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This is why I'm not a boxer anymore


Cyrus Cassidy #45437

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I've posted on here before about how I *used to* be a boxer, way back in my youth when I was ten feet tall and bullet proof.  I stay in shape because I'm still in the army and because it's generally a good idea.  For my age, I'm in immaculate shape, but the operant phrase is "for my age."  At 44, I have no business in a boxing ring.  Let's also not forget the approximately 40 concussions I've had, so again, NO MORE BOXING.  

 

My physical fitness routine includes a lot of weights and cardio.  I also have a heavy bag and a double end bag in my gym, so I still wrap and glove up and work the bags.  It's a cardio workout the way I do it, but I suppose the method is more about nostalgia.  It sure beats going for a 3 mile run.  I hate running. 

 

But again, I have no business in a boxing ring.  To prove it to myself just in case my subconscious was ever considering competing again, I injured myself this morning just hitting the heavy bag.  I started with a weights workout with a focus on the back and lats (I work out 5-7 times a week and emphasize a different muscle group each day).  This workout included a bunch of pull ups, bent over rows, one-arm rows, overhead pulls, lat pulldowns, etc.  So my back and lats were blasted.  Then I wrapped up and gloved up and went to add some cardio to the day on the heavy bag.  

 

My heavy bag workouts involve a lot of foot movement and head movement, just as if I were training for an actual fight.  I throw combinations, throw fast punches with moderate power a lot with a haymaker sprinkled in every now and then, just like I did in real matches (fast and moderate power = hits; haymakers tend to miss but when you land one it's lights out).  

 

Suddenly the ribs on my left side started hurting, and they still hurt if I strain myself.  It feels like I got punched there.  I suppose after blasting my lats and then using them for punches was just too much.  

 

But I have to admit, that's the first boxing injury I've suffered at the hands of an inanimate object.  My heavy bag doesn't even punch back!

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Many of us cowboy shooters read Louis L'Amour's books of the west, detectives, sailors and boxers.  L'Amour was a professional boxer in the 1920s and wrote boxing articles in the 1930s.  The fight scenes in his books show his knowledge and is about as close as most of us will get, except for some, like Cyrus.

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I was at Cal in 1966-67. One of my fraternity brothers was a varsity boxer. Even way back then, there were only about 5 colleges in the West with varsity boxing programs.

 

He inspired me to go into intramural boxing at Cal. I didn't last long. Not that I was bad, but I hated, really hated, getting hit in the head. So I quit fast.

 

But I worked the heavy bag for years. Great exercise, but I quit that also in my 40s.

 

I took up Rugby at 22 and played for years. Way easier than boxing!

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44 just a wet behind the ears ,,, Pup...

Try adding a couple or three decades .... And several Dozen Broken bones ....

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

 

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1 hour ago, Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 said:

44 just a wet behind the ears ,,, Pup...

Try adding a couple or three decades .... And several Dozen Broken bones ....

 

 

Jabez Cowboy

 


I’ve already had six broken bones, nerve damage in both hands, a few bad lacerations, 40 concussions, 3rd degree burns, one bum knee, two bad feet, and I don’t remember what else!  I’ve been a soldier since I was 17 as well as a cop.  I don’t have as many miles as some, but they’ve been hard miles!!!

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I can only say that the thing that I miss most due to COVID is sparring in karate. Not quite the same as all out boxing, but challenging, and a great workout. I typically end up sore , and always have.

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I got tired from just reading about your workout and had to go lay down for a rest.:D

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All the way through college I played sports and lifted heavy weights. At some point all that caught up with me. I don't much exercise anymore because body parts hurt a lot. I traded exercise for working on my Jeep, CAS and John Wayne movies on my couch and I've not regretted it. Fortunately I've kept the weight off. At one point I could jog up to 7 miles. Somehow I can still hike all day in the Colorado Rockies even at higher elevations. Not sure how that's possible but I will take it. ;) Mabey my alias should be Elk Lungs. 

 

Never was much of a fighter and only had three in my entire life, all ending very quickly with the other guy on the ground. They were all bullies and earned what they got. Never saw a need to make a habit of fighting. 40 concussions? Wow! I cannot begin to imagine.

