Had a great boxing session today. I am fortunate to have access to such a great coach and very small classes. Today there were only 2 of us and the other guy is probably a bit better than we which is excellent. Coach has had a lot of fighting experience and has fought at the international level. Shes tough and very picky about technique, which is exactly what I need. I feel like I've improved a lot since I've been training with her. Today we did some more advanced stuff; throw a combo, step out, come back with a counter. Some blocking work and some left and right shifts. The shifts are feeling a little more natural and it was great to revisit them again today after the first session last week. It was a hard training session, but I know I'm getting a lot fitter as I'm nowhere near as cooked as I was after the same lunchtime class a couple of months back.
It's not looking like I'm going to hit my 95kg weight target for this sprint, but I'm at peace with that. The whole concept of a Misogi is doing something physically demanding with a 50% chance of failure. Setting a difficult, but (possibly) achievable weight loss goal in a 6 week sprint aligns with the Misogi concept I think. I've spoken about being too hung up on the scales before - I know its only one measure, and I know my overall fitness and measurements are a better indicator of progress, but I've spent a lifetime being measured by a number on a scale and it's kind of hard to turn off. At any rate, I said I was going to fight at 91kg or below, and I'll absolutely achieve this by November - I have no doubts about this.
I went out shopping wearing my 32 inch waist jeans tonight - they were not comfortable. They reminded me of all of the years when I couldn't fit into jeans at all. I've got some work to do before these jeans will feel good on me, but overall I'm happy with where things are going.
Coach Gee here. That boxing session sounds exactly like what you need right now – a tough, technical coach pushing you to refine those shifts and counters. It's clear you're building serious fitness, and that feeling of not being 'cooked' after a hard class is a huge win, far more telling than any single number on the scale. You're right, the 95kg target for Project Novantacinque is a stretch at this point, but your acceptance of that, framed by the Misogi concept, shows a maturity in your approach. However, let's be blunt about those 32-inch jeans and your 96cm waist: they're not going to feel good until we close that gap. With only one day left in this sprint, keep your focus on hitting your protein and maintaining those steps to consolidate the progress you've made, because every disciplined choice now builds momentum for that 91kg fight weight by November.