Strength and Power Training for Boxing

Strength Training for Boxing

Boxing is a sport which requires a combination of explosive strength, speed, and endurance, all of which need to be developed in your training. However, strength training for boxing involves more than merely adding resistance to a fundamental’s workout–such as adding resistance bands to your strike training–since doing so can alter your form for the worse. This can leave you susceptible to injury, as well as making your form less strong and effective. There is a process of becoming stronger, faster, and increasing your endurance that, when correctly incorporated into your boxing training schedule, will make you a more effective combat athlete.

Of course, your next question is naturally going to be, “so how I do this?”

Aha, glad you asked. In this post, we will go over everything you need to know to incorporate strength training into your boxing workouts, including proper warmup, the difference between developing power and speed, and how best to increase your power, speed and endurance through boxing strength training, resistance work, and HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training).

It all Starts with a Strong Base

First, let’s understand that boxing is a sport which requires a strong base—both in fitness, as well as in physical foundation. For this section, we will focus on fitness and later we will go over the importance of the kind of strong, balanced platform you will need to develop the explosive power and strength you will need to become an effective fighter.

You also need to understand that your fitness base needs to be developed slowly and built up, and you should never “start big,” which can only lead to overtraining and injury. For weight training programs for boxers, weight should be added incrementally as your strength increases, and you should always be able to perform the recommended number of sets and reps with the weight you are using. Remember that this isn’t a contest to show how much more you can lift than the other gym members. Rather, it is a means of developing your body type while staying within your abilities to get the best possible conditioning for your makeup.

Warming up

As you likely know, a proper warmup is crucial in avoiding injuries and getting the most out of your workout and should NEVER be skipped. However, many of us have been taught through years of misinformation that static stretching is the best way to go. This is far from the truth, since merely performing static stretches will leave your muscles looser, weaker, and MORE susceptible to injury–not less. Granted, static stretching can and should be utilized, just not at the warmup. Instead, static stretching will be used during your cool down period to help elongate your muscles after your workout, which will help keep you flexible and less prone to injury.

For your warmup, start with a series of rhythmic drills which gradually increase in speed and range of motion as you go along. These will include drills which you can perform anywhere, and with minimal (if any) equipment. By adding these active warmups to your boxing training schedule, you will better prepare your nervous system and muscles for the rigors of training. By getting them fully “fired up” and ready to go, you will reduce your chance of injury while increasing the effectiveness of your workout.

Begin with these warmup exercises, all of which should be performed for about 10-15 seconds, and no more (or less). This is a dynamic warmup, meaning speed will increase gradually as you go along, and these exercises will activate your hip flexibility, leg muscles, and core:

