In my previous articles I have discussed boxing techniques, strategies and training that should help you be successful. To fully train someone on all the intricacies of boxing would require several large volumes of study. I would like to bring you the next step of training though, heading away from the beginner training and heading into a little more advanced method. In this article I’ll discuss ways to better prepare yourself in the ring, including some more hardcore cardio. As before I want to warn everyone that boxing is a contact sport that carries a risk of injury, always visit a doctor before beginning any kind of new workout plan. I also want to remind people that these articles are meant as a way to help improve training they are not in anyway meant to replace the role of the trainer. If you’re serious about boxing, you’ll need a trainer to make sure you get on the right path and stay there.
Let’s begin with a look at some training methods aimed at getting you ready for the eventualities you might face in the ring, such as the feeling of getting rocked by a hard punch and how to drastically improve your defense.
Spin Training- In this training you start off slow, do a few spins before working the heavy bag, getting yourself dizzy enough to wobble. This simulates what it is like to be in the ring and get hit hard so that the world starts spinning. As you continue to train in this method work up to working the speed bag, which forces you to concentrate on trying to work the smaller, faster bag while dizzy. Of course I’m sure you know the next step, get dizzy and try sparring. As always start off slow, at first just have your partner throwing light punches while you try to get to them, as you improve in this training the partner should go harder. This is defiantly a training you want to do under supervision, just to make sure you don’t get badly hurt.
Wall Drill- Get your headgear on and lean against a wall, get a partner or trainer to start throwing punches at your head and body. Your job of course is to block, dodge and parry your partner’s punches. Do this for a set number of rounds, usually three or four, then after the last bell rings practice getting off the wall using footwork and dodging. When you get good at this, up the ante, block yourself in a corner, this will help simulate what happens if you get stuck against the ropes or in a corner in a ring.
Bob and weave rope- Run a length of rope from one side of the ring/room to another, practice ducking under the rope as you move forward. This training method was used to great effect by Joe Frazier and can help out anyone who needs help getting to the inside against taller opponents. Work this drill for at least three rounds a day if you plan to do it.
One Eye Drill- Work the heavy bag, speed bag and or sparring with one eye closed. Switch eyes from time to time but you should at least go two rounds with one eye closed. This training is good because it gets you ready for the eventuality that one eye may get swollen almost completely shut. While we obviously seek to avoid this with good defensive skills it can still happen, so it’s better to train for it to never happen than it happens and you never trained for it.
Exhaustion Drill- If you’re getting serious about boxing and think you might someday go pro; you need to be ready for long fights, 12 rounds or more. To do this you need to train like you’re tired. What I recommend is that you go through your full day workout, roadwork, boxing training, floor work everything. Then at the end of the day, go back to the heavy bag for good three or four rounds. Your arms will feel like lead, your legs will feel like logs, but it’s better to feel tired in the gym than in the ring. Another way to simulate fatigue is to wear light weights on your wrists and ankles, be careful though, the added weight can lead to you pulling muscles if you’re not being wary.
Shell Drill- Try this drill with a sparring partner to get your arms used to taking a beating. For one round in a sparring session don’t throw punches back, this may sound ludicrous but what you do is go into your shell, or cover up while you let your opponent tag you with punches. This should not be the last sparring round, if your going to do it then do this about the middle so you can still throw punches back after your arms have been terrorized, not an easy feat if your partner is going hard. This is another drill you’ll need good trainer supervision for; of course you should always be supervised when sparring anyway.
Combo Drill- In this drill you’re going on the offensive while working a heavy bag or with a sparring partner. Your trainer or partner will call out a specific combination for you to throw. Usually this is done by assigning numbers to punches or to body parts. Such as left side head is one, right side body is two, etc. and your trainer calls out the number or numbers for you to hit. As you continue to train like this the numbers called should start to grow, so that you’ll end up throwing the fabled five or six punch combos.
The next part of advanced training is advanced conditioning, while the training and conditioning I provided in my previous articles will certainly get you in good shape there is always more you could do to improve your conditioning. These workouts will be a good supplement to what you should already be doing if you’re boxing or planning to box. Do these or any combination of these at least twice a week to get you into the shape you want to be in.
Jogging Rope- For this cardio workout you’ll need to break your normal run down into about three parts, you’ll also need some kind of round timer and a jump rope. Start of jogging until you get to some predetermined point on your jog and then pull out the rope and do one three minute round of skipping. After that continue on your run to the next spot and do the same and finish off by doing one round of skipping when you get to the end of your run.
Incline running- Find a nice step hill, either on a road, in a park wherever and sprint it. When you get to the top you can take a second before coming down and sprinting it again. Depending on the size of this hill I’d say do this about three to five times, at least do enough to get your heart kicking hard and fast.
Swimming- Swimmers are in excellent shape and there is a good reason for it, swimming laps is hard work. If you work out at a fitness center like the YMCA or something similar this will be easy, just hop in the pool and start swimming laps. Additionally you could get to part of the pool where your upper body is under water and shadow box. Punching against the resistance of water is a great way to build punching speed and power, just make sure to come up for breathe!
Focus Running- Works pretty much like the ‘Jogging Rope’ exercise did except you’ll need a partner with focus mitts and some hand wraps on. When you get to those preset places to stop have your trainer pull out the mitts and put you to work for a round! This not only works your cardio fitness but gives you practice at fighting tired which is very important if you go pro or just want to be the better prepared amateur.
Weights- I wasn’t sure at first if I should include this in my advanced training because really it is very controversial among boxing trainers. Some trainers love the weights while others hate them. If your trainer is against using the weights than skip it, don’t go against their wishes. If your thinking about using the weights though, let me tell you the right way to use them for a boxer.
Work the weights mostly in bench press, low weight, high rep 8-15 reps is recommended per set. Do at least three sets with a break of only about thirty seconds between each set. This will build leaner muscles for faster performance and will give you muscular endurance. Use the weights only under supervision of a trainer who is familiar with weight lifting as it relates to boxing, don’t use a body builder as they will probably try to bulk you up which will do no good in the ring.
Well that does it for this installment of boxing tips. These extra training and conditioning methods should help you bring your boxing game to the next level. In the future I’ll bring you any new methods I stumble upon or read about to help you improve further. Until then good luck, fight safe and have fun.
