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I see a lot of posts on here with pretty uninformed people talking about how to train for a boxing match. Listen, boxing is a very old sport, its a lot older than everyone on this forum and it's had a lot of time put into it. I think everyone needs an update on how to properly train for a boxing match and the fundamentals behind it. And believe me, your boxing coach might not know what the hell he or she is talking about, as there is no standard education for boxing. Its an internship program of learning, and some of the best coaches are already dead or just few and far between.
Let's talk about the standard boxing tools that you find in a boxing gym:
running/road work
road work is the number one conditioning tool for boxing, but even running needs to be done right.
In general, you shouldn't be exerting 100 percent stamina in boxing, as you will fatigue no matter what. It's important to run at a pace that isn't bottlenecked by your heart rate so you can actually condition your legs properly. This is why running at a medium pace in army boots was a very common theme, or running up hills. You do want your leg muscles to develop stamina, as those will tire first and are your first form of defense (staying away). It's even recommended you take a long walk after a hard days training, as this will strengthen your calves. Think of your body as an engine that wants to run efficiently at 5000 rpm (medium exertion) for a long period of time. Training heavy squats is rather useless in boxing, not only will it build your leg muscles wrong, but it's just another muscle you won't use that will sap your energy and possibly increase your weight. Being born with these muscles is different than building them up onto a smaller frame. Your heart has to work harder to pump blood to newly developed muscles.
Doing sprints afterwards can be great, or on separate days, to test the heart. Just remember it's one or the other. Running at max capacity for a short time may feel like you have worked out hard, but your legs really haven't in the way that you want them too.
Running also keeps your weight down, you don't want to over-develope muscles you don't even use in boxing, as this is unneeded weight. Running backwards and sideways is a great way to develop different muscles that are used in boxing.
Joe Frazier, especially later in his career was a notorious drinker - He always managed to go 15 rounds because mentally and physically, he knew how to. He trained his body to be efficient.
Speed bag:
Use the speed bag after you are already tired. The speed bag can only be hit properly in rythm if you are relaxed. If you are tight and tense you won't be able to keep up. This forces the fighter to get rid of the tension in his/her muscles and mentally focus on keeping rythm. (hence great when you are already tired). This is a very, very useful asset in boxing. Mental energy and keeping your muscles relaxed. If the person moves their feet in rythm too, it becomes even more useful in developing full body coordination, which once again is vital in boxing and all the footwork involved.
A speed bag can be punched normally too and is actually a great way to learn how to throw a proper punch. To hit a speed bag hard you simply cannot be pushing your punches, or the speed bag will move, not snap out of the way. This can be likened to punching a piece of paper, which will rip if hit sharp enough, or blow out of the way if "pushed". One punch popping a speed bag is very hard!
In boxing you want sharp punches, as those hurt more and penetrate the internals of the target (brain or organs). Too slow and the opponents muscles will absorb most of it. another reason why PSI indicators aren't always accurate when determining punching power. A quick / sharp shot might beat the persons tenson reflexes. A slow heavy one might just push them off Balance. When punching, focus on a small area of penetration - like ripping that paper. Or hitting that speed bag. A simple tweak like how your knuckles land can determine how good of a punch you can develop.
Double end bag:
Similar to the speed bag, but you can work on all your punches in combination and move around it. Once again forces you to relax your muscles otherwise it won't work. The double end bag is a great way to spend rounds on - training yourself to move and feel like a boxer.
Shadow boxing: This is how you get rid of your tells. It's like poker. Learn your setups, learn to see what indicators you are giving off. Practice your balance and staying relaxed.
Skipping: Extremely useful, you need quick feet and you need stamina for those legs. It forces you once again, like the speed bag to maintain a rythm (mental) while burning your legs out. Different variations of skipping can develop your muscles further. Doing calf raises is not the same, skipping is a short explosive movement, exactly what you use in boxing. You will be on your toes and transitioning to planting your feet rapidly, over and over.