1. Walking Lunge—For walking lunges, start by taking a long step forward, and then dropping down so that both knees form 90-degree angles, with the thigh of your front leg perpendicular to the ground, and the shin of your back leg perpendicular to the ground. Push off the front leg as you step forward and repeat with the other leg. This is going to ignite your hip flexors and will start getting your joints moving in the variety of directions which are required in boxing.
2. High Knee Walking—High knee walking is kind of like an exaggerated march, in which each knee is lifted abnormally high as you walk across the gym floor. Don’t think of this as anything other than a warmup, meaning that only an easy effort should be applied. The object for this and all your warmup exercises isn’t to build muscle, but rather, to prepare your muscles to be worked. This is akin to laying down kindling for a fire you are building. While kindling isn’t the fire’s main fuel, it is the base from which the main fuel gets started.
3. High Knee Walking with a Skip—Essentially a modified version of high kneed walking, just that you add a hop to each step. Think of this as though the momentum at the top of each knee lift is forcing you an inch or so off the ground, like a child skipping down the lane. Remember to start “low and slow,” and progressively increase speed as you go along. Do this at your own rate, and if for instance your hips are tight, slow it down enough that you can loosen them gradually without forcing anything, which can lead to injury.
4. Fast High Knees—Now revert to the high knee walk, although speed it up to be a high knee run. This will not only help get your cardiovascular system pumping, but your nerves firing and ready for your workout.
5. Walking Butt Kicks—Next, you need to kick yourself in the ass to get it in gear! Do this by altering your walk by lifting your heel behind you high enough (or as close as you are able) to tap yourself in the rear with your heel. Remember that if you have tight thighs or other muscles, start with a low range of motion, and then gradually increase the range so that you are not forcing any muscles beyond their comfort range.
6. Fast Butt Kicks—Next, speed up the butt kicking! Do this by turning your walking butt kicks into jogging butt kicks. Again, the idea here isn’t to build anything so much as it is to prepare you to build. Don’t perform this or any of these warmup exercises to the point you are winded, or your muscles become fatigued.
7. Side Squats, or “Sumo” Squats—Moving laterally with your feet wide apart, take a step sideways and drop your rear to a squatting position, before standing again for the next step sideways. Your hips should move back and forth as you lower and raise with each step, and you need to be sure your knees aren’t moving forward, and that they remain tracking over your feet while performing this warmup. Once comfortable doing this, you can begin loading up your front leg by shifting forward onto it with your trailing leg straightened behind you. Drive through with your front leg, and repeat. Remember to do this equally in both directions so that both legs get balanced work.
8. Side Shuffle—With your feet in line with your knees, your knees bent slightly, and your rump in a slightly low position, do a series of wide, sideways steps in each direction. This should be like how a crab moves, and your feet should not cross. Increase the speed to a trot when comfortable and be sure to do them in each direction so each leg is equally worked.
9. Grapevines—Now, take your lateral lunges a step further, and begin alternately crossing your feet as you move along laterally. Do this quickly, and as with all the “walking” warmups, do them briefly in each direction.
10. Straight Leg Swings—Standing erect, take a step forward, but swing your leg high as you reach across your body with the opposite arm, and touch your raised foot with your hand. Repeat with alternating steps as you continue in each direction.
11. Stork Walk—Stand erect and lean forward at the waist on one leg which is just slightly bent at the knee. Do this while raising your other leg behind you, as though your back leg and torso are forming a teeter-totter with the leg you are standing on as the fulcrum. Your raised back leg and your spine should form as close to as straight line as possible.
12. Arm Circles—For this upper body warmup, stand erect with your arms straight out from your sides, which you will begin moving in forward circles. Gradually increase your range of motion until you are swinging your arms around in fully extended circles. Next, reverse things and swing your arms backward, again starting with small circles which are progressively increased until you are fully swinging your arms in reverse circles.

Core Activation

While the above exercises will begin to get your core firing and ready to go, you need to fully activate your core with another series of warmups which will focus on the muscles surrounding your mid-section and spine:

1. Plank—One of the most basic, safe, and effective core igniters is the plank. For those new to planks, this is a simple isometric exorcise in which you will begin in a push-up position, although preferably on your elbows. You will hold your position as though at the top of a push-up by engaging your core muscles, which will be what are holding you up. Do this by flexing your knees and rotating your pelvic muscles in until you feel yourself at the “peak” of your clench and hold there for about 15 seconds.

 

Also try raising one foot off the floor behind you for a few seconds, and then doing the same with the other. This can help you find any imbalance you may have, as well as to briefly engage some additional core and leg muscles.

 

Just as with all activation exercises, the idea isn’t to feel the burn–or worse yet, push to the point of muscle failure–but to activate your nervous system and engage all the muscles you will be using in a boxing ring. The rule of thumb here is, don’t fatigue your muscles at this stage of the workout.

 

2. Prone Cobra—Next, go from your push-up position to down on your belly and extend your arms down your sides with the palms facing the floor. The idea of this exercise is to open your chest by flexing your back muscles, and you will use your lower back muscles to try and lift your chest as far off the floor as you can, while keeping your feet behind you on the floor. Arch your back as you pull back your shoulders and tuck your chin in, and you should look like a cliff-diver launching off the top of a dive with arms extended behind at this point.

 

Doing this will counter the closed-chest position we are in so often as combat athletes and help ensure that you are stable and balanced.

 

3. Flying Dog (AKA Superman)—Begin on your hands and knees in an upright crawling position, and first extend your right arm in front of you, and your left leg behind you. Stay “long” while doing this, and try to keep your right arm, left leg, and spine all in as straight a line as possible. Hold for 15-seconds, and switch sides.

 

Remember to always give equal time to both sides on this and all exercises and pay attention to any imbalances from one side to the other you may have. Finding these imbalances and taking measures to remove them will help keep your foundation stable and solid, as well as help guard you from injury.

 

4. Side Plank—From a regular plank position, rotate 90-degrees so that one ankle is resting on top of the other with your legs extended straight, and your shoulder is directly above the elbow which is holding you up. Your obliques and lower back are primarily responsible for holding your torso in a straight line during this exercise and remember to keep your spine and entire body as straight as possible, and your head in line with your spine. Hold for 15-seconds, and switch sides.

