In 1991 the New York Giants went on an incredible run to get to the Super Bowl and defeat a high-powered Buffalo Bills team. Everybody will look back at that game and say the reason they lost was the missed 47 yard field goal by Scott Norwood. I have never been one to subscribe to the notion that one play loses the game for anybody. Rather, I look at the drive the Giants offensive had to start the second half with their team down by 2 points. The drive was a 14 play 75 yard meat grinder type drive. It was 8 minutes and 48 seconds of toughness. It wasn’t the perfect drive, but it was a championship drive. Every time the Giants would hit a 3rd down where you’d say “this is the end” they converted with a great effort play. In high school I wore out the VHS tape before I would play games. So I revisited this drive on YouTube recently and it was like seeing it for the first time again. It made me think, in order to achieve my goals, I have to chip away. A half-pound lost here, a new skill learned here, adding a quarter of mile there, is like a 3 yard gain on first down. It means something!
Boxing Training:
As my endurance has improved it has opened up my boxing technique training. I am consistently doing six rounds on the heavy bag and throwing a high volume of punches in every session. Punch count in boxing is like a pitch count in baseball. Like pitching, you must consistently increase your punch output to be able to throw more quality punches for more rounds. I additionally have added 3 rounds of shadow boxing and 3 rounds of the double end bag giving me a minimum 12 rounds every session. We have begun to dive into different combinations of punches and the counters for those punches. I am still running into walls with thinking too much and not reacting. That can happen with fatigue. I make sure the majority of conditioning I do is geared toward 3 minute rounds. On the treadmill I decided to simulate rounds for my cardio. The first minute is a slow walk simulating before the round starts, the second minute I walk on an incline to simulate the climbing the mountain of a round of boxing, my 3rd minute I flatten it out and with a faster walk simulating the settling into the round, and in the final minute I run simulating the flurry of the finish of a round. I increase the incline and speed of the run every round again to simulate getting stronger as we get deeper in the fight. Doing this for a few weeks I can definitely see a difference in my cardio. I am recovering quicker and staying stronger longer into training session. However, the second I feel like I get it Coach McDonough gets me out of my comfort zone. In one session he gave me sprints, which I haven’t done consistently in years. The next drill is the speed bag which definitely humbled me to start. These have posed challenges within the ultimate challenge, which is exactly what I am looking for. It keeps me on my toes and forces me to adjust to uncomfortable situations. In the last twenty years the only uncomfortable situations I have had is asking a clerk at a store if the carry 46 x 28 pants. As those situations arise during training I will just punch my way out and hopefully soon be asking for 36 x 28 pants.
Nutrition/Sleep:
To say I am fortunate will be an understatement in this category. I have a wife who has committed to helping me meal prep for the days I work. She has prepared me healthy meals (salads and wraps) with lots of flavor, and variety. So, if you’re out their looking someone to be your partner and go through life together, get off of tinder, and may I suggest a culinary campus take a class or two believe me it’s worth the investment. I have stuck fast to my fasting on Thursday which I may extend past Lent. It has become a solid reset to my week.
My weight is currently at 294 and has slowed a bit. I have indulged on occasion but nothing outlandish. I believe my body is just re-calibrating. It can be frustrating at times but I have taken on the mindset of chipping away. I know what the goal is (225 by my 41st birthday) and need to keep my eyes on the prize without losing sight of the small battles. Another motto I have adopted is “if it has a drive thru it’s not for you”. It’s worked pretty well so far but you can still see me at most gas stations standing in front of the hostess display having a spirited argument with myself.
Out of all the things that truly resonated with people in last month’s blog “go to bed idiot” was a resounding success. In the first 4 nights after posting last month article my father, 2 of my brothers, and a former player all called or texted me with a very heart felt “go to bed idiot”. I might have to make some tee shirts. My brother Matt gave me some sound advice saying “don’t fight sleep, if you feel yourself fading just go up to bed”. If not for anything your mental health alone needs it. Years of falling the asleep on the couch feeling like my body was broken waking up at 3 am did a number on me not only physically but mentally. The longer I would stay awake the worse my decision making would get. One more TV show, one more snack, and another Sports Center always got in the way of a good night sleep. So now the routine has become only 1 episode of show (currently watching Sons of Anarchy about 10 years too late), get to bed between 10:30 and 11:00 say some prayers, and 30 deep breaths. Usually I get to about 20 breaths and I’m out. It should come to no surprise I am usually in a better mood and more productive when I do this. Crazy idea right!
Strength training:
The strength training is another element of my routines that has become a valued change up from cardio and boxing technique. Chris Doyle and I have put in the work. It can be tedious at times but necessary when trying to preform lifts like these. I am getting in 3 days of strength training a week, two of them being leg days. Front squats, overhead squats, cleans, and clean & jerks are all on the list really concentrating on form with multiple sets, manageable weight, and low reps. I really am focusing on not only conditioning my legs, shoulders, and back but strengthening them so I can move around and keep my arms up of 12-15 rounds. Putting these lifts on film is another aspect that helps with my form as well. Being able to watch it back and slow it down really helps on the next set on what to improve upon
Marciano Mondays have been a staple on Monday nights this past month. As I have gotten stronger I have wanted to add to it. In the spirit of increasing my punch count I have recently adding 400 punches to the workout. 100 right jabs (yes I am a south paw, probably years of watching Rocky 4,000 times), 100 left crosses, 100 right hooks, and 100 left uppercuts. Not only throwing the punches but the footwork behind them will prove to be valuable as I continue to learn the game.
Mental:
This is the real challenge for me. I am getting in better shape, moving around better, and losing weight however, the mental hurdles are always there. There are times I sit in my car outside Champs or the Iron Factory and don’t want to go in or I begin to negotiate with myself. I quickly snap back to a conversation I have with longtime friend Larry Badaracco. We frequently talk on the phone and every now and then the conversation will move to what keeps us motivated not only in football and coaching but life in general. The fear of being a loser, for lack of a better term, has always motivated both of us to keep going and not give up. Sounds like a harsh prospect but a very real one. There is nothing wrong with a little fear to keep you on the right track.
Continuing to read the Rocky Marciano book I found a quote from a Sports writer, Jimmy Cannon, who was ringside for the fight between Marciano and Carmine Vingo. This fight left Vingo badly injured and forced him into retirement. When writing about why Vingo’s corner didn’t throw in the towel Cannon wrote “The fighter could have admitted his inadequacy and his torment would have ended there,” But boxing machismo code would not allow it. “Men suffer unnecessarily and endure pain because they are too proud to quit. They accept suffering because to avoid it deliberately would be a renunciation of what a fighter is supposed to be. It will touch you when it happens because even pointless courage has a splendor which demeans the spectator who realizes this occurs because he has paid to see it.” I find this excerpt a raw and real truth that not only can be attributed to boxing but to life as well.
Overall, the progression has been solid. Adding new challenges within the big challenge keeps everything fresh and keeps me on my toes. Chipping away at my weight, chipping away the athletic rust I let sit dormant for years, and chipping away at the mental hurdles of frustration that have plagued me at times. Every time I feel like its third and long and this is the end I have to revert back to the “effort plays” that are going to help me get across the goal line.
