[JuanLeche]

Duran is from Panama =P

good job man, glad to see things are starting to get better

[Liu Jin]

Pfff. Colombian, Panamanian, same shit right? All that matters is it ain't Messican.

P.S. - I think Mike was calling me Duran and Diego Salvador Sanchez. It's just tough to decipher Mike sometimes because he still has traces of his Jamaican accent, talks fast, and doesn't always say whole sentences.

[Diego Lara]

Wow, it' been a while since I posted, but I have been training, never fear. Let's recap the last week of work:

Mon 9/17: 7am: Watch Dawson handle Adamek like a bicycle. Dawson is currently training for a fight at Top Rank, and I got to shake hands with him and congratulate him on his great title win. Real cool guy who's currently under the tutelage of another great, Eddie Mustafa. 2 mile ru around the park.

10:30 am: Gym time. 2 rounds of stretching and shadow boxing. Mike shows up earlier than usual and I do 2 more rounds of shadow boxing. Next is 4 rounds of heavy bag, still working on perfecting the one-two, as I have a habit of stepping into the cross that throws me off balance. Also need to stop cocking my cross before I throw it. Next is 2 rounds on the double end, just pumping out the jab and cross. Very basic work, but the foundation of my fighting tactics so it's important to get it RIGHT.
Followed this with some ab work.3 sets on the ab machine. 15 with the 50lb weight, 12 with the 60, and 10 with the 70. Followed this with 3 sets of twist ups, 10 reps each, and then Liu showed me some strange yoga-like shit starting out standing with feet spread, then leaning forward and planting your hands on the floor, then stretching out to push-up position in a curling motion (think of a cat stretching out), then reversing the move. Hindu push ups, he calls them. They hurt wonderfully. That wrapped up Mondays session. Gettin stronger!

[Diego Lara]

Tue 9/18: 7 am: Watch B Hop administer a beatdown unto one William Joppy. Love watching Hopkins down and dirty style, he's got the best of both the boxing and brawling worlds, and excellent cheating skillls to boot! Run 2.25 miles about the park afterwards.

10:30 am: Gym time. 2 rounds of stretching, two of skip rope. Next come 4 rounds of Heavy bag, and 2 of double end. I'm having trouble with my footwork on the 1-2 (as usual), so Mike has to all but slap the knowledge into me, but by the end, I'm getting the foot twist on the cross more right than wrong. Follow up with 2 rounds on the heavy bag, then on to upper body work.

3 styles of push-ups, one with hands elevated on the footholds of the pull-up machine, one with hands on the bench, one with feet on the bench and hands on the floor. First 15 reps, then 12, then 10. Follow this torture with 20 pull downs with the 75 lb weight, then 20 more pulling to the back of the neck instead of to the chest.

Mike told us that he believes in us, that he tells his wife it's a good thing that he comes so early to train us, cuz he believes in us and he knows that his efforts will pay off for him as well as us. This guy is amazing, I've shown nothing more than an eagerness to learn, and he's willing to compromise his schedule just to see if I can make it. I wish I could do more for the guy, but I'll never forget who gave me my real start in this sport, Mike McCallum, the Body Snatcher himself.

[Liu Jin]

P.S. - I think Mike was calling me Duran and Diego Salvador Sanchez. It's just tough to decipher Mike sometimes because he still has traces of his Jamaican accent, talks fast, and doesn't always say whole sentences.

Turns out I was wrong about this. Mike nicknames guys after former Greats if they show some stuff. I realized this when watching a Duran fight the other night, Diego moves just like Duran used to. Same stance, same motions of punching. Now if he can get the slicks and then of course the sneering at injured opponents...

[Diego Lara]

Wed 9/19: 7 am: Watched Mancini vs Arguello this morn. I'll always be on the hispanic side, call me ethnocentric. 2 m around the park, then a nap before:

10:30 am:Gym time. 2 rounds of stretching and warm-up, then two rounds of skipping rope. I got to work on the heavy bag afterward and Mike showed up as I got into my second round. I still have problems with stepping into my crosses, when Mike wants me to only pivot my back foot and twist my body. So we practiced this for a good 4 rounds, with Mike holding the bag at times to make sure I get it right.
After that he tried some mitt work with me, but it's gonna take me a minute to get used to throwing combos with all the adjustments I've been making to my stance and footwork lately. By next week I bet I'll be a lot faster. No double-end today, just go straight on to the speed bag, my old nemesis. I was better today, managed to keep an even (but slow) pace for most of the two rounds that I worked on it.
2 rounds of skip rope, then on to ab work. Used the ab machine to do a circuit of 15 reps w/ 50lbs, 12 with 60, then 10 with 70. That called her a day for then. More to come. Firefox out.

[Diego Lara]

Fri 9/21: 7 am: Watched my new "namesake" Duran give a good pounding to Davey Moore this morn. Mike's right, I DO fight a lot like him, I stand and move like him, and I could stand to watch more of his fights for tips on how to make his strengths mine. 2 m around the park and then it's:

Gym time: Stretching and a few laps around the ring for 3 rounds. Then 2 rounds of skip rope, and it's off to the heavy bag. Did 5 rounds on the heavy bag, and realized that maybe Mike wasn't showing up today. That's ok, I know what I need to work on, and that's footwork and twisting my body into my punches. After that did 3 rounds on the speed bag, cuz by God I'm gonna have this thing down by the end of next week. After that I went on to do my ab circuit with the ab machine (same set of exercises as before). That's when Mike showed up, and he felt really bad about thinking we were off today as well as Thursday, but I told him not to sweat it. He told all the other trainers I was Duran today, and Eddie said that Duran looked alot like me in his early days, with the mutton chops and unruly hair. Wait till I get a full beard going. Mike even hugged me today, which got me all phleklemped and stuff (***). But it's cool that my trainer likes me so much and goes around touting me to everyone who'll listen. It makes me wanna try harder, just to make sure his faith is not unfounded. I've gotta try harder. I live for that feeling of accomplishment. And now I'm getting the skills to back it up. Firefox out.

[Diego Lara]

Mon 9/24: 7 am: Watch more of Duran, this time he beats a lively Pepino Cuevas into the ground. I love how Duran grins at his opponent after unloading a combo on them. 2.25 miles about the park, then it's

10:30 am: Gym time. 2 rounds of stretching, then 2 rounds of skipping rope. Did 5 rounds on the heavy bag, nothing new, just working on my footwork for the cross and trying to tie in the left hook. Having some trouble in transitioning from having my weight on the left foot to the right.
After that, did 2 rounds on the speed bag. A little bit of improvement, but I don't know what it is that's keeping me from getting the rhythm and movement right. I don't know if I'm overthinking or just being too stiff when I'm throwing.
After that, did some ab work. Started with ab machine, 15 with 60, 12 with 70, 10 with 80. Then followed up with 30 twist ups, then 40 front raises. That did her for me on Monday. I'm hoping next time I'll be faster on the speed bag and firmer on my footing. Firefox out.

[Diego Lara]

Tue 9/25: My new motto for reaching my fighting weight: I will not chew cheese whenever I please! More on my cheese addiction later.

7 am: Watched Duran vs Leonard 1. I was impressed with how Duran used intelligent pressure to overcome Leonards speed and slickness. More points on how to prevail against a fighters who is quicker and perhaps more technical than me. 2.5 miles around the park today.

10:30 am: Gym time. Start warmup with a few laps sidestepping around the ring to loosen up, then two rounds of shadow boxing. Followed this with 3 rounds of skipping rope, then onto heavy bag for more work on perfecting the 1-2. Still need to work on twisting my body the right way, for a Mexican, I don't seem to have that inherent salsa swing going that most of my countrymen seem to be born with.
After 5 rounds on the heavy bag, I do 3 on the double end, while my gymmates Jr and Leo spar in the ring behind me. I kept stopping to watch them fight, it's almost impossible not to watch when two guys go at it. Jr was the bigger guy so he gave Leo alot of trouble during the session, especially since Leo tends to get off balance when throwing. But anyhoo enough about them, this is my training log. Did 3 more rounds of skip rope after the double end, then moved on to conditioning.
Did one set on the ab machine, 15x12x10 as usual. After that focused on upper body. Push up circuit on the footholds, the bench, and with feet elevated. 4 sets of 10 each. Finished up watching Leo spar with one of the gym staples, Wes, a well polished athlete with an unusual style. Once again Wes' skill gave him control of the sparring, but you only get better by figuring out what you can and can't do. I hope to spar both of these guys in the near future, cuz I'm sure they can both give me some good work and teach me more about my strengths and weaknesses. Almost time for gym, I'll update you on todays training this evening. For now, it's Firefox out. Oh and no more cheese.

[Diego Lara]

Wed 9/26: 7amuran vs DeJesus. He was the first one to beat Duran, and this was the revenge fight. What a murderous beast Duran was. I'm gonna grow a beard. 1.5 m run today.

10:30 am: Gym time. Two rounds of stretching, then two rounds of shadowboxing, then two rounds of skip rope. I've been trying to learn how to cross the rope as I'm jumping, and I haven't been successful unti today. Had that thing twisting and turning like a worm in the sun.

After that, did 5 rounds on the heavybag, working on more combos than usual. I'm pumping the jab these days like a machine, over and over without slowing. My footwork gets better everyday. Mike was mostly working with our stablemate Jimmy today, but I was working on more of the same. After heavy bag did 2 rounds on the double end. Did 3 rounds on the speed bag, a little better than usual.

Next did some ab work. Two sets of the ab machine pyramid. 3 sets of twist ups. 1 set of Hindu pushups. Didn't have time to do more before work. Tomorrow is the last day of the week to train at the gym. Kinda wish it was open on weekends. Firefox out.