STRENGTH and conditioning has become something of a slogan in boxing. Over the past few years big name fighters such as Manny Pacquiao, Saul “Canelo” Alvarez and Kell Brook have integrated S&C into their training.
Yet, not all athletes and coaches are convinced. But heads are turning and youโre asking the right questions.
- โDo we need to do long and early morning runs?โย โ in most circumstances no.
- โDo we need to do circuit training?โย โ probably not the way you think.
- โIโve heard weights make me slow, is that true?โย โ it depends on the type of weight training but our methods will make you faster.
At Boxing Science, we want to show how effective S&C is at improving performance.
Our programs consist of similar training methods we have used in a range of sports. We utilise resistance, sprint and Olympic lifting training to promote adaptations in lower body force production, acceleration and punch force using some of these exercises.
Using pre- and post-intervention testing, we have seen big improvements such as 28% increase in vertical jump height, 15% in estimated pound for pound punching force and 20% improvement in aerobic endurance.
There is still a misconception that ‘weights make you slow’, however our more advanced boxers perform Olympic lifts regressions that involve fast, explosive movements that can have a positive transfer to punching force. In the video below, elite senior amateur Muma Mweemba is performing a variation of an Olympic weightlifting exercise. This oneโs called a โHang Snatch Pullโ.
http://instagram.com/p/mSJsx6kBu2/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=video
The next clip features elite senior amateurย Callum Beardow, performing a version of ‘Animal Flow’. This innovative exercise incorporates ground-based movement that emphasises rotation, hip mobility and fluidity in all directions.
http://instagram.com/p/mX1O63kBpH/?utm_source=partner&utm_medium=embed&utm_campaign=video
We use this as part of a warm-up and as a specific mobility exercise. We want our boxers to be able to send force generated at the foot all the way through to the fist. But sometimes that force gets restricted somewhere along its journey so we need to loosen up the body. These exercises does the job better than most.
As a boxer you have to perform at high intensities, be strong and have explosive punching force. In the coming weeks weโll be revealing some of the concepts that make our boxing S&C programmes different from typical methods.