How did they move up in weight in the old days?

[GrandpaBernard]

Plenty of fighters nowadays move up in weight without lifting weights. It's unnecessary to lift weights to gain muscle.

Besides not weight draining themselves as much, how do they become heavier?

[them_apples]

Besides not weight draining themselves as much, how do they become heavier?

eat more.


Hardly any boxers use weights even now..if they do its much different than what you would do at the gym.

[Suckmedry]

eat more.


Hardly any boxers use weights even now..if they do its much different than what you would do at the gym.

That is pretty wrong man. I mean, maybe at your average gym with an old-school trainer, but all the top amateurs who are on National teams and such, all use weights. And most of the top pros, although many may not if they still have old-school trainers. But the pros I've spoken too all do.

And it is different rep scheme to what a guy trying to pack on size would do yes, but all the compound exercises like bench press, military press, squats, deadlifts etc are all used

[BennyST]

eat more.


Hardly any boxers use weights even now..if they do its much different than what you would do at the gym.

Yeah, most boxers do a little bit of weights these days. Not much and not your typical gym weights, but they do do resistance training.

Hmm as for the older eras.....They were either lazy and got fat and old, like Duran: http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgu...1t:429,r:4,s:0
http://www.google.com.au/imgres?imgu...w=1279&bih=804
So, they outgrew their division or they jumped up a division while at their optimum weight still ala Henry Armstrong who would weigh in around his best weight whether that was in the limits of the division or well under.

The majority though simply outgrow their division and at the same time, get a little lazy. It becomes more and more difficult to make weight, they get more success so give up trying to kill themselves and just move up.

Others, like Pac/Williams etc were usually well under their natural weight limits for their size and so moved up into their best weight from being skinny little weak bastards to finding their optimum range.

[Jim Jeffries]

Hard to believe some of those guys didn't do any weights


Jim Jeffries


Sam Langford


Hank Armstrong

Though I swear I gained 15 pounds in 8 weeks of basic training without touching a weight. Filling my tray and 3 glasses of whole milk each meal, lots of pushups, running etc. But I had been starving myself to make weight my senior year in wrestling, so I was bound to gain some weight just eating regularly. No fat too, still wore a 29 waist at 170 lbs.

[RubenSonny]

Hard to believe some of those guys didn't do any weights


Jim Jeffries


Sam Langford


Hank Armstrong

Though I swear I gained 15 pounds in 8 weeks of basic training without touching a weight. Filling my tray and 3 glasses of whole milk each meal, lots of pushups, running etc. But I had been starving myself to make weight my senior year in wrestling, so I was bound to gain some weight just eating regularly. No fat too, still wore a 29 waist at 170 lbs.

I cant actually think of a greater freak of nature than Sam Langford, Jeffries getting in shape for Johnson was phenomenol(spelling?). Hank was also a physical freak. Oh and how can I forget Johnson.

[Holtol]

Hard to believe some of those guys didn't do any weights


Jim Jeffries


Sam Langford


Hank Armstrong

Old time boxers physicaly looked very strong. I am not an exspert in old time training, things like swinging spliting mauls and sawing logs I have heard were one method of training their muscles. I heard Marcaino used to use a 300 pound heavy bag. I've also heard many of the old time boxers would practice a lot of wrestling which may be more functional strength for boxing then just pumping iron. Because in the ring they are manipulating a human body not a weighted bar.They may not have done conventional weight training but they likely did many exersizes that loaded their muscles.

[SBleeder]

Besides not weight draining themselves as much, how do they become heavier?

Eat more while training hard. If the muscles are being stimulated than they will grow with increased calories. Weight training is just one form of exercise.