FIGHT NIGHT... and the Days After

Well... I did it. I set a goal and I did it. I wanted to lose weight, I wanted to train to fight and I wanted to step in the ring. I didn't win, but I did what I set out to do and I couldn't be more proud of myself. After watching the video of my fight, I KNOW I could be better and I could win in the ring, but I just don't have the passion for it. What I experienced was REALLY cool! I will forever remember the night I stepped into an American Amatuer Boxing Association ring... fought an official match... and had fans chanting, "Ali, Ali, Ali!" Truly unforgetable! However, I won't be doing it again. I didn't hate it... but I didn't love it!

That being said, I would like to thank first and foremost my coach, Barbara Niggel for pushing me beyond anything I thought I could do. I'd like to thank the personal trainers at Willy's Gym for putting together programs for me to follow and keeping me on my diet. I'd like to thank everyone who trained along side me and/or sparred with me including Alex & Scott Wagenhoffer-Zahn, Bryan Carlander, Way Yeun and Anthony & Bailey Burke. I want to thank my opponent, who was such a great kid! I want to thank my entire family and all my friends for your love and support. I want to thank EACH AND EVERY PERSON who told me I could do it, who cheered me on, who believed in me. And a huge thank you to everyone who came to the fight. By far, this is one of the coolest things I've ever done in my life and I will cherish it always.

Below is a link to the fight on youtube. Enjoy!

T-Minus 4 Days Until Fight Night

Last night I sparred for the second time. I boxed with two black belts, one who... even though he probably wasn't going full speed... has been boxing/fighting his whole life. I wasn't wowing anybody with amazing skills, but I held my own. I learned that I can take punches without getting emotional or being too upset about it. I learned what it feels like to get hit square in the nose. I learned what it feels like to get hit "on the button". I had a lights out moment where my legs went wobbly and couldn't move my arms... but I recovered and kept going. I also learned that keeping my chin tucked is SUPER important. Why? Because sometimes you get hit in the throat... which is what happened to me. I left myself open and got clocked. I lost my breath, felt like I was choking. It was pretty scary, but I'm ok now. Tuck your chin!! I had a bit of a headache, but for the most part, I'm perfectly fine. I got in a handful of good shots myself so I feel pretty good about Saturday.

If you want tickets... www.capefights.com get them before they sell out! GO ME!

Day #77: Tickets on Sale

Hello friends and blog followers...

I don't have much to update on my training because it's become pretty much a routine at this point. I've dropped down to 218 (which is 24 pounds lighter than when I started, go me) and things are going well.

The real point of this particular blog is to tell all of you that tickets are now on sale. You can get them three different ways:

1- Go to www.capefights.com and order them online.

2- Get them from me. General Admission is $25. I need money before I can give you a ticket. Get in touch with me if you choose this option.

3- Get them at the door the night of the fight. There is the possibility the show will be sold out, so you're taking a risk by waiting... plus ticket prices go up if you wait to buy them there, General Admission seats will be $35 the night of the fight.

I will be donating 10% of every ticket I physically sell to the David Cohen Foundation and Cohenfest, a charity that donates all its' proceeds to the Jimmy Fund and the American Liver Foundation (for more information go to www.cohenfest.com) While you're at it, go buy a ticket to Cohenfest too :)

I hope everyone can make it to the fight! I'm excited to step into the ring for the first time! Go me!

Day #62: First Sparring Session

Today I fought someone, sort of. It's the first time I stood across from someone else wearing gloves/headgear/etc and we had the same goal, to punch and kick each other. It wasn't terrible. It wasn't awesome. I guess I'm somewhat indifferent about it. I've never been kicked that hard and, that I can remember, I've never attacked someone with the intent to hurt them. I didn't have nearly the type of control I wanted to have. Once I was hit and it kind of hurt I was pissed. I didn't care much about control or accuracy or technique; I just started throwing punches and hope they hurt. What sort of sucked was that the blackbelt across from me is Alex, someone I care about and I didn't really want to hurt him. I did get a little emotional about it later on. It was good in the sense that it pointed out some things I need to work on.