A lot of boxing exercises are incorporating mental energy because this is what boxing is. You will tire if you don't know how to conserve your energy and think. Closing your eyes and banging out reps isn't what you will be doing in a boxing ring, so don't do it. You might see Mayweather doing it, but thats because it doesnt matter, he's already covered his other bases and you aren't mayweather.
Core work: having a strong core is always great, but remember - you can only take a body shot if you see it and are flexing. 10,000 situps won't give you this. I won't go as far as saying don't do them, as they work the muscles well. Just don't forget the medicine ball slams as those will prepare your body for taking blows. Even taking body punches in sparring can be useful, within reason. There are plenty of soft-looking fellows who never got hurt by body shots ever, and plenty of ripped fighters who did.
Heavybag ideally should be the last one on the list, because it can develop a fighters habits wrong if he/she hasn't learned them properly. A heavy bag doesn't respond like a human body (canvas sawdust filled are better imo, the punches won't bounch as much, allowing you to dig) and therefore can train you to punch wrong. You may sound like you hit the bag hard, but that will be up for debate once the bell rings.
Originally, the bag is for toughening your hands and wrists, and strengthening your punching muscles. It moves around so treat it like an opponent, or get someone to hold it and develop individual punches.
focus mitts Everyone uses them but in my opinion are counterproductive. In the 50's they came into use to warm a fighter up or let a coach work on specific movements. Nowadays its turned into an art on its own which isn't very boxing specific. It's so bad because you can tell when a fighter was "raised on the hand pads". Hand pads encourage pulling the punches and tight muscles. Once again, if the fighter knows how to box, it can still be useful. If they learned on the pads however, it can be detrimental. YES tons of new fighters use them, but I don't think many of them are great punchers or even fighters for that matter. In the ams it might be ok since the goal is literally to land as much punches as possible in a short period time, wether they hurt or not.
Punch sheild Great for a coach finetuning a fighters punches. Especially uppercuts
Sparring The most important, even better with a good coach ringside. sparring will develop everything you need in boxing just about.
Ok thats it for basic fundamental boxing tools. Maybe I forgot a few but feel free to add to them. Most of this info I got was from a collection of boxing training books (some as old as the 1930s). It's very interesting because you get a detailed description on how to train for boxing and why.
Let's talk about the standard boxing tools that you find in a boxing gym:
running/road work
road work is the number one conditioning tool for boxing, but even running needs to be done right.
In general, you shouldn't be exerting 100 percent stamina in boxing, as you will fatigue no matter what. It's important to run at a pace that isn't bottlenecked by your heart rate so you can actually condition your legs properly. This is why running at a medium pace in army boots was a very common theme, or running up hills. You do want your leg muscles to develop stamina, as those will tire first and are your first form of defense (staying away). It's even recommended you take a long walk after a hard days training, as this will strengthen your calves. Think of your body as an engine that wants to run efficiently at 5000 rpm (medium exertion) for a long period of time. Training heavy squats is rather useless in boxing, not only will it build your leg muscles wrong, but it's just another muscle you won't use that will sap your energy and possibly increase your weight. Being born with these muscles is different than building them up onto a smaller frame. Your heart has to work harder to pump blood to newly developed muscles.
Doing sprints afterwards can be great, or on separate days, to test the heart. Just remember it's one or the other. Running at max capacity for a short time may feel like you have worked out hard, but your legs really haven't in the way that you want them too.
Running also keeps your weight down, you don't want to over-develope muscles you don't even use in boxing, as this is unneeded weight. Running backwards and sideways is a great way to develop different muscles that are used in boxing.
Joe Frazier, especially later in his career was a notorious drinker - He always managed to go 15 rounds because mentally and physically, he knew how to. He trained his body to be efficient.
Speed bag:
Use the speed bag after you are already tired. The speed bag can only be hit properly in rythm if you are relaxed. If you are tight and tense you won't be able to keep up. This forces the fighter to get rid of the tension in his/her muscles and mentally focus on keeping rythm. (hence great when you are already tired). This is a very, very useful asset in boxing. Mental energy and keeping your muscles relaxed. If the person moves their feet in rythm too, it becomes even more useful in developing full body coordination, which once again is vital in boxing and all the footwork involved.
