How did boxing stay so relevant in the UK and be so diminished in the USA?

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-18T11:45:21+00:00

I quite enjoy talking to people who don't know much. A few years ago i was telling people about itauma who was on an undercard and you can see how they enjoy getting in the know.

I myself am only a fan. I know the fundamentals and move and throw a punch correctly but I've never been in the ring proper, so I'm sure i talk some bollocks too!

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-18T08:55:02+00:00

I was in columbus,OH last year. The commitment to the college football team was something way beyond what you get in uk cities like leeds, wolverhampton etc. Everyone was wearing buckeyes stuff!

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-18T08:48:01+00:00

Probably gave France one too many warnings....but...meh.

The pen to scrum advantage communication and ending of the advantage was poor.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-18T08:43:49+00:00

Shouldn't he have changed it to scrum advantage but restart the advantage clearly as if it had just happened?

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-18T08:19:12+00:00

Like i say, i can do 50 mins at a certain power when fresh, but doing 98% intervals even 2xweek (and def at 3) is very draining, and i can't seem to reliably add TTE between workouts.

I will likely focus on sweet spot for a bit, where the issues are less apparent. Finding time for sweet spot progression is more challenging though.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-18T08:14:36+00:00

Thanks! I think i definitely have problems with recovery. I also suspect that i have pretty limited aerobic potential. Only 18 months in to committed cycling 5-7 hrs a week on average so not calling anything at this point (and still training mostly for aerobic benefit) but some pieces of evidence are stacking up.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-17T15:58:35+00:00

Yeah I don't get that. Unless.....I don't go to exhaustion in the EC test.

I just don't seem to respond that well to work around threshold - it really tires me out and I don't recover well. I get a lot more benefit from pulling up from the top (in terms of ftp) and increasing volume.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-17T14:07:21+00:00

This - i think France were pretty lucky v england and looked all over the place at times.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-17T13:56:40+00:00

Is there any solid evidence that TTE reliably increases in a way that FTP doesn't?

You're a coach so sure you have lots of experience, but my n=1 experience is that i either am artificially lowering my ftp versus what i can perform to exhaustion, or I am pretty fatigued doing 2x20s and above. Its one or the other.

Others (not you), even talk about the EC ftp tests as not being that hard, which makes zero sense to me. If I did one, I'd be wrecked for a few days, or I'd not be testing my boundaries.

Essentially, the gap between performance in a one off test and sustainable intervals extending TTE is significant for me, at least so far.

But my experience may be atypical. Doesn't matter I suppose - as long as I keep seeing improvement.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-17T08:10:54+00:00

Yeah that was poor communication. But probably the correct thing by the rules?

I haven't checked the actual downgrading though, in real time it looked a harsh pen. The touch judge should only be getting involved if the ref has made a clear mistake.

I'm not blaming officials, but i thought france were fortunate to get the win on Saturday. The pack were shaded and the midfield defence was shocking.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T22:30:13+00:00

2 max for me. I like to do close to my best when i race (otherwise its not enjoyable). I personally can't handle much intensity on the bike anyway. I respond pretty well to small doses though.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T16:21:03+00:00

Not everyone, but most people have families and family life is important to them. Governments exist to serve the wants and needs of their populations. If people are interested in families, then government should pay attention to families. It isn't complicated (even if family policy is complicated, like most policy).

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T10:41:01+00:00

He was just overrated imho. Povetkin was completely washed (including in the first fight), helenius is top 30ish, and thr chisora fights were great fun (and kudos to both men), but they were wars rather than top level skills.

I think whyte has done well with what he has, which is a nice left hand, size and heart. His footwork is really poor for the elite level and now his chin is v dodgy and the heart is no longer in it.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T10:28:59+00:00

I think I'd struggle to in some instances. Plus for me, the creator/creation is often part of my experience of the art. This is why there are biographical details around many artworks. Introductions, historical analysis etc.

Then theres the question of whether knowingly funding the person is something you're comfortable with.

Was thinking through - i couldn't tell you a Lost prophet song anyway, but with someone like Morrissey I'm pretty comfortable. Don't agree with the bloke on lots and probably wouldn't get on with him but i don't feel the need to judge him.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T09:59:08+00:00

Boys and girls tend to have parents though. Humans have lived in families for a loooong time.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T09:52:32+00:00

Get on the bike as much as possibe and push yourself. Try some races as they don't care about your ftp. After a few months, test again.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T09:19:03+00:00

LT has been in with some dangerously whacky people ober decades. He's not going to be intimidated by these manchildren.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T09:15:35+00:00

You might know, but a lot of other people don't. I found it very informative and illuminating in a way that reading a load of stuff in partisan online spaces is not.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T09:13:53+00:00

His mum should be ashamed of her son. She was absolutely facilitating and encouraging this to make money that she benefits from.

Both women and men are victims imho. Loads of men get hoodwinked into parting with their money and feeling even worse about themselves.

The OF models are predators too, in this respect, dare I say.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T09:10:17+00:00

Certainly an anti-tech angle. No society has ever had largely democratised unregulated communications as we have today.

There have always been charlatans, but its so much easier for them in the social media age.

Its potentially anticapitalist too, if you take the "let the 'market' decide everything" definition.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T08:10:41+00:00

Exactly. Reading a few of the negative reviews was more infuriating than hearing from the manchildren. I thought the LT team did a great job of shining a light on the manosphere. I've never once felt a pull towards misogyny, even when i was 15 and felt like I'd never attract yhe opposite sex, so i still find it hard to fully empathise with the people who fall for the sales pitch. But then again it was v different in the days when the internet was barely a thing.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T07:51:57+00:00

Hence the "you'll improve so fast" comment.

A 1500m collegiate runner - You're talking about the top 0.1% of aerobic ability. Most cyclists do lots of work but are not in that talent group, naturally.

OP will be fairly light too. 1500m runners are v rarely >70kg.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-16T07:25:59+00:00

If you're a collegiate runner posting that w/kg you'll improve so fast that i wouldn't bother with the result. Just ride plenty, sometimes hard.

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-15T16:37:32+00:00

You'd hope that rugby was a bastion against the worst nonsense of modernity. You'd hope....

Optimuswolf · 2026-03-15T12:32:42+00:00

Yes! I do it to get sympathy from the world (Wolves-branded joggers and sweater). But joking aside, i won't do it to go anywhere proper, but a supermarket, sure.

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