POSITIONING
The theory underneath everything I teach — in boxing, in Muay Thai, and in life.
SECTION 1 — THE BOXING CONCEPT
This is a working theory.
Not a finished product. Not a doctrine handed down from some corner of the sport where everything is already figured out. This is something I have been developing, testing, and refining through years of coaching — and I am sharing it here because I believe it can make you better at boxing faster than most of what gets taught.
The theory starts with a simple observation.
There is a distance in boxing where everything feels safe. You can see the punches coming. You have time to react. The danger hasn't fully arrived yet. Most fighters want to live there — on the outside, where nothing can really reach you.
But nothing you throw from there can really reach them either.
The punches that change fights live somewhere else. The right hand that drops somebody, the body shot that makes people quit before their tells them to — those live at a specific address. Close. Uncomfortably close. Close enough to feel the other person there.
Getting to that address is the entire game. And the fighters who get there consistently are not the ones with the most power or the most heart. They are the ones who set it up.
What most people misread is that getting there is not about aggression. It is not about being tough enough to walk through fire. It is about positioning. And positioning can be manufactured from any direction.
A pressure fighter walks you down. They occupy space, make the ring feel smaller, impose their will until proximity is no longer your choice. They set it up by taking. A pull fighter does something more subtle — they invite you forward, make you feel like the aggressor, and then the walls close and you realize you delivered yourself exactly where they wanted you. They set it up by giving.
Remember a pressure/ push fighter or a pull fighter are terms i am experimenting with, this is a working theory and as the theory continues to get tested the verbiage will get solidified and improve.
Joe Frazier and Pernell Whitaker were solving the same problem from opposite directions. One pushed. One pulled. Both set it up. Both arrived at the same result.
Moving backward is not retreat. Moving forward is not recklessness. They are both strategies — tools in service of one objective. Get to the position where your offense is a weapon and theirs is compromised.
A fighter who can only go forward is readable. A fighter who can only go backward is survivable. A fighter who understands position — who can set it up from any direction, in any moment, from any range — that is a complete fighter.
The direction you travel is just a skill set. The destination is always position.
SECTION 2 — THE MUAY THAI LENS
I want to be straightforward with you.
I am not a Muay Thai coach. I am not going to walk in and tell you how to throw a teep or time a switch kick. You have a coach for that. What I can offer you is a lens — something that might make what your coach is already teaching you click faster and stick longer.
That lens is positioning. And I did not develop it in boxing alone.
Before I was deep in boxing I was coaching basketball. highschool,AAU level, high level, training pros, etc. And what I kept seeing on the court was the same problem I would later see in the ring. The player who controlled position on the floor controlled what happened next. The angle to the basket. The passing lane. The screen that created the opening. Every good play was set up before it looked like anything was happening. Basketball is a positioning sport dressed up as an athletics competition. When I moved deeper into boxing I brought that understanding with me — and the theory didn't just survive the transition. It sharpened.
Then I started working with Muay Thai fighters and the same thing happened again.
I am not here as your head coach. I am a boxing and movement consultant — someone brought in to sharpen one piece of your game. But what I found when I stepped into this sport is that the framework I have been building across my entire career applies here too. Not as a boxing concept transplanted into Muay Thai. As a fight theory that keeps showing up no matter what sport I walk into.
The theory is this. Who controlled position before this moment largely determined what happened in it. Who set it up — and who got caught.
You are managing more ranges than a boxer manages. Kicking range. Punching range. The clinch. Knees, Elbows, yall have more tools. Sometimes all three inside a single exchange. At every one of those ranges the same question is being asked — who arrived here with intention, and who got caught here by circumstance?
At kicking range position determines which weapons are available to you and which are exposed on you. It determines whether you have an exit or whether you are standing in front of someone else's offense with nowhere comfortable to go. The fighter who set up their position at that range chose that. The one who got caught there did not.
As the range closes into boxing range the theory stays identical. Someone pushed their way there or someone pulled their opponent there. The fighter who arrived with structure, with a plan, with their weight where they chose — that fighter set it up. That fighter has the advantage before a single punch lands.
And the clinch does not start when you grab. It starts earlier. It starts with whoever controlled position on the outside. The fighter who entered on their terms, from an angle they chose, from a setup they built — that fighter is already ahead before the referee separates you.
Your coach is teaching you the weapons. I am asking you to think about the ground you stand on when you use them.
That is all positioning is. Not a technique. A way of seeing. And once you have it you cannot unsee it — in Muay Thai, in boxing, on a basketball court, or anywhere else competition happens.
SECTION 3 — THE PHILOSOPHY
You are already somewhere.
Right now, in this moment, you are positioned. In your career. In your relationships. In the story you are telling yourself about where your life is going. You did not choose a neutral starting point and you do not get to opt out of having a position. That is not how this works. The only question that has ever mattered is whether you got there on purpose — and whether you are aware enough to work with where you are.
The gym taught me this. Not all at once. Across years and sports and fighters and players who all kept showing me the same thing in different rooms.
The boxer who drifts to the ropes is positioned. So is the one who cut the angle and set the trap. The basketball player who gets caught on the wrong side of the screen is positioned. So is the one who read the play two seconds early and was already there — because they set it up. The Muay Thai fighter who eats a knee in the clinch was positioned. So was the one who engineered that entry three exchanges earlier and made that outcome almost inevitable.
In every case something happened before the moment that determined the moment. The difference was never just talent. It was awareness and intention. Knowing where you were. Having some design on how you got there. Setting it up before it looked like anything was being set up.
Most people move through life the way an undisciplined fighter moves through a round. Reacting. Surviving. Occasionally landing something good by accident and calling it skill. They are being positioned by circumstance — by other people's decisions, other people's energy, other people's agenda — and they do not even feel it happening because they were never taught to look for it. Nobody ever asked them to set it up.
The work we do in the gym is not really about the gym.
When I teach a fighter to manufacture proximity — to push or pull their way into the position where their offense becomes a weapon — I am teaching them something that will outlast every combination we ever drill. I am teaching them to ask where am I, how did I get here, and did I set this up or did it happen to me.
That question will follow them out of the ring and into every room they walk into for the rest of their life.
Positioning is not a technique. It is not a tactic. It is a way of moving through the world with your eyes open. Intentional when possible. Adaptive when necessary. Always aware that you are somewhere — and that somewhere is either working for you or it is working against you.
The fighters who last. The coaches who build something real. The people who look up one day and feel like their life actually fits them — they are not the ones who got lucky with where they ended up.
They are the ones who learned to set it up.
Not Sure Where You Fit? Take the quiz. 60 seconds. It tells you where you are currently and ill give you the program to get you where you want to be → [QUIZ LINK]
El Coach Casey. Do the ish that matters.
MORE TRAINING ISNT THE ANSWER
You can only workout so much, here’s what actually moves the needle
The Real Problem
If More Was the Answer, You'd Already Be There.
At some point most people hit a wall. The workouts are consistent. The effort is real. But the results slow down or stop altogether. And MOST OF US TAKE THAT AS A SIGN to do more — more sessions, more rounds, more volume.But here's the truth nobody wants to say out loud: there's a ceiling on how much training your body can actually use. And most people who are stuck aren't undertrained. They're underfed — or more accurately, they're eating without intention.
"If your strategy to get in better shape is to just do more — there will never be enough."
The thing that actually moves the needle isn't another workout. It's locking in your food routine.
The Shift
Diet Versus Food Routine — They Are Not the Same Thing.
A diet is something you go on. Which means it's something you go off. It has a start date and an end date and somewhere in the middle it has a moment where you feel like you're failing because you wanted something you weren't supposed to have.A food routine is different. It's built around your life, your schedule, and — this is the part people skip — the food you actually enjoy eating. It isn't restriction. It's intention.You don't need to eat food you hate to hit your goals. You need to understand what your food is doing for you and build a routine around that.
The Difference
Diet vs. Food Routine
Diet: Temporary. Restrictive. Built around what you can't have. Ends when willpower runs out.Food Routine: Permanent. Intentional. Built around what you enjoy. Gets better over time.
