After effectively releasing my psoas and getting treated by Andy after the events of Boxing Session #12: Back From Hell, I felt like today was going to be a great session despite the lack of sleep. I executed a decent warm up for my QL with the following QL Exercise
and I was genuinely feeling pretty great (no lower back pain or hip area spasms) during shadow boxing...until of course I felt a pop in my left lower leg and couldn't drive through it anymore. This is the second time I have strained this (what I believe to be) soleus area. Thankfully, it's definitely not an achilles tendon area kind of thing. I was jumping around fine just on Saturday and now this? 😡
Boxing Lessons
Rotate the Torso MORE on the Cross
Despite the soleus strain, I still covered a fair bit with Coach Jhay. A big focus of mine was really rotating my torso with my left cross. I mean, really, focusing on that back shoulder coming forward and the front one pulling back AND not just punching from the shoulder which is what I did last week to subsequently tweak my shoulder 💀 In the days preceding and after our last boxing session, it became clear to me that it had been years since I've needed to use any sort of rotational strength or trunk stability that wasn't back squats or deadlifts. Great static movements, but these recent issues I've been having have shone light on some weaknesses I need to address in my core area and overall trunk. All this bobbing, weaving, slipping, moving...well it's been a while for the old body.
Rotate the Torso MORE on Uppercuts
Same thing here. The left uppercut just feels awkward as hell and will continue to until the rotation of the torso feels more natural. Part of this is a mobility thing. My spine just isn't use to moving these ways. I will say though that despite lying down with some of the most serious muscle soreness I've had in a while, my body has honestly felt more athletic again. Well, as athletic that someone can feel that never was very athletic and minus all the tweaks 😅
Relax More on Jabs
Not every jab has to be a hard punch. Sometimes it's just a set up, a gauge of distance, or to simply keep restarting the OODA loop of your opponent. As an interesting side note, I have been falling down the rabbit hole of some Russian ideologies on boxing lately and relaxed punching seems to be one of it's tenants as well.
Relaxed Punches
Homework
Oblique Twist Wood Chopper
I did these and some cable crunches over the weekend but I could have rotated even more I believe. The point was to build some strength and mobility rotating through this range of motion that hopefully carries over to my boxing. I definitely felt like it did today so I'll be making this a regular staple for a while.
Time to Get Boxing Shoes/Boots?
After well over 2 years now (I think) in barefoot shoes, my ankles are pretty rock solid. I have no worries of rolling an ankle like I did 10s of times back in high school cross-country but maybe I'm still lacking some support in my lower leg? This reoccurring soleus strain, I'm pretty sure, just means they're weak as hell for the force I'm trying to generate 😅 but I think we take some baby steps and pick up some boxing shoes and keep the Vivobarefoots for walking and the weight room.
FRC Kneeling Calf Stretch PAILS & RAILS
Thanks Matt Christman for sending this kneeling calf stretch to help out with the rehab!
