Weeks Four to Seven

Training has been brutal. We had intense heat to cope with and the training itself stepped up a gear. We have done a lot of sparring which has involved getting hit multiple times in the head and the body! Thankfully, I haven’t taken too many heavy shots in sparring – although that may be a bad thing as if I get hit hard in the actual fight, it will come as a bit of a shock.

My training was broken up with a well deserved holiday – tried not to overdo the All Inclusive option… Had the intention of going for some early morning beach runs but predictably that did not happen!

After the holiday, got back hard into the training, managing 4 sessions a week where possible. Definitely paying off as I have lost about a stone in weight over the training (even taking into account my holiday) and do feel a lot fitter than I have done in years.

Not long left now, just one more week until the big night. Time to get tactics sorted and last minute preparation done, especially as I now know my opponent for the night. It is going to be an exciting night and I am looking forward to it. And most important of all, its raising a huge amount of money for Cancer Research UK and I am proud to have done my bit.

 

If you would like to sponsor me, please check out my JustGiving page here. Tickets are available for the event. Please contact me for details. 

Chocolate Thunder v The Blackout

The date – Thursday 25th August 2016
The Venue – Manhatta, Leeds

After a tough training session at Bad Company, we headed over to Manhatta bar in Leeds city centre to find out who we would be facing.

Out of the almost 200 people who registered for the event, we were left with a final hardcore of around 60 people, which will give us around 30 fights on the night.

We were all called out – first name to be called is on the Red Team, second out is the Blue Team. We were called up, had to do a mean looking fighting pose and then a face off with each other, all growling and snarling! Pictures aren’t ready yet but I will post a few once they have been prepared.

I was called out first – On the Red Team, David “Chocolate Thunder” Gibbs
My opponent, was called out second – On the Blue Team, Liam “The Blackout” Barron

Looks like it will be a fairly evenly matched fight, although I have only sparred with him once, right at the very beginning and that was a long long time ago now! I haven’t really seen him sparring so can’t make any real assessment. I think that’s probably a good thing though, as I can’t a) be terrified or b) be overly confident. I will just have to take it as it comes.

Chocolate Thunder v The Blackout – Bring it on!!

 

If you would like to sponsor me, please check out my JustGiving page here. Tickets are available for the event. Please contact me for details. 

Week Three (and part of Week Two)

How time flies. I am already finished with my third week of training. Only another five weeks left and then that’s it, it will be fight night!

Last week, I managed to squeeze another boxing session in at a local gym, Alliance Boxing in Leeds, which was a good workout. My stomach ached for ages afterwards, thanks to Marcus making us do ridiculous planks. I was almost crying!

This week, we have been concentrating on head movement. Or rather not moving you head! Basically, head down, staring at your opponent’s chest and hitting their glove/pad using peripheral vision only. This is to avoid you moving your head too much and getting hit. Keep covered up and don’t get hit in the jaw!

We moved onto some body sparring then which has been……..well I wouldn’t say pleasant but its been an experience. People have been asking me if I enjoyed my training. I have answered “As much as you can enjoy being punched in the stomach”.

Obviously, the punches haven’t been full on punches to knock you down but they haven’t been tickles either (although one of the lads I was sparring with was giggling each time I touched his stomach. I don’t know if that says more about him or me!). I took a shot in the gut – no six pack yet, despite Marcus’s planks! – which almost winded me but I powered on through. Its an experience being hit in the stomach but it is one that I need to get used to I guess.

Our trainer, Pierre, looks like he is beginning to look at match ups now as we all had to detail our weight and get separated into weight categories. That may fluctuate over the next few weeks, with each of us ultimately being matched up to someone of a similar size and ability. There go my hopes of being matched up with a 9 stone stick man!

This is probably one of the most intense things I have done. As I have said in earlier blogs, I am not a big gym buff. I tend to sign up, go for a few weeks and then waste the rest of my membership! I have been to bootcamps, boxercise courses and British Military Fitness sessions, all of which are great but for one reason or another (usually my laziness or that there is something good on TV!) I haven’t been able to stick to it. I have really enjoyed the last three weeks of training and hopefully the next five weeks will be just as good. I may alter this statement when I start getting hit in the face though!!

Looking forward to week 4! Bring it on…

If you would like to sponsor me, please check out my JustGiving page here. Tickets are available for the event. Please contact me for details. 

Week Two

So, we are now into the second week of 8 weeks of intensive boxing training at Bad Company. The second session last week was just as tiring as the first and took a lot of getting used to.

They say that the biggest part of getting ready for a boxing match is increasing the cardiovascular fitness. A lot of the training focuses on this fitness but its as much about what you can do in your own time as what you do in the training sessions. My cardio exercise usually involves walking from the car park to my office and back again at the end of the day (plus the three flights of steep steps I have to navigate once in the building – don’t underestimate how tiring these are after ten minutes of squat thrusts!). So i am trying to incorporate more training at home, including weights and cardio. I even ventured outside to go for a mile and a half run on Saturday. Which almost killed me!

But, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Apparently.

Second weeks of training started yesterday. Typically on the hottest day many of us have experienced in the UK for many many years. For some unknown reason, many of the lads had to “unexpectedly” miss training yesterday. Whilst I was sorely tempted to fire up the barbie, the motto is Train Hard Fight Easy. I wont be ready for the big night if I don’t put the training in. And it sure was hard work! Not one inch of my training vest was dry and I am sure I must have sweated by body weight in water! I was tempted to post a picture of my sweaty vest but thought that may turn some people’s stomach!