- I need to not try to swat someone away when they hit me, I have to learn to block it while keeping my guard up.
- I need to not take it personal when someone punches me in the head.
- I need to keep my chin tucked so that when I am punched, my head doesn't fly backwards and give me whiplash.
- I need to point my toes more when I kick because I now have a quarter-sized bruise on my right foot along with swelling, from not kicking correctly.

So I have a few things to work on for sure. I don't think I would have learned those things without actually fighting someone, so my first sparring session was helpful. I also learned that its VERY TIRING to punch someone and have them punch and kick you. I was drained for the entire day after that. Looks like I may need more cardio too! Go me!

Day #52 Baby Steps

Things have been going as they always have... training, sticking to my 300 workout, 5 miles every other day. Its been hard because I've sort of hit a wall as far as losing weight goes and I know Barbara would perfer to have me fighting closer to 200 than 220. But I'm trying not to lose sight of my goal.

Today I recorded myself again to see if I had made any improvements on the last session. I think I have. Less head movement, more keeping my hands up to block my face and I learned a few more kicks so I'm slightly more complete. I can see that I still have a long way to go but it's nice to notice that I am getting better. Here it is...



I think I will keep recording myself in small doses. It helps me see what I am doing wrong and fix it myself before getting punched in the face. Truthfully, I'd rather not learn the hard way :)

Barbara told me this week that I would be sparring soon, possibly as early as this weekend, so I am sure I will have another update sonner rather than later. Go me!

Days #38-#44 In The Right Direction

I've stopped writing about the everyday, because it seems the everyday has become monotonous. The training has been the same, being pushed further and further, the same cardio, the same lifting, the same bag work. But day #44 was a little different. I did bag work early in the day and had myself video taped. As an athlete, some of the best training comes while watching yourself and picking up your mistakes and TRUST ME, I picked out a half dozen things I need to work on.



I need to cover my face, I have to stop throwing my head when I punch, shorten up the swing of my hook... just a few things I realize I need to work on, but you'll see it all there in the video.

Later on that night, I also learned some new kicks. I had a front kick and saber kick. I added an axe kick which comes from the top down onto my opponents shoulder (which is really hard to throw), a counter-saber and a side kick. So I have to work on those. I have a lot of things to work on, but it's a good thing my match was moved to August, so I have time to work on them! Go me!

Days #35 - #37: First Contact

All day Sunday I was BEYOND excited to start training again. Why? Because Saturday night was the first boxing matches in the Cape Fights series. It was awesome! At first I was so intimidated by the ring, the lights, the crowd... but as the fights wore on in the night, I became more and more excited to get in the ring and compete. Although the fights have been postponed until August, which gives me more time to train, I was still pumped to get back into my training!

Monday morning I did a few miles on the treadmill and a lifting circuit. I didn't have much time, but I squeezed in what I could before work. Later on in the evening, we got a training session with Barbara with the heavy bags. Before we did that though, she told me to put headgear on, which means I was going to get hit... for the first time! At first I was excited because I'd never really been hit before and I wanted to know how I would react and what it would be like... and then I got hit, and I decided I wasn't as excited anymore. I traded head kicks with two Poekoelan black belts, Alex and Bryan, honestly... not my idea of a good time. The first couple kicks weren't bad, and I was surprised I could ACTUALLY kick someone else in the head (ie, get my leg up high enough). And then she started yelling, "Faster! Kick harder!" and they did. And a few times, I saw some stars. The moral of the story is.... I'd better kick my opponent before she kicks me because it doesn't tickle! But the good news is I was able to get some information out of it. I wasn't sure how I would react to being kicked or punched in the face, and now I know. It makes me really, really angry. I kept my composure though and managed just to kick them back harder... a little more focused. So that's great news! It means I won't just lose my cool, forget my training and go ape on my opponent, which would be ill-advised.

All in all it was another sweat-filled training session and my head is just fine... a few bruises on my shoulders from "missed" kicks, but no damage. Awesome. Go me!