Why do boxers have such tiny legs?

[New England]

Again man I get it you think Im wrong and call me a dumbass good for you. I never said anything disrespectful to you yet you come in here with your holier then thou comments. I used to think you were cool but really you are just as bad as every one else on NSB.

I have boxed for 6 years of my life, and I firmly believe my exploration of other training and conditioning techniques have pushed me to a higher level then if I listened to some of my original trainers. I never assumed anything yet you assume I'm some ******* because I question training techniques.

I know what the **** Iam talking about sorry your old school training methods are behind the times. This the problem with boxing at the amateur level they still rely on these inefficient methods.

i shouldnt be runnign anybody down ceratinly and for that i apologize

it grinds my gears a bit when people try and overhaul boxing

i think you can understand where one might find it a bit hard to swallow when somebody thinks that hundreds of years of knowledge is wrong, or that all the great fighters of the past (and beleive me, you wont find many people who think boxers today are better than they were from 1930ish into the 80's) were not properly trained.



and training actually has changed a good deal
there are a few threads on it in the history section with some very nice primary sources (stuff from people who were there)


guys spar a whole lot these days
they used to fight more so they didnt need to spar as much

they also used 6-8 oz gloves in sparring and no head gear, leading to the playful sparring sessions you see in film

today you can get your 16 oz gloves on and a nice faceguard and basically go all out without trying to hurt your opponent // still work on the stuff you need to work on



running and roadwork i do believe will last the test of time. it lets your body know that its got to be light as it can because of the nature of the work its doing

rocky marciano used to run ten plus miles each day in training to keep weight off


most of the fighters at the top of the game today run many miles as a regular part of their training

very few do not run. if nothing else we can assume that those guys know best.

[brently1979]

You just owned yourself. Go look at his past fights. His legs, and especially calves, have always been big. Smh

Very true.

I remember the HBO guys talking about how big his lege were in one of this early fights.

[Danny Gunz]

i shouldnt be runnign anybody down ceratinly and for that i apologize

it grinds my gears a bit when people try and overhaul boxing

i think you can understand where one might find it a bit hard to swallow when somebody thinks that hundreds of years of knowledge is wrong, or that all the great fighters of the past (and beleive me, you wont find many people who think boxers today are better than they were from 1930ish into the 80's) were not properly trained.

Im not saying all previous boxing knowledge is wrong. The technique trained for boxing for the most part transcends conditioning and exercise. With that said though I do believe boxing does not build off modern training and exercising. Obviously the old school methods were not useless they just could be improved as they are in other sports.

I have gotten into many debates on here and in real life with boxing heads on this same subject. I dont mean to come off as a know it all or anything I just feel certain things can be changed and/or improved.

[Danny Gunz]

I absolutely LOVE this post and that video.


That is the main reason why I believe sprinting intervals is better than simply running billions of miles. No more than 1 mile is necessary. As you are fighting 3 minute intervals. So why not sprint or run at a high tempo for 3 minutes, before walking for 1 minute, 12 times? In a ring your not moderately moving for 30 minutes non stop are you?

Makes more sense right? Same with having a lower body relate to the size of your upper body. Your more likely to perform much better that way without adding useless weight.

Roadwork is something I mostly am puzzled over for the same reason you stated. Boxing isnt associated with steady state running it is an explosive activity and should be trained as such.

Which amazed me several times earlier in this thread is that people were bringing up long distance runners to compare to boxers. Are long distance runners really the sport you would compare boxing to?

[AssasinKing]

It comes down to really what the muscle group is being used for

For example....Calves in boxing tend to be small n skinny...because they are needed for endurance....consisting of type 1 (slow twitch muscle fibers) ..these tend to be thin/skinny....thus why the best endurance runners are always ALWAYS so thin....

You look at 100m sprinters and they r bulked to **** because they consist of type 2 muscle fibers (fast twitch)

Also....thats why the upper body of boxers are more built with muscle...to generate power n explosiveness

Their calves may be very thin, with great endurance...but im pretty sure their thighs will be a bigger size

That would be how i see it anyway

[Clutch93]

I actually completely agree with the OP. Weight training isn't implemented enough in boxing, and specifically leg weight training. Do you not see the problem with a big upperbody and skinny legs? Look at andre berto, when he got wobbled in the first round by ortiz it took him forever to get his legs back. They looked skinny and frail supporting that upperbody. Your legs are everything in boxing.

[Danny Gunz]

I actually completely agree with the OP. Weight training isn't implemented enough in boxing, and specifically leg weight training. Do you not see the problem with a big upperbody and skinny legs? Look at andre berto, when he got wobbled in the first round by ortiz it took him forever to get his legs back. They looked skinny and frail supporting that upperbody. Your legs are everything in boxing.

Thanks man, having a non proportionate body is never a benefit in any sport. Both parts of the body should be trained hand in hand.

[Ogecca MaMa]

I actually completely agree with the OP. Weight training isn't implemented enough in boxing, and specifically leg weight training. Do you not see the problem with a big upperbody and skinny legs? Look at andre berto, when he got wobbled in the first round by ortiz it took him forever to get his legs back. They looked skinny and frail supporting that upperbody. Your legs are everything in boxing.

so because of weak legs, people get wobbled? or after being wobbled your legs eventually really weak?

[Ogecca MaMa]

How do I know I'm wrong I presented facts to you about how the body works and about how it would be beneficial.

You on the other hand have done nothing but say Im a dumbass and basically say 'all the boxers do it so it must be right' which is the appeal to the masses fallacy

I didnt read those links, all I wanted to hear - your own opinion. And all I got from you is - boxers' legs tiny these days and there should be equal work out for diff. parts of the body. and running doesn't do nothing to them.

I don't need no google or wiki. I replied what I know. dont get mad

[Danny Gunz]

I didnt read those links, all I wanted to hear - your own opinion. And all I got from you is - boxers' legs tiny these days and there should be equal work out for diff. parts of the body. and running doesn't do nothing to them.

I don't need no google or wiki. I replied what I know. dont get mad

Those are my own opinions and I elaborated on them much more then you make it seem.