Sarah Liegmann – from the ring corner: Fit as never before!

Before I get started, I’m really glad you’re here to read my column. It’s going to be chaotic, funny, but mainly 100 percent real. I’ll be sharing lots of anecdotes and experiences from the world of boxing, but also giving you some exciting insights into my everyday madness. And now it’s time to clear the ring!

I’m currently in Hollywood Beach, Florida – back in camp. Fight news will be coming very soon. I’ve already completed the first week of training and I feel great. To be honest, I feel fitter than ever.

Last Saturday, my trainer John David Jackson was unfortunately unable to attend, but he gave me a short running plan that I had to work through accordingly. Not knowing what to expect, I drove to the Warriors Boxing Gym at around eleven o’clock. When I opened the door, my jaw almost dropped. One of the coaches from the gym had invited me to a sparring session so that boxers like Christian Thun and Vladimir Shishkin could prepare as well as possible for their upcoming fights. The best of the best from all over Florida were here to face each other. I stepped through the door and it felt quieter for a moment. No wonder, I was the only woman in a crowd of around 40 men. As if that wasn’t enough, Sugar Hill entered the gym with some of his fighters. I have to admit that I was pretty impressed.

So once collected and into the daily routine; three rounds of skipping, four rounds of shadow boxing, eight rounds of sandbag with special tasks and stretching. I actually found it difficult to concentrate. There were just too many exciting distractions. For me, the sparring wasn’t necessarily the most exciting part. I just found it incredibly interesting to see how everyone mentally prepared for the rounds in the ring.

Maximum energy in sparring

For me, I usually take important sparring sessions like the one here at camp so seriously that I do my second training session the day before in a regenerative way. I wouldn’t say that I take it easy on myself. But I do make sure that I can go into sparring the next morning with maximum energy. I don’t eat any carbohydrates the night before, as I go to bed early and don’t want to be kept awake by feeling full. I try to eat my breakfast exactly two hours before sparring. I usually have rice pudding with protein powder and frozen fruit, as it gives me the most energy without making me feel full after eating. I also try to drink about a liter of liquid so that I’m well hydrated in the ring.

I usually listen to my favorite music on the way to the gym. As soon as I arrive at the gym, I have a quick chat with my coach – a short conversation usually relaxes me completely. Once I’ve changed, I slowly start warming up, which usually consists of two to three rounds of skipping and two to three rounds of shadow boxing. Before I go into the ring, I discuss a few things with my coach and then I’m ready to go.