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There is no question that boxing-specific training (especially sparring, but also bag-work, shadowboxing, etc.) is the best training for improving the skills involved in boxing, just as tennis-specific training (such as playing practice sets) is the best training to enhance the skills involved in tennis, playing baseball is the best training to enhance the skills involved in baseball, and so on.
Unfortunately, when it comes to improving the strength of the muscles involved in boxing, boxing-specific training provides an inferior stimulus because the loads involved tend to be quite low, the eccentric component is largely missing, progression is limited, and "sets" are rarely taken to failure.
If--hypothetically--the ONLY training for boxing one did was boxing-specific training such as sparring and bag work, one would likely experience a significant increase in endurance in the muscles involved in throwing punches--the muscles of the shoulder and upper arm, the external obliques, and to a slight extent the legs, abs and pecs. One would also experience a modest increase in strength and slight degree of hypertrophy in those muscles. Unfortunately, the increase in strength in those muscles involved in throwing punches would be far less pronounced than one would experience if one were to combine boxing-specific training with an effective progressive resistance training program.
Even more importantly, the muscles involved in receiving punches--the muscles of the neck and the abs--would only be minimally strengthened by boxing-specific training alone.
Historically it is clear that boxing trainers have long-recognized the limitations of boxing-specific training and have prescribed rudimentary "strength and conditioning" exercises--roadwork, situps, pushups, neck bridges, pullups, chopping wood, throwing large rocks, etc.--in order to address these limitations. While some of these exercises and routines look primitive from a modern perspective, they were attempts to address a real problem.
Unfortunately, when it comes to improving the strength of the muscles involved in boxing, boxing-specific training provides an inferior stimulus because the loads involved tend to be quite low, the eccentric component is largely missing, progression is limited, and "sets" are rarely taken to failure.
If--hypothetically--the ONLY training for boxing one did was boxing-specific training such as sparring and bag work, one would likely experience a significant increase in endurance in the muscles involved in throwing punches--the muscles of the shoulder and upper arm, the external obliques, and to a slight extent the legs, abs and pecs. One would also experience a modest increase in strength and slight degree of hypertrophy in those muscles. Unfortunately, the increase in strength in those muscles involved in throwing punches would be far less pronounced than one would experience if one were to combine boxing-specific training with an effective progressive resistance training program.
Even more importantly, the muscles involved in receiving punches--the muscles of the neck and the abs--would only be minimally strengthened by boxing-specific training alone.
Historically it is clear that boxing trainers have long-recognized the limitations of boxing-specific training and have prescribed rudimentary "strength and conditioning" exercises--roadwork, situps, pushups, neck bridges, pullups, chopping wood, throwing large rocks, etc.--in order to address these limitations. While some of these exercises and routines look primitive from a modern perspective, they were attempts to address a real problem.
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