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Johnny
"Superfoot"
Davis
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A Johnny Davis quote to live by:
"Time is of the essence and the essence of time is productivity- Those who use it wisest will be the most successful." JD
The Focus Mitts
TIMING
IS EVERYTHING
If
you want to increase your timing, implementation of the Focus Mitts in your training routine is a must!
Focus Mitts will greatly increase your accuracy for kicks and punches
coach or training partner experienced at "catching" or holding mitts
can make them come alive and simulate an actual opponent. Its a good idea for
your partner to know the basic mechanics of punches and kicks.
This will assist them in working the mitts almost in a preparatory
command fashion.
The
person holding the mitts will find that the Shoulder Roll mentioned earlier in Boxing section will greatly
assist with setting up the mitts for a sharp combination. The
"catcher" will offer resistance by slightly pushing into the punch or
kick on contact. You will kick, box, weave and bob, the Mitts will no longer be
a piece of leather but a hungry opponent in your face.
The focus mitts shouldn't necessarily be put in a particular position to punch or kick. Make your technique work from whatever angle they're in. An opponent will not set up their face for you to hit, you must find it. I suggest you use the general rule for holding the mitts. However, don't be afraid to be creative. Using proper form in techniques will be important to landing kicks and punches accurately and with power.
Create a coded system to allow your coach to assist you in the gym or in a fight. For example, using numbers #1- jab, # 2-cross, #3-hook. #4 uppercut, #5-round kick and so on. Example: a 1-2-5- would translate to jab-cross and round kick. Coding your techniques will give you more of a sense of timing, focus, and fluency.
You may have the best power and speed but if you can't hit your target, you can't win!
Timing
is Everything!
A Word on Sweating: Re-Hydration
Most of the exercises we have discussed will cause you to do a lot of sweating. However, one of the biggest mistakes a fighter makes is not properly replenishing the water h/she has lost.
I had to learn this the hard way. In preparing for my first World Championship, it seems as though I did everything perfect in the gym. I got the necessary sparring in, road work and rounds on the bag. I ate good and drank a lot of water. However, when I arrived at the fight I was about a 3 pounds overweight. I immediately put on my three to four layers of clothes along with my sauna suit and went to work. Within no time at all, I had shed the necessary weight I needed along with two extra pounds. Strangely enough, after losing the weight in such a short period of time, I felt very strong. As a result I was able to defeat then champion Alvin Prouder with a 12 round decision.
Ironically, for my defense of that championship, I would again train very hard and was in pretty good condition. Only for this match I had neglected to drink lots of water during training. At fight time, I was again overweight for the 155 cut off. This time I was about 4-1/2 pounds over the limit. Again I went through the ritual of putting on the layer of clothes and the old sauna suit to sweat off those extra pounds of unwanted "water weight".
It was a killer to trying
sweat out fluids I didn't have inside me...very painful! Fortunately, I lost the
weight I needed to make the weigh in. Unfortunately, I did not properly
re-hydrate myself. I remember so clearly going to the local restaurant and
thinking to myself I was re-hydrating with liquids, I ordered a couple pitchers
of soft drink. I also realize that I needed to eat something that would quickly
be digested. So, I ordered a nice plate of lasagna.
Obviously, after a meal like that my stomach felt pretty satisfied and that
would have been fine if the fight
was over. The fact was that I still had to fight the next night
and all the next day I "de-hydrated" on that delicious soft
drink.
It's fight night and I'm warming up. I began to feel as though my knees are about to go at any minute. My kicks and punches felt like I had on ten pound weights and my stomach was cramping. Remember, I was the champ and champions don't just back out of fights because of a little "tummy ache." Right? Well, to make a very long night a short one. During the fight, although I should have been in the hospital, I managed to win almost every round of the grueling scheduled 12 rounds. My opponent was the tough and experienced Ricky Haynes of Rockford, Ill.. Ricky only hit me, I guess, ten times the whole fight, but I felt every one of them. Probably more so because of my dehydrated condition. The fight ended in the 10th with the referee "Thank God" stopping the fight as a TKO. Hats off to Ricky Haynes a true and dedicated world champion! Oh, did I mention Ricky hit like a mule and was in great shape! :)
Tip for proper hydration: Drink half your weigh in ounces a day and more if you train.
Jumping
Rope:
Is a great stamina builder. It also helps with footwork and overall conditioning of the body.
Start by having a rope that suits your height. Here is a chart that will help you find a rope right for you.
Height
Length
up to
5'-5" 7
1/2 ft.
5'-5" to
5'8" 8 1/2
ft.
5'-8" and up 9 1/2
ft.
(chart
available through Ringside Products)
For
the Beginner:
Start out by holding each handle of rope in each hand. Rope should be held slightly below the waist line. The rotation of the rope should come from the wrist not by swinging the entire
arm. As you bring the rope behind you and above the head, anticipate its pace by preparing to jump. The beginner can start out by jumping with one foot at a time and change legs at 5 count. Shortly the five will become easy, than move to 4, 3, and 2. The lower the counts between jumps the more it will increase your stamina, footwork, timing and conditioning.
I recommend that you Jump rope in 3 minute rounds, and no less than 1 but not more than three rounds per day.
Jumping Rope also should be done in variation. You can run in place, double and triple skip it etc. Be creative!
Exerpts
from the Art of Kickboxing Manual by Johnny Davis
Technical
Sparring
The key to longevity
This article will hopefully prevent last minute drop-outs for events due to injuries
Posted
7-3-2004
First, I must take a moment to give thanks to those fighters who gave up a rib or
suffered blacken eyes to help me prepare for fights. There are many all over North and
South Carolina, but there is one person most responsible for my many years of success in the
ring... be it Point or Full Contact Kickboxing!
The weather, freezing cold or blistering hot! I could always depend on him to be there on time
and ready to go. For over a ten year span, he supported my cause. Many times sacrificing his
own priorities. His promise and commitment allowed me the opportunity to achieve my
dreams.
Thanks a million to Kenneth Wayne " Slick Feet" Townsend of Dillon, SC...His support
and
friendship will never be forgotten!
Sparring is one of the toughest routines you will encounter in the gym. In many ways its the
next thing to the actual fight. You will feel the intensity and the pain. As well as the
excitement of accomplishment when that technique you were practicing on the bag actually
works on your sparring partner.
Sparring should be done in moderation. I believe those who choose to spar for 12 and 20
hard rounds a day are simply overdoing it. It goes back to the example I gave earlier about
running. If you run more than you work on your boxing, kicking and ring general ship
Perhaps you're a runner?. Your focus should be on technique without the worry of
someone
knocking your block off.
My philosophy is the entire fight should be broken down into rounds. In other words, in
a fight you punch. You need to work on punches. You kick. You need to work on your
kicks. Fighting requires you to weave and bob. Let your partner throw techniques at you
while you weave and bob. You get in corners. Your partner tries to pin you in a corner. You
find the "legal" way out. All of these routines need to be worked on separately in a round.
The rounds will accumulate fast!
Here
is another way Technical Sparring can work:
Your partner jabs- you slip to the out side- Stop! look! (ask yourself - is my guard up?) What
techniques can you throw from this position?...Lets say, you throw the cross right up the
middle, it connects on the chin...Stop! What position are you in now? What technique can
you throw? Additionally, in your "minds eye", how does the opponent react after each
technique? Create a drill with your partner using 2,3, and four kick/box combos.
The more comfortable you become with these drills the faster they can be done. This works
with all of your techniques and will give you several options if caught in the same position in
a fight.. Technical Sparring should start out very slow and methodical. Technical Sparring
will also allow your coach to pick up bad habits such as dropping your guard on the inside or
lifting your chin coming out of clinches. All of these errors can be seen and corrected with
Technical Sparring. Sparring hard and fast makes it very difficult to analyze your mistakes.
Additionally, sparring everyday would not give you enough diversity in your arsenal to
become a complete and versatile Kick Boxer.
I sparred very little in preparations for my bouts. Most of the seven to 12 rounds fights, I
would only get in around 10 to 15 rounds of real sparring per week. This would be over a 4 to
6 week training period. Most of the sparring came in the last three weeks.
My workouts consisted of a diverse group of drills and exercises that got me in great shape
for the business I had to do in the ring. Sparring was another tool to sharpen my timing and
reflexes with techniques I used on the bag and mitts. I also used a variety of sparring
partners to prepare me for diverse opponents. Again, most of my sparing would be in the
last 3 to 4 weeks before the fight. I would stop the hard sparring about 2 to 3 days before a
fight and go back to the technical sparring, in order to give my body time to heal from the
bruises. I've found that fighters are afraid to do this, thinking they might
get out of shape or something in a couple of days. If you're not in shape by then, its too late.
It was easy to recognized when I had an adequate amount of sparring. My punches, kicks
and overall ring general ship would be better. For example, when I fought Alvin Prouder of
Los Angeles, Ca for his Welterweight title in 1985, I sparred more for that fight than ever
before.
Looking back at my training records I sparred a good 100 rounds over a 7 week period- 5
days a week. This still averaged about 15 rounds per week. However, some
of the earlier weeks were not quiet as much sparring as conditioning and Technical Sparring.
Most of the hard sparring came in about the last 3 to 4 weeks before the fight.
As a result, I felt that I was as sharp as one could be for such a fight. Additionally, the
technical part of my training came into play, for it was my conditioning and Kick/Boxing
combinations that gave Mr. Prouder problems and gave me my first World Championship!
Finally, recognize the importance of getting in the sparring rounds. Also know when its too
much and not enough. Although, you must get in some hard rounds of sparring. Going
home everyday hurt and trying to work through the pain the next workout is not very fun or
smart. . You will benefit greatly from the Technical Sparring.
Try technical sparring and have less down time from training because of injuries and increase
longevity in the ring. Hence, enhancing your chances of becoming a World Champion.
Basic Order of Footwork
Posted 06-06-04
In all too many cases a flat footed fighter is a beaten one. I believe that for the most part this is
true. I understand that there are exceptions to every rule. However, for what I have witness
that one who chooses to remain flat footed makes himself vulnerable to one who has fleet of
feet.
What's so ironic about footwork is that many think that they will be required to
move and dance like Mohammed Ali. Indeed it only requires the least amount of
footwork and body movement to have effective foot work.
There was a time when I felt that I had to move like Mohammed Ali. I later realized that I
could reserve much more energy and counter better by staying in descent striking range.
The type of footwork I am about to discuss will allow you to advance on your opponent
as well as enhance your retreating ability.
One of the biggest problems many fighter and in particular Kick Boxers have is maintaining
their balance after they have throw a kick or a punch. Too often they find themselves stuck in
their tracks unable to get out of the way of their opponent. Understanding the proper order of
footwork will award you with many offensive and defensive opportunities.
Illustration Below:
from fighting position - step with lead foot approx. 1 foot ( front foot should be flat) -
back foot should follow at approx. the same distance. ( back foot lands were front foot was) - repeat
steps. Moving backwards the back leg should move first and the front foot should follow at same
distance. To the left and right foot movement should be the same. Left leg moves first to left and
right leg moves to right first, left leg follows at same distance.
Note: Your legs should always remain underneath your body. Do not over extend.
For more information contact Johnny Davis at johnnyd@akpromotions.org or call (916)435-5004
Additional Tips
Copyright 2001 All Rights Reserved
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