AS a man at his peak, and something of a magnanimous chap, The Goff – aka top strength and conditioning coach Cameron Goff – wants everyone to attain a similar level of conditioning. Hence, the fitness superhero has devised a peak performance workout designed to be used in the penultimate week of training camp, just before a boxer begins to taper off. This session can be done twice in that week but no later than seven days before the fight. Peak performance week replicates fight night, everything is done during this week to mimic moves you will use during the fight, mainly using bodyweight exercises, with a slight load. This will ensure you hit your peak at the right time.
NB: With the rower sprints between the other exercises, the idea is to go all-out, record the metres covered each time and, by the end, hopefully be covering the same distance or more than the first time, to illustrate maintenance of conditioning level throughout.
FOLLOW THE GOFF: @cameron_gfgb (Twitter/Instagram)
Peak performance
1) Row sprint – 60 seconds all-out, record metres covered
Strap yourself into a rowing machine. Maintain your posture with a straight back, and really start to push off your legs whilst driving the handle into your chest.
2) Explosive repeat – 6 sets (doing both exercises is one set), 15-second reps, 30 seconds’ rest, alternate between both exercises
2a) Medicine ball wall Presses
2b) TRX or gym rings squat jumps
Presses: Grab a medicine ball at chest height. Stand one arm’s length away from the wall. Keep your elbows tight to your body and drive the medicine ball to the wall. Release the medicine ball, catch and repeat.
Jumps: Grab the handles or rings and sit back into a quarter-squat position. Lean back slightly and grip the handles for balance. Start to push up from the floor – from your heels – and drive up as high as you can, feet leaving the floor. Make a soft landing and repeat. Aim for short, sharp and intense jumps. The less time spent on the floor the better.
3) Row sprint – 60 seconds all-out, record metres covered
4) Cardiac output – 1 set, 3-minutes, 30 seconds per exercise
4a) Box jumps
4b) TRX back rows
4c) Med Ball russian twists
4d) Med Ball slams
4e) Explosive cable/band wood chops (15 seconds per side)
4f) Battle Rope slam-
Jumps: Build a box around knee height or a bit bigger. Sit into a quarter-squat position then drive up, from your heels, onto the box. Once completed fully stand up onto the box.
Rows: Set the handles of the TRX just below chest height. Grab the handles in a pronated (palms down) grip and move your feet underneath the TRX. Lean back whilst gripping the handles and keep your hips up and your body in a nice straight line. Start to now use your arms to pull your body towards the TRX whilst keeping your elbows tight to your body.
Twists: Sit on the floor with a medicine ball. Lift the medicine ball to chest height, lean back slightly and lift your legs six inches off the floor. Now start to rotate the medicine ball towards your left-hand side and touch it to the floor. Once the medicine ball touches the floor, start to lift and rotate your body over to your right-hand side and touch the ball to the floor.
Ball slams: The medicine ball starts on the floor, in between your feet. Sit into a squat position with your hands fully extended inside your legs, grabbing the ball. Start to stand with the medicine ball and extend it over your head. Fully extend onto your toes with your arms fully extended above your head and slam the medicine ball ‘through’ the floor.
Chops: Set a cable machine or band at chest height. Stay side-on to the machine or band and start to walk your cable or band out a small distance. Maintain a slight bend in your arms. Once the cable or band is providing some tension, rotate from your hips, away from the cable or band, like a hooking punch motion. Return back to starting position and repeat.
Rope slams: Sit into a quarter-squat position and grab your ropes in both hands. Now start to lift the ropes to head height and slam them into the ground. Try not to pull the ropes, you’re trying to slam them into the ground.
5) Row sprint – 60 seconds all-out, record metres covered
6) Uphill or incline treadmill sprints (8-10incline) – 6 sets, 10-second reps, 60 seconds’ rest
Maintain a good posture (back straight, eyes looking straight ahead), drive your arms whilst sprinting and keep your head and chest up.
FOLLOW THE GOFF: @cameron_gfgb (Twitter/Instagram)
