Amateurs - do they do road work?

[Uturn]

Now this may sound a silly question. But i'm talking about your average amateur boxer, the normal guy that trains in the gym 3 times a week. I ask this question because i've watched numerous lower end amateurs fights but it's seems ever so common that they end up gassing after one or two hard fought rounds... Technique seems to go down the pan after the tank is empty!

It seems at the lower end that amateurs concentrate more on technique but disregard doing their homework - hitting the road 3-4 times a week.

What do you think?

[squealpiggy]

Amateurs do roadwork but you have to remember that an amateur bout is generally more frenetic than a pro bout because of its length. Pros pace themselves more because of the longer rounds.

Also most of the pro fights you will see will be good pros, ones that are at the very least regional champions. If you watch some low end pro fights you'll see some gassing.

[Pony Boy]

Only the smart fighters or at least the one's that don't take short cuts on their training.

[Suckmedry]

Of course. They do more sprints and intervals as well because of the length of amateur fights. And a good quality amateur probably trains in the gym more like 4-5 times per week. Not that you can't win fights training 3x, but the good amateurs usually do more.

But of course fighters are all individuals, some are lazy and don't run, some are maniacs who run hard like 5 times a week, some are inbetween.

[killsomething]

Yeah, I'd say most/all amateurs do roadwork of some sort at least sometimes.

The reason you see people gassing out is the pace. No amount of roadwork can prepare you for throwing over a hundred punches per round.

Another reason is that amateur fighters tend to invest their feelings of self-worth more heavily into the fight, especially at the lowest levels. A lot of subnovice fights turn into a toughguy contest as both fighters forget everything they've learned and go into "kill-that-guy" mode.

[Suckmedry]

And yeah remember, the reason you see low level amateurs gassing out is often lack of experience and no ability to pace themselves. They waste energy with silly movements.

Get a beginner, and train him like a beast on his conditioning. Running 5 days a week, lots of drills on his fitness, everything. And then put him in for a spar with a guy like James Toney, who never runs and is unfit as hell, and I guarantee the beginner will gas first. Because Toney knows how to economise every single movement he makes, and could still go 12 rounds despite his lack of fitness. The beginner would be in shape, but would gas first because of wasting movement and nerves.