Boxing is a full-contact combat sport which takes place over a series of three-minute rounds with a one-minute break in-between. Boxers need to be well conditioned for competition, and tend to be amongst the fittest athletes. They must demonstrate a wide variety of physical fitness attributes to be successful, including stamina, speed and strength.
Strength
Boxers need strength to help with punching power. Unlike bodybuilders, boxers need strength but without excessively large muscles, as this may slow you down or force you to move up in weight categories. A boxer's strength can be best described as "functional," meaning that the strength training performed by boxers is specific to boxing and is geared towards improving performance in the ring.
Developing Strength
Lift heavy weights to improve your strength. Exercises such as the bench press, squat and deadlift are amongst the best for strength development. For strength, perform from one to five reps, taking two- to three-minute breaks between sets. You can also develop your punching strength by using a heavy punch bag and sparring with bigger, heavier opponents, a common technique employed by many boxers.
Stamina
Stamina describes your ability to keep working despite fatigue, and can refer to both aerobic fitness and muscular endurance. During a boxing bout, you may have to throw hundreds of punches whilst dodging, side stepping, back pedaling, attacking and counter-attacking your opponent. As the breaks between rounds are relatively short, it is important that you are fit enough that you don't get completely exhausted during a round, as you won't get long to recover before the next exchange of blows.
Sponsored Links
Developing Stamina
Boxers perform plenty of running--called road work--which will develop aerobic fitness. This is traditionally done early in the morning, but this is not always the case. Sparring (training bouts) also develops stamina, as does circuit training and jumping rope. Boxers also use a punch bag and perform rounds of punching to help improve their boxing-specific stamina. Boxers often perform their training using a three-minute work/one-minute rest format to simulate the demands of a bout.
Speed
Speed is all about being able to act and react quickly, and is vital for a boxer. Punching hard is important, but if those punches take a long time to reach their target, your opponent will have time to avoid your blows. Likewise, if you are unable to react quickly to your opponent's attacks, you are likely to get hit. Reflexes, agility and power all contribute to your speed.
Developing Speed
There are a wide variety of methods you can use to help you develop your speed. Jumping rope and agility ladder drills will improve foot speed, whereas medicine ball throwing, speed ball training and strength training exercises such as power cleans will improve your upper body speed. Sparing with lighter, faster opponents will also help develop your speed, and is a common technique used by many boxers.
Strength
Boxers need strength to help with punching power. Unlike bodybuilders, boxers need strength but without excessively large muscles, as this may slow you down or force you to move up in weight categories. A boxer's strength can be best described as "functional," meaning that the strength training performed by boxers is specific to boxing and is geared towards improving performance in the ring.
Developing Strength
Lift heavy weights to improve your strength. Exercises such as the bench press, squat and deadlift are amongst the best for strength development. For strength, perform from one to five reps, taking two- to three-minute breaks between sets. You can also develop your punching strength by using a heavy punch bag and sparring with bigger, heavier opponents, a common technique employed by many boxers.
Stamina
Stamina describes your ability to keep working despite fatigue, and can refer to both aerobic fitness and muscular endurance. During a boxing bout, you may have to throw hundreds of punches whilst dodging, side stepping, back pedaling, attacking and counter-attacking your opponent. As the breaks between rounds are relatively short, it is important that you are fit enough that you don't get completely exhausted during a round, as you won't get long to recover before the next exchange of blows.
Sponsored Links
Developing Stamina
Boxers perform plenty of running--called road work--which will develop aerobic fitness. This is traditionally done early in the morning, but this is not always the case. Sparring (training bouts) also develops stamina, as does circuit training and jumping rope. Boxers also use a punch bag and perform rounds of punching to help improve their boxing-specific stamina. Boxers often perform their training using a three-minute work/one-minute rest format to simulate the demands of a bout.
Speed
Speed is all about being able to act and react quickly, and is vital for a boxer. Punching hard is important, but if those punches take a long time to reach their target, your opponent will have time to avoid your blows. Likewise, if you are unable to react quickly to your opponent's attacks, you are likely to get hit. Reflexes, agility and power all contribute to your speed.
Developing Speed
There are a wide variety of methods you can use to help you develop your speed. Jumping rope and agility ladder drills will improve foot speed, whereas medicine ball throwing, speed ball training and strength training exercises such as power cleans will improve your upper body speed. Sparing with lighter, faster opponents will also help develop your speed, and is a common technique used by many boxers.
Posted in: Boxing