Week 5: If Big Brother is watching, he'll be getting nervous (From Your Local Guardian)

Week 5: If Big Brother is watching, he'll be getting nervous

3:26pm Thursday 9th July 2009 in Tale of the tape By Jo Rooney

Okay, okay, I admit it – it’s my fault that it’s raining this week.

Obviously, writing about the hot weather is akin to washing your car; it’s guaranteed to precipitate precipitation (try saying that 10 times fast).

I’m sorry for all the people caught in the snap thunderstorms this week – though it was pretty funny seeing the Harry Potter stars looking like drowned rats, admit it – but the cooler temperatures did make life slightly more comfortable at training.

The glorious weather has taken its toll on BoxLondon’s Saturday afternoon classes at the Wandle Recreation Centre, which have been cancelled due to a lack of numbers.

This means I have to drag myself out of bed for the 11am session from now on. Great.

Clearly, people just don’t have my dedication. Although, before I get too smug, I must confess I’ll be taking this Saturday off after a last-minute wedding invitation.

Have to make sure I resist the party pies, especially as my steady weight loss seems to have stalled this week. I had been warned that it may plateau at some stage but it doesn’t mean I have to like it.

I’d like to say it’s because my fitness has improved so much that the sessions are not hard work any more. Not true – they’re still bloody exhausting.

It seems my technique is coming along, though, according to BoxLondon instructor Scot Dearling.

He says my movement, in particular, is much better than when I started and reckons if he’d got me on video in those first sessions I’d really notice the difference.

I have to admit, while I’m a fan of most sports, boxing was never a favourite. I found it hard to get excited about a pursuit that leaves its participants so physically and mentally damaged.

Then again, I’d never fully appreciated the physical effort that goes into fighters’ preparation and, while my conditioning has barely scratched the surface, I now have the utmost respect for what they put themselves through.

And that respect is driving me to develop my skills, so I’m trying to make sure every jab, uppercut or hook is delivered as technically perfect as possible.

I may never be able to go 10 rounds with what’s-her-name from the Big Brother house but I just might be able to land a few good hits if I ever run into my own big brother again!

Weight loss so far: Eight pounds