Is the 5x5 routine good for boxing?

[Mr.MojoRisin']

BTW, Sergio Martinez did weight lifting three times a week. I've seen it on video and I've read about it. For example here: http://www.fightingfitmagazine.com/t...?ArticleID=106

On there it says he doesn't lift anything heavier than his body weight as well as he sometimes replaces his weightlifting with push ups.

[_Maxi]

On there it says he doesn't lift anything heavier than his body weight as well as he sometimes replaces his weightlifting with push ups.

So what? his body weight was around 170 pounds and do you think that is not heavy to lift?

[Mr.MojoRisin']

So what? his body weight was around 170 pounds and do you think that is not heavy to lift?

What in my post was an opinion?

[_Maxi]

What in my post was an opinion?

Nothing, sorry. My point is, bench pressing 170 lbs or doing back exercises with 170 lb is not something soft. It counts as weight lifting of the good one.

[Mr.MojoRisin']

Nothing, sorry. My point is, bench pressing 170 lbs or doing back exercises with 170 lb is not something soft. It counts as weight lifting of the good one.

I most definitely agree that it isn't something soft. I just wanted to make the distinction because I feel that weight lifting creates more imbalances than calisthenics do. Particularly with the bench press.

[_Maxi]

I most definitely agree that it isn't something soft. I just wanted to make the distinction because I feel that weight lifting creates more imbalances than calisthenics do. Particularly with the bench press.

My confusion comes because some of these guys have physiques of people that do weight lifting, but they don't. And it all comes down to what you said, steroids.

If you want to build a similar physique/strength, but without the roids, can you achieve it without weight lifting?

[Mr.MojoRisin']

My confusion comes because some of these guys have physiques of people that do weight lifting, but they don't. And it all comes down to what you said, steroids.

If you want to build a similar physique/strength, but without the roids, can you achieve it without weight lifting?

Yes it is possible. Plyometrics and Isometrics should be incorporated into a calisthenic routine. Now if we are talking will you be able to bench press as much as a power lifter no it is highly doubtful.

I prefer calisthenics because each exercise works stabilizer muscles which are crucial to balance as well as a lot of muscle groups per workout. I think a fighter/person in general should be able to do things like the human flag pole, hand stands, and other things that are body weight related. Boxing is a weight making sport so if you can lift your own body weight around like its nothing then you will be able to move him around and of course the muscle will be strong so punching power, speed, punch output will be able to increase.

A boxer needs to be flexible and while you can do flexibility exercises while lifting weights it won't be the same as calisthenics.

The muscle just feels "different" than muscle gained from weight training. The muscle gained from weight training feels bulky, slow, and knotted. The muscle from calisthenics feels smooth and long.

Of course weight training can have its place. Although the only workouts that that would be compatible to boxing are big compound movements that incorporate a lot of muscles like Deadlift, squat(if you don't care about your knees), and maybe bench press. That's another point weight training can ruin your joints specifically the knees. With Dead lifts and squats you can burn out your cns so you have to mind the intensity/frequency of those exercises.

To sum it up you CAN build a great physique like you see in boxers today. Look at the Ancient Greek's their athletes had phenomenal physiques that they got through things like Wrestling and laborious tasks. Pretty much carrying heavy things in general over and over again.

[Mr.MojoRisin']

5x5 is a great strength builder if you aren't doing a full boxing routine at the same time. I recommend it to any athlete or person interested in athletics who is a novice lifter (Squat lower than 300).

Running up steep hills will build your legs up tremendously. Doing multiple sets of push ups to failure will greatly increase strength too. (Use fists instead of regular because you will hurt your wrists) Over a period of 1 or 2 months I put 25 lbs on my bench press doing that. Chin ups are great too. I recommend the website http://www.50pullups.com/ (Just use it for chin ups)

Using that websites routine I added 6 chin ups to my max in a week or two.

[Prince Madison]

5x5 is an awesome routine, the only problem is when you get too strong with it its going to be too taxing, which is why people usually move to a 5-3-1 although i think they talk about the progressions on the stronglift site too. Sounds like most the other posters disagree but i think if you havent weight trained at all then i would start off with that 5x5 workout for 10-12 weeks to build solid base of strength and power, focusing on a few exercises. Then i would start looking into more specialised training sessions for boxing, involving more explosive exercises likes cleans, calisthenics (pull ups, clap push ups, box jumps, dips). Think theres a misconception that calisthenics are the easy starting point for weight training, when you really need a solid base of strength to do them with proper form.

[Prince Madison]

kettlebell work- swings, good mornings would be good too