Was told don't need long distance running for boxing?

[Clubber Lang]

I asked this question a month or two ago on another board.

Ok, here's a question I was discussing with a coworker. My coworker is a personal trainer and used to wrestle competitively in college (not a major school or anything). I told him I used to box amateurs and that I used to hate running because I would always get shin splints and that all the running I did burned alot of my muscle and not to mention the fact that even with the running my stamina was always sub-par.

He suggested that running 5 days a week while boxing was foolish because I was already getting enough conditioning from my boxing workouts (sparring,bag work, mitt work, jump roping,etc.). He said that I was probably overtrained and that's why my stamina was lacking. He also said that the running was killing my legs, knees, and feet thus hampering me in the ring.

He also said that sprinting 2 days a week would be more beneficial than running long distances 5 days a week for a number of reasons. He said that it would build your fast twitch muscle fibers better, that it would strengthen your legs and abs better, that because it was an anaerobic exercise it would burn fat instead of muscle, that it would take a FAR less toll on your feet, knees, and shin splints, that it would help you get into far better "fight" condition, and that seeing your only doing it 2 days a week you would still have enough energy to devote 100% into your boxing workouts. He also said to only weight train twice a week and to only do abs three times a week (in addition to my 5 days of boxing training). He said that if I do this I will be in MUCH better condition and I will have more energy and be more explosive. He also asked me to look at marathon runners and sprinters and asked "who do you think would be in better condition to fight a 3 rounds of 3 minutes amateur boxing match?" Ofcourse I said sprinters.

He is NOT the first person that told me this? So what do you guys think? Should I ditch the long distance running for sprints? Is sprinting 2 days a week enough? Should I bump it to 3? Cut it to 1? Please help me.

 

[Demonix]

Sound advice I would say. Especialy if you are an ametuar.

Right now myself I run one day a week. Some fighters don't run at all and say they get all their cardio from training. Which I am sure you can do. But myself I like to run once in a while to push my cardio limit.

 

[Gigantasor]

When I train for a fight I run 4 - 5 days a week. I do mostly stairs, hills and sprints. At most I'll run 2 miles.

I get most of my cardio from training and the explosive go power from the sprints and such. For the most part I do it just to help keep my legs from feeling like jelly between rounds.

 

[Clubber Lang]

I also do deads and squats so I don't think my legs need any more work.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

His advice is very good. Boxing is predominantly anaerobic in nature, NOT aerobic.

You might try sprinting 100 yds, lightly to moderately jogging the other 300, and then sprint 100 yards again and repeat until you've done 2 miles worth or 8 full laps with 8 sprints 2-3x per week, this will build your anaerobic power very well and your regular cardio and ability to recover quicker between bursts of anaerobic punching combos.

Or you might not run at all and do times all out slug fests on a heavy bag 2-3X a week for 1-3 minutes and then rest and repeat for 3-5 cycles.

 

[Subzeero]

His advice is very good. Boxing is predominantly anaerobic in nature, NOT aerobic.

You might try sprinting 100 yds, lightly to moderately jogging the other 300, and then sprint 100 yards again and repeat until you've done 2 miles worth or 8 full laps with 8 sprints 2-3x per week, this will build your anaerobic power very well and your regular cardio and ability to recover quicker between bursts of anaerobic punching combos.

Or you might not run at all and do times all out slug fests on a heavy bag 2-3X a week for 1-3 minutes and then rest and repeat for 3-5 cycles.

.

 

[teep]

Many are mistaken

The words Cardio, Wind, Air, etc all said to denote endurance are misleading to specific events.

Specific adaptation is necessary. If one component changes then the training must change. There is a lot of fairly reecent research to show that if someone trains to increase performance in running that person cannot move his arms at a higher and increased motor denisty to show the carry over.

This means that if you want to improve in one sport discipline then you must improve that component. Long distance (cyclic) and self governed running has little to do with acyclic, opponent responsive movments (also, without writing a book on this subject, it necessary to remember that boxing is not a moving forward only sport). Flurry training is verty necessary and the actual correct training that is needed is to retrain the lactate systems. This is not pleasant for most people and requires a lot of discipline (most people cannot do this on their own).

Anyway, ask yourself how many times in the ring you have to run forward for 20 minutes at a time not paying attention to anything else?

Have confidence in your methods by using the correct methods.

 

[ghettostudmuffin]

I'll tell you a method that will get you in great punching shape.

My boxing coach had me do this.

1 minute all out slug fest on the heavy bag using PROPER technique.

2 minutes shadow boxing.

Repeat 4 more times.

No resting at all.

Your "WIND" will be very efficient for boxing and throwing puches when you can do this without trouble, and the shadow boxing should be done vigorously with lots of jabs and movement and combos.

If you really do it with everything you got the first time, you might puke. I know I did. Then came nausea and feeling like I was gonna puke the next, then feeling spent, and after that I got used to it and then you turn into a cardio machine baby.

Well, that might be overstating it, but it works and is very sport specific. Of course nothing beats sparring.

 

[teep]

Commercial answers

Well that routine does work to the 1 to 3 principle of interval training.

The blood PH change is what makes the sickness and the sometimes throwing up.

As for looking for already in place programs that are very specific (to self defnese, Muay Thai and MMA) consider getting the Comhrac Bas training material or the Bas Ruten training material.

And if you want to really throw up---try using knees (on Thai Pads for full power 1 minute bursts). I bet you are going to throw up unless you are a professional fighter.