Back at the gym.

[dempseyfan]

This year I've had a lot of ups and downs.

On this latest 'comeback' I've been pretty successful.

The first step was to get back in the gym at least once a week, with a short term goal of 4 times a week.

At the same time I have been getting back on my road work- again, starting slow with 1 time a week, working up to 3 or 4 times a week as my legs permit (backing off some weeks if my legs are particularly sore).

My work in the gym is best characterized as "intense".
I try not to take off too many rounds or waste any time while in the gym- if I'm wrapping up that's one thing, but never miss a round from fatigue, on the contrary in-between a lot of my warm up rounds I do calisthenics like pushups, squats, and burpees.
I keep my bag work intense- comboing up when i'm not working on power, never going more than a 3-count without throwing something; working different strategies, angles, and head movement with the bag.
I try to mix up different stuff on different days so the workouts don't get stale- some days more floor work, some days footwork drills, some days super hard with a weight vest, still other days i take it a little easy so i can work on technique and not risk burnout.
A lot of times I'm out of there in an hour, hour and a half, barely able to carry my bag out to the car.

My roadwork varies either around 3 miles in 30 min or 6 miles in an hour. I sprint the hills during my run and try to push the pace when i'm not cramping up or my legs aren't giving me hell. I have leg problems so unfortunately I sometimes have to take the occasional day off- at 29years old i'm no spring chicken. hehe

EDIT: no freeweight days yet, but maybe once I've adjusted to my current routine.

Thanks, I think right now I am going to pick up the shadowboxing and roadwork again as the first step that way I won't be hitting the gym again as a complete rookie. I am in the same age boat, 27, as you. That was one of the things I did not like before, if the other older guy didn't show up I was stuck sparring with 13-15 yr olds (always felt kind of weird). But at the last card I went to the old club had a lot more older fighters then before, which will be a bonus.

[oshea1690]

i usually got 5 or 6 times a week for about 3-4 hours at night. 2/3 Days weights , 2/3 days boxing

[dempseyfan]

Damn, I wish I could squeeze in 4hrs. I am lucky to get in the 2hrs, 3 nights/week that I am looking at.

[Pork Chop]

Damn, I wish I could squeeze in 4hrs. I am lucky to get in the 2hrs, 3 nights/week that I am looking at.

I used to average 15 hours a week at various gyms.
I can honestly say it's all about intensity.

When you get up to 15 hours, you let the intensity slide a little (intentional or not) because it's almost impossible to keep up 100% that much in a week without overtraining.

I remember feeling like total azz the majority of the time too- had problems with stuff like glycogen replenishment, had to start drinking sports drinks and stuff.

I may build up to where I need 15+ hours again but right now I'm doin okay with my 4 to 8 hours (minus cardio) at high intensity.

[Bucktown Beast]

I used to average 15 hours a week at various gyms.
I can honestly say it's all about intensity.

When you get up to 15 hours, you let the intensity slide a little (intentional or not) because it's almost impossible to keep up 100% that much in a week without overtraining.

I remember feeling like total azz the majority of the time too- had problems with stuff like glycogen replenishment, had to start drinking sports drinks and stuff.

I may build up to where I need 15+ hours again but right now I'm doin okay with my 4 to 8 hours (minus cardio) at high intensity.

Yea 15 hours a week is a bit too much. I feel like for boxers its very easy to over train, since the effort you put in to boxing activities are so physically demanding it takes less to put you over the top. And for alot of us, we are so hungry to give ourselves an advantage, often times we do unecessary extra work... because we are afraid that someone else out there is training harder than us. When in fact the best thing you can do is know your body and train smarter, not harder. Knowing when you've done enough for that day is important.

I heard a knowledgeable trainer once say that its good to sometimes leave the gym feeling like you could have done more. This actually heightens your energy reserves, and you sort of tricks your body in to developing a higher cardiac/strength level.

Emile Griffith himself told me that rest is as important to a boxer as training. He said in particular he ran no more than 3 days a week, and always gave himself ample days off from any kind of training.

[Pork Chop]

Emile Griffith himself told me that rest is as important to a boxer as training. He said in particular he ran no more than 3 days a week, and always gave himself ample days off from any kind of training.

That's awesome Emile Griffith's a legend- Ring of Fire's a great documentary.

I'm trying to find that one quote about not leaving it all in the gym, i think it was bundini brown:
"training a fighter is like makin love to a beautiful woman- you tease 'em and tease 'em but you don't let 'em cum".

[yrrej]

Punch Drunk, you're right. I used to work out boxing every day. But now that I am 53, my joints can't handle it. I need more rest. I worked out at the boxing gym for about 1 1/2 hours today continuously, nearly all of it hitting the bags. I'll do lifting tomorrow. It's more important to me to maintain weight and strength since I am not fighting in weight classes. My fights would all be in the street......