Whilst boxing training is primarily used by competitive and novice boxers as a form of conditioning, it is quite often not realised that there are added benefits to a boxing workout, such as assistance in strength and conditioning performance.
The nature of boxing relies on a fast explosive movement as you throw punches. These fast punches are activated by fast twitch muscle fibres. As you train more and more, and develop your punching speed you will train your body to activate more fast twitch muscle fibres. Whoever can recruit the most fast twitch muscle fibres will have the quickest punch!
When we weight train, say for example a bench press, we rely on fast twitch muscle fibres to process the movement. We can train these fast twitch muscle fibres by completing explosive weight training, as is often done my most trainers.
But from experience, I have found that utilising boxing training to create explosive muscle contraction is a more effective way of increasing fast twitch muscle fibre recruitment.
Try adding two to three boxing sessions per week into your training schedule to assist gains in strength and conditioning exercises. Most weight trainers will not like this as they will have concerns regarding muscle loss; however our purpose is to build strength, which will in turn create muscle. If you have never boxed before then seek the assist of your local boxing club, which will give you are grounding in areas of technique and attitude.
An ideal sample workout aimed towards assisting strength and conditioning through explosive movements would be as follows:
Warm Up-
Jump rope, Dynamic stretches
Skills-
Mirror shadow boxing 1 x 5.00
Conditioning-
Dynamic push up 5 x 10
2.00 rounds, 0.30 break
Heavy bag x 5 rounds
Jump rope x 3 rounds
Dynamic push up 4 x 10
Jab-jab-cross 3 x 5
Cross-jab-cross 3 x 5
Dynamic push up 4 x 10
Cool Down-
Static stretching
Dynamic push up
Dynamic push ups involve an explosive movement on the concentric muscle contraction (when you are pushing your body upwards). This can be achieved in various types of exercises, such as a clap push up, or bounding from one side of medicine ball to the other.
Heavy bag
We are looking for explosive movements, so when working the heavy bag have a focus on quality punching rather than quantity. Work on the outside with lateral movements and coming in for punches like a sniper, as well as on the inside and controlling the bag with solid, fast and powerful punching.
Combinations
Completed in sets of five have a strong focus on an explosive three punch combinations. Think fast, and move fast. Maintain a focus on technique with an even distribution of weight (never let your body move over your feet) and keep punches long.
