[Liu Jin]

KK whats your opinion on the over-under rope in regards to its effectivness as a training tool?

Invaluable.

[Liu Jin]

6:30am - Re-visit Salvador Sanchez versus Ruben Castillo, because Castillo fights a lot like Diego does and I wanted Diego to see that someone cut from his mold could trouble even the likes of Sanchez.

7:30am - 2.8 mile run.

10:30am - Gym Time.

5 minute dynamic stretch.

2 rounds Shadowboxing.

4 LIGHT rounds on the canvas bag, mostly working form. I didn't want to get too worked-out because today is a long sparring session.

But Big T stood me up. I'm crushed. I thought we had something special going. My heart is broken.

So, it was 6 rounds with the Messican only. I was going to do 4 with T, then two Messican-style rounds with Diego (forehead to forehead basically). But we just did 6 normal sparring rounds.

I notice I'm getting faster and more accurate, probably from sparring T. My defense is better. But Diego fought like a TRUE Messican. One shot to the balls, and two shots to the throat. lol

It's all good though, mostly the height difference is responsible. He's getting better Geometrically. He's got a wicked-fast right-hand and hits hard. Plus he stayed moving to my right, away from my straight-left and it was significantly more difficult to land it. I did get to work my right-hook more though since he was moving that way. Also landed a nice left-hook to the body. Richie jumped in about the 5th round and started blibbety blabbing to Diego about this and that. I was only half-paying attention and hoping Diego would tune him out, because just before he interrupted we hit a pretty good clip in the match and he was moving well.

The last 30 seconds of the last round we went balls-out and traded. Kid hits hard. If he makes 130 he's gonna be a TERROR, and if not, he'll hold his own at 135 for certain.

As for me, my shell-style is it for me. I'm never doing anything else unless I fight someone who it just doesn't work against. I got so many options from my normal posture, can move my feet, work any jab-variation, and put combinations together. Just gotta tighten up my defense and work on pacing myself better. I also take a good shot, had I not been tough, those neck punches would have probably ended the match.

Mini-workout before bed.

Tomorrow is Red Rock day.

[Liu Jin]

I know it's Sunday, but I forgot to log yesterday, so deal wid it.

Didn't actually make it to Red Rock, but still trained:

1.5 mile run.

6 rounds Mitt sprints. Getting faster and didn't wear-down as quickly as I used to.

6 rounds catching Mitts for Diego, letting him work 3 rounds of sprints then 3 rounds of tactical stuff. Blocking the right-hook counter, and countering the counter. Ducking and countering with the 1-2, and pressuring with slipping and blocking.

3 rounds speed-bag.

3 rounds double-end bag.

[Diego Lara]

The last 30 seconds of the last round we went balls-out and traded. Kid hits hard. If he makes 130 he's gonna be a TERROR, and if not, he'll hold his own at 135 for certain

To aid in my neverending quest to make weight, I think I'll install a little noisemaker in the fridge that makes a squealing sound every time the door is opened.

[mschatz]

Do you see anyone at Top Rank using weights as part of their conditioning? If so, what do they do? Is it more of the heavier weight classes that do so?

[Liu Jin]

Do you see anyone at Top Rank using weights as part of their conditioning? If so, what do they do? Is it more of the heavier weight classes that do so?

Ray works with some guys with weights, I think. I'm not sure, I'm usually busy working or trying to not get my ass kicked. Typically only Cruiserweights and Heavyweights get away with real lifting regimens.

[Liu Jin]

Took Sunday and Monday off. Then due to some scheduling shifting at work learned that this week is just terrible for going to the gym. So, training will be done at home. It doesn't matter anyway because Mike isn't at the gym and I'd really take some time to heal up (knee and wrist are a little tweaked) and alleviate ourselves from Richie's negativity.

7am - 2 mile run.

Afterward some minor conditioning work.

100 push-ups.

30 dips.

4 rounds double-end bag.

3 rounds Shadowboxing.

Tomorrow will be a bit moreso.

[Liu Jin]

Jesus Christ are there a lot of active logs.

