Sports
Gimme 5: 'Big Lew' Trains Them to Be the Best
Chicago Heights Boxing Club trainer Pat Lewandowski offers advice on how to be effective in the gym.
Chicago Heights native Pat Lewandowski has been running the Chicago Heights Park District Boxing Club for the past eight years.
He credits his dad for getting him into the sport. He started boxing before college, picked it up again after college and started training boxers in 1992.
He most recently has trained Martez Jackson, who is just three wins away from qualifying for the 2012 Olympics in London.
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"I am pretty proud about that," Lewandowski said.
He will only help fighters if they agree to help themselves.
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"The hardest part about training is getting to the gym every day," Lewandowski said. "If you are not willing to make the extra effort to improve yourself, I won't get you a fight because I don't want you to embarrass me. And, top of that, I don't want you to embarrass yourself."
Lewandowski trains his fighters with a tough approach and it shows in the ring during competition.
"None of my guys are going to quit and they're going to fight hard," he said.
As for those who want to train and have no intentions of fighting, Lewandowski has this important advice to give.
"You have to keep it fresh and mix up the workout," Lewandowski said. "You also have to watch your diet. Ten percent is working out. The other 90 percent is your diet."
