5/16/2011
Rest

5/17/2011
20 minutes
10R/10L Snatches
1 min active shadowboxing recovery

5/18/2011
5 Pullup/Push Press ladder x 3

5/19/2011
KP Gym. Lots of padwork! No sparring.
I am starting to get a feel of the proper range for executing punches, kicks, knees and elbows during padwork. Need to continue to be mindful of chin down, hands up, shoulder rolled in to protect chin on punches and kicks. It's so easy to abandon technique when throwing for power.

Was really hoping to spar today. Here is an excerpt from a Muay Thai e-book that I read that made a lot of sense for me. It deals with the psychological mindset of being hit.

Quote:
My Muay Thai trainer always told me "The Lord said it's more blessed to give than to receive...and that's especially true in Muay Thai." I used to laugh at this, but the older I got, and the more fighting (as well as LIFE experience I gained), the deeper I internalized this wisdom. For instance, here comes Christmas In this holiday season you will find the one great division of mindsets amongst the populace: those who are worried about what they'll GET, and those who are worried about what they'll GIVE. Those people who only worry about what they will GET are the small of spirit, shriveled and unevolved. Those who worry about GIVING are the happy ones, the ones we like, the ones who shine. By the very nature of giving, we EXTEND OURSELVES, our limits, and thus we GROW. By the very nature of TAKING, we withdraw into ourselves, and thus we SHRIVEL. Those who worry about what they're GETTING for Christmas make inferior human beings. Those who worry about GIVING at Christmas are superior human beings. THE SAME TRUTHS OF MINDSET APPLY IN BOXING (and in anything). If you step into the ring worried (or, worse, elect NOT to step into the ring), you will never grow. You will curl up in a ball and TAKE punches, because you're mindset is focused on what you'll be GETTING instead of what you'll be GIVING. The mindset of a true boxer is worried about HITTING, not BEING HIT. He learns the necessary defenses only so that he can CONTINUE HITTING. The negative mindset worries about being hurt, GETTING HIT, and so will never amount to anything but being a whipping boy.