Lifting weights and optimal body size

[david220]

Yes I know there is many lifting weight threads out there. This thread is more about how to become your "optimal size", how much muscle mass is needed to make you efficient in the ring and what training you need to do to achieve that.

It seems most competitive boxers follow a sort of Inifinite Intensity philosophy towards weight training: 1 full body (max strength), 1 full body (explosive) per week. As well as all the bag work.

I am the same height as Amir Khan, yet he is 15kg lighter! i am wondering if all my former strength training has made me less agile than I could be and given me more muscle mass than I need. I think it would be sensible for me to do less weights and try to lose 10kg.

I'm interested into what sort of training an athlete in the lightweight division would do? Would you ever see Amir doing a bench press, for instance? He's so amazingly agile. I guess i aspire to be like that. (Obviously I'll never be the same, but I want to get more agile, lighter and explosive)

What training is most efficient to become a better fighter?

[Rob Pilger]

David220, speed, power/explosiveness has nothing to do with muscle mass it has everything to do with training the nervous system. You can have less muscle mass and STILL be faster, stronger, more explosive. This is a fact.

I and other good coaches perform an assessment of the fighter we are working with. Everything from rom assessment, static posture, movement pattern, abdominal strength and then perform a needs analysis and based on their training age, experience/back ground design them a program they can handle to make them reach their goals of peak boxing performance.

No I don't think you'll see Amir performing a bench press. As long as he has a great team around him at least.

Rob Pilger
http://www.boxingperformance.com
http://www.theultimateboxingworkout.com/fighters.html

[SerbianKO]

if you want to lift weights, go do it... don't ask smartass questions on boxing forum... if you want muscle mass do bench press, dead lifts, squats, high weight-low reps,and eat protein food.. If you want to lose weight do hi reps - low weight exercises,run,situps, go to diet.. nothing more nothing less

[david220]

David220, speed, power/explosiveness has nothing to do with muscle mass it has everything to do with training the nervous system. You can have less muscle mass and STILL be faster, stronger, more explosive. This is a fact.

I and other good coaches perform an assessment of the fighter we are working with. Everything from rom assessment, static posture, movement pattern, abdominal strength and then perform a needs analysis and based on their training age, experience/back ground design them a program they can handle to make them reach their goals of peak boxing performance.

No I don't think you'll see Amir performing a bench press. As long as he has a great team around him at least

Interesting.

Does a good boxer actually need to gain much muscle mass at all? Is limit strength (trying sets of 3-5 reps, maximum strength) actually neccessary at all?

[potatoes]

Interesting.

Does a good boxer actually need to gain much muscle mass at all? Is limit strength (trying sets of 3-5 reps, maximum strength) actually neccessary at all?

Speed and power are defined by your genes, not by the size of your muscles. All you need to do is learn to box and get in shape. Achieving the level of conditioning required to go 12 hard rounds takes many months or years of training depending on your background.

[david220]

^ I've done years of training. Not specific to boxing; I've done ju jitsu and taekwondo. My stamina and strength and punching ability is sound.

I'm just thinking of leaving out most of the weight training, specifically that which targeted limit strength.

Watching guys with less muscle than i have, fly around the ring and hit harder makes me wonder if the type of training I am doing is actually sufficient.

[Rob Pilger]

How fast and powerful you are is defined by how strong you are. True, genetics determine your fiber make up but having great genetics alone without sound training methods will not allow you to reach your potential.

Even through training you can make the transitional fibers fast/explosive or slow/endurance, this again depends on your training. Choose your training means wisely.

Just because a guy is jacked doesn't mean he's strong, to get strong you don't have to get jacked. To be very strong you can still be very lean and trim and is a must if you want to stay and fight in your current weight division and not move out of it. Choose your training means wisely.

Get very strong, it improves everything.

Rob Pilger
http://www.boxingperformance.com
http://www.theultimateboxingworkout.com/fighters.html

[david220]

To be very strong you can still be very lean and trim and is a must if you want to stay and fight in your current weight division and not move out of it. Choose your training means wisely.

Very true. And this should surely be the goal of every fighter. have the greatest light-to-strength ratio.

Lot's of heavy bag work and explosive training will help make you lean, powerful and strong.

But what about max strength training? Weighted pull-ups, bench presses, shoulder presses and the like.

How often do people incoperate these in their training?