability. One is an anaerobic type of punching speed test and the other is a punching power test. Both are impossible to measure without specialized sensors that can register punch pressure and hits over time. There is one commercial device that does this that I am aware of and that may be available on How to Box in the near future. A test model is being sent to me for review.
If acceptable, these scores will be worked into the member fitness assessments for those that decide to purchase the the sensors. They are affixed to focus pads or heavy bags and the total cost of the systems is less than $100. Stay tuned for more to come.
In Conclusion
The most obvious test for a boxer happens when he or she gets in the ring. It is at that time that all of your fitness flaws are exposed. One will quickly realize how hard they actually did work in their training and where their weaknesses in conditioning are.
For those who never get in the ring though, aside from how you feel and look, it is difficult to determine what kinds of conditioning improvements are taking place in your body. With the How to Box boxing test, not only will you now have a standard that you can improve on, but you will also be able to see how you measure up against other boxers and fitness enthusiasts using the site.
The score you are ranked with on How to Box is an average of the 5 tests to give you a Site Ranking Index. Improvement in one area will improve your overall score just like lack of improvement will decrease it. All are weighted equally so you give each area as much attention as the others. Often people will focus on strength and power to the detriment of agility or other aspects.
If there is another fitness test or one that you feel would more accurately measure a certain aspect of a boxer's conditioning, feel free to share it in the comments. If it is generally accepted, I will incorporate it into the rankings. Other than that, add a fitness assessment now to get yourself ranked. On the right sidebar, a link will be showing up soon "Fitness Rankings" to show you where you stand.
Boxon.
The 3 Step Secret to Keeping Yourself Motivated to Train
If I were to ask you:
How much money you have in your bank account ?
I'm pretty sure you would know the answer (give or take a few cents).
If I were to ask you:
Where you live and where you go to work/school ?
Again, you'd probably know that (unless you're suffering from some type of intoxication or mental illness :).
However, if I were to ask you:
What is your current fitness level or what level of boxing training are you at?
Did I stump you? 9.5 times out of 10, when I ask that to someone, I get the deer in the headlights stare, or a vague response like good, or little, excellent, or not so good (if I get a response at all) or asked "What do you mean?"
Where Are You?
Can You Read This?
1. Endurance - I can complete a half marathon in 1 hour 27 min, a full marathon in 3 hr 17 min and have a VO2 max of 67.62ml/kg/min which is rated as superior (for a 13-19 year old) - and I'm 34.
2. Strength - I can do 83 continuous good form pushups, 17 pullups, and 59 situps/minute and have a combined grip strength of 136kg.
And I could continue to list my stats for speed and power, flexibility, agility, balance, and reaction time, not to mention where I'm currently at for a number of health related tests (blood pressure, cardiac, cholesterol, recovery quotient, etc...)
I'm not listing these to brag, but to make the point that you need to understand where you're at before you can figure out where you're going to go. It's like pulling out a map to drive to Toledo, but you have no idea if you're in Los Angeles or New York. You can see Toledo on the map, but if you plot a route from Los Angeles and you're in New York or vice versa, you're going to run into problems.
Where Are You Going?
Knowing where you are is one end of the spectrum while the other end is where you want to go. Goal setting is incredibly important for anyone trying to achieve pretty much anything, but it is completely useless if you don't have a firm grasp of your current reality - where you are right now - and what condition your body is in right now.
Picture this - I tell you to do 30 continuous pushups or you set a goal yourself to do 30 pushups but right now you are only capable of doing 3 good ones, how demoralizing is that going to be when you get down and pump off your 3 and then fall to the floor exhausted?
The goal is simply unrealistic in the short term. It may be a good long term goal, but if you know you can only do 3, perhaps 5 is a more achievable goal that will fuel your motivation rather than destroy it. Missing your target by 1 or 2 is a challenge. Missing it by 27 is a failure.
Are You On Course?
Once you know where you are and where you want to go, you need feedback along the way to tell you if what you are doing is working or if it isn't working. Knowing something is working will naturally motivate you to continue. Finding out something isn't working will motivate you to change it. But continuing to do something with no idea whether it is working or not - getting you closer to where you want to go - is like walking in circles in the forest. Eventually, you're going to get bored, quit, and die.
Another reason for feedback is that human beings are inherently lazy. They will gravitate and adapt to a workout that gets easier over time, and when that happens, gains will be minimal. That's OK if that's all you aspire to, but not so good if you're trying to achieve something more. If you are training yourself, you need some type of feedback to give you a kick in the ass now and again to continue. That's why it is often a good idea to train with a partner (as long as that partner isn't going to drag you down.)
This feedback loop - where you can actually see your progress - is absolutely essential. You need a record of your progress - written down, photographed, and/or video'd that you can look back at and see a difference. You look at yourself so often during a day that you will not notice the gains you are making, but when you can see yourself at day 1 vs day 84 - you will amaze yourself.
Don't believe me? Take a look at Lunas99's profile page (half way down - My Progress). Or, take a look at other people's progress on How to Box.
So, in summary, the secret to staying motivated and self disciplined when training yourself is threefold:
1. Know where you are at right now.
2. Know exactly where you want to go.
3. Take regular snapshots of your progress on your trip and make adjustments as necessary.
Putting This Into Practice
This three step formula is the reason I ask How to Box members to complete an initial progress report when logging in for the first time. This report asks for their measurements, current front picture, side picture, back picture, and in the very near future (today or tomorrow) also asks them to complete a fitness test designed to simulate the stresses boxing will have on them.
This simple test will calculate things like VO2 max, strength level and so on so the member can see where they are currently at in relation to the fitness industry standards and other users on the site.
By doing this, they know at what level their conditioning is and the next time they complete a progress report a week, two weeks, a month or more down the road, they can see the improvement they have made (or didn't make), be motivated by that to continue or to make the changes necessary to see the improvements.
As well, they can set short term and long term goals in their profiles that they can monitor as "in progress" or "completed". They have a listing of everything they have set out to accomplish and achieved. Can you say the same for yourself? Picture how motivating it must be to look at a list of 10 things you have challenged yourself to do and completed them all.
You don't have to be a How to Box member in order to do this for yourself, although How to Box makes it easy with the tools you are given and I would encourage you to consider becoming a member. Over the next couple of posts, I'm going to outline the process. I'll tell you how to measure your current fitness level, how to track your progress, and how to set and track goals that you can actually achieve.
Until then - Boxon.
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