Preparing for a boxing competition is one of the most challenging and tiring training anyone can go through. Since an athlete must fight against another boxer with physical contact, one will need to protect themselves from potentially dangerous situations.
Two elements that boxers must pay great attention to are strength and conditioning. Whether you’re training to become a boxer or plan to employ boxing fitness, you must know how to improve these elements. To help you, this article will discuss strength and conditioning in boxing and how you can improve your training routine.
Strength and Conditioning in Boxing
Strength and conditioning are crucial in boxing. In fact, strength training helps in making your joints, muscles, and bones stronger. Moreover, if you incorporate it with conditioning, you can significantly improve your performance as a boxer.
For instance, strength training can help you run faster and strengthen muscles. So, you can make explosive blows that’ll increase your punching power. Connectively, with coordination, you’ll be able to determine how long you can run before your body gets tired. These two elements work side by side, and once you understand their significance, you will better realize how they can affect your training.
If you want to improve your boxing training and assimilate strength and conditioning, here are a few ways to get you started.
Drink Protein Shakes and Other Supplements
If you are nearing a boxing competition or trying to improve your overall fitness, you should try taking protein shakes around (before, during, or after) your workout. It helps in promoting muscle gain, improving recovery, and helps with performance.
Protein shakes contain amino acids that the body can easily absorb. Drinking this will increase the levels of amino acids in the body which can eventually trigger responses for muscle synthesis. Muscle protein synthesis is also activated through rigorous strength training.
However, you can consider taking workout supplements if you’re not a huge fan of protein shakes. Depending on your supplement, you can intake something that’s going to be beneficial to your liver or something that produces carbohydrates or as an alternative to protein. You can check BuzzRX recent articles if you’re unsure what to take. Nonetheless, these supplements can surely be beneficial to your training.
Consider Training Goals
If you’re training for strength and coordination, you’ll need an effective training routine focusing on these elements. This will stimulate your accountability and prove what you’re truly capable of. Clear training goals will also let you see your actual goal and help you push through difficult moments. Finally, it’ll serve as your motivation to reach your destination.
Take a Rest to Recuperate
You should give your body a chance to rest for at least a day a week. It’ll help in repairing damaged tissues due to the intense training. Rest will allow your circulatory system to remove metabolic byproducts in muscle cells and deliver oxygen and other nutrients to the damaged tissues to help repair them.
You can also take this chance to review your previous fights or other people’s fights and spend your day formulating a strategy. Just remember to rest and let your body and muscles recuperate.
Exercises to Consider for Your Routine
If you’re planning to add strength and conditioning to your training, here are five fundamental exercises for an effective program. You can incorporate these into your existing training routine or however you see fit.
Deadlifts
The deadlift is a good exercise for boxing because it can help improve the backside of the body, including the hamstrings and glutes. The deadlift doesn’t require much movement and is accessible in any gym or training center.
Push-Ups
Push-up is the primary type of exercise you can employ in your training. This exercise helps a boxer strengthen their entire upper body, especially their core, shoulder, arms, and back. This is considered the most simple but effective boxing training. You can program the rep and intensities depending on your training regime.
Burpees
Burpees are perfect for training your strength and coordination. This exercise will help enhance your explosiveness and stamina while stimulating your shoulder muscles and biceps.
Bench Press
In boxing, the upper body is the essential part of a boxer. Thus, the bench press is something that you should also focus on. It’ll allow your upper body muscles to develop core strength and improve muscular imbalance. Not to mention, it helps enhance the strength related to punching velocity.
Jumping Rope
Jumping rope combines cardio, coordination, and footwork in one routine. As a boxer, you’ll need to master hand-eye-foot coordination, and the jumping rope helps you utilize all these elements. Moreover, it’ll also help you practice staying light and quickly moving on your feet, which are crucial elements during a fight.
Final Thoughts
Now that you know better about strength and conditioning in boxing and how to enhance your training, it’s time to start planning your new routine. You can coordinate with your instructor to perfect your routine and discuss your goals with them. Remember that there’s no timesaving approach towards an excellent boxing style, but hard work will never disappoint you.