strength

[josh-hill]

hey guys. i am starting training again for boxing and need to get my strength up. i know that maximal strength isn't very important for boxing, but maximal strength dose play a role in explosive strength and, more importantly for me, injury prevention. im also incredibly weak because im recovering from surgery.

obviously i will keep trying to get stronger throughout my life but i want to achieve a strong base level of strength to help prevent injury as well as feel better in general before i start boxing again. i was wondering what a good base level would be for someone that is 5'10" and plans to fight as a middle weight. thanks in advance, josh

[Sugarj]

Well a good base level is hard to quantify unless you are talking certain weights exercises and numbers of reps per exercise!?!

Are you wanting a list of weights disciplines and ideal expected lifting reps for a middleweight of your dimensions?

Since you are recovering from injury, to be honest I'd forget weights for now and focus on body weight exercises such as pressups, dips, chin ups, body weight leg squats, abdominal work etc. A decent competence in these disciplines will ready you for strength training with weights when you are well enough.

And try to build your aerobic base too with running/skipping/swimming, or your first comeback spar will not go well....however competent you get with your strength training.

[josh-hill]

there is no way i can even do body weight exercises yet. im doing some very basic physio stuff and aerobic stuff, thats it for now. i guess im not asking for specific numbers, but what kind of level i need to reach where my body is strong enough to hold itself together and how i will know when i get there. i can keep trying to get stronger for ever but im using my time off to build a new routine and i want to know when i have enough strength to be able to safely move onto other things

[Sugarj]

Right, ok.....if your not up to even body weight exercises. You really need some sort of rehabilitation programme:

If it were me, I'd be thinking of things like martial arts style stretching, yoga, Tai Chi. Trying to get the entire body to a supple, flexible state. Keeping an eye on posture too is useful, practice in front of a mirror if you can.

Slowish shadow boxing would be excellent, skipping rope if your physicality allows it at the moment. Swimming (to be honest anything in a pool such as aqua jogging, shadow boxing under water) is great because there is little or no impact to the joints! Any aerobic exercise you can do without further compromising your recovery will be very worth while. Even rowing machines in a gym on the lower difficulty settings?

I'd also have a read up on isometric exercises, I've done these when injured. I could try to waffle out a few examples, but its fair to say you don't need weights. The exercises focus on fixed muscle contractions.

Best of luck and don't rush anything...........

[josh-hill]

i have a good rehab program sorted thanks. mostly rotator cuff work and stabilizing muscle work. im doing cardio in the form of an exercise bike. im not going to start lifting yet but i would like to know what my goals are for when i start, just while im putting together a routine. thanks

[IronBoxer]

hey guys. i am starting training again for boxing and need to get my strength up. i know that maximal strength isn't very important for boxing, but maximal strength dose play a role in explosive strength and, more importantly for me, injury prevention. im also incredibly weak because im recovering from surgery.

obviously i will keep trying to get stronger throughout my life but i want to achieve a strong base level of strength to help prevent injury as well as feel better in general before i start boxing again. i was wondering what a good base level would be for someone that is 5'10" and plans to fight as a middle weight. thanks in advance, josh

Don't kid yourself. Maximal strength has its place in boxing. Its purpose is to increase raw power as well as build fast twitch fibers, its what builds the base for more important things like speed-strength, explosive strength and strength endurance. My recommendation to you would be Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength program(http://startingstrength.wikia.com/wi...inner_Programs). Do this program for at least 8-12 weeks and then switch over to more dynamic effort(speed strength) oriented workouts.

Don't go overboard on this. This is only to supplement your boxing training. You should do roadwork, sparring, mitt and bag work.

[josh-hill]

thanks for the help guys. like i said, i cant do alot yet, and what i can do will come back slowly. i will be able to lift heavy before i do explosive things so over the next 2 years im going to work with a periodization program. what do you guys think of this one?

1) Aerobic fitness

2) strength

3) Anaerobic fitness

4) power/speed training

5) rest

6) repeat

i want to keep increasing strength throughout my life but i also want to know how quickly i can move onto anaerobic fitness and power / speed training without hurting myself

[IronBoxer]

Program is not bad but you can still lift weights while working on aerobic fitness or whatver else you plan on doing, 2 days a week is more than enough to build and/or maintain your strength gains and stick to basic compound movements. For quality purposes make sure ist low volume but high intensity (i.e. 3 sets of 5 around 85-90% of your 1RM).

[josh-hill]

thanks for the input.
i will probably mix some of them. i.e. the first two, and i can carry on lifting while i work on aerobic fitness

i have done some reading and have decided to do 3 sessions a week on the thing im trying to improve and 1 session of maintenance work on the others.

i also read that its only safe to do a 1RM once every few weeks and to have a rest every 6 weeks so i think i will do mini cycles of 6 weeks starting with high reps and working up in intensity to a 1RM at the end before repeating

[thatjamaicanguy]

might wanna try resistance bands? i think they put less strain on your body than free weights