Well, I'm new here and I'm going to start boxing soon and I'm new to that but I've been involved in sports etc. for most of my life.

I was just thinking of this and I thought I'd post here.

The reason I think that boxing is a sport where weights aren't used as much or looked down at is because boxing is not a season sport, in the USA atleast.

By that, I'll use this example:

A football team starts the season, has 2-4 hours of FOOTBALL practice so it's all sports-specific...and maybe 2-4 days of 45 minute weight sessions during the in-season. You can see that the important sports specific work is a lot more than the supplement.

During the football's off-season, there's no football practices, but instead, 4-5 days of weights and drills, NOT SPECIFICALLY for football, but it helps.

Boxing on the other hand, is always in-season, and that's why most trainers prefer not to use weights and stick to boxing specific.

Just my thought, I'd like to hear other responses to this.

There's also a common fear that boxers will become "too big" which is silly because when it comes to weight training size is something that's easily controlled by diet. This problem is not helped by idiot boxers who end up spending more time pumping iron than in the gym working on their conditioning and technical skills. Weight lifting is supposed to be an addition to your physical work, not a replacement. Look at Tyson, dude used weights properly and it helped him extend and build upon his power, but his trainers made sure he still kept his conditioning and skills work up to par. If all boxers who pumped iron did this, the result would be a well conditioned fighter who can couple that and his skills with power and strength.

I'll be honest...I was one of those people who thought I can become too big for boxing, or any sport for that matter.

I was reading this in one of Defranco's Q&A's...He was using Barry Bonds as an example. Here are the pics.

http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask_joe/images/pics/week74/ask_joe_07-01-05_image002.jpg

http://www.defrancostraining.com/ask_joe/images/pics/week74/ask_joe_07-01-05_image004.jpg

The first is Bonds as a rookie and the second is a recent picture of him. And look how much better he is despite of his physique.

Like you said, I don't think there's a limit to how big you can be as long as the conditioning of the specific sport you're doing is up to par.

Boxing will always be behind when it comes to weight training because highly respected trainers like Emanuel Steward always say weight training isn't good for boxers. He obviously hasn't seen how weight training has helped out in many other sports including other combat sports such as MMA.

Once people actually research the effectiveness of using weights maybe this mindset will change.

Boxing will always be behind when it comes to weight training because highly respected trainers like Emanuel Steward always say weight training isn't good for boxers. He obviously hasn't seen how weight training has helped out in many other sports including other combat sports such as MMA.

Once people actually research the effectiveness of using weights maybe this mindset will change.

manny steward had lewis on the weights, i think he had hearns and moorer doing them too as they went up in weights

I thought Emanuel Steward was actually into the weights and new-school training. Since he works at Kronk's Gym in Detroit and that's a supposidly good and new style training.

i do lift weights and i box and i think if i took boxing really seriously i would stop lifting weights.

the reason for this is when i stopped lifting weights for a short period of time,i felt alot more flexible and explosive,like i could box better,i didnt feel as strong,but strength training i wouldnt say is a big issue in lower weights like welter and middle.

i can see why heavy weights would lift,strength is needed up there in the bigger weights,but for my weight division and people who take boxing more serious than i do i wouldnt lift weights,i lift weights simply to bulk to get to a higher weight that i prefer to be at,im 147 at the moment,just dropped from 152 cause i stopped training and dieting,but i wanna be at 160.

also i think there are certain things that weights can be usefull for in boxing,like weighted punchouts,weighted crunches,weighted sit ups/press ups.

i think in boxing it is about conditioning ur muscles,and lifting weights can make ur muscles feel really tense.

www.rossboxing.com has really good training exercises such as strength etc for boxers

i do lift weights and i box and i think if i took boxing really seriously i would stop lifting weights.

the reason for this is when i stopped lifting weights for a short period of time,i felt alot more flexible and explosive,like i could box better,i didnt feel as strong,but strength training i wouldnt say is a big issue in lower weights like welter and middle.

i can see why heavy weights would lift,strength is needed up there in the bigger weights,but for my weight division and people who take boxing more serious than i do i wouldnt lift weights,i lift weights simply to bulk to get to a higher weight that i prefer to be at,im 147 at the moment,just dropped from 152 cause i stopped training and dieting,but i wanna be at 160.

also i think there are certain things that weights can be usefull for in boxing,like weighted punchouts,weighted crunches,weighted sit ups/press ups.

i think in boxing it is about conditioning ur muscles,and lifting weights can make ur muscles feel really tense.

www.rossboxing.com has really good training exercises such as strength etc for boxers

The reason you feel stronger and more explosive when you stop lifting weights for a little while is exactly because of the weights. the weights DO make you stronger and more explosive, but obviously, you haveto back off a while before a fight, because the training takes a toll on your muscles, and you need to spend time recovering.

Saying weights are no good because they make you slow is like saying running is no good because it makes you tired. It's all about a proper recovery period, which isn't necessarily the same for strength training as it is for endurance training. Personally, I think THAT is one of the things has a lot of people confused. Most trainers aren't formally and theoretically educated, so they lack the basic knowledge about physiology etc.
Any uneducated guy calling himself a trainer can get somebody in decent shape. It's just putting guys through a hard workout, which means the only beckground you need is the "that's how WE used to do it" approach is often enough. NOT so for strength training. With that, you NEED theoretical AND practical knowledge and experience, to get any results. That's the real reason weights are frowned upon in boxing. Trainers aren't educated, they're just old fighters saying "we used to do it this way," which in my book just isn't good enough...