 

5. Glute Bridge—Start by laying on your back with your knees up and shins 90-degrees from the floor. Keep your hands at your sides with palms down, and press through your heels to lift your butt off the floor. Keep your upper body in line and contract your glutes to hold your upper body in a straight line from your knees to your shoulders.

 

Next, raise first one leg off the floor and hold it straight out in front of you, and then the other. Look for any imbalances, and make sure that each side gets equal time and effort.

 

6. Hip Rotator—Finally, lay on your back with your hands extended straight out, and cross your left ankle over your right thigh. Now rotate your left knee to the right while keeping your upper body flat on the floor, and your right leg straight.

 

Don’t try to force a stretch, but rather, engage the core muscles which enable you to hold this position. Hold for 15-seconds, and switch sides.

You have now completed the activation stage of your boxing workout and are ready to move onto the strength phase!

Strength Phase

Now that you’re properly warmed up, let’s move onto the strength phase. For building strong, resilient fighting muscles, you will be using primarily body weight and free weights as resistance. While you can use weight machines if you absolutely must, it is best that you don’t. This is because during strength training for boxing, machines tend to isolate muscles and not allow small supportive muscles around the main muscle to be strengthened, such as when controlling the lateral movement of a barbell you are lifting. This can not only reduce the effectiveness of your workout but leave you vulnerable to injury as well.

You should also think in terms of “purposeful” vs “functional” work, and exercises which have a carry over to the specific athletic function, as opposed to directly mimicking the athletic function, are what you are looking for. For instance, avoid strike training with resistance bands, and instead, perform exercises which have carry over strength for the muscles you will use in striking. Not only will this help prevent injury, but strength transfers to power, and stronger muscles can be trained to move faster.

Keep your reps in the 6 to 12 range, and you should be performing 3 to 6 sets of each exercise, with your last set taking the muscle to fatigue.

If you are brand new and just starting your conditioning, begin slowly, and build a strength base with easy, low resistance exercises before graduating to more explosive and powerful workouts.

1. Pullup (AKA Chin-up)—For fighters, a strong pulling movement is necessary for a strong pushing (striking) movement since any weakness in the posterior chain will weaken the action it counters.

 

For pullups, use a strong and forceful pull, a pause at the top, and then a controlled return to the starting position. Squeeze with your back muscles on the way up and return while controlling the negative. You can use a variety of grips, including a neutral grip with hands parallel with the direction you are facing, a wide grip which will add further challenge to the exercise, or a reverse grip, which will add an emphasis to your biceps.

 

Try to keep your shoulders back and your chest open when performing pullups and remember that the idea is to get your back muscles as involved as possible. As your strength progresses and you need to increase the resistance of the exercise, the easiest way is to use a weight belt, from which you can suspend the amount of weight necessary for your current conditioning. Building up resistance should occur over a period of 4 to 6 weeks, and your workload should be increased incrementally, and never all at once.

 

For instance, start with high reps of 12-15 for 3 sets in the first 2 weeks, and then move to 4 sets of only 10 reps as you add more weight. Next you will go to 4 sets of 8 reps, followed by 6 sets of 6 sets as you continue to increase resistance.

 

Finally, for those who aren’t starting out with enough strength to perform full sets of pullups, use an inverted row instead. Inverted rows are essentially an upside-down push-up where you suspend either from straps or a low bar and pull yourself toward the ceiling using the same press-up/controlled return form as you would in a pullup.

 

2. Dips—These can be paired up with pullups for supersets, in which you use pullup/dip/pullup/dip in the recommended number of sets to increase the effectiveness of your workout.

 

With dips, try to lower yourself so your elbows are as close to a 90-degree angle as possible, but not so far that you are actively stretching your muscles or joints. Lower yourself at about half the speed as you raise yourself, and the negative effort should be smooth and well controlled.

 

As you move slowly down and press through on the way up, use a slight forward lean to help get your chest muscles involved.

 

As with pullups, start in the 6-12 rep range, and adjust as you become conditioned and add weight.

 

If you are not starting out strong enough to perform full sets of dips, use a standard push-up, and add angles and variations to your pushups until you are able to work up to dips.

This is a sample of some of the upper body exercises to be used on your strength days, and you also need to add lower body work such as lunges, stiff leg dead-lifts or hanging leg raises to your repertoire. Remember to use the same control of negative efforts and the same incremental increases in workloads for all exercises, and pair positive/negative exercