To the extent that boxing is about hitting hard enough to damage the opponent, it is strength-dependent. I think these numbers indicate what you need to do.
Member
Advice for aspiring boxer
Hi rip,
I have asked a couple of questions recently so I'll keep this one brief...
I have been doing SS for about 7 weeks.
Currennt lifts are
Squat 55kg
Bench 55kg
Press 40kg
Deadlift 100kg
Power clean 50kg
Before I return to my boxing gym, should I first exhaust my potential for linear progression? Should I get strong first and then work on conditioning or use a conjugate approach? And once I reach a decent level of strength will I lose it by working solely on conditioning?
I weigh 168 pounds. Is there a benchmark for me to shoot for strength wise before I switch the emphasis? I will also be playing soccer once a week.
Thanks for the book and DVD - both are excellent.
TMPHBITEU
To the extent that boxing is about hitting hard enough to damage the opponent, it is strength-dependent. I think these numbers indicate what you need to do.
Member
Re-read Starting Strength again. You need to exhaust linear progression as a novice before specialization begins at intermediate. We're at very similar weights and lifts and there is no way I'd think I'm strong enough to begin boxing training.
Member
OK Mark I fully agree with you on this one. He is way too weak at that weight. You really need to get your numbers up.
Starting Strength Coach
I too am in the 165(ish) range for bodyweight but my lifts range from 2-4 times what you lift right now. Granted, I am a fairly skilled boxer, but surely you must see where your current strength levels at your weight could pose some serious, if not dangerous, consequences.
Get strong. Run linear progression as long as you can. Then, go back to your boxing gym (it won't take long to get conditioned once you are strong).
Member
Does a boxing off season exist? Boxing seems tricky to me because you can pretty much do it all year round. The luxury of most sports is they only last about 3 months out of the year so you have 9 months to lift and get strong and some sports you can even lift through the season provided you adjust your life around recovery. Very convenient for say a freshman football player. Weight class sports like boxing probably do not fall into this category.
If you stop boxing completely to lift your boxing will suffer but if you don't get stronger you will quickly learn your limitations in that sport. I think I have to agree with these guys above that you should take some time (carefully planned in between boxing training and competition) to get stronger. However, boxing is a highly skilled sport so I think you should still train but cut out any conditioning. Create an off season for yourself, keep your boxing skills sharp but training to a minimum, and use weight training as your conditioning for 3 to 9 months. Some may tell you that you need to exhaust your novice progression before boxing at all but I think this could impede your goals. You're not lifting to be a weightlifter you are lifting to be a boxer. Besides, there will still be time to lift in between fights and you can plan further breaks in training down the road.
Member
Hi Wayne,Originally Posted by WayneRooney
I came across these guidelines a while back. I don't believe Rip is down with the idea of saying you should be able to press x amount at y weight to do z sport, or whatever, but they did encourage me to get stronger. So perhaps they have some value:
http://www.crossfit.com/cf-journal/WLSTANDARDS.pdf
At your weight, your current strength places you in the untrained male category. This is fine progress, as you likely started in the untrained female category. I can think of few areas where an individual can expect such impressive, tangible results in so brief a time period. You went from Sailor Moon to an adult male in seven weeks. This is excellent, and FWIW I started out as Gollum ...
So we all begin somewhere. In seven more weeks, you should have twice your strength again.
Then you can start hitting people.
In my youth, I recalled there was a general phobia regarding boxing and lifting. If this still exists, please don't allow it to influence your training. Dempsey, Louis, Frazier, Rocky Marciano, Ali ... all these men would have hit harder had they lifted.
And not by a little.
Best,
Flux
Member
You can get a hell of a lot stronger whilst remaining at that same bodyweight, without too much trouble (with the Novice programme of Starting Strength).
All the lifting exercises you are doing will improve punching power for sure but also will give you better co-ordination, balance and stability, and make it a lot harder to push you around as well. Forget about the conditioning circuits and all that for now, far better to create a foundation before trying to do that. Like building a house, you want to create a good solid foundation before thinking about anything else. Anyway, even if you he brilliant aerobic fitness you will find boxing a hard slog if you are not so strong, especially so when sparring and fighting. The strength you gain from the Novice programme will have probably more effect on your stamina than aerobic and "conditioning" work.
I did reasonably well as a skinny git (71kg at 6'1") because I used to work as a labourer and then a plasterer which gave me some degree of strength which definitely helped make a lot of difference. But I think weights a la Starting Strength has definitely been a good move. I managed to stay at 71kg (or trim down to that) for a few fights during the first few months of SS and was pleased with the results. Now I've shot up in weight (in a good way) by a few divisions and haven't fought in a while but everyone has suddenly started telling me that I'm a lot better at the weight. I guess because everything I do has more poise to it now and any size I have added has been a very worthwhile trade off in terms of against the extra bodyweight, ie a good ratio, rather than getting a lot bigger and a only a bit stronger its the other way around.
I think you will always be stronger although you will of course be liable to some some strength if you stop training specifically for it. But the basis you create will always stand you in good stead.
Member
I have to chime in here...just to concur. I have over a decade of boxing training, competing, coaching and refereeing. Normally I would suggest starting boxing right away, as you could do both. But in your case - focus like a laser beam on getting stronger for no less than 2 or 3 months. THEN start boxing. Mark is right...the formula for power is mass x acceleration. Getting stronger will increase both of them.
Member
Wasn't Gollum described as being quite strong, despite his wiry frame? Must have spent a lot of time over at dragon door.This is excellent, and FWIW I started out as Gollum ...
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