The Illustration
The Burger Analogy.
Here's how I think about it. I love burgers. Always have. And the question I had to ask myself wasn't "can I still eat burgers" — it was "how do I eat the burger and still win?"A fast food burger every day? Probably not going to get you there. The ingredients are working against you before you even finish eating it.But a homemade burger — built with the right protein, the right toppings, the right portions — that burger doesn't just fit your goals. It can push you past them. And you eat it with zero guilt because you built it, you know what's in it, and you actually enjoy it.
The Point
What's Your Burger?
It doesn't have to be a burger. It's whatever food you love that you've been told doesn't belong in a "healthy" routine.The work isn't eliminating it. The work is figuring out how to build a version of it that serves you — and making that part of your routine.That's the shift. From "I can't have that" to "here's how I make that work for me."
The Framework
How to Build a Food Routine That Actually Sticks.
1
Start With What You Already Eat
Don't blow up your current eating and start from scratch. Look at what you're already eating regularly and ask what's working and what isn't. Your routine is already there — it just needs intention applied to it.
2
Identify the Foods You Actually Enjoy
These aren't the enemy. These are the anchor of your routine. If you enjoy what you eat, you'll eat consistently. Consistency beats perfection every single time.
3
Understand What Your Food Is Doing
You don't need to obsess over macros. But you do need a basic understanding of what protein, carbs, and fat are doing for your body relative to your goals. That knowledge is what turns a meal into a decision instead of a guess.
4
Build the Homemade Version
Take the foods you love and figure out how to make versions of them that serve your goals. This isn't about sacrifice. It's about ownership. When you make it yourself, you control what goes in it — and that changes everything.
5
Repeat Until It's Just What You Do
A routine isn't a plan you follow. It's a habit you don't think about. The goal is to get your food to a place where you aren't making hard decisions every day — you're just doing what you do. That's peace. That's sustainable.
"You can hit your goals and enjoy what you eat along the way. Those are not opposing things."
The Bottom Line
The Training Gets You Strong. The Food Routine Gets You There.
The workout is the stimulus. The food is what your body uses to respond to that stimulus. You can do everything right in the gym and undo it every day at the table — not because you're eating bad food, but because you're eating without a routine.Lock in the food routine. Not a diet. Not a meal plan you follow for thirty days and abandon. A routine built around food you enjoy that you can run for the rest of your life.That's the work. And it starts with your burger.
Not sure where you're starting from? Take the free quiz and find out which path — and which nutrition approach — is yours.
Take the Free Quiz →
El Coach Casey
coach’s journal | week of april 26th
THE WEEKLY !SH WEEK OF APRIL 26TH
This is what I'm working on this week.
I put it on my lock screen so I see it first thing every morning. Four things. That's it. And I'm sharing it with you because I think you'll find something in here that applies to your week too.
S&C — Acclamation Week
I just started a new training block. And the trick with a new block is always to go hard right out of the gate — prove to yourself it's working, feel something, make it count.
I'm not doing that this week in the slightest.
Acclamation week means I'm letting my body adjust to the new stimulus. New demands, new patterns, new loading. Pushing too hard before your system adapts is how you get hurt or burnt out two weeks in. So this week I'm focused on quality over intensity. I'm paying attention to how my body responds. I'm being patient. I am in this for the long haul and as yall see in most of my posts 190 days is what I keep pushing, but its beyond that
If you just started something new — a program, a routine, a habit — don't skip the adjustment period. Let it land first.
Boxing — Feet, Combinations, Head Movement
I'm not a southpaw naturally, but i am teaching myself day by day to help with my fighters and those who may be southpaw. This week my emphasis is on my left foot push into my entry and my jabs. The foot has to go before the hand. If my base isn't right, nothing that follows is right.
On top of that I'm capping my combinations at three punches max — and making sure my off hand stays up the whole time. Then head movement. Low slot. Pull counter.
It sounds like a lot but it's really one idea: be assiduous, not busy.
That applies to your training too. Are you moving with intention or just moving?
Nutrition — Protein and Eating Meals I Actually Like
Here's something I don't always say out loud: I've been slipping on my own nutrition. Not dramatically — but enough that I noticed.
This week I'm getting back to hitting my protein and more importantly eating meals I genuinely enjoy. That second part matters more than people think. If the food feels like punishment you won't stay consistent. I know this. I coach it. And I still had to remind myself.
If you seem posting burgers and tacos that are homemade you know I am back
What's one meal this week you could build around food you actually want to eat and still hit your goals?
Coaching — Videos and Newsletter
This one's on me professionally. I've been letting content slide when life gets a tad, upsetting. This week I'm doubling down — videos filmed, newsletter in your inbox, no excuses.
I'm telling you this because accountability works both ways. You hold me to it.
Four things. All of them matter. None of them are complicated.
That's the week.
— El Coach Casey
The Method That Turns 45 Minutes Into a Full Training Session
THE WEEKLY !SH | WORKOUT IQ SERIES
You're not wasting time at the gym because you're not trying hard enough. You're wasting it because nobody gave you the right system.
It's 5:30pm. The gym is packed. The lat pulldown is taken. You've got maybe 45 minutes before life pulls you somewhere else — family, work, whatever comes next. And you're standing there wondering how to make it count.
This week I dropped a new video breaking down exactly what I give my athletes to solve that problem. It works whether you're a former athlete trying to get your edge back, a woman who trains hard but still feels like something isn't connecting, or a serious competitor trying to close the gaps before they get exposed.
It's called myoreps. And it changes how you think about every set you do from here on.
Here's how it works.
Instead of 4 sets of 15 with 90 seconds of rest — which realistically eats 15 minutes of your session — you do this:
One set of 20 to load the muscle and start the fatigue. Then four mini sets of 5 with just five seconds of rest in between.
Done.
The science: your muscle never fully recovers in five seconds. So every set of 5 feels like sets 5 through 20 to your body. Same stimulus. Same muscle building signal. A fraction of the time. And nobody's walking up asking how many sets you have left.
Why a lagging muscle is more than an aesthetic problem.
This is what I program on Body Bulletproofing days — the resistance training component of my full S&C system built to target the muscle groups that are falling behind.
Here's why it matters beyond how you look:
WOMEN— a lagging glute or posterior chain means your boxing mechanics are off and your curves aren't developing the way they should regardless of how hard you train everything else.
EX ATHLETE/ SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO LOOK ATHLETIC/ MOVE BETTER— a lagging muscle from years of sport-specific movement patterns is a weak link waiting to become an injury. Your body has been compensating for it longer than you know.
CURRENT ATHLETE — at your level, weak links don't stay hidden. They show up under pressure, in the late rounds, when the margins are smallest and it matters most.
Myoreps fix the weak link. Efficiently. So you can get back to the training that actually moves the needle.
Watch the full breakdown here → [FULL YOUTUBE VIDEO]
I run the entire lat pulldown myorep set in real time in the video so you can see exactly how it looks, how long it takes, and what fatigue should feel like when you're doing it right.
Want every day mapped out?
Body Bulletproofing is one day inside a complete weekly system — vertical days, boxing sessions, nutrition, recovery. All of it is structured inside my online program, built specifically for where you are and what you're training for.
→ Full S&C Online Program: [LINK] → The Complete Boxing Application — : [LINK]
That's the ish that matters this week. See you in the next one.
— ELCOACHCASEY
This Isn't a Fair Fight — And That's the Point
THE WEEKLY !SH | BOXING IQ SERIES
The double jab right hand. Circling. And the only rule that matters in boxing.
🥊 Mitts · 🏋️ Heavy Bag · 🪢 Slip Line · 🪞 Shadowboxing
THE ONLY RULE
Nobody Said You Had to Wait.
Boxing isn't a fair fight. There's no rule that says you throw when your opponent is ready. There's no agreement that they get to set their feet before you attack. The goal — the real goal — is to hit them when they aren't ready, and make sure you are always ready to get hit.
