Boxing

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Challenging Boxing Traditions

2. The Road Runner
 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.
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Punch Perfect Start :
HIIT Treadmill Session. 4 minutes exercise : 2 minutes walking recovery.

3. 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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Punch Perfect Start :
Correct nutritional strategies can be beneficial for gradual weight loss.

4. Sit Ups for Body Armour
 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
rotational range of movement, force and speed.
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Punch Perfect Start :
Half Lunge with Medicine Ball Woodchop

5. The Dumbbell Punch
 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.
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Punch Perfect Start :
Landmine Punch

6. Weights Make You Slow
 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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Punch Perfect Start :
Trap Bar Deadlift