No sex before a bout because it takes something out of the fighters legs. NONSENSE.
The only one i know that some people do that works, is that before the match they put on their gloves and destroy a bag for a while before the fight. That way they're warmed up and you get some of the padding in the glove moved around so it's a less padded hit which means more pain on the opponents side.
I am old school, and the no sex myth before a bout is in my opinion not total nonsense and here is why.
Boxing at it's highest levels is a mental game, everyone who fights at a championship level is in great physical shape, champs, contenders and even fringe contenders come physically prepared, they train properly and their bodies are all in top condition or they wouldn't have succeeded to the point of being there in the first place. The difference at the highest levels of competition is in your mental attitude and your emotional state. The distraction of a romantic entanglement or the emotional issues of a relationship are why old school trainers frowned on sex before a fight. The whole Vegas hooker scene and the idea of recreational sex is not why the no sex while training myth developed, that type of sex is no different than masturbation and has no measurable effect on a top rated fighter's performance in the ring unless STD's are contracted, but the old school idea of emotional attachment and mental distraction is real for some fighters and in my opinion could negatively impact performance of individuals with that type of personality. With some fighters it would be minimal, others it might distract and impact negatively on at a crucial moment.
Gimmick's for publicity like Ali conning "Life Magazine" doing an article on training in a pool or Juan Manuel Marquez drinking his own urine are just that, gimmick's for publicity and serve no real purpose in the ring to enhance performance. Lots of fighters prone to cutting have tried any number of concoctions to help with the problem, but to my knowledge, if your a bleeder, and you get hit, you bleed no matter what you do prior to the fight. Vito Anteufermo tried all sorts of ways to lessen his tendency to get cut, soaking his skin in various solutions, I think he even went as far as surgery to lessen his facial bone structure in an effort to reduce bone to skin pressure points, but to my knowledge nothing really worked. Myth is where you go when fact and knowledge are exhausted, and I try to stick to proven method. Most myth's develop to answer questions our personal experience and knowledge fail to answer. Try to stick to what works, and avoid what doesn't.
Lifting weights.
Hi, I'm wondering what misconceptions you've heard of how boxers, especially boxers from the early 20th century, prepared for their matches. I've heard that they used to soak their fists and/or faces and/or whole bodies in vinegar, brine, petrol; they used to chew tree sap; and soak their fists in pregnant horses' urine. What else?
Thanks for all input.
