Training Diary: Week 1

 

THE last time I stepped inside a boxing ring I was knocked to the floor by a girl.

In my defence I was a 12-year-old boy at the time but the shame and horror of that fateful night still haunts me to this day.

So 13 years later, and desperate to seek my vengeance, I have decided to give the fight game one last crack.

Foolishly I have stepped forward to take part in a white collar boxing fight – a charity event where novice boxers with cushy desk jobs like me fight each other - in Milnrow in June.

Organisers and friends Crain Fisher, Paul Wallis and Shaun Clancy, held a similar event last October and hope the latest bash will raise thousands of pounds for Springhill Hospice.

So always keen for a challenge and for a good cause I signed the dotted line and prepared for an intensive 10 week boxing camp.

On telling my friends, colleagues and family members that I planned to risk my rugged good looks by going hell-to-leather for three rounds, the most common response has been hysterical laugher and exclamations of 'You're doing what?!".

Now I'll admit that I've always been more of a peace and love kind of guy.

But boxing has always been a sport I've enjoyed following and feel my speed and agility is on a par with Muhammed Ali – whether in his youth or old age we will find out.

After beginning my roadwork weeks ago and starting a new diet of protein shakes I turned up to my first training session last week - completely unaware of what to expect.

Myself and about 40 other guys and girls who have signed up for the event all turned up to Doughty's Gym.

After some skipping, jogging and shuttles we started off with dreaded circuit training.

It consisted of four minutes of bag work, followed by four minutes of press ups, squat thrusts and bench push ups.

I'll admit that at this stage the thought of "what on earth are you doing?" did shoot through my mind.

After what felt like an eternity of circuit training we finally all got on our backs.

"Excellent" I thought, "time for a rest". Sadly the worst was still to come.

I lost count of the sit ups, pull ups, thrusts, press ups we did and a whole manner of other exercises which felt more like medieval torture.

I'd like to think I am quite fit but this was something else.

My stomach felt like it was on fire and my arms like they were weighed down with concrete.

But the worst was to come the following day as I woke up in absolute agony which pretty much wiped me out for two days.

After three days of 'rest' and still aching I attended my second session at Milnrow Soccer Village.

Thankfully, well so I thought, this was just going to be about boxing technique.

How hard can throwing a few jabs here and straights there be?

Very is the answer.

After learning the basics of footwork, handwork and block we shadow boxed for six minutes – the length of time we will spend in the ring – which was absolute torture.

By the end I was throwing punches which would struggle to dent a sponge, never mind floor an opponents.

Still, there are nearly three months to go and I hope by the end of it I can at least land one punch and not lose to many teeth...

As well as raising money for Springhill Hospice on the night I am also personally raising money for The Stroke Association.

You can donate by visiting www.justgiving.com/simon-coyle

The white collar boxing night will take place at the Soccer Village, Wildhouse Lane, Milnrow on Saturday, June 11, 2011.

Ticket details are expected to be announced in the next few weeks.