Alright, so with the boss doing his vacation thang we hadn't had time to get in the Gym. Diego and I did train earlier in the week but just ran and then did 6 rounds of mitt-work, letting him work head-movement, countering, the chess game aspect of Boxing. Outside of that I've mainly been healing a dodgy knee and wrist. But today it was back on track.

6:30am - Re-visited the Lennox Lewis vs. Oliver McCrackhead debacle. Wanted Diego to see what it's like when someone has a mental breakdown in the ring.

7:30am - 1.5 mile run, in the rain.

10:30am - Gym time.

Since my wrist and knee are still a little uncomfortable, I didn't go too hard today. But did put in a full workout.

5 minute dynamic stretch.

3 rounds Shadowboxing.

2 rounds rope-skip.

4 rounds body-snatcher, mostly working combinations into hard uppercuts. Wrist felt alright.

4 rounds Heavybag, mostly working combinations, fast and light. Hit hard in the 3rd round though. No aggravation of the wrist here either.

Push-up circuit:

5 push-ups slightly elevated.

5 diamond push-ups higher elevated.

5 push-ups with feet elevated.

Repeat for 8 reps, then 10 reps each.

40 dips in sets of 8.

40 twist-ups.

15 ab-rollouts.

Done.

P.S. - Whoopie won his Title Fight:

http://www.boxrec.com/list_bouts.php...5258&cat=boxer

Funny Gym moment:

Boy I never thought I'd be in this predicament, on Mike McCallum's side of a debate with this dude James who is a videographer for BoxingTalk (and apparently a former Fighter himself), and on the outskirts of the debate offering random agreements, Floyd Mayweather Sr. Apparently James just didn't want to accept that Oscar De La Hoya only fights on now for money. Mike was jumping all over him about it and every time I made a point in support he'd slap my shoulder or open hand.

And yes, I finally got to meet and shake the hand of the man who I hope to train with ultimately. He smiled and thanked me for saying I'm a fan of his. He and Roger really don't speak to each other either. You'd think it was just TV drama and they HAVE to say SOMETHING...nope, not a damn word between them. Also had a funny short conversation with Roger:

Me: "So, y'all gonna whoop up on that English boy?"

Roger: "Who?"

Me: "Ricky Hatton."

Roger: "Who!?"

Me: "Oh it's like that?"

Roger: "It's like we gon' whoop his mothafuggin' ass."

[Liu Jin]

6:30am - Saw Vince Phillips versus Kostya Tszyu today. A good lesson in never counting out the Old Dawg.

7:30am - 2.7 mile run (my knee felt good).

10:30am - Gym time:

Started off the day breaking the news to Richie that I'd be training with Mike from here on in. He started his classic rant about how I ain't ever gonna be shit and blah blah blah, but midway through the conversation he just was more sounding as if he was upset that he doesn't really have any Fighters. The last guy he worked with never paid him, Edgar hasn't been showing up, and despite his kissing my ass as of late I just don't think the guy's going to teach me anything or take me anywheres because I'm not a fetus. I told him that "I just don't think I'm what you're looking for in a Fighter." He waywardly agreed. Then spun-off into a diatribe about his Amateur career. Kind of sad to see a man who was once King reduced to that. Kind of sad that I can say that about what was a Great Fighter.

However, onto bigger (literally) training opportunities. As of tomorrow, Diego and I begin with this guy:



But he was late today. So we went it alone:

5 minute dynamic stretch.

3 rounds Shadowboxing.

4 rounds body-snatcher (wrist was acting up a bit).

4 rounds Heavy bag.

2 rounds over/under rope.

Ab-torture:

50 medicine ball sit-ups.

40 medicine ball twists.

20 ab-rollouts.

Skipped on sparring today as the Messican indicated in his log. I need to let Mike know I'm a hobbler right now. And to top it off I fuckin' get a crick in my neck so now I don't even have full neck rotation.

Thank Jebus for Advil.

[mschatz]

Tiger balm or any kind of menthol-based muscle rub for the neck. Stuff works wonders