That's what today is about. The double jab right hand isn't a combination you randomly throw. It's a combination you release when the opening exists. The footwork isn't just a drill — it's the means to create the opening in the first place.
"The combination doesn't create the timing. Your read of your opponent creates the timing."
TODAY'S COMBINATION
Jab → Jab → Rear Hand (Right for my Orthodox Fighters, Left for my Southpaws)
Simple on the surface. But it only works if you're already somewhere your opponent isn't prepared for. That's what the circle is for.
WHAT CIRCLING ACTUALLY MEANS
Circling isn't only moving in a circle. It isn't moving for the sake of moving. It's a structured sequence of range/timing decisions — each step giving you and your opponent different information.
Step Over = In Range. You can attack. They can attack. This is a key moment of awarness.
Step Back = Out of Range. Neither of you can land. You're safe. You're resetting. still a moment of awareness, but potential breath of fresh air.
The step over is the destination — not the method. You can arrive there off a half step, anchor, shuffle, or shift depending on what the moment gives you. The circle is how you manage those two states — in range and out of range — at a moment your opponent isn't prepared for. all this comes from awareness
THE FOOTWORK
Circling Left
Left foot steps over — you're in range. The awarness is there. Are they ready?
Right foot follows — original stance is back. Your awarness is there. Are they ready?
Right foot steps back — out of range. Still aware, are they?. Exit or re-engage, your choice.
Left foot steps back — back to original stance. same rules apply. The circle is complete.
Circling Right
Right foot steps over — in range on the right side. Read the moment.
Left foot follows — base confirmed. Decision time.
Right foot steps back — out of range. Head moved. Safe or attacking.
Left foot closes — base restored. Complete.
The idea of circling is not completing a circle it is a way to weaponize footwork
WHEN DOES THE COMBINATION GO?
Before the circle. During the circle. After the circle.
The answer is: when they aren't ready.
That's not vague — that's the skill. Timing isn't a schedule, it's a read. The step over puts you in range. What your opponent does in that moment — or doesn't do — tells you whether to pull the trigger. The circle is the pressure that creates the opening. The combination is what you do when the opening appears.
"You don't throw when the combination calls for it. You throw when they can't answer it."
FOUR TOOLS. ONE PROBLEM TO SOLVE.
Every tool below is training the same thing: your ability to read readiness and act on it. The equipment just changes what part of that problem you're solving.
🥊 Mitt Work — With a Coach Your coach is the opponent. They create timing problems — moving, setting traps, closing angles — and you solve them in real time. The combination doesn't get thrown on command. It gets thrown when you see it. Mitts is where the read gets trained live.
🏋️ Heavy Bag — Solo The bag doesn't give you permission. You practice releasing the combination without waiting for a signal. Circle the bag — actually circle it, use the footwork — and throw when your position is right. The bag builds the habit of acting on your own read.
🪢 Slip Line — Solo The slip line adds a moving problem to solve while you work. Your head has to move — which means your timing has to account for your own positioning, not just your opponent's. It compounds the decision-making so the combination and the movement have to coexist.
🪞 Shadowboxing — The Most Honest Tool No coach. No bag. No line. Just you and an opponent that only exists in your mind — which makes it the hardest one.
Shadowboxing is where you practice the read when there's nothing to react to. You have to create the problem and solve it yourself. That's the work. If you can see the opening in shadowboxing, you can see it anywhere.
With a coach: shadowbox to open and close every session — before mitts, after bag work. Without a coach: shadowbox first, then bag, then slip line, then shadowbox again to lock it in.
Either way, shadowboxing bookends the session. You start with you. You end with you.
Not sure where you're starting from? Take the free quiz and find out which path is yours.
El Coach Casey
Stop Doing Cardio Like It's Punishment
THE WEEKLY !SH
Most people treat cardio like a sentence.
You did something wrong — ate too much, missed a week, looked in the mirror — and now you're on the treadmill paying for it.
That's not a strategy. Its guilt.
This week we're talking about how to actually use cardio as a tool. Not a punishment. Not a calorie incinerator. A precise tool — one that fits your goal, your body, and what you're already putting it through, and guess what its sustainable
And we're starting with a framework you may have heard of.
The 30/30/30 — And Why I Remix It
Tim Ferriss popularized the 30/30/30 protocol in The 4-Hour Body. The idea is simple — within 30 minutes of waking up, do 30 minutes of cardio and consume 30 grams of protein.
The science behind it is solid. Morning cardio before significant food intake taps into fat stores more efficiently. Protein within that first window stops your body from cannibalizing muscle and sets your metabolism in motion for the day. Together, they create a morning environment optimized for fat loss.
Here's my version — and it's smarter, well a better way of saying is, more sustainable.
The protein stays the same. 30 grams within 30 minutes of waking. Non-negotiable.
The cardio? That's where we get intentional.
10 minutes is your floor. Not 30. Not an hour. Ten.
From there, your time scales up based on one thing — how much fat loss is actually part of your goal. If you're primarily building, 10-15 minutes is probably your range. If fat loss is the mission, you work up from there. The point is that the cardio serves the goal — the goal doesn't serve the cardio.
Now let's talk about who you are and which tool belongs in your hand.
women who looking for curves and to look good, move well, feel great
You're training to build a strong, athletic body. Boxing, strength work, conditioning — you're putting real effort in.
Your machine: The incline treadmill walk.
I know it doesn't look impressive. That's actually the point.
The incline walk is one of the most effective fat loss tools for someone in your position because it costs almost nothing on the recovery side. You can do it every single morning, stack it on top of your training days, and never once compromise the work you're doing to actually build the body you want.
HIIT cardio might burn more calories in the session. It also competes with your strength and muscle building adaptations, spikes cortisol, and adds recovery debt that shows up in your training later that week. You just don't need that.
The play for You: 30g protein within 30 minutes of waking. Incline treadmill walk — start at 10-15 minutes and scale up only as fat loss becomes a more urgent part of your current phase. Keep the intensity steady and the incline working for you.
This is the cardio that builds the body without burning it down.
ex athletes or those who want to get their edge and look good
You were an athlete. or want to be more athletic. You still think like one. And you've got real demands on your time and your body.
Your machine: The StairMaster.
It fits how you think — it feels like actual work. The output is higher than a treadmill walk, it loads the quads and glutes in a way that has real carry over, and done at a controlled steady state pace it hits the fat burning zone without torching your recovery.
Here's what I need you to hear though — you are already training hard. That competitive edge in you wants to push every single session. But adding high intensity cardio on top of high intensity training doesn't compound your results. It compounds your fatigue, your cortisol, and your inflammation.
Steady state on the StairMaster is the move. Not because you can't handle more. Because you're smart enough to know that managing your total load IS the performance variable.
Your Program: 30g protein within 30 minutes of waking. StairMaster steady state — 15-20 minutes to start, scale to 25-30 if fat loss is the priority in your current block. Controlled pace. Not a race. Let it work.
current athletes
You're already training at high intensity. Probably multiple times a week. Your sport demands it.
Your machine: The assault bike — on steady state.
The assault bike is the most versatile cardio tool in the gym. It can be used for brutal HIIT or effective steady state. For you, right now, steady state is the default. Here's why.
Your training already provides the high intensity stimulus. Adding more intensity through cardio doesn't fill a gap — it creates one. It spikes inflammation, taxes the central nervous system, and eats into recovery that your performance actually depends on.
Steady state on the assault bike at a controlled output keeps you conditioning, keeps fat loss in motion, and manages your inflammatory load at the same time. That matters more than most athletes realize until they're overtrained and wondering what happened.
HIIT on the bike has a place — when your sport training volume is deliberately pulled back and you need a conditioning day. Not stacked on top of everything else.
Your Program: 30g protein within 30 minutes of waking. Assault bike steady state — 10-15 minutes as active recovery and fat management. Scale up only when programming allows. Keep the inflammation down. Protect the performance.
The Bottom Line
The protocol works. The tool matters. And the dose is personal.
