Day Thirteen: Boxing, Learning, and Finding My Rhythm

End of the Work Week

Today marked the end of my working week, finally. The usual school grind continued, but with one significant difference: I finished everything. All the exam corrections, uploads, and reports are done, which is no small feat. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders, and I can't begin to express the relief that washes over me. For the first time in days, I could actually breathe without the shadow of looming deadlines hanging over my head and think about something other than grading papers, allowing myself a moment to enjoy some mental clarity.

Once I wrapped up my work day, I went straight home to rest and recharge. After all, a busy week deserves a good refresher. I had a nutritious meal, filled with proteins and greens to nourish my body. Yet, I found I couldn’t finish it all because I was in a hurry to make it to the gym. I wanted to end the week strong; and that meant boxing. I could already feel the anticipation bubbling within me.

A Double Boxing Session

Today’s plan was ambitious, a two-hour double boxing session. It’s been a while since my last one, and quite frankly, I have missed it dearly. Boxing is not just a sport; it is both technical and physically demanding, requiring an interesting combination of agility and strength, and I love that balance it offers.

At the gym, the routine began with running laps to warm up, followed by some rope jumping. The energy in the room was invigorating, filled with the sounds of feet hitting the floor and gloves connecting with bags. I transitioned into shadowboxing, honing my form and technique before diving back into more rope jumping and further shadowboxing, an endurance routine I repeated several times. The gym was vibrant today, with around fifteen or so of us training together, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie and shared purpose. I noticed some of the younger guys effortlessly excelled at rope jumping, and I couldn’t help but feel inspired. Their rhythm and speed were impressive, serving as a reminder of how far I’ve come while also highlighting the ongoing journey ahead.

I didn’t feel embarrassed or disheartened. Instead, I took it all as motivation to push myself further. Everyone starts somewhere, and that is a universal truth I reminded myself of. I’m improving with each session, and that’s what truly matters to me. I finally discovered one small but significant detail about my performance, keeping my hands close to my hips while jumping instead of spreading them out made a world of difference. It made everything smoother and led to better overall control and balance.

After about an hour, we took a short break to catch our breath, hydrate with some much-needed water, and then geared up for sparring. That anticipation hung in the air as we prepared for the next stage of our training, and I could feel my adrenaline spiking.

Sparring with Mohamed

My partner for the day was a young and eager student named Mohamed. He’s about fifteen, weighs a bit more than me, and is still quite new to the world of boxing. Despite his inexperience, I could tell he had a strong spirit and a willingness to learn.

In our sparring session, I focused on technique rather than sheer power. I made it a point to give him space to learn and experiment; threw light jabs, demonstrated some feints, and moved around in a way that encouraged his growth. I noticed he tended to expose his sides too often, so I seized the opportunity to target body shots, working on precision instead of rushing for impact. While his shorter stature presented a challenge for me to land clean hits, I adapted my approach and found new angles to strike from.

He dodged a few of my swings and displayed good movement; I must say, considering his novice level, he showed promise. After our round, I took a moment to offer him a few tips on how to stay balanced, the importance of keeping his eyes open, how to feint properly, and the necessity of bending his knees instead of bowing down when dodging. It struck me how much teaching can simultaneously aid personal learning, when you explain something to someone else, it becomes clearer to you as well.

A Spar with Issa

Following that dynamic session, I asked Issa, the experienced Tunisian coach and professional boxer, if we could do a short sparring round. He agreed but cautioned me that he’d be focusing on defense and movement, opting not to punch back since he was fatigued from prior practices.

That was enough for me. I leaped into the round, trying different combinations, jabs, uppercuts, hooks, body shots; attempting to land clean strikes while focusing on technique. Issa, true to his word and as expected, defended and dodged with incredible ease. Watching him perform was nothing short of impressive, a real-time lesson in anticipation and movement.

For me, though, the highlight of that sparring wasn’t just in landing a punch, but rather in dodging his strikes. The ability to move with reflex, to read your opponent, and stay one step ahead; that’s the mastery I aspire to achieve. Power certainly matters in boxing, but control and awareness matter even more.

Reflections and Realizations

By the end of our session, we all took a moment to cool down and chatted casually. Mohamed and another student, Hassan, joined in the discussion, and I found the camaraderie energizing. Hassan reminded me of a piece of advice Abdullah from MMA once mentioned; if I ever wanted to participate in amateur fights, I should follow the Saudi martial arts federation's pages on Instagram. Once they announce a tournament, I could sign up, pay the fee, and train specifically for it under my coach’s guidance.

It’s solid advice, and truly something to think about seriously. Hassan also shared that it typically takes around six years to become exceptionally skilled at boxing. Personally, though, I think that’s excessively long. With hard work, consistency, and proper training techniques, I firmly believe that real progress can come much quicker than that. Perhaps not to achieve a professional level, but definitely to be competitive at least as an amateur.

That’s my goal, step by step, technique by technique. Every little advancement counts.

Home, Rest, and Preparation

After the session wrapped up, I made my way straight home. A quick shower, a solid meal packed with nutrients for recovery, and finally, some well-deserved rest. While unwinding and reflecting on the day’s events, I took the opportunity to make a small list of gear I need to invest in, better gloves, more protective equipment, and proper training tools. My body is my greatest asset, and I know I need to prioritize protecting it for a sustainable journey.

This journey is undeniably physically demanding, but I’m savoring every part of it. Every class, every bruise, and every piece of invaluable advice drives me closer to improvement; not just in the gym, but as a person developing resilience and discipline.

Day Thirteen Lesson

Progress isn’t only about getting stronger; it’s about becoming smarter, too. Technique, patience, and consistency are the pivotal elements that turn effort into true mastery.

Day Thirteen complete. The grind continues, and I feel stronger, sharper, and more focused than ever!

👉 What’s one small technique or detail that changed the way you trained or learned something new? I would love to hear your experiences!