powertraining the boxing way

[Playa Nas]

I'm going to need to buff up a little bit more if I'm going to stand a chance in competition boxing.
Does anyone know good weightlifting/bodyweight-using exercises to improve a boxers strength but that don't slow down the punches and improve musclemass too?
thx

[Jeremy Lobdell]

A well rounded weight training program, concentrating on lifting to failure and working a higher number of reps ( staying away from powerlifting ) has worked very well for me. You'll definitely want to concentrate on your shoulders, working the anterior, medial, and posterior deltoid, along with their assisting muscle groups, the traps and lats. I like using a roman chair in place of weights if I'm close to the max weight for my weight class.
You can phase this into your routine, but don't let this replace your sparring and other cardio work. It should only enhance it, not replace it.
Mahalo, Jeremy

[HtTKar]

concentrating on lifting to failure and working a higher number of reps

This is a really good idea. One way that I accomplish this is for example with dumbell curls.

Do the largest amount of weight that you can curl. Curl that as many times as possible. Then lower it by 5lbs. Curl as many as you can and drop it again by 5lbs. Keep doing this all the way down to about 30-40lbs, (or whatever starts to bore you). You'll see that by going to failure, dropping the weight, and going again, you will make very large gains quickly. Of course, as with any weightlifting, focus on your form, and if its too much weight for perfect form, lower your weights. The same can be done with any weightlifting exercise.

Good luck on your goals.

[kickboxfan]

www.rossboxing.com

[Playa Nas]

Do the largest amount of weight that you can curl. Curl that as many times as possible. Then lower it by 5lbs.

This is something I never heard of before but it makes a lot of sence .
thx man

[HtTKar]

Yeah, your motto "train hard"
You'll definitely be feeling this for about a week the first time you do it.

if you muscles adapt to the excercises that you do, you will stop making gains. Lifting until failure will tweak all your muscles like they've never been before. I do this with many dumbell exercises, presses, squats, etc. Good pain.

[Playa Nas]

yeah first day resulted in a minor shoulder injury during lat raises But I still have one question left : What the optimal rest time between sets if got to failure and take a less heavy weigth? 45 seconds? (like I normally do) or less...

[Tom Yum]

This is a really good idea. One way that I accomplish this is for example with dumbell curls.

Do the largest amount of weight that you can curl. Curl that as many times as possible. Then lower it by 5lbs. Curl as many as you can and drop it again by 5lbs. Keep doing this all the way down to about 30-40lbs, (or whatever starts to bore you). You'll see that by going to failure, dropping the weight, and going again, you will make very large gains quickly. Of course, as with any weightlifting, focus on your form, and if its too much weight for perfect form, lower your weights. The same can be done with any weightlifting exercise.

Good luck on your goals.

Hey HtTKar, I don't curl that often but when I do it, it is usually to build strength for injury prevention since I don't really use biceps that much. I can see your routine has strength and stamina built into it.

Are you primarily a grappler or striker? I could see biceps being more important in grappling. Considering Shamrock's guns.

[Tom Yum]

A well rounded weight training program, concentrating on lifting to failure and working a higher number of reps ( staying away from powerlifting ) has worked very well for me. You'll definitely want to concentrate on your shoulders, working the anterior, medial, and posterior deltoid, along with their assisting muscle groups, the traps and lats. I like using a roman chair in place of weights if I'm close to the max weight for my weight class.
You can phase this into your routine, but don't let this replace your sparring and other cardio work. It should only enhance it, not replace it.
Mahalo, Jeremy

Hey Jeremy (Mr. Kama A'ina... jj)

Do you do circuit type lifting? or set followed by rest then set?

[Tom Yum]

I'm going to need to buff up a little bit more if I'm going to stand a chance in competition boxing.

You don't need to be buff to box. To me anyways, boxing feels like its about 3/4 cardio. The power you build comes from banging the hell out of the bag with good technique and being able to land from rounds and rounds and rounds of sparring.

Trust me, there are thin guys that can hit extremely hard.

