Boxing Resistance Training

Boxing resistance training builds both muscular strength and endurance. However, it's important to train the right way in boxing. Building bulk won't help a boxer; it only hinders movement and causes a depletion in cardiovascular endurance. Resistance exercises should work the muscles but improve endurance as well.

  1. Considerations

    • Boxing is unlike many sports in that resistance training for boxers varies greatly from athlete to athlete. Every football player does the barbell bench press or squat. In boxing, where weight classes range from 95 to more than 200 pounds, resistance training must be tailored to each individual athlete. All boxers except heavyweights must also factor in the need to lose weight to make the limitations of their weight class.

    Workout Schedule

    • As a general rule of weightlifting, never exercise the same muscle group on consecutive days. The core is a little different. It can be trained on consecutive days, provided one day you target abdominals and the next day you focus on obliques. Boxing resistance training involves all of the major muscle groups. The body needs rest and recovery time at least one day a week.

    Core

    • When training the core for boxing, two factors must be considered. First, the core must be able to absorb blows from another boxer. Second, the core must be strong but also limber and able to facilitate movement. Resistance exercises should incorporate movement so that the muscles are stretched while they are working. A good training circuit begins with bicycles, then moves to V-up crunches, and ends with door openers. These exercises train different sections of the core but also target endurance.

    Traditional Weightlifting

    • Despite the need to avoid bulk and make weight, traditional weights do have their place in boxing. The three primary lifts—bench press, squat, dead lift—should all be incorporated into a boxing resistant training workout. Boxers from smaller weight classes should use dumbbells, while boxers from heavier weight classes should use barbells. Kettlebells are a good fit for boxing because they involve constant motion. Good exercises for boxers are the single arm and double arm swing because they work the shoulders and the lower body.

    Caveman Fitness

    • Caveman fitness has been used in boxing and mixed martial arts for years, but is also popular to the public. The staple of caveman fitness is the tire flip. This exercise begins with the motion of a dead lift and finishes with the motion of a push press. A second caveman fitness exercise is the sledge hammer swing on a tire. Other drills involve such non-traditional devices as ropes, sandbags and sleds.