7 month boxing transformation

[Eddy Current]

Was working out of a gym called Uppercuts here in Minneapolis. Lisa Bauch who has trained pros and amateurs was working with me. Recently I have been moonlighting at a gym called Gorilla combat (much easier commute and get more 1 on 1 time with the coach/trainers as it's a bit smaller), working with a couple former pros over there.

Going to be moving to Lyke's in coon rapids (where World Champ Caleb Truax trains as well as a few other pros), as I've already surpassed the guys over at GC. Have been sparring over there a bit, trying to get into the ring with the World Champ after the beginning on the new year.

Haha we live in the same city! I know that gym! I used to go to Next Level Combat. Jason Litzou's brother used to teach boxing at NLC but I'm not sure if he still does.

Doesn't Joe Amouta train at Uppercut?

[tcbender]

Haha we live in the same city! I know that gym! I used to go to Next Level Combat. Jason Litzou's brother used to teach boxing at NLC but I'm not sure if he still does.

Doesn't Joe Amouta train at Uppercut?

Aye Mpls represent!

Not certain man there's so many mofos in Uppercut. Found out I'd mostly be fighting ppl out of that gym so decided to switch it up.
Plus they wouldn't let me spar until I got my license which was pretty recent, so went over to GC to be able to spar right away. Uppercuts is alright, don't like all the concrete and all the people. Gc I get a lot of time with the trainers/coaches, but not as many ppl to spar with in my weight or as many competitive fighters out of there. Mainly why I'll be switching over to Lykes

[Eddy Current]

Aye Mpls represent!

Not certain man there's so many mofos in Uppercut. Found out I'd mostly be fighting ppl out of that gym so decided to switch it up.
Plus they wouldn't let me spar until I got my license which was pretty recent, so went over to GC to be able to spar right away. Uppercuts is alright, don't like all the concrete and all the people. Gc I get a lot of time with the trainers/coaches, but not as many ppl to spar with in my weight or as many competitive fighters out of there. Mainly why I'll be switching over to Lykes

That is weird. At NLC they let people spar whenever they were comfortable (within reason). Yeah not getting much time with trainers is frustrating. I kind of lucked out with Next Level Combat b/c they had just opened an Apple Valley location and not too many people went there, so there were times I was the only one there with a trainer.

Have you ever checked out Circle of Discipline? I don't know much about it except it's where Rob Brant used to train as an amateur and it's where Jamal James goes.

[tcbender]

That is weird. At NLC they let people spar whenever they were comfortable (within reason). Yeah not getting much time with trainers is frustrating. I kind of lucked out with Next Level Combat b/c they had just opened an Apple Valley location and not too many people went there, so there were times I was the only one there with a trainer.

Have you ever checked out Circle of Discipline? I don't know much about it except it's where Rob Brant used to train as an amateur and it's where Jamal James goes.

Yeah idk Uppercuts is like THE official gym for this whole region, so prob a liability thing or something.

I haven't checked out Circle of Discipline, I looked into it a bit when I was first looking for a gym but from the website, etc I thought it sounded like it was more geared toward youth. Then I found out Jamal James trains out of there so that must not be the case lol.

[OctoberRed]

Yeah idk Uppercuts is like THE official gym for this whole region, so prob a liability thing or something.

I haven't checked out Circle of Discipline, I looked into it a bit when I was first looking for a gym but from the website, etc I thought it sounded like it was more geared toward youth. Then I found out Jamal James trains out of there so that must not be the case lol.

COD has been talked about in the past, getting a rep out there.

[Force]

Very good transformation. Shoulders got much wider it's visible. What about your pushups, chinups, running etc. - comparison now vs old you.

[tcbender]

Very good transformation. Shoulders got much wider it's visible. What about your pushups, chinups, running etc. - comparison now vs old you.

Probably started around 15 pushups can now do 50 in a row or more, chinups could do about 5-7 and now can go for 15-20 (I usually would do wide grip pull ups, but have begun doing neutral grip chin ups as well), running before vs now is the biggest difference. I can run a 6 minute mile, followed by an 8 and a 10, or can run about 6-8 miles under a 10 minute mile pace or 4-6 miles near an 8 minute mile pace. When I first started running 2 miles at an 8-10 minute pace was a challenge. Before sparring 2-3 rounds I'd be gassed, and now I can go 7-8 rounds and while I do get a bit tired in the later rounds I'm able to recover fairly well inbetween.

My legs also went through a similar transformation (didn't take any before pics), they're not as ripped up as my upper body in general, but definitely put on a fair amount of muscle and size. Pretty rock solid, but most of the exercises I do are practical for boxing purposes not for aesthetics.

[ShoulderRoll]

You mind going over your workouts? If you posted them before I might have missed them.

Whatever you're doing keep it up. Those are great results.

[tcbender]

You mind going over your workouts? If you posted them before I might have missed them.

Whatever you're doing keep it up. Those are great results.

Yeah for sure man. Will post either tonight after work or tomorrow (as I train/spar tonight basically right after I get off).

I could potentially make some vids or something showing what I'm doing as well.

[tcbender]

So my workout has evolved over time. At first I didn't do any plyometrics then for a while I did probably too much plyometrics. I also used to do 3 rds jump rope as a warm up before I lifted now I just do a dynamic stretching routine (shoulders were getting overworked). I also built up over a period of time and try to incorporate new exercises in there a bit here and there as I do more research/find things that look interesting.

So I train boxing for an hour (I get there early to do a dynamic stretching routine, warm up with 3 rds jump rope and a few rounds shadow boxing, and then spar around an hour. At first I would do 1 round on 1 round off, but now I do 3 rounds in a row minimum, max of 7 rounds in a row usually rotating fresh opponents occasionally I'll go against the same guy a couple rounds in a row. I also have a fight coming up so the guys at the gym don't mind). I do this on Tuesday/thurs nights and Saturday mornings.

I lift legs heavy on Sunday and lift arms heavy on Monday. I then will do sprints on Wednesday. I also run almost everyday. If I'm lifting I'll hit at least a mile or so after my workout on the treadmill, otherwise every other day I'll do 3-4 miles outside. If I'm sore I'll make it more of a recovery run, if I'm feeling pretty good I'll go for speed along with the distance.

When lifting I do a lot of supersets (2 exercises back to back), and you want to make sure that you are exploding up through your movements. Generally you want to aim for 3-6 reps for that fast twitch muscle fiber growth, but even doing 8-10 reps (which I would recommend when you are first starting out with lighter weights) you can still hit those fibers if you are exploding up through the movement.

You also don't want to spend too much time in the gym. The max I'll spend is an hour, don't take a lot of rest time inbetween and keep moving. I aim for 45 minutes, but if I'm adding on 15 minutes of cardio in the end as then its hard to get out of there super quickly (along with the warm up which is super important. don't do static stretches and i usually do a warm up set for each exercise. ie do 6 squats with just the bar before adding weight). I also add weight for each set. So if I'm starting off my heavy squat at 185, then I'll go up to 225, then will end at 305 for the last set. Same with heavy bench press, etc.

Leg routine: Dynamic warm up

Squat heavy (if you are using a smith machine then explode up onto the balls of your feet, if you are using a barbell then hold the weight in your heels more) superset directly into Barbell Jump squats (or just jump squats if you are just beginning)
I'll usually tack on some standing calf raises with the barbell after doing the barbell jump squats before going back into the next set of squats.

Barbell Lunges and Reverse lunges followed up by plyometric lunges or plyometric step up

Romanian Deadlift followed by triple threat with stability ball

Box jumps forward and side followed by vertical depth jump forward and vertical depth jump backward followed by skater jump. (I do all of these one after the other with little rest for 3 sets)

I'll then hit a unilateral leg press and unilateral calf presses on the leg press machine last.

If you are having some issues with your knees/ankles/calves I wouldn't necessarily recommend the plyometrics. But they are great to hit after hitting a heavy lift to really help with that explosiveness and fast twitch muscle fibers. Once again do all these exercises back to back in A-B fashion for 3 sets before moving onto the next superset.

I also always run a pretty quick mile at the end of leg day followed by a cool down (either walking or riding the bike)

Upperbody: I alternate upper and lower chest specific each week. So basically the same exercises but diff positions (ie decline for lower chest incline for upper chest and have the cable machine at the top for lower chest or bottom for upper chest) Once again I do these in supersets (ie A-B for 3 sets before moving onto the next superset)

Heavy bench press into bodyweight dips (I've recently started adding weighted dips)

Push press into neutral grip pull up

I'll then hit the cable machine I do each arm individually followed by a set using both arms.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMmy2MlH55U This video at 7:11 is a perfect example, not sure of the name. But I set the cables up high if I want to hit the lower chest (and decline bench pressed) or will set them down low (if I am incline bench pressing that week).

Wide grip pull up into Wide grip lat pull down

I then do Power cleans, or if my shoulders aren't too burnt out I'll do clean and jerk for the first set or two, usually the last set is a bit too heavy to safely try to clean and jerk so I just do power cleans.

I follow up with some ab work. 20lb medicine ball overhead on the decline bench. I throw it to my girlfriend and she does a squat then throws it back. Hold it overhead all the way down, arms go back behind the head and all the way back up. I then do russian twists with the ball on the decline bench. 3 sets

I then will do 3 sets of the ab roller thing. It hits the chest as well.

Occasionally I'll throw in some unilateral shoulder press with dumbells and unilateral bench press with dumbells either incline or decline depending on the week.

Edit: I also do a lot of neck strengthening exercises and extra ab routines at home, along with the conditioning I'll do in boxing training (a lot of burnouts, wall squats, ab workouts, pushups)