30 grams of protein within 30 minutes of waking — every day.
Cardio starts at 10 minutes and scales with your goal — not with your guilt.
The machine you're on should match who you are and what you're already asking your body to do. Incline walk for building without breaking down. StairMaster for the competitive athlete managing load. Assault bike for the elite who needs steady state to protect performance.
That's the ish that matters.
ELCOACHCASEY
Resistance Training Without The Bulk
THE WEEKLY !SH | ELCOACHCASEY
Let me destroy a myth real quick.
Resistance training does not make you big.
The way you use it makes you big. And if that's not your goal — if you're not trying to look like you live in a gym — then we need to talk about what resistance training is actually capable of when you point it in the right direction.
There Are Three Categories. Most People Only Know Two.
The typical conversation goes: lift heavy to get strong, do cardio. That's it. That's the whole menu most people are working from.
Buuuut there is a third category no one really talks about, and it might be the most useful one depending on what you're actually trying to do.
I call it Bodybulletproofing.
Here's how the three break down:
Heavy compound work — squats, deadlifts, plyos,ball throws, sport-specific power training. This is where you build strength and athletic output. High intensity. High CNS demand. Your body needs to recover from this.
Cardio and mobility work — keeps the engine running, improves flexibility, manages stress on the system. Most people understand this one.
Bodybulletproofing — deliberate isolation work at sub-maximal intensity, often using myo reps, designed to sculpt the body, reinforce movement patterns, and let you recover while still doing meaningful work. This is the missing middle.
What Bodybulletproofing Actually Does
It's not about going hard. It's about precisions and sustainability
When I program this for my athletes and my general population clients, and even when doing it myself, the goal isn't to destroy them — it's to switch muscles back on that have gone offline, and/or introduce them to a muscle they didnt know they needed as part of movement. Because here's what most people don't realize: you don't move poorly because you're weak overall. You move poorly because specific muscles aren't doing their job. The stabilizers. The small movers. The stuff that heavy compound work skips right over.
Isolation work at this intensity fills those gaps. It builds tendon and joint resilience. It trains your nervous system to recruit the right muscles at the right time. And because we're using myo reps — accumulating quality reps in a fatigued state without the same intensity as a sport or a max effort lift — you're driving real adaptation without wrecking your recovery budget and here’s a big one, SAVING YOU TIME
The result? A body that looks more sculpted and moves better. Not because you went harder. Because you went smarter.
Why This Matters For You
If you've been avoiding resistance training because you don't want to bulk up — this is your answer.
If you've been training hard but still moving like something's stuck — this is probably what's missing.
And if you're someone who needs to stay active on your recovery days but can't afford to just grind yourself further into the ground — this is exactly what those days are built for.
Resistance training is a tool. The outcome depends on how you use it.
Bodybulletproofing is how you use it to build the body you actually want — one that works, moves, and holds up.
That's the ish that matters.
— Coach Casey
Want to see what this looks like in practice? Reply and let me know — I might just make it the next Session topic.
Heavy Bag Ish · Vol. 02
Same two punches. Infinite questions.
SERIES: Heavy Bag Ish · Vol. 02 · The 1-2
You already know the 1-2. You've thrown it a thousand times. Jab, cross. Left, right. The most basic combination in boxing.
But here's the question I want you to sit with — do you actually know what those two punches can do?
In Vol. 01 we talked about how the bag is a teacher. How every shot has a purpose, every moment has a decision, and the bag gives you honest feedback if you know how to read it. That's still true. Everything from Vol. 01 is still in the room.
Vol. 02 goes one layer deeper. Because now that you know how to listen to the bag — I want to show you how to control what the conversation is about.
Here's the principle that everything in this issue is built on:
The punch is fixed. The variables are infinite.
The 1 sets up the 2. The left sets up the right. Every punch asks a question — and whatever your opponent does is the answer. The 2 is what you do with that answer.
But here's what most people never figure out. What your feet and your head do around those two punches changes the question entirely. Same combination. Completely different conversation.
That's why Floyd Mayweather can throw the same two punches his entire career and never look the same twice. He's not changing the punches. He's changing the question.
This week I want to show you two ways to do exactly that.
Chapter 1 · The feet
Move the feet, change the question.
Start with your intention on your feet. The punches stay the same — 1-2, clean and deliberate. But now your feet are part of the combination.
A half step before the jab — you're already moving before the question gets asked. Your opponent has to adjust to where you are now, not where you were. The cross lands from a position they didn't prepare for.
Before the jab Half step first, then throw. You changed the angle before the conversation started.
During the jab The step and the punch happen together. The rhythm shifts. The timing of the question changes mid-sentence.
After the jab, into the 2 The jab lands, then the step, then the cross. Three distinct moments. The opponent reads the jab and the step comes before they've finished answering.
Any direction is possible. Left, right, forward, diagonal. The three variations above are the principle — once you understand the timing, the direction is your choice every single time. That's what makes you unpredictable. Not a different combination. A different question.
Chapter 2 · The head
Feet completely still. Head does all the work.
Here's where it gets interesting. Everything I just described with the feet — the same principle applies to your head. Same timing. Same three moments. Before, during, after. But your feet do not move. That is the entire point of this chapter.
You don't need your feet to change the question. Your head alone creates variation, creates unpredictability, creates angle. And it keeps you off the line at the same time.
Before the jab Head moves first, then the jab goes. You're already off the line before the punch leaves your hand.
During the jab The head and the jab move together. The punch goes out as the head slips. One motion, two things happening.
After the jab, into the 2 Jab lands, head moves, then the cross. The head movement is the transition between the two punches. It's the punctuation in the sentence.
Same principle as the feet chapter. Same timing. Different tool. And here's what the bag teaches you when you work both chapters back to back — you start to feel how much variation is available to you inside two punches that most people think they already know.
One more thing before you take this to the bag.
If you watched Vol. 01 — you were doing all three things we talked about in every single variation above. The setup was still there. The money shot was still earned. The exit was still a decision you had to make. Vol. 02 just put the emphasis on the doing — the middle — and showed you how much is living inside it.
The system compounds. Every volume builds on the one before it. That's intentional.
Your homework this week:
Take this to the bag. Work the feet chapter first — all three timing variations, any direction you choose. Then put the feet completely still and work the head chapter the same way. Feel the difference between the two tools. Feel how much the question changes each time.
The bag already knows all of this. You're just finally asking the right questions.
Full breakdown video dropping soon. Every variation demonstrated on the bag. Every timing moment broken down. Set your reminder.
→ Video dropping [DATE]
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— El Coach Casey ·
How To Do The ISH That Matters
THE CARB WINDOW FOR ATHLETES: SERIOUS !SH
The Carb Window Is a Performance Variable. Treat It Like One.
You've put in the work. The training is serious. The commitment is real. But if your nutrition around training is still organized around protein timing as the priority, you're leaving performance on the table — and at your level, that gap shows up when it matters most.
The window around your training isn't primarily a protein window. It's a carb window. And the precision with which you manage it directly affects output, recovery speed, and how you show up for the next session.
Timing Over Combination
In boxing, the combination is important. But elite fighters don't win on combinations alone — they win on timing. The right punch at the right moment does more than the perfect combination thrown a half-second late.
Carb timing is that same variable in your nutrition. The macros matter. The training matters. But if carb timing is off, the whole system underperforms. You don't feel it as dramatically on easy days. You feel it when the sessions stack, when camp gets heavy, when recovery has to be fast because you're back in the gym tomorrow.
The Physiology
Training depletes glycogen. That's your primary fuel — stored carbohydrate in muscle and liver. At high training volumes and intensities, glycogen depletion happens faster than most athletes account for. When glycogen runs low, performance drops, muscle protein breakdown increases, and the hormonal environment shifts away from anabolism.
Post-workout, insulin sensitivity is elevated. Your muscles are primed to absorb and store nutrients at a rate that doesn't exist outside of this window. Carbohydrates drive insulin, insulin shuttles nutrients — including amino acids — into muscle cells. Without carbs initiating that process, protein is being diverted toward energy metabolism instead of repair and adaptation.
