Put Some Power in Your Gloves !

Put Some Power in Your Gloves

– Weights Exercises for Boxing The generating of maximum power through any punch will certainly tell your opponent you mean business, and this will have a profound psychological effect too. Indeed, developing your power will also help to enhance speed and anaerobic fitness. Speed will improve as your muscles become used to pushing out heavier weights (the cornerstone of any power routine), which translates into a faster punch when the comparatively light, 10-14 ounce gloves are laced on.

Anaerobic fitness, which uses carbohydrates to generate short-term, high-intensity work, will improve as muscles become adept at sustaining an all-out effort, due to greater lactic acid handling abilities. (Lactic acid is a by product of anaerobic metabolism and will prematurely curtail a sustained effort if it cannot be processed efficiently.) The muscles are conduits for all movement in the boxing ring and if they cannot function optimally, meaning that they cannot generate speed and power, and last the distance, your boxing success will be severely impeded. Power, therefore, is a key ingredient in any boxing programme, so to develop optimal, specific power, one needs to pick the right exercises and execute them correctly. In theory, any weight movement that is performed correctly with enough resistance will enhance the power that is translatable to boxing.

However, greater success will come from using movements that lend themselves to the generation of force (pushing type movements, for example) and replicate either actual boxing techniques or motions that the arms will make during the punch’s extension phase. The following weight exercises will assist any boxing programme, and provide the knockout punch you are looking for. It is important to complete each of these movements with maximum force, as this will more effectively develop your power.

Strength (Resistance Training) Following a normal weight routine that encompasses all major movements will assist one’s boxing programme. However, given that boxing training is immensely taxing physically, a shorter and more specific weight routine is probably the better option. This routine, to be completed twice a week, will ensure that all major muscle groups are targeted, while conserving much-needed energy and not overburdening your capacity to recover. Remember to warm up thoroughly before attempting this programme, and do not undertake it if you don’t have at least a 6-month background in weight training.

1. Full Body

Monday and Friday

MUSCLE EXERCISE SETS REPS Chest Bench presses 3 10 Chest Press-ups 3 10 Back Pull-downs 3 10 Back Seated Rows 3 10 Shoulder Shoulder pr 3 10 Shoulder Upright rows 3 10 Punching Dumbell punc 3 25 Arms Curls 3 10 Arms Dips 3 10 Legs Deadlifts 3 15 Legs Dumbbell lunges 3 15

This basic foundation strength power building circuit will leave the body in hypertrophy for 72 hours after the session.

Use this session for 2-4 week blocks in order to build and increase strength and power. To increase ballistic power, the exercises must be performed with explosive motions.

2. Military Weights

Military or fitness weights have been used by the military for many years, as the name suggests. My personal introduction was back in the 1980’s while in basic training at RAF Swinderby. I was then reintroduced with the Royal Navy training boxing team at HMS Nelson back in 1991, preparing for the Combined Services with the RN squad.

After turning professional, I was detached to the Falklands, as I was still serving in the RAF and met and trained with two Royal marine PTI’s.

The training was very severe – down there at the end of the Earth, you would expect no less.

The weekly schedule involved: Tractor tyre throwing and ‘sledging’(basically, pulling a huge tyre!) and many, many bouts of sprints and marine weights (fitness weights). Strength (Resistance Training)

This fitness served me well all season and the depth and ferocity of this was down to those two Royal Marine PTI’s who severely beasted me daily in the gym, weights and pool.

I did the military weights session below twice weekly as a pro to maintain my endurance, fitness and strength. You can see the session is a giant super set, starting at ten reps of Military Press to the front. Then, you repeat the same again and the rear also, building up to a giant set of 100 reps on 10 body parts. The whole process requires HUGE personal moral fibre to get through and doing it alone is very hard!!

But if do it with a training partner and stay with it, you will reap the same rewards and benefits I have over the years. I still carry out the session twice weekly at the age of 51, even in my state of arthritic demise.

3. Marine Weights

Marine weights is an old favourite of mine and has kept me fit as an ABA, professional and Unlicensed boxer.

Exercise Rep Sets Front sh Press 10 1

Rear sh press 10 10 2 Up right row 10 10 10 3 Shrugs 10 10 10 10 4 Curls 10 10 10 10 10 5 Dips 10 10 10 10 10 10 6 Press on bar 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 7

45 degree Press 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 8 Power Clean 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 9 Press up on the bar 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10 10

Starting with set number read across at exercise required: Shoulder Press Front. Carry out 10 reps and then start on Set 2. Shoulder Press Front 10 reps then Shoulder Press Rear 10 reps and so on. The effect is a massive on the body. It’s best to train with at least one other person (and better if in a group) as you keep each other going. Weights on each end of the bar are only 10-15kg.

You will be amazed by the effects. Enjoy!