A speed bag can be punched normally too and is actually a great way to learn how to throw a proper punch. To hit a speed bag hard you simply cannot be pushing your punches, or the speed bag will move, not snap out of the way. This can be likened to punching a piece of paper, which will rip if hit sharp enough, or blow out of the way if "pushed". One punch popping a speed bag is very hard!
In boxing you want sharp punches, as those hurt more and penetrate the internals of the target (brain or organs). Too slow and the opponents muscles will absorb most of it. another reason why PSI indicators aren't always accurate when determining punching power. A quick / sharp shot might beat the persons tenson reflexes. A slow heavy one might just push them off Balance. When punching, focus on a small area of penetration - like ripping that paper. Or hitting that speed bag. A simple tweak like how your knuckles land can determine how good of a punch you can develop.
Double end bag:
Similar to the speed bag, but you can work on all your punches in combination and move around it. Once again forces you to relax your muscles otherwise it won't work. The double end bag is a great way to spend rounds on - training yourself to move and feel like a boxer.
Shadow boxing: This is how you get rid of your tells. It's like poker. Learn your setups, learn to see what indicators you are giving off. Practice your balance and staying relaxed.
Skipping: Extremely useful, you need quick feet and you need stamina for those legs. It forces you once again, like the speed bag to maintain a rythm (mental) while burning your legs out. Different variations of skipping can develop your muscles further. Doing calf raises is not the same, skipping is a short explosive movement, exactly what you use in boxing. You will be on your toes and transitioning to planting your feet rapidly, over and over.
A lot of boxing exercises are incorporating mental energy because this is what boxing is. You will tire if you don't know how to conserve your energy and think. Closing your eyes and banging out reps isn't what you will be doing in a boxing ring, so don't do it. You might see Mayweather doing it, but thats because it doesnt matter, he's already covered his other bases and you aren't mayweather.
Core work: having a strong core is always great, but remember - you can only take a body shot if you see it and are flexing. 10,000 situps won't give you this. I won't go as far as saying don't do them, as they work the muscles well. Just don't forget the medicine ball slams as those will prepare your body for taking blows. Even taking body punches in sparring can be useful, within reason. There are plenty of soft-looking fellows who never got hurt by body shots ever, and plenty of ripped fighters who did.
Heavybag ideally should be the last one on the list, because it can develop a fighters habits wrong if he/she hasn't learned them properly. A heavy bag doesn't respond like a human body (canvas sawdust filled are better imo, the punches won't bounch as much, allowing you to dig) and therefore can train you to punch wrong. You may sound like you hit the bag hard, but that will be up for debate once the bell rings.
Originally, the bag is for toughening your hands and wrists, and strengthening your punching muscles. It moves around so treat it like an opponent, or get someone to hold it and develop individual punches.
focus mitts Everyone uses them but in my opinion are counterproductive. In the 50's they came into use to warm a fighter up or let a coach work on specific movements. Nowadays its turned into an art on its own which isn't very boxing specific. It's so bad because you can tell when a fighter was "raised on the hand pads". Hand pads encourage pulling the punches and tight muscles. Once again, if the fighter knows how to box, it can still be useful. If they learned on the pads however, it can be detrimental. YES tons of new fighters use them, but I don't think many of them are great punchers or even fighters for that matter. In the ams it might be ok since the goal is literally to land as much punches as possible in a short period time, wether they hurt or not.
Punch sheild Great for a coach finetuning a fighters punches. Especially uppercuts
Sparring The most important, even better with a good coach ringside. sparring will develop everything you need in boxing just about.
Ok thats it for basic fundamental boxing tools. Maybe I forgot a few but feel free to add to them. Most of this info I got was from a collection of boxing training books (some as old as the 1930s). It's very interesting because you get a detailed description on how to train for boxing and why.
Rockin'
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