This is not a secondary concern. At your training load, it's a primary one.
The Three Windows
Before Your Workout 55–65% of your pre-workout meal should be carbohydrate. Eaten 1.5–2 hours before training. At high volume and intensity, your glycogen stores need to be as full as possible going in. You are not starting from neutral — you are loading the tank.
Early morning session? A banana, dates, honey in water, or rice cakes 20–30 minutes out is a non-negotiable minimum. Simple, fast-digesting, and enough to protect muscle tissue and sustain early output. Training fasted at your intensity level is not a fat loss strategy — it is a performance liability.
During Your Workout For sessions exceeding 75–90 minutes, or any high-intensity training block, intra-workout carbs are not optional. Fruit, a sports drink, a fast-digesting carb source mid-session keeps glycogen available and delays the catabolic shift. Your output in the second half of a session should match the first half. If it doesn't, your intra-workout fueling is the first place to look.
After Your Workout The post-workout window is urgent. Within 30–45 minutes, fast-digesting carbs at 55–65% of your post-workout intake paired with quality protein. This is the window where glycogen replenishment is fastest and the anabolic environment is most favorable. The next session starts here. How you recover in the next 45 minutes determines how you perform in the next 24–48 hours.
At high training frequency — especially if you're running two-a-days — there is no margin for missing this window. Every session you miss post-workout carbs, you are starting the next session already behind.
The Reframe
Carb timing is not a dietary preference. It is a performance variable with direct and measurable impact on output, recovery, and adaptation.
Protein has its role. But protein works inside a system. Carbs build and maintain the conditions that make that system function at the level your training demands.
Manage the window with the same precision you bring to everything else. That's the difference between training hard and training smart.
Need more answers and a system to follow daily that bridges the gap for where you are and where you want to be take this quiz and lets get you started
El Coach Casey | The Weekly Ish — keeping you ahead of the noise, one issue at a time.
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THE BAG DOESNT LIE
HEAVY BAG ISH Vol. 01 · 1-1-2-block-3-2-1-2
Watch Floyd Mayweather work a heavy bag and you'll notice something most people miss. Nobody's calling out shots. Nobody's feeding instructions. He's not waiting to be told what to do next.
He's having a conversation with the bag — and the bag is answering back.
That's the difference between someone who goes to the bag and hits it, and someone who goes to the bag and learns from it. One person is getting tired. The other person is getting better.
This week I want to teach you one combination that has three full lessons inside it. You don't need a coach in the room for any of them. That's the point.
The combination is: 1-1-2-block3-2-1-2-exit
Here's how to read it.
Chapter 1 · 1-1-2-block-3-2-1
The setup is the lesson.
Most people skip this part. They want to get to the power shot. But the setup is where your boxing intelligence lives. The double jab isn't just two punches — it's you measuring distance, creating an angle, and telling the bag what's coming next without committing to it yet. The block in the middle forces you to think defensively while you're still in the offense. That's an advanced concept. Most people only practice blocking when they're defending. You're practicing it inside an attack sequence. The 3-2-1 after the block is the acceleration — you're building rhythm, building pressure, setting the table.
Chapter 2 · the 2
Patience is a punch.
Everything before this moment was about earning this moment. The right hand at the end of a long setup lands different than a right hand thrown cold. It's faster because the opponent is reactive. It's harder because your body is already moving. The bag gives you honest feedback here — if your 2 feels scattered or awkward, the setup wasn't right. Go back. Fix the setup. The money shot is a symptom of everything that came before it.
Chapter 3 · the exit
The most undercoached moment in boxing.
You threw the shot. Now what? This is where most people — beginners and intermediates — mentally check out. They freeze. They drift backwards with no intention. They drop their hands. The bag doesn't care, so it keeps teaching — it swings back. That return swing is the lesson. You are still in range. You either exit completely and intentionally, or you stay in range and you know it. One of those is a choice. The other is a mistake. The bag trains you to make the choice every single time.
The reason I want you to work this combo on the bag isn't just to learn the combination. It's to train a way of thinking.
Every shot has a reason. Every moment between shots has a decision. And the moment after your last punch is not the end — it's the next decision.
When you train this on the bag enough times, you stop needing someone to tell you what to do. You start hearing it yourself.
That's the goal. That's always been the goal.
Go work this combination this week. Don't rush the setup. Feel where the 2 lands when you earn it versus when you force it. And pay attention to what you do after the last punch — that's your homework.
The bag will tell you if you're doing it right.
Full breakdown video dropping soon.
Every moment of this combination broken down on camera — setup, money shot, exit. Set your reminder.
Video dropping - FRIDAY APRIL 10TH 2026
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FUNDAMENTALS WIN: PRECISION OVER POWER
Injuries have one hidden advantage: they force you to focus on technique.
When you can't go heavy, you go perfect. When you can't move fast, you move right. When you can't rely on power, you rely on precision.
This is actually how elite athletes train. They don't just grind volume. They obsess over the fundamentals. And when you're injured, you get to do the same.
Thursday is your reminder that fundamentals win every single time. A perfect bodyweight squat with a 4-second eccentric is more valuable than a sloppy heavy squat that tweaks your knee further. 100 jabs thrown with good intentions is better than any thrown without.
The injury is your opportunity to clean up your technique. To build movement patterns that will serve you for years. To become a smarter, more efficient athlete.
Don't waste it trying to prove you're tough. Use it to prove you're smart.
Focus on the fundamentals. They'll carry you further than ego ever will.
- ELCOACHCASEY
THE WEEKLY !SH: INJURIES DONT MEAN STOP THEY MEAN ADJUST
THE ISH YOU ACTUALLY NEED TO BE DOING
Most people use an injury as permission to quit. A sore shoulder becomes a week off. A tweaked ankle becomes a month on the couch. But here's the reality: if you're injured, you're already doing rehab work—or at least you should be. So why not integrate that into your training instead of treating it like a reason to go dark? This week is about understanding that your goal doesn't pause just because your body needs modification. You adapt. You find the work you CAN do. You keep moving forward.
Teaching you to train through setbacks is exactly what autonomy looks like. I'm not here to hold your hand every time something hurts. I'm here to teach you how to assess, adjust, and keep progressing regardless of the obstacle. That's what self-sufficient athletes do. They don't wait for permission to train—they figure out what's possible and execute.
BOXING FUNDAMENTALS (Everyone)
HANDS: Working Around Shoulder/Wrist Injuries
What: This week we're focusing on punch mechanics that reduce strain on injured shoulders or wrists—specifically using proper weight transfer and hip rotation to generate power instead of forcing it through compromised joints.
Why: If your shoulder or wrist is tweaked and you keep throwing the same way, you're making it worse. But if you learn to generate power from your lower body and core, you can still train effectively while your upper body heals. This is also just better technique—injured or not.
How: Every time you throw this week, focus on the power coming from your legs and hips, not your arm. If a straight punch hurts, work angles—uppercuts and body shots that don't require full extension. If you can't punch at all, shadowbox your footwork and head movement. The point is: there's always something you can train.
FEET: Single-Leg Stability and Balance Work
What: If you're dealing with a lower body injury (ankle, knee, hip), we're emphasizing single-leg balance drills and controlled footwork patterns that don't require explosive movement.
Why: You can't afford to stop training your footwork just because something hurts. Controlled, deliberate movement builds stability and keeps your neural patterns sharp. Plus, single-leg work is rehab. You're literally strengthening the area around the injury while maintaining your boxing foundation.
How: Slow, intentional stance shifts. Practice weight transfers without bouncing. Stand on one leg and throw light punches to build stability. If you can't pivot, practice lateral slides. There's always a modification.
HEAD: Reading Openings Without Full Contact Sparring
What: This week, your defensive focus is on watching film and shadowboxing with the mindset of "if I couldn't take a hit right now, how would I avoid it?"