Yeah, what PunchDrunk said. I lift weights every other day, and I box every other day (sunday is my day off), but sometimes when I come in to box, and for some reason I had to skip lifting weights the day before, I feel a lot stronger and more energized because I got extra time to recover, but I still have the same amount of muscle and strength as 2 days ago.

I thought Emanuel Steward was actually into the weights and new-school training. Since he works at Kronk's Gym in Detroit and that's a supposidly good and new style training.

I don't think he is because of the way he is always saying weight training isn't good for fighters.

PunchDrunk said it well.

Obviously, you would be tired and less explosive if you did the weights right before boxing. It's about the recovery.

And from my experience, if you do JUST weights, with the particular sport you're playing, it's not enough. You should have the 3-4 days for weight training, and the rest of the training should be for plyometrics, interval training, track workouts, sled dragging, car pushing, strongman training, etc.

But that's if you have in-season and off-season. What I posted is better for off-season. If for boxing in the USA for example, I would stick with maybe just 1-2 weight training days and the rest of drills, explosive work, etc. the stuff I mentioned above. But not as much volume since most of the time should be spent with the certain sport you're playing.

KidDynamite86, for a new guy around here who apparently is new to boxing, you seem to have a good outlook on it. I agree, I only really do 3 days max a week weights (at least like hard training on weights), and the rest, and even the days I do do weights is devoted more to sport specific training. Being strong, and even having a lot of speed and explosive power is good, but that does really make you a good boxer.

Thanks. Yeah, I really want to get into boxing but I have to find a gym first; that's the only thing stopping me :(

Yeah, I'm assuming you're in the USA, so 3 days is perfect. During football and wrestling season, I would lift only 3 days to just maintain my strength. Boxing though is harder since it's always an in-season training sport.

I've never had to play a sport that's always in-season, so when I start the boxing training, it'll be a new experience. :)

Well, I'm new here and I'm going to start boxing soon and I'm new to that but I've been involved in sports etc. for most of my life.

I was just thinking of this and I thought I'd post here.

The reason I think that boxing is a sport where weights aren't used as much or looked down at is because boxing is not a season sport, in the USA atleast.

By that, I'll use this example:

A football team starts the season, has 2-4 hours of FOOTBALL practice so it's all sports-specific...and maybe 2-4 days of 45 minute weight sessions during the in-season. You can see that the important sports specific work is a lot more than the supplement.

During the football's off-season, there's no football practices, but instead, 4-5 days of weights and drills, NOT SPECIFICALLY for football, but it helps.

Boxing on the other hand, is always in-season, and that's why most trainers prefer not to use weights and stick to boxing specific.

Just my thought, I'd like to hear other responses to this.





I am one of the few people posting in this forum who is against weight lifting for boxers. You will notice I am in the minority. Apparently the boxing club where you are training is in the same minority. Just about everybody is pumping iron these days. I have yet to see any benefit from it.

I am one of the few people posting in this forum who is against weight lifting for boxers. You will notice I am in the minority. Apparently the boxing club where you are training is in the same minority. Just about everybody is pumping iron these days. I have yet to see any benefit from it.

how is encreased strength and explosiveness not benefital?

manny steward had lewis on the weights, i think he had hearns and moorer doing them too as they went up in weights

Wlad is on weights too.

Wlad is on weights too.

HE is defo doing weights, you cant achieve that kind of form without them.

HE is defo doing weights, you cant achieve that kind of form without them.

Yea man, you dont get this withouht weights.....scary big

http://www.klitschko.com/images/photo_1214_18a.jpg

Wlad seems by far to have the most advanced training.

From weights to medicine balls to swimming (which I think is vital for elite athletes, dunno why so many skip on swimming)

too much weight lifting or weight lifting improperly will not do much for your boxing.

through my own experience, i prefer to keep myself to lighter weights mostly and lift less than 4 days a week. i also have to take into consideration what exercises i do, so that i'm not doing exercises that have no relation to performance in sparring.

overall, lifting the right way, and not overdoing it, i would say is quite beneficial. on the other side, it is not the begginning or the end of training explosiveness.

Wlad is on weights too


for sure, he WAS. now he spends more time on more direct boxing training which has shown as his overall skills have been increasing by the fight.

Wlad seems by far to have the most advanced training.


That statement is absolutely mind-boggling.

That statement is absolutely mind-boggling.

How come? He does weights, he does road work, he spars, and he swims above all things. His physique is the proof of that.

By todays standarts thats is quite "advanced"

How come? He does weights, he does road work, he spars, and he swims above all things. His physique is the proof of that.

By todays standarts thats is quite "advanced"





From what I have seen Wladimir and Vitali are probably the only two heavyweights in the world today who are consistently in shape for their fights. Most of the rest of them arre just a bunch of fat lazy bastards. The notion that these fat lazy bastards are "stronger" or more "explosive" is utterly laughable!

From what I have seen Wladimir and Vitali are probably the only two heavyweights in the world today who are consistently in shape for their fights. Most of the rest of them arre just a bunch of fat lazy bastards. The notion that these fat lazy bastards are "stronger" or more "explosive" is utterly laughable!

I agree but that is not due to weights

they both got glass jaws so the weights for them dont help them because soon as someone steps inside his jab and has some kinda power the klitchkos are dead and i think it was proven already .

they both got glass jaws so the weights for them dont help them because soon as someone steps inside his jab and has some kinda power the klitchkos are dead and i think it was proven already .

so vk has tha man who has never been kd has a glass jaw?

they both got glass jaws so the weights for them dont help them because soon as someone steps inside his jab and has some kinda power the klitchkos are dead and i think it was proven already .

glass jaw is a bit of an exageration

Heart is more important than strength. Without the heart, weight training is beside the point. Very few people have the heart to box seriously for any length of time.....