In more shocking news, my normally spiky rigid hair did actually get moved slightly. That shows how extreme the training actually was.

Yesterday, we focused on movement and combinations using the punching pads. We also did some work on blocking punches. I guess that means that all too soon, we will have to get used to someone throwing punches for real! Then it gets serious!

May have time to fit in a training/sparring session tonight and get ready for another beasting on Thursday! Fingers crossed the weather will have calmed down a bit by then…

If you would like to sponsor me, please check out my JustGiving page here. Tickets are available for the event. Please contact me for details. 

First Session

So…I survived the first training session!! And my spiky hair also survived.

I arrived at the gym not knowing what to expect last night. I need not have worried too much. I met up with Amna, a girl I used to work with, who has recently decided to sign up and a guy called Jack who I met at the registration event last week. We had a chat, each going over how nervous/excited/scared we all were.

Got into the gym and started on the cardio warmup and workout. This involved everyone jumping around doing various exercises, shadow boxing and the like and was absolutely exhausting. Squat thrusts killed my thighs and my t-shirt was soaked through after around 10 minutes.

Next it was time to lace up the new gloves (metaphorically, as they are velcro strapped but you get the idea!) and try throw a few punches. I was paired up with a guy called Shaugn who is a “veteran” of the UWCB world, having done one of these events earlier this year. It was useful being with him as he was able to offer some additional tips about throwing punches, defending yourself and avoiding streetfighting dirty opponents!

Session was well run by the guys at Bad Company and left all of us wanting more. Looking forward to Thursday’s session now.

And…surprisingly, I can walk today! No DOMS (delayed onset muscle soreness) but I am expecting to be hobbling around tomorrow when it finally kicks in. Deep Heat at the ready!!!

If you would like to sponsor me, please check out my JustGiving page here. Tickets are available for the event. Please contact me for details. 

The Beginning

And so it begins. The moment of truth is upon us. Very shortly, I will be walking into Bad Company gym to begin my 8 week boxing training.

Protein shake has been taken, nutritional supplements and energy boosters taken, anything to help give my body an advantage tonight and not be totally surprised by the E word… Exercise

My oh so pretty face might not be oh so pretty for that much longer.&nbsp

Obviously tonight will be about getting acclimatised to the gym, the bags and the fitness work but behind it all, the overwhelming feeling will be that, out of the 100 or so people joining me for training tonight, one of them, in 8 weeks time, will be itching to tear my head off!!!!

I dread to think what I will be like to motto after this first training session but here goes

If you would like to sponsor me, please check out my JustGiving page here. Tickets are available for the event. Please contact me for details. 

Big Thanks

When I initially registered for this crazy scheme, I was wanting an initial £50 of sponsorship to get me going and thought it may take a week or two to get there. 

I’m amazed that it’s only taken three and a bit days to get there. Thanks to everyone who has donated already. it means a lot. 

The Gear

It’s not cheap this charity lark! Just been out to buy all the equipment I will need to put my body through its paces:

• 16oz boxing gloves
• Gum shield
• Boxing boots
• Groin guard
• Hand wraps

But I am all done now. Will look like a pro even if I won’t be moving like one just yet

Looking forward to getting into the training now!
If you would like to sponsor me, please check out my JustGiving page here. Tickets are available for the event. Please contact me for details. 

The Decision

Hi. My name is David Gibbs. I’m a 37 year old lawyer from Leeds. I have two beautiful kids, a wonderful girlfriend and a supportive family. I enjoy eating pizzas and kebabs and all sorts of things that are not good for you. Yet…

Last night I made a decision that I am sure I will regret many times over the next two months. I’ve decided to try my hand at boxing. I don’t mean boxing training but actually a full blown boxing camp, with a film actual fight at the end, at a large event where people spend their own money to watch a fight.

To use the old cliche, I am more a lover than a fighter. I don’t fight. Never have. The last fight I had couldn’t really be called a fight. It was a drunken roll around on a nightclub floor in Benidorm with my little brother over a pair of children’s sunglasses (don’t ask!)

So. Back to boxing. What have I decided to do? It’s with a company called Ultra White Collar Boxing. They run events for ordinary guys, which involves intense fitness and boxing training for a period of 8 weeks followed by a fight with someone from your group. Over 100 people attended the initial event in Leeds last night.

Why? All in the name of charity! UWCB have raised over £4.5million for Cancer Research UK and run over 300 events a year.

The charity is one that’s close to my heart as I’ve lost a number of loved ones to the disease over the last few years including my mum so anything I can do to help rid the world of it will be worth it. Even if that involves being punched in the face a few times.

I have no idea what to expect other than its going to be one of the hardest experiences of my life. Expect lots of blood, sweat and tears and plenty of vomit until my body gets used to the punishment.

Training starts this Tuesday. My world of pain will also start on Tuesday and end on 3rd September at the Royal Armouries in Leeds in front of 1,500 people.

Am I mad? Yes

Am I nervous? Yes

Am I excited? Absolutely!

I am going to try and keep a regular diary of my training and my progress. Hopefully it will be an interesting and informative insight into what is involved. Maybe it will inspire you. Who knows?

 

If you would like to sponsor me, please check out my JustGiving page here. Tickets are available for the event. Please contact me for details.