Why: Injuries force you to sharpen your vision and anticipation because you can't rely on physicality to bail you out. This makes you a smarter fighter. You learn to see punches earlier, move more efficiently, and waste less energy.
How: Watch footage of your favorite fighters. Pause before they get hit and predict what they're about to do. Then shadowbox those same defensive sequences—slips, rolls, pivots—slowly and deliberately. No contact, all IQ.
NUTRITION - MEAL STRATEGY WEEK
PRE-WORKOUT: Fueling for Lower Intensity Training
Focus this week:
Scale back your carbs slightly. If you're training at 60-70% intensity due to injury, you don't need the same carb load as a full-intensity session. Go with 30-40g instead of 50-60g. Think half a bagel with peanut butter instead of a full one.
Prioritize easy-digesting protein. Greek yogurt, a protein shake, or scrambled eggs 60-90 minutes before your modified session. You still need the amino acids for muscle preservation.
Hydrate more than usual. Injuries cause inflammation. Water helps flush that out. Drink 16-20oz of water 30 minutes before training.
POST-WORKOUT: Recovery and Inflammation Management
Focus this week:
Protein immediately. 30-40g within 30 minutes post-workout. Chicken, fish, protein shake—non-negotiable. Your body is repairing the injury AND the training stimulus.
Anti-inflammatory carbs. Sweet potato, berries, oats. These support recovery without spiking inflammation. Skip the processed sugars this week.
Healthy fats for joint health. Avocado, salmon, walnuts, olive oil. Omega-3s reduce inflammation and support tissue repair. Add them to every post-workout meal.
THE SMART CHEAT: Foods That Support Recovery
Focus this week:
Dark chocolate (70%+ cacao) with almonds. Antioxidants reduce inflammation, magnesium supports muscle recovery. Keep it to 1-2 oz.
Pineapple or tart cherry juice. Both have natural anti-inflammatory properties. Add to your post-workout shake or drink 4-6oz after training.
Bone broth-based soups. Collagen supports joint and tissue repair. Make a soup with chicken bone broth, vegetables, and lean protein. It's a "cheat" that actually accelerates healing.
ATHLETE TRAINING (For Carlos & Jake)
STRENGTH: Tempo Work and Isometrics
What: This week, instead of heavy, explosive lifts, we're emphasizing slow tempo work (3-5 second eccentrics) and isometric holds. Think slow goblet squats, paused push-ups, wall sits, planks.
Why: Tempo work and isometrics build strength without the same joint stress as heavy, dynamic lifts. If you're injured, this allows you to maintain strength and even build it in specific positions while your body heals. Plus, it's humbling—slow work exposes weaknesses you can gloss over when you're moving fast.
How: Pick 3-4 exercises you CAN do pain-free. Perform them with 4-second lowering phases and 2-second pauses at the hardest point. Example: Goblet squat—4 seconds down, 2-second pause at the bottom, explode up. 4 sets of 6-8 reps. Control equals progress.
LOOK: Upper Body Isolation (If Lower Body is Injured) OR Core Work (If Upper Body is Injured)
What: If your legs are hurt, this week is all about upper body aesthetics—slow push-ups, dumbbell rows, bicep curls, tricep extensions. If your upper body is hurt, we're hammering core—planks, dead bugs, hollow body holds, bird dogs.
Why: Just because one part of your body is compromised doesn't mean the rest gets a vacation. You can still build muscle, still look strong, and still progress in the areas that are functional.
How: 3 sets of 10-15 reps on isolation work. Slow and controlled. No ego, just execution. If lower body is injured → push-ups, rows, curls, shoulder presses. If upper body is injured → planks (30-60 sec), dead bugs (10/side), side planks (30 sec/side), bird dogs (10/side).
ATHLETICISM: Mobility and Rehab Integration
What: This week, your "athleticism" work IS your rehab. Ankle mobility drills, hip openers, shoulder CARs (Controlled Articular Rotations), banded work for whatever's injured.
Why: Mobility work is prehab and rehab. If you're injured, you should already be doing this. We're just making it part of your training instead of something extra. This keeps you athletic, prevents future injuries, and accelerates your current recovery.
How: 15-20 minutes daily. Focus on the injured area plus the joints above and below it. Ankle hurt? Do ankle circles, calf stretches, AND knee mobility. Shoulder hurt? Do shoulder CARs, thoracic rotations, AND wrist mobility. This is non-negotiable.
WOMEN'S SPOTLIGHT (For Maya)
THIS WEEK'S ZONE: Upper Body (Modified for Injury Management)
This week we're focusing on upper body work that can be modified regardless of what's hurting. Strong shoulders, back, and arms aren't just about aesthetics—they protect you in the ring and in life. And if you're dealing with a lower body injury, this is your opportunity to build serious upper body strength while you heal.
3 DRILLS/EXERCISES:
Banded Rows (3 sets of 15-20 reps): Use a resistance band anchored at chest height. Pull back, squeezing your shoulder blades together. This builds back strength without the joint stress of heavy weights. If your shoulder is injured, shorten the range of motion and use a lighter band. The movement still trains the pattern.
Incline Push-Ups or Wall Push-Ups (3 sets of 10-15 reps): Elevate your hands on a bench, box, or even a wall if you need to reduce load. This trains your chest, shoulders, and triceps with less strain than floor push-ups. If wrist pain is an issue, use push-up handles or do them on your fists.
Plank to Downward Dog (3 sets of 8-10 reps): Start in a plank, push your hips back into downward dog, return to plank. This works shoulders, core, and builds mobility. It's a rehab movement disguised as strength training. If shoulder pain is present, shorten the range and move slowly.
HOW IT CONNECTS TO BOXING PERFORMANCE:
Your upper body is your frame in boxing. Strong shoulders stabilize your guard and generate snap in your punches. A strong back pulls your hands back to protect your face. Core connects it all. When you're injured, training the parts that AREN'T hurt keeps you sharp and ensures you don't lose the strength foundation that makes you effective. Plus, upper body work supports posture and shoulder health—two things that prevent future injuries.
ACCOUNTABILITY CHECKPOINT
THIS WEEK YOU SHOULD TRACK:
Modified training sessions completed (aim for 4-5 despite the injury)
Rehab/mobility work (daily—yes or no)
Inflammation levels (rate 1-10 daily to see if your modifications are helping)
IF YOU ONLY DO 3 THINGS, MAKE IT THESE:
Do SOME form of training every day—even if it's just mobility and shadowboxing. No zero days.
Hit your post-workout protein and anti-inflammatory nutrition. Your body needs fuel to heal and adapt.
Integrate your rehab into your training. Don't treat it as separate. It's part of the work.
BY NEXT SATURDAY YOU SHOULD SEE/FEEL:
Reduced inflammation and pain in the injured area (if you've been consistent with modifications)
Maintained or even improved strength in non-injured areas
Sharper boxing IQ from film study and shadowboxing (injuries force you to think, not just react)
THE CTA
Not sure where to start or which program fits you? Take the 60-second quiz to get your personalized path.
[LINK TO QUIZ]
Already training and want the full system? Get the complete program here: [LINK]
Questions about training through your specific injury? Reply to this email or DM me @elcoachcasey.
THE DAILY !SH: TRAIN ONE LEG AT A TIME
Good morning
Blessed and grateful for another one before we get into todays focus as always i want to offer a few words of encouragement
You getting up is the response to falling and your burden of proof you can do both
Do not waste your energy on falling while you are up, it will keep you down
We all fall short in relationships, work, diet, training, insert any other are here.
Make todays focus about being up
Remember you the !SH and remind someone they are too today
Today's focus: Single-Leg Work
Whether it's single-leg hip thrusts or single-leg landmine RDLs—today you're training one leg at a time.
