I've just started back at the gym this week after a solid 3+ weeks away from literally all physical activity. After having 5 fights (including against an Olympian and 2 National champions) between October to December, by the time the holidays hit, my body was ready for a rest. I am a huge believer in training hard and being completely ready for every fight, which now means I've become a huge believer in taking time off and resting when it's time.
I fight pretty often, especially for a female in a sport where it can be tough at times to find fights. This means that when I'm in fighting shape and a tournament is coming up, myself and Coach Horace Hunter try very hard to find opponents and fights for me either before or after the tournament, or both if possible. Our principle we try to go by is that when your body and mind is in fighting shape, fight as much as you can for a period of time, and then take some time off because you need it, to recharge your body, heal any injuries and get your mind away from the gym and fighting for a bit. So this time I ended up having 5 fights in under 2 months, basically fighting every other weekend. I loved it. I felt so mentally and physically sharp, very aware of my boxing and my body, it's unlike any other feeling. But it also means by the last fight against Canadian Olympian Mary Spencer, after it was done I was ready for a break.
This break I took 3 weeks away from the gym and because it happened to coincide with Christmas, New Year's, family birthdays, it ended up being completely away from all exercise whatsoever - this is not something I would suggest. This complete lack of all physical activity meant that when I started back this week, my body was put through the wringer. I was the most sore I have ever been. I regretted every minute of my 3 weeks off, and will have to slowly build my body back into fighting shape for the Ontario Provincials at the beginning of March.
So, a new fight season is starting up. This means I've started back full training right away with Conditioning Mondays, Interval on Wednesday, Technical work on Fridays. When starting back after a lay-off, sparring is the last thing to be added. That will be coming this week (more due to sparring partners needing the help than me wanting to get back to it) and it will be rough. My cardio is terrible right now, I'm battling tendinitis, and am being forced to train in unnatural Southpaw stance, but it's all just part of boxing. For a beginner in boxing this would not be advisable. Take your time, get your conditioning up THEN add sparring, don't rush into anything or you risk getting hurt and/or injured. Not worth the risk. But with the experience I have at the point and my well-honed defense, both myself and Horace know that even with my body being at 70%, I can handle myself against my more-experienced sparring partners without too much issue. They may be getting the better of me in sparring right now, but that's just due to my conditioning and they definitely are not running all over me. A few rough sparring sessions aren't anything to get my head down about (This was a HUGE lesson for me to learn) as long as I understand the circumstances behind it. Doesn't mean it's fun, but it's a great motivation to get back into shape quickly.
We'll be looking to do the same thing again this time once I'm back fighting - get as many fights as possible within a few months of each other. This strategy is only possible because Horace teaches me such good defense, meaning I don't take a lot of damage in fights, whether I win or lose. But after 5 or 6 fights, the body is still feeling the aches and pains, the small muscle tears that haven't had a chance to heal, and just the basic grind of training every day. So then it will be time for another small break. But trust me, this time I have learned my lesson. While I will be stepping away from the gym, I'll still try to keep a small amount of activity up, enough to let my body heal but not slip completely out of shape. So still have small 4-5 km runs two or three times a week (just no sprints, yay!), hot yoga 3-4 times to keep muscles loose, and as much stretching as I can remember to do.
So, as usual, lessons have been learned the hard way. Put in the work, be fit and ready for fights. Relax when it's time. Enjoy life away from the ring. But stay active. Trust me, your body will thank you for it.
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