How do boxers have so much muscle but not lift weights?

[F l i c k e r]

Hypertrophy through working beyond muscle failure with calisthenics.

The combination of body weight exercises and miles of running over 10 years built their body.

Most usually hit over 100 sit ups etc in training a day. Bound to cause hypertrophy. Thing is, body weight exercises don't usually build hypertrophy quickly. However, do that for 10 years consistently. That's how boxers get their body without weights.

[Facade]

In the 24/7 of Floyd vs Marquez Floyd is shown to be lifting weights.

[Jeha]

I do not think any of them are specific muscular. They have a low fat percentage after all and very lean.

[Hype job]

They're just cut, any strain on the muscles will make you gain more, it's just in bodybuilding you're always adding weight to get bigger, with boxing your body only develops what it needs. If you get down to a really low bf% you'll look pretty "muscular" as well.

This, and lower bodyfat makes you look bigger than you really are.

[juggernaut666]

I am not sure how you think boxing would destroy muscle mass. Exercising muscle is never going to ever diminish it. The body just doesn't work that way unless you're doing something odd like starvation. Now, there's a myth that low reps build bigger muscles and high reps make you leaner. The reason someone training for size wants lower reps is simply because that accommodates high weight. Some people respond very well to high reps and the higher level of cardio associated with this often lends to a more cut physique. I've known guys who never went low reps or high weight and were just huge. There are also boxers and MMA guys who don't lift and are still huge/ripped. Their bodies respond to things like striking/grappling/etc. Many/most fighters can't cut weight past a certain point because their bodies put on too much muscle from standard training.

It would destroy mass by constantly ripping up mucle and not giving the fibers to heal and get bigger it all depends what you put back in the body and genetics the more you burn calories and work the muscles the more Cortisol the body produces and that eats away muscle.Most bodybuilders do low weight high reps ,a pure boxer will not benefit really liftng low reps high weight as that is for physical strength not punching power ,the high reps are for endurance ,Tyson was able to train like an animal because he was genetically heavy ,guys like floyd probably would be around a 160 pound mark if they didnt train for a fight.Then theres the supplement factors such as special easy digested protein powders ,creatine, countless over the counter body building ,mass ,fat burner ,pre training stimulant products to help recovery,etc ,etc..

[Redd Foxx]

It would destroy mass by constantly ripping up mucle and not giving the fibers to heal and get bigger it all depends what you put back in the body and genetics the more you burn calories and work the muscles the more Cortisol the body produces and that eats away muscle.Most bodybuilders do low weight high reps ,a pure boxer will not benefit really liftng low reps high weight as that is for physical strength not punching power ,the high reps are for endurance ,Tyson was able to train like an animal because he was genetically heavy ,guys like floyd probably would be around a 160 pound mark if they didnt train for a fight.Then theres the supplement factors such as special easy digested protein powders ,creatine, countless over the counter body building ,mass ,fat burner ,pre training stimulant products to help recovery,etc ,etc..

I respect a variety of opinions, though I personally disagree with the first sentence, that might work in theory, but not application unless there are other factors involved. Rarely does exercise decrease muscle size unless it creates a caloric deficit or there is another factor/condition involved.. Sport science is a field riddled with conflicting information (possibly because most research is funded by commercial venture). We have to be diligent to filter the real info from the junk used to pitch us products. I do agree with most of the other things you posted though

[juggernaut666]

I respect a variety of opinions, though I personally disagree with the first sentence, that might work in theory, but not application unless there are other factors involved. Rarely does exercise decrease muscle size unless it creates a caloric deficit or there is another factor/condition involved.. Sport science is a field riddled with conflicting information (possibly because most research is funded by commercial venture). We have to be diligent to filter the real info from the junk used to pitch us products. I do agree with most of the other things you posted though

Exercise will always decrease muscle if you do not rest the muscle sufficiently and not intake the proper nutrients .You dont grow in the gym you grow out of the gym.Muscle cannot get bigger unless you repair it ,constant ripping of muscle fibers will either stale mate or shrink without proper aminos ,proteins etc..boxers dont need as much rest as they are not bodybuilding /power lifting for size.

[New England]

I look at guys like Pacquiao and Floyd and they dont do heavy lifting, so how do they have so much muscle?

why do people always associate muscle with weightlifting?


they are extremely gifted athletes. when they get down to 5-10% bodyfat, that's what they look like.

when they boil down their bodies through the largely aerobic rudiments of training for a 12 round boxing match, you're left with that gifted, naturally muscled body.

[New England]

and i disagree with people saying that you'll inherently look muscular if you drop your body fat. that's just not the case with some people.

if you're already muscular, and you stop lifting and start running, you'll stay muscular looking in spite of the fact htat you're going to lose a lot of muscle.


if you'r ntrually skinny, or just naturally not very strong, you aren't going to look muscular because you run all the time.