Challenging Boxing Traditions

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Running at "race pace" and long distance running is very

common in traditional boxing training. Training at this

intensity is often recognised as "No Man's Land" as this

may fatigue you more than the actual fitness gains you

make.

Managing fitness adaptations and fatigue levels are

important to optimise performance and prevent overtraining.

Successful boxers have the ability to perform at high

intensities with short recoveries in competition. This ability

can be developed high intensity interval training (HIIT).

Variations of HIIT can develop aerobic and anaerobic

performance, this is vital for boxing competition.

This should be supplemented by active recovery sessions.

This will reduce exercise strain and fatigue as well as

optimising effectiveness of HIIT protocols. Enjoy? Please Share with Friends

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HIIT Treadmill Session. 4 minutes exercise : 2 minutes walking recovery.

The Road Runner

Stick a Sweat Suit On 'Making weight' is one of the biggest challenges boxers

face prior to competition. During this struggle, boxers try

to find the easiest and most effective way in doing this.

One of them is the sweat suit.

This is used as a rapid weight reduction strategy through

loss of water and can cause dehydration. This can

negatively affect muscle and brain function - therefore

performance may suffer.

Other methods, such as saunas and hot baths, have

similar effects.

Gradual weight loss has been shown to be a safer

method than rapid weight loss and does not affect

performance as much.

Water manipulation strategies allow a boxer to be

hydrated in the lead up to weigh in. More information

regarding this strategy will be in our nutrition articles.

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Correct nutritional strategies can be beneficial for gradual weight loss.

Sit ups have been famously associated with Boxing

fitness training for many years, mainly to improve an

individuals ability to absorb the force of body shots.

Although the muscles making up the core are important

contributors to punching force, and that sit ups are an

effective method in core strengthening, this exercise

could end up being counterproductive.

A traditional sit up promotes curvature of the spine and

flexion of the hips. A consistent exposure to this position

can result in a hunched posture and hip flexor tightness,

subsequently affecting shoulder and hip function - vital

contributors for forceful punches.

The core muscles have a vital role in rotational actions

during forceful punches. Improving rotational exercises

for the core can be effective methods in improving

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Half Lunge with Medicine Ball Woodchop

Sit Ups for Body Armour

The dumbbell punch is a popular training method

amongst boxing coaches as it acts as an overload to the

punching technique.

The dumbbell punch is a useful exercise as you can

perform different punches and combinations - but there

are other punch specific exercises we can add to the

toolbox.

The forces created by dumbbell punches tend to be

predominantly vertical (top right). However, most

punches require high amounts of horizontal forces.

Landmine punches can be used as an appropriate

alternative (bottom right).

To improve punching force, landmine and medicine ball

punch variations can be used with different weight loads.Enjoy? Please Share with Friends

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Landmine Punch

The Dumbbell Punch

There has been a 'marmite' effect for the use of weight

training, boxers and coaches either love it or hate it. The

reason for hating weight training is often due to the

misconception that it 'makes you slow'.

There are a collection of studies in agreement that forceful

punching requires a large amount of force developed in a

short space of time, rate of force development (RFD) - we

can assess this by vertical jump testing.

Our own research found that vertical jump height has a

strong relationship with punching force, but not correlate

with competitive experience. This confirms the importance

of rate of force development, however also suggests that

traditional boxing methods does not optimally develop this

characteristic.

This can be improved by resistance, plyometric, kettlebell

and Olympic lifting training.

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Trap Bar Deadlift

Weights Make You Slow