Why this matters:
Fixes left-right imbalances
Builds stability and control
Forces you to focus on form, not just weight
Today: When you do your single-leg work, SLOW DOWN. Feel the stretch. Feel the squeeze. Train with intention
This is the !sh you actually need today to get better
— El Coach Casey
THE DAILY !SH: FUEL YOUR TRAINING
This is your friendly reminder, focus on today and your tasks and have fun, you chose to do these things cause they would make you better in some way and bare minimum happy, choose happiness and let this be your practice to preserve that
Today's focus: Carbs Around Training
You need energy to train hard. Carbs give you that energy.
Pre-training (2-3 hours before): 40-60g carbs. Rice, oats, sweet potato, fruit. Something that digests well.
Post-training (within 90 minutes): 50-80g carbs. Replenish what you used. Rice, pasta, potatoes. Pair it with your protein.
Today: If you're training, eat carbs AROUND your session. Not all day. AROUND your training.
Timing matters.
You should also be monitoring what carbs YOU like so you can add them to your food routine
— El Coach Casey
THE DAILY !SH: WHERE’S YOUR OFF HAND
Let's work, here is your friendly reminder, you chose to do this so lets make the best of it and get after it and be grateful
Today's focus: Off-Hand Placement When You Throw a Jab
Every jab you throw today, ask yourself: Where's my rear hand?
It better be HIGH and TIGHT to your face.
Most people drop their rear hand when they jab. That's how you get countered. That's how you get hit.
Today: Every jab, rear hand protects you. No exceptions.
This is non-negotiable. Your jab is only effective if you stay protected while you throw it.
See you in there.
— El Coach Casey
THE WEEKLY ISH: COMMITMENT,SHOW UP WHEN YOU SAY YOU WILL
What's up yall
We are not calling this week one, we are just focusing this week and the the Theme: COMMITMENT.
Not motivation. Not inspiration. Not when you feel like it.
COMMITMENT.
This week is about showing up at the time you say you will. Creating a routine around your available time slots. Building intentions that match your schedule. if you are im the gym, there will be a certain crowd who works out a certain way and unless your gym is private you will need to figure out how to cater your workout routine around the machines available and when they are in that same time slot you have given yourself to work
Most people fail because they wait to feel ready. They wait for the perfect moment. They wait for motivation to strike.
You don't need any of that.
You need to show up. At the time you said. Whether you feel like it or not.
This week, we're building the routine that makes everything else possible.
BOXING - Everyone (This Week's Three)
HANDS: Off-Hand Placement When Throwing a Jab
When you throw your jab, where's your rear hand? Most people drop it. That's how you get countered.
This week: Every jab you throw, your rear hand stays HIGH and TIGHT to your face. It's protecting your chin while your jab is out. No exceptions.
Your jab sets up everything, but only if you're protected while you throw it. Off-hand placement isn't optional—it's survival.
FEET: Explosive Feet with Good Ground Contact
Power doesn't come from your arms. It comes from the ground. This week we're emphasizing EXPLOSIVE feet—pushing off the ground with force, maintaining good contact so you can generate power.
This week: Every punch, every movement, you're feeling the ground beneath you. Push off with intention. Your feet are the engine, your hands are just the delivery system.
Flat feet = no power. Active feet with good ground contact = explosive movement and punching power.
HEAD: Knowing Your Head Slot
Where is your head in space? Most people don't know, and that's why they get hit. This week we're developing awareness of your head position—your "head slot."
This week: After every combination, ask yourself: Where's my head? Am I centered, or did I drift? Am I squared up to my opponent, or am I at an angle?
Knowing where your head is allows you to move it deliberately. Defense starts with awareness.
ANGLES: Creating Openings with Head, Feet, and Hands
Angles aren't just footwork. You create angles with your HEAD (moving off the centerline), your FEET (lateral movement, pivots), and your HANDS (pulling their attention one direction while you move another).
This week: Practice creating angles with all three. Move your head before you punch. Step to an angle before you throw. Use your jab to pull their guard, then attack from a different angle.
Angles make openings. Openings create opportunities.
NUTRITION - Everyone (This Week's Three)
1. Choose Your Protein According to Your Likes and Your Targets
You need protein. But you're not going to eat it consistently if you hate it.
This week: Pick 3-4 protein sources you ACTUALLY LIKE. Chicken, fish, eggs, steak, Greek yogurt, protein shakes—whatever you'll eat consistently. Then figure out your daily target (body weight in grams minimum).
Write it down. Commit to hitting that target most days this week.
2. Carbs Around Training
You need energy to train hard. Carbs give you that energy. This week we're focusing on timing: eat carbs AROUND your training.
Pre-training (2-3 hours before): 40-60g carbs. Rice, oats, sweet potato, fruit. Something that digests well and gives you fuel.
Post-training (within 90 minutes): 50-80g carbs. Replenish what you used. Rice, pasta, potatoes. Pair it with your protein.
Carbs aren't the enemy. Poor timing is.
3. Healthy Fats for Your Hormones
Fats get demonized, but you NEED them. They support hormone production, brain function, and recovery.
This week: Make sure you're getting healthy fats daily. Avocado, nuts, olive oil, fatty fish. Don't overdo it (fats are calorie-dense), but don't avoid them either.
Aim for 20-30% of your daily calories from healthy fats. Your body will thank you.
TRAINING FOCUS - Current Boxers & Athletes
You're in the thick of it. You're competing or getting ready to compete. Here's your three this week:
STRENGTH: Single-Leg Hip Thrusts
Unilateral power. One leg at a time. This builds explosive hip extension and fixes left-right imbalances that kill your power output.
This week: Focus on CONTROL. Single-leg hip thrusts are humbling—start light, focus on the squeeze at the top, and build from there. This is glute and hamstring power that translates directly to your punch.
BACK: Seated Row
A strong back stabilizes your punches and protects your shoulders. Seated rows build that lat and mid-back strength.
This week: Pull WITH YOUR BACK, not your arms. Retract your shoulder blades, squeeze at the top, control the negative. Every rep is deliberate. This is postural strength that keeps you upright under fatigue.
ATHLETICISM: A-Skips (Low-Level Plyometric)
A-skips train reactive ground contact and explosive knee drive. It's a foundational plyometric that develops coordination, rhythm, and power transfer from the ground.
This week: Focus on form, not speed. High knees, active ground contact, arm swing coordinated with leg drive. This is teaching your nervous system to be EXPLOSIVE in a controlled way.
Why this matters for you: You're building power, stability, and reactive athleticism. These aren't accessory exercises—they're the foundation of elite performance.
TRAINING FOCUS - Ex-Athletes
You've been there. You know what it takes. And you're building something sustainable now. Same work as the active athletes, different approach.
STRENGTH: Single-Leg Hip Thrusts
You remember what explosive power feels like. We're getting that back, one leg at a time. Single-leg hip thrusts rebuild that hip strength and fix the imbalances that years of sitting at a desk created.
This week: Don't compare yourself to who you were at 22. Focus on who you're BECOMING now. Start light, master the movement, build progressively. This is smart strength training.
BACK: Seated Row
Your posture took a hit from years of desk work. Seated rows rebuild that back strength and pull your shoulders back where they belong.
This week: Every rep is fixing years of forward shoulder posture. Pull with intention, squeeze your shoulder blades together, feel your back working. This is corrective AND strengthening.
ATHLETICISM: A-Skips (Low-Level Plyometric)
That reactive quickness isn't gone—it's dormant. A-skips wake it up gradually. Low-level plyometrics that teach your body to be explosive again without wrecking your joints.
This week: Form over speed. High knees, active feet, coordinated movement. You're rebuilding the athleticism you once had, and you're doing it SMART this time.
Why this matters for you: You're not trying to relive your glory days. You're building something better—sustainable strength and athleticism that lasts.
TRAINING FOCUS - Strong, Curvy Women
THIS WEEK'S THREE EXERCISES:
Single-Leg Landmine RDL
This is glute and hamstring strength with a stability challenge. The landmine keeps the movement controlled while you work one leg at a time.
This week: Focus on the STRETCH at the bottom and the SQUEEZE at the top. Feel your glutes and hamstrings working. Keep your hips square—don't let them rotate. This builds strong, curvy legs AND improves your balance.
Seated Row
Upper back strength creates that V-taper look and supports good posture. Strong lats make your waist look smaller and keep your shoulders healthy.
This week: Pull WITH YOUR BACK, not your biceps. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the top. Every rep is sculpting your back and improving your posture.
A-Skips (Low-Level Plyometric)
Explosive movement that teaches coordination and builds athleticism. This connects directly to your boxing—better ground contact = more powerful punches.
This week: High knees, active feet, arm swing in rhythm with your legs. This isn't cardio—it's POWER development. Quality over quantity.
Why this matters for you: You're building strength that shows (curves, definition, posture) AND strength that performs (explosive boxing, athletic movement).
WHAT TO TRACK THIS WEEK: The weight you use for single-leg landmine RDLs. Write it down. Next week, we progress.
WHAT TO TRACK THIS WEEK
Success leaves clues. This week, track these four things:
1. PROTEIN INTAKE Write down your daily protein. Are you hitting your target (body weight in grams)? Track it honestly.
2. JAB REPS Count your jabs this week. Every training session, how many jabs did you throw? Quality jabs with good off-hand placement.
3. NUMBER OF TIMES YOU STARTED A WORKOUT Not completed. STARTED. Did you show up at the time you said you would? This is commitment. Track how many times you actually began the session.
4. (WOMEN) WEIGHT USED FOR SINGLE-LEG LANDMINE RDL Write down the weight. Next week, we progress from this number.
THE BOTTOM LINE
Week 1 is about COMMITMENT.
Your boxing gets sharper when you show up and focus on off-hand placement, explosive feet, and head awareness.
Your nutrition improves when you choose proteins you like, time your carbs around training, and include healthy fats.
Your body transforms when you commit to the work: single-leg hip thrusts, seated rows, A-skips—done with intention.
And your routine gets built when you track what matters: protein, jab reps, workout starts, and progressive loading.
Don't overcomplicate it. Show up when you say you will. Do the ish that matters.
See you in the gym.
— El Coach Casey
P.S. If you want the full structured program with exact sets, reps, and progressions tailored to your goals, take the 60-second quiz: [LINK]
LEAP AND THE NET WILL APPEAR
"Leap and the net will appear"
I don't believe there is a coincidence in which my life is pivoting. I guess you can say I am creating it.
If I reflect on what has gotten me to this mental state of mind, the two major things I can point to are:
Reading
Writing
A simple observation I want to continue - maybe I can sum it up to this: knowledge turns to wisdom through application. We'll leave it at this for today. I write this while listening to 433 hz.
TODAY'S MOVEMENT:
Women: Hip Thrust
Men: Leg Curls
Athletes: Hip Adduction
BOXING FOCUS: Footwork & Circling
GET FULL ACCESS TO WORKOUTS HERE: GLOVES + GAINS SYSTEM
The Application Gap
Most people collect knowledge like trophies on a shelf - impressive to look at, but gathering dust. The gap between knowing and doing is where dreams go to die.
You know you should move more. You know stress is killing your progress. You know that quick fix won't last.
But knowing isn't enough.
The magic happens in the messy middle - when you take that first rep, throw that first punch, or simply show up when you don't feel like it. Knowledge without application is just expensive entertainment.
Your body doesn't care what you know. It only responds to what you do.
Ready to bridge the gap between knowing and doing? Join our system that turns knowledge into results:
Reps make it routine. Today’s training plan + one quick lesson
It’s about reps. You’ve defined your purpose over and over—and it hasn’t changed. The plan is set; the routine just isn’t repped enough yet. So today: show up first. Be fully present for the time you’ve set aside for the craft. Then let go and move on to the next. Let’s experiment with how that feels—day by day until the routine becomes your default.
Today’s Focus
Women: Cable Kickbacks (glutes/hamstrings; clean line of pull, soft knee, squeeze/hold)
Men: Trap Bar Deadlift (power hinge; braced belly, neutral spine, drive the floor)
Athletes: Barbell Hip Thrusts (top-position ownership; full lockout, 2-sec squeeze, control down)
Boxing Emphasis — Head Movement Session 2: Pull Counters
We’re building from basic slips. Today you’ll pull (lean/hinge back just out of range) and fire the counter straight down the pipe. Think: bait the jab → pull → return with something. Keep your eyes on the target, chin tucked, ribs stacked. Your feet don’t panic; they prepare—small load through the rear hip so the counter fires fast.
“3 R’s to Make It Stick”
Reps: Stop waiting for perfect. Get just enough quality reps daily.
Range: Stay in the “useful zone”—where effort is honest but keeps form clean.
Rhythm: Same training blocks, same order, same exit. Routine = fewer decisions, more doing.
Pain point solved: you’re not “undisciplined,” you’re undecided too often. Lock your block, do the reps, move on.
If you want me to program all of this for you (workouts, boxing, nutrition), join the full system: $50/month or $100/3 months. Hit reply with “I’m in” and I’ll onboard you today.
WORKOUT LINKS
It’s a Fight — Footwork Session 2
It’s a fight — a daily fight. Fighting to be me. When I feel my best, I’m shameless. The past doesn’t bother me, the future doesn’t bother me — I just am. I pray for that feeling for everyone, because it only happens when you show up for yourself.
Today’s Focus: Footwork Session 2
Footwork is the foundation. It doesn’t matter if you’re an athlete in season, a fighter in the gym, or someone balancing work and life — sharper movement makes everything else sharper.
Exercises of the Day
Women: Lat Pulldown → build posture, shape your frame, power your punches.
Men: Back Extensions → fix the weak link in your chain so power doesn’t leak away.
Athletes/Fighters: Machine Leg Extensions → stronger legs = quicker pivots, sharper attacks.
Why Elite Athletes Swear By Sumo Deadlifts (The Secret Weapon You're Missing)
What up yall
Watch any explosive athlete train and you'll notice something: they're not just throwing weight around. They're building movement patterns that translate directly to performance. That's exactly why the sumo deadlift has always been one my secret weapon for athletic development.
the sumo Deadlift is a mix between a knee hinge a hip hinge movement, think about how you look when you are in an athletic stance ( basketball, football, etc.)
Most guys miss this completely. They see sumo as the "easier" deadlift because the range of motion is shorter, thats what you will see a lot of in these videos posted, like horrible range of motion, etc, etc. Wrong mindset. The sumo deadlift teaches you to generate massive force from a wide athletic stance - the same position you'd use to defend in basketball, explode out of a sprint start, or cut direction on the field.
The Athletic Setup That Changes Everything:
Wide stance, toes out, chest proud. But here's the key: "Think about wedging your hips in and driving your knees out, not pushing your hips back." This isn't powerlifting technique - this is athletic preparation. You're training the exact hip and knee coordination that creates explosiveness.
Build tension through your entire chain, then drive through your heels like you're trying to push the floor apart." This teaches you to recruit your entire kinetic chain simultaneously
Why This Works:
Your glutes and adductors - the powerhouses in sumo - are the same muscles that drive cutting speed, jumping height, and rotational power. Every rep is teaching your body to coordinate these muscle groups under load. When you step on the field or court, that coordination is automatic.
The wide stance mimics defensive positions in nearly every sport. The knee-out drive pattern? That's the foundation of change-of-direction speed. The full-body tension? That's how you stay injury-resistant when the game gets physical.
The Performance Protocol:
I program sumo deadlifts early in training sessions when your nervous system is fresh. 3-5 reps at 80-85% teaches power without grinding. Focus on speed off the floor - that's where athleticism lives.
Between sets, practice that same wide stance with bodyweight movements. Lateral lunges, cossack squats, wide-stance jump squats. You're not just resting - you're reinforcing the movement pattern. ( low level plyometrics)
Post-Training Truth:
Your body just learned to be more explosive. Feed it right: 30-35g protein Add 25g fast carbs if you pushed intensity. Your muscles earned the fuel.
The goal should be to do what athletes do and you might very well look like or become one…
Stay Dangerous Tribe
ELCOACHCASEY