Boxing Coach Jana Simms
I’ve been chatting with Jana for several months, off and on, after we connected via Facebook.
Jana is the Head Boxing Instructor at Alive Mixed Martial Arts Gym on SE Woodstock in Portland, Oregon.
Jana’s boxing program has it’s own website, Jana Simms Alive Boxing.
I was introduced to Alive MMA last summer via a local barista, who studies MMA. I “liked” Alive MMA on Facebook and sometime after, Jana and I traded FB friendship.
We talked intermittently about coming to watch the Friday night fights and food. About early March, I shared with Jana my plan to thru-hike the Pacific Crest Trail in 2014. I asked her to have coffee and during coffee laid out my vision. For more info on the thru-hike fund-raiser, visit my Strength Hike 2014 blog.
I’m 46.5 years old. I haven’t exercised in a few years. In winter 2007 I picked up tobacco again. I shared this with Jana over coffee. I’ve got a decent self-assess of my physical condition, including the emergent arthritis in both knees and the tunnel carpal in my left arm from shoulder to wrist.
I call this – learning to box, all the way to the ring and fights, with concurrent exposure and instruction to Mixed Martial Arts, Phase One of preparing and conditioning for a five month 2650 mile hike.
Today, I hung out at Alive MMA Boxing for an afternoon class. I met Mike, a 28 year old bulky weightlifter, who took up boxing three weeks ago and has lost five pounds. I met Josh, a skilled Mixed Martial Arts fighter and wrestler, who’s cross training into boxing and moves like a mountain lion (his daughter, maybe six year old, apparently hangs out in the gym during workouts). There were others there – everyone was pretty open and friendly.
I wanted to get the “feel” of the gym before starting. In truth, I’m waiting on an appointment to get a doctor’s physical before I start training. I’m not 34 anymore and while I could tonight go out and walk 15-20 miles with 15 pounds on my back in old shit-kickers – I need physician advice on higher-intensity workout. I need to feel safe.
Instruction at Alive MMA Boxing
Coach Simms and I talked at points during the workout; clothing and gear, what the drills were intended to accomplish. I need to get a mouthguard ($2), some wrist tapes ($20) and eventually gloves, headgear and shoes. Several of the students were barefoot – so I’m going to go that route for now and toughen up my foot-soles.
And that’s about it for my first class. I really just wanted to absorb the “feel” of the gym during instruction. It’s casual, yet intense; friendly and focused.
