Boxing tournament 5 weeks away. 1st fight!

[OLQA]

Your conditioning program should replicate your event. You are going to be fighting 3 hard fast rounds,so your road work should replicate this. You are better off with intense hill sprints and short fast paced runs than 5 miles long distance low tempo runs.Your event is over in 11 minutes taking into account your 1 minute breaks. 5 mile runs will take you well over half an hour. Once you can do distance running you are not going to see big gains by doing loads of it. You can train long or hard but not long and hard,so go at it hard as this will be more in line with your actual fights otherwise if you have long low tempo training sessions you won't be prepared for the short,fast intensity of the actual boxing bouts. If you are conditioned to go at hard for 3 fast minutes you will have the jump on your opponent if he has not trained likewise.
I would also like you to define what you mean by "boxing". Training should fall into 2 categories
1)SKILL BUILDING AND REFINEMENT
2)FIGHT SIMULATION ( Where you create conditions that replicate your event)
That means if you are on the pads or bag don't just go through the motions go at it like you are in a real fight 3 x3 hard minutes. You won't be able to stay in the gym for hours if if you work hard but as I said you can work hard or long but you won't be able to do both.
If you are not doing 1 or 2 you are boxercising which is a form of excercise but not training. Most people's training falls into boxercise and not real training.Think about it you want to own the skills and train yourself to use those skills in an actual event so your training needs to support those goals. Loads of slack low tempo boxercise and distance running is not going to help you when it is on so do things that will get your body and mind prepared for when it is crunch time.

As far as my conditioning, I agree with you. I think running sprints in a fashion that replicates 3 x 3 minute rounds is ideal, at least twice per week with some long distance running at least once per week. I think it all depends on my sparring schedule.

Furthermore, I need to do some long distance running to target my weight objective. My goal is to make it into the 178lb class. Right now I am hovering between 191-194. I have 5 weeks to get down to 178lbs. The tournament I am entering does not allow for any weight allowances.

What I define by boxing is sparring and working through various defensive drills and offensive techniques with my coach. Everything he does with me is to get me ready to fight.

Today I actually sparred 4 rounds with a 2x golden gloves winner who won the 165lb national golden gloves. After the second round I was extremely exhausted. I pushed through the 3rd round. The guy I was sparring with, his coach, and my coach, all asked me if I could go another round (4 rounds) and I said yes but I had nothing left so he worked with me that round.

The guy I sparred with was so technical and he capitalized on every mistake I made. He and I are both southpaws and it was my first time sparring with a southpaw so it was a new learning experience. He and I are going to spar again next week.

I actually haven't been very disciplined with my roadwork because I don't like it but I have to do it if I want to compete. Since I sparred yesterday and today, tomorrow should be a light day at the gym so I will do my roadwork in the morning before boxing skills training. My coach suggested that I run for 45 minutes. He was a former professional fighter who I believe may have an old school view on running. I think I'll be best served by doing HIIT (high intensity interval training) and long distance runs.

[OLQA]

The best thing is experience, and you have an opportunity to gain some of that in this tourney. I'd say go for it, make sure you film it, hopefully with a proper camera. If other people are filming fights (which they inevitably will be) see if you can get copies of their videos, as they'll probably have different angles than you do.

Then have fun, and a few days after the tourney, sit with your trainer and watch and re watch your matches and breakdown what you did, what you didn't do, and what you need to do. . . . etc etc

Thanks. I hope I can film it. I'm sure I will be able to get my hands on a copy.

[JPSmyth]

best of luck to you man, I live in Jersey and I'm definitely going to head to gleason's to watch some of these fights

[OLQA]

best of luck to you man, I live in Jersey and I'm definitely going to head to gleason's to watch some of these fights

Thanks. I may have to pull out of the fight for personal reasons but it should be a good night of fights. The tournament is three weeks long and they award belts and trophies to the champions and coaches with the most wins.

[Jeradon]

What gym in NY do you go to? So gleasons throws this tournament?