Does anyone know good weightlifting/bodyweight-using exercises to improve a boxers strength but that don't slow down the punches and improve musclemass too?
thx

There are alot of schools of thought on how boxers/kickboxers should strength train. A good reference rossboxing.com

The old school way: Calisthenics until you can't move. 10 sets of pushups (sets, not reps ), 10 sets of pull ups, bodyweight squats, lunges, handstand pushups and swimming.

Modern way: Olympic lifts, that use the entire body + speed lifting + coordination, plyometrics (explosive jumps, medicine ball drills, jackknives, burpees), circuit training etc.

Both ways seem to work.

[Gunjin]

Check out the January 2005 Muscle & Fitness. On page 52 is a short article titled "FIGHTING FIT: RING READY ARMS".

It basically says forget the curls and do:
1. Multijoint pushing & pulling excersises.
2. Low reps and explosive movements.
3. circuit style 'supersets' that mimic the 3 minute round & minute rest.
(pick 2-3 exercises and go from one straight to the next for 3 minutes)

And for my 2 cents, punching power comes from hip and shoulder rotation. The faster you can rotate and get your body weight behind the punch the more powerfull the punch. Doing lot's of heavy curls are not going to help your punching power. As well as lots of cardio, bag work, and full body workouts you want to devlop strength in your chest & triceps.

[koto_ryu]

Trust me, there are thin guys that can hit extremely hard.

Meet Roberto Duran.



One of only 4 fighters to hold 4 different world titles— lightweight (1972-79), welterweight (1980), junior middleweight (1983) and middleweight (1989-90).

Meet Roberto Duran's record: 104-16 (69 KOs).

Any questions?

[Tom Yum]

Any questions?

Didn't have to convince me; I know better...lol. Its difficult to tell how hard someone hits unless you actually start sparring with them or see them work the bag.

[Tom Yum]

Check out the January 2005 Muscle & Fitness. On page 52 is a short article titled "FIGHTING FIT: RING READY ARMS".

It basically says forget the curls and do:
1. Multijoint pushing & pulling excersises.
2. Low reps and explosive movements.
3. circuit style 'supersets' that mimic the 3 minute round & minute rest.
(pick 2-3 exercises and go from one straight to the next for 3 minutes)

Hey Gunjin, how are you?

That routine looks pretty good, but I think it needs perspective in my really, really humble opinion.

People will snatch up these routines thinking it will automatically give them fighting powress instead of meeting up with an instructor now and then and getting good rounds of hard sparring, bag work, mitts, and roadwork.

That routine looks like iceing on the cake after you've been doing training for awhile, again in my humble opinion.

Yum bows out.

[HtTKar]

Hey HtTKar, I don't curl that often but when I do it, it is usually to build strength for injury prevention since I don't really use biceps that much. I can see your routine has strength and stamina built into it.

Are you primarily a grappler or striker? I could see biceps being more important in grappling. Considering Shamrock's guns.

Primarily a striker.
Do you know how to do an unbendable arm? If not, I'd like to explain as this will show why I condition so much.
Stick your arm out and let someone try to bend it at the elbow. You will use a lot of energy resisting, and eventually they will be able to bend your arm, because you use only a couple large muscles they will tire quickly.

To make an unbendable arm, have them try the same thing. This time open your hand and reach out as far as possible. Focus on an object on the other side of the room, and act like your reaching for it. You use many, many little muscles like this, and because of that they will be unable to bend your arm. You can almost relax, because you are making it impossible for them.

Most people think that a punch is all forarm and tricep, and that is a lot of it, but the grabbing itself is a lot of bicep, and many little muscles throughout your arm. If you make a grabbing action, you can punch with much more force (like the unbendable elbow). Also when you train like this you will see that your whole arm gets exhausted, not just your bicep. Your forarms pop out like Popeye, and you will see many little muscles and veins just popping out. In fact your forearms and grip will probably get tired before your biceps. All of this helps in throwing a solid punch and keeping energy in your arms.

Although I'm primarily striker this helps in all ranges. It helps in pushing people away, pulling them forward, holding them down, and grip. I'd like to make my whole arm like iron if I could, so anything that strengthens my grip through my shoulder is worked on. Its the little muscles in your arm that give you strength, not the big pretty ones.