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I have reached that plateau in life where stuff hurts, just outta' the blue!!  I'll rub it or favor it or do whatever is necessary to relieve the pain!  Somewhere in the process, I'll remember why whatever it is hurts!  Most times, I'll just smile to myself and nod, thinking, "Yeah!!  That was fun!" or "Damn!!  That was a close one!!!" :lol:

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2 hours ago, Dantankerous said:

All the way through college I played sports and lifted heavy weights. At some point all that caught up with me. I don't much exercise anymore because body parts hurt a lot. I traded exercise for working on my Jeep, CAS and John Wayne movies on my couch and I've not regretted it. Fortunately I've kept the weight off. At one point I could jog up to 7 miles. Somehow I can still hike all day in the Colorado Rockies even at higher elevations. Not sure how that's possible but I will take it. ;) Mabey my alias should be Elk Lungs. 

 

Never was much of a fighter and only had three in my entire life, all ending very quickly with the other guy on the ground. They were all bullies and earned what they got. Never saw a need to make a habit of fighting. 40 concussions? Wow! I cannot begin to imagine.

 

What part of Colorado are you in?  I'm rural, near Colorado Springs. 

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12 hours ago, Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 said:

I was at Cal in 1966-67. One of my fraternity brothers was a varsity boxer. Even way back then, there were only about 5 colleges in the West with varsity boxing programs.

 

He inspired me to go into intramural boxing at Cal. I didn't last long. Not that I was bad, but I hated, really hated, getting hit in the head. So I quit fast.

 

But I worked the heavy bag for years. Great exercise, but I quit that also in my 40s.

 

I took up Rugby at 22 and played for years. Way easier than boxing!

 

Hey pard, my amateur record was 34-2-0 with 24 wins by knockout.  In three round amateur bouts, that knockout record is amazing.  Both of my two losses were by decision; I've never been stopped.  There was another match I should have lost; the guy had me completely outclassed and was landing two or three blows to each of mine.  He hit hard, too.  But he had a tendency to swing wild with his hooks, so I figured out a way to win.  

 

Every time he threw a wild hook, I'd lean forward in front of the punch so it hit me in the back of the head -- an illegal "rabbit punch."  So I essentially baited him into rabbit punching me so many times the referee disqualified him.  I won by DQ.  :) 

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29 minutes ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said:

 

What part of Colorado are you in?  I'm rural, near Colorado Springs. 

 

I'm in the southcentral part of the next state to the east of Co. I just drive west a lot. I'm partial to the Collegiate Range although the San Juans are quickly becoming my favorite. I've been traisping all over Colorado, south of I70 for 30ish years.

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I tried boxing in high school.  I was pretty good except for one small thing: I was nearly blind, wore very thick glasses, and without the glasses I couldn't see a punch coming until it landed.  I had the moves, the speed, and the strength, but I couldn't dodge a punch.

 

Gave it up and became an excellent 200 yard free style swimmer and a four or five handicap golfer.  Haven't done either one in many years, though.

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3 hours ago, Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 said:

 

Indeed, they do! Also, clumsiness doesn't improve with age.

 

 

  ...... I beg to differ; ... I seem to be a lot clumsier now than in my youth. So my clumsiness HAS improved with age.   :(

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Whelp.  At this age if I take a day or two off from my workouts, it shows, and I still have to get tested every six months.  So I didn't take any days off.  This morning I did a leg workout -- squatted 185 pounds, five sets of five reps; deadlifted 220 pounds, 5X5; hip thrusted 185 pounds, 3X10; Bulgarian split squatted 0, 20, and 40 pounds, 3X10 each leg; calf raises with 80 pounds, feet straight for 10, toes in for 10, toes out for 10; same setup with 90 pounds, same with 100 pounds.  

 

At the end of that workout I could barely stand up, but I didn't injure anything!

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4 hours ago, Allie Mo, SASS No. 25217 said:

Well Wobbly, if you put it that way, so has mine. ;):(:blush:

 .... Ma'am it seems to me that it's a matter of perspective; I choose the positive side, no matter how much I have to lie to myself.   :blush:

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17 years ago I was in an accident that should have killed me or left me paralyzed. Everyday that I am walking leaves me grateful to God. I will deal with the pain.

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