Jill Perry

“It takes a lot of courage to climb up those steps and get into that ring – after that everything else seems easier.” This is the way Jill Perry describes the added confidence she has gained from her years in the sweet science. “Boxing has changed my life in so many ways,” she says. “It’s given me a tremendous sense of accomplishment and a level of self discipline I never could have imagined.” And the improvements aren’t all mental as Jill also appreciates what the sport has done for her physically. “Besides being in amazing shape, my body has changed over the years,” she explains. “I’ve lost fat, added lean muscle and improved my overall appearance.” The only down side is the cost of a new wardrobe but according to Jill it’s well worth it.

A natural athlete, Jill discovered boxing at the age of 28. Now 36 and a member of the Beaver Boxing Club, she sports an amateur ring record of 15 fights with only 2 losses. Competing as a Lightweight (60 kg.) Perry is a fierce competitor who loves to mix it up. She has an aggressive style and enjoys coming forward to land shots on her opponents. A little short for a lightweight Jill does her best work on the inside and realizes that she has to work hard to win. “Fighting taller opponents is tough,” she admits. “And getting close enough to do any damage sometimes means walking through their best artillery.” As a result her game plan is based on lots of pressure and effective aggression – coming in strong behind a good, well-timed jab and landing the right hand. Aptly named her “utility club”, Perry has a lot of confidence in her power hand and its ability to dish out headaches. But Jill admits that she’s not just a head hunter – body work is also very important especially when regularly faced with taller opposition. “It’s all part of breaking them down,” she explains. “And it also gives them something else to think about. A varied attack is so important,” she adds. “It keeps your opponent off balance and guessing.” Jill’s busy fighting style also requires exceptional conditioning. “If you want to throw lots of punches in competition,” she explains. “You have to train hard or you run out of gas … it’s that simple.” As a result Jill takes her pre-fight training very seriously and the following is an overview of her preparation.

Four weeks before the fight

Ring Work – Regular sparring, concentrating on good technique, correcting any bad habits and reinforcing the basics.

Running – Increase from 2 to 3 times per week, shortening distance from 8 – 10 km down to about 5 km, while increasing intensity and conditioning the legs for the extra workload.

Running Hills – Jill also throws in a couple of hill runs per week. The inclination puts a lot of stress on the legs effectively increasing cardio-vascular output and tolerance to the lactic acid that builds up in the muscles. “Competing effectively is all about overcoming pain,” she explains. “And hills are a great way to increase your threshold.”

Double Workouts – Perry often adds a noon hour cardio class to her schedule at a local fitness club. Convenient and fun it adds a little variety to her regime while effectively increasing her work load.

Two weeks before the fight

Ring Work – Heavy open sparring begins. During this phase of her training Jill increases both the intensity and the duration of her workouts. She will endure less rest between rounds and will be forced to stay in the ring while her sparring partners rotate through in 1 or 2 round intervals. “It’s tough when you’re getting tired and your opponents are fresh,” she explains. “But it helps give you extra strength both physically and mentally.”

Punch-Outs – Workouts end with a non-stop, fast-as-you-can punching of the bag with both hands to the point of exhaustion. This is a great way to increase your threshold to the pain of lactic acid and gets you ready for the kind of output required during competition. The coach often supervises this particular activity in order to time it properly and maintain an acceptable level of quality. “It’s really tough to keep going,” she admits. “I mean, your muscles get tight and just stop working. Having the coach right there is a great motivator.”

One week before the fight

Ring Work – No more sparring. The tremendous work load built up over the past 3 weeks abruptly stops. Some of the principal reasons behind this strategy are:

1. The heavy training during the previous 3 weeks has brought the body to a peak level of fitness. When the work load suddenly stops the body doesn’t return to its normal state right away – all systems stay in overdrive giving you an increase in energy.

2. Due to the obvious physical rigors of boxing your body needs time to recover from the stress of training camp – a short healing period just before competition.

3. Training is like any other habit – stay away from it for a while and you really start to miss it. One week off after an intense camp and you just can’t wait to get back in the ring and mix it up.

This brings us to the final stage just before show time. Many boxers lose bouts in the last ½ hour – this is a very fragile time when fighters really need to keep their wits about them. Encouraging words from a coach and a relaxed frame of mind ensures the best chance for success. “And bottom line,” admits Jill. “I don’t want to be the one who has to go home and tell everyone that I lost.”