[Rick]

Just curious what the boxers out there think is more important, strength training or cardio.
Ive always been a cardio fan, so you can go the distance, but i hear a ton of guys say they are willing to sacrifice cardio for strength, thoughts?

 

[sparky]

I would say you should train in both. Alternate training days or training weeks so you are covering both strength and cardio. Is no good being super strong if you cant last 1 round liekwise its no good being able to last the duration but cant punch your way out of a wet paper bag.

 

[Netman]

I would have to say that I think cardio is very important because if you have the power but you can only throw a few swings you are going to lose. When you are fighting you need to be able to breath.

 

[GoldenBoy]

Re:

On the contrary, unless your a top 50 professional fighter, cardiovascular training will actually hinder you.

In the amateurs, you fight 2 min rounds, with a max of 4 rounds in championship caliber tourny's etc...

Even when you become a pro, you wont be fighting or more than 6 rounds unless circumstance arrive.

Boxing is an anaerobic sport that requires intense bursts of energy at given times during a match. You only actually box for 6-8 minutes as an amateur. There is no reason to train for aerobic conditioning if you only fight for 6 minutes. There would also be no reason to run more than 2 miles at a time. You will actually train your muscles not to be fast and strong, but slow and steady. And who wants that?

 

[czr]

The question is what's more important, strength training or cardio? I know of a few fighters that look really good in the first round, one guy in particular knocked his oppenent down in the first round; then the second round came up the other fighter was very busy landing shots and by the third round our guy ended up getting knocked down in the third and a fight stoppage shortly after. You really need both strength training and cardio. When you mention cardio in my mind I am thinking road work, sprinting, jump rope, interval training etc. None of the great fighters that I know of were known not to be in good cariovascular shape.

 

[Glen]

Just curious what the boxers out there think is more important, strength training or cardio.
Ive always been a cardio fan, so you can go the distance, but i hear a ton of guys say they are willing to sacrifice cardio for strength, thoughts?

In the 60's my coach went nuts if a boxer even though about the weight room HOWEVER, spending a summer in the iron room and banging the heavy bag made a huge difference.. and the net weight gain was about 5 lbs. I was able to move faster and had more punching power. Could take it downstairs better too

Barbell squats and Bench Press were the two core exercises I did. Squatting 225 for 3 sets of 20 reps does build the wind too (I was 160) two sets of military press, barbell curl and chinups were enough to get the job done ... then HBag and skip rope for 5-6 rounds. 3 x a week. Take a week off before your club opens in Sept for training though... just play golf or walk

These are my own personal opinions based on exp more than what experts in the field are saying

Suggest pay the money for a couple of sessions with a personal trainer. U will be glad you did

 

[Glen]

The question is what's more important, strength training or cardio? I know of a few fighters that look really good in the first round, one guy in particular knocked his opponent down in the first round; then the second round came up the other fighter was very busy landing shots and by the third round our guy ended up getting knocked down in the third and a fight stoppage shortly after. You really need both strength training and cardio. When you mention cardio in my mind I am thinking road work, sprinting, jump rope, interval training etc. None of the great fighters that I know of were known not to be in good cariovascular shape.

I hated runnning and 'roadwork.' Used the skip rope a ton though. Wind was good ... medicine ball and heavy bag will do this if you work at it.

Guys get done in in the third round because they shoot all their bullets in the first minute. Now they are going 4 two minute rounds. Nice holiday from 3x3

Running the stairs of a 15 story building will help

 

[TripleA]

Styles

It depends on your style of boxing. If you are a slugger then obviously you need the strength training more. If you go more than a few rounds, cardio and lots of it. Endurance is what you need to keep your legs under you if you are going the distance. Both need to be in your routine but if you had to pick one, go with a cardio that will produce high endurance and speed.

 

[Word2Action]

A little bit of both

I always find it difficult to do both strength and cardio training at the same time and still meet the goals that I want in both areas. I find it works much better for me strength training for a period of time and then cardio training for a period of time. After strength training for about 4 months, I've been doing cardio for the past month losing 11 pounds in the process.

 

[Glen]

Why run at all? 7-8 mins fast walk, a 50 yard sprint..2 minute jog.. 4-5 mins more brisk walking.. then quit.. have breakfast. You're awake

Skipping rope and the heavy bag builds wind and stamina more than endless hours of beating your knees up on the pavement. With the rope, you can sprint, pace, sprint. etc and go all out til you puke, then coast. Think, 'fight simulator'

For cardio and strength.. What worked for me was 3 times a week I'd do the regular 15-18 round workout.. then cool off a little and then go right to the weight room. 40-45 minutes of intense heavy training...followed by a good stretch session.. then shower and go home. That's a tough 2.2 hours

I didn't do a damn thing on my off-days.. It is on your days off that your muscles grow. Us old guys call it 'recovery time'

Phew!

 

[Glen]

On the contrary, unless your a top 50 professional fighter, cardiovascular training will actually hinder you.

In the amateurs, you fight 2 min rounds, with a max of 4 rounds in championship caliber tourny's etc...

Even when you become a pro, you wont be fighting or more than 6 rounds unless circumstance arrive.

Boxing is an anaerobic sport that requires intense bursts of energy at given times during a match. You only actually box for 6-8 minutes as an amateur. There is no reason to train for aerobic conditioning if you only fight for 6 minutes. There would also be no reason to run more than 2 miles at a time. You will actually train your muscles not to be fast and strong, but slow and steady. And who wants that?

This makes perfect sense

 

[ninikins]

many people seem to underestimate the importance of cardio training, without stamina, strength can be useless

 

[flamethrower]

You need both. You need to be able to go the distance, and you need to have some KO power.

 

[Grace]

I can't believe that cardiovasacular strength would hinder a boxer. The rounds are timed, but it seems to me the second thing needed besides strength is endurance.

 

[Word2Action]

many people seem to underestimate the importance of cardio training, without stamina, strength can be useless

Its true. I can remmeber guys who are pretty strong being gasssed when hitting the mitts with the trainer. I mean I'd sacrifice strength for endurance anyday.

 

[Avid]

In reply to that comment about running a 15 story building..one thing I found very helpful is I go to a parking garage and sprint the up ramps, then walk down the down ramps. I'd do this for awhile, stopping occasionally in between for some pushups, flutterkicks, etc. The whole thing about beating up your knees, it's no good to train to be slow and steady, energetic bursts and going all out for periods of time is better, along with the strength.

 

[bill1234]

Why not both, I would prefer to even both out than just have one over the other.

 

[Grace]

Both cardio and strength training are necessary to keep the best possible outcome in a fight. Without both, the boxer can be weakened when they start going for long periods of time. Or they start strong and don't finish at all.

 

[Sonny Liston]

As much as I love the thrill of being strong... Speed/Quickness/Agility and everything to do with Cardio Vascular Training is really the main thing that matters. A good example would be the man I believe to be the greatest professional boxer of all time... POUND-FOR-POUND... I am course talking about SUGAR RAY ROBINSON. The guy was thin... lean... but thin! He was something like 5'11"/6'/6'1" but was a Middleweight and a Welterweight. Throughout the prime of his boxing career he weighed between 134lbs and 160lbs. PRETTY LIGHT FOR A MAN THAT TALL... he wouldn't have been too strong! DID IT MATTER? HELL NO! He was super quick with his hands... he was superbly agile... he could go the distance more than any other boxer I know! He only had 19 known defeats in his boxing career and most of them were when he was over the age of 40... AMAZING! So yeah... CARDIO-VASCULAR TRAINING OVER STRENGTH... unless you're a heavyweight in the modern day and age (in my opinion)... there'll never ever be another heavyweight as quick or as fit or as 'ANYTHING' as Muhammad Ali!:thumbsup:

 

[toppingu]

Like Glen said, interval training is your friend. Get your heart rate way up then coast.