# Rocky - What is this pre-fight preparation? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** movies\ **Created:** [February 23, 2024, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007 "2024-02-23T22:14:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/1 "2024-02-23T22:14:56Z")
In the first Rocky film (1976) there is a scene before the big fight which alternates between Rocky and Apollo Creed’s dressing rooms. We see them taping their hands, sniffing something and then there’s this: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/frB7w3UwjSw/maxresdefault.jpg "Rocky 1976 Full Movie part 13") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=frB7w3UwjSw) Skip to about the 3 minute mark and you’ll see Apollo’s trainer standing behind him, grasping him around the belly. Another man is in front of Apollo doing… something. Checking for a hernia? What’s going on there? And while we’re at it, what substance are Rocky and Apollo both sniffing and why? ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/2 "2024-02-23T22:37:36Z")
WAG: heavy-duty nasal spray. Gotta keep those passages clear for breathing in (breathe out thru your mouth) until you get your nose broken. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2024, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/3 "2024-02-23T22:45:13Z")
It clearly says Vicks Sinex on the bottle. What is actually supposed to be in them, who knows 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![zbuzz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zbuzz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zbuzz)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2024, 9:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/4 "2024-02-24T09:38:42Z")
A diaphragmatic breathing exercise? That’s a thing for boxers, I think. ---
**Author:** ![mixdenny](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mixdenny/32/2962_2.png) [@mixdenny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mixdenny)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2024, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/5 "2024-02-24T16:53:54Z")
Hernia check? ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/6 "2024-02-26T03:58:56Z")
Something to constrict the blood vessels in the nose, would be my guess, to reduce bleeding and/or congestion. ---
**Author:** ![DPRK](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4491bb/32.png) [@DPRK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DPRK)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2024, 8:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/7 "2024-02-26T08:27:40Z")
Would there have been drug tests? Maybe it was supposed really to be Sinex, and not, say, cocaine in a Sinex bottle. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/8 "2024-02-27T01:09:28Z")
> [@DPRK](#): > > Would there have been drug tests? I don’t think drug testing had hit pro boxing yet. Some local athletic commissions may have required it. There is no overall governing body in boxing that could enforce something like that but it began to be specified in when boxers contracted to fight. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/9 "2024-02-27T02:10:31Z")
Here’s what the script says > [@](#): > > INT. APOLLO’S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT > > CLOSE-UP of drops being placed in his nose to help increase > his intake of oxygen. The tremendously magnified SOUND of > APOLLO TAKING IN AIR. > > INT. ROCKY’S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT > > CLOSE-UP of the drops being placed in Rocky’s nose. > > INT. APOLLO’S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT > > A heavy coating of vaseline is applied around the Champion’s > eyes… In an EXTREME CLOSE-UP, the eyes shine brightly with > the grease. > > INT. ROCKY’S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT > > Grease is smeared around Rocky’s eyes… In the EXTREME > CLOSE-UP several deep scars are SEEN. > > INT. APOLLO’S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT > > CLOSE-UP of Apollo’s trainer digging his fingers deeply into > the thick neck muscles of Apollo’s upper back and neck. > > INT. ROCKY’S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT > > CLOSE-UP OF Mike’s arms wrapped around Rocky’s waist and > lifting his diaphragm up… Magnified BREATHING ROARS from > the screen. > > 1. > > INT. APOLLO’S DRESSING ROOM - NIGHT > > Apollo’s trainer slips a mouthpiece into Apollo’s mouth. > Apollo shakes his head and the trainer removes it and places > another one in the champ’s mouth… Creed nods yes. So, the nose spray was to help them breathe better, and the groping was to open up the diaphragm (although the script had that happening to Rocky) [http://elcv.art.br/santoandre/biblioteca/\_em\_ingles/roteiros/Rocky-Um-Lutador\_Rocky.pdf](http://elcv.art.br/santoandre/biblioteca/_em_ingles/roteiros/Rocky-Um-Lutador_Rocky.pdf) (Warning: pdf) ---
**Author:** ![Llama\_Llogophile](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@Llama\_Llogophile](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Llama_Llogophile)\ **Post date:** [February 27, 2024, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/rocky-what-is-this-pre-fight-preparation/998007/10 "2024-02-27T14:58:38Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > Here’s what the script says That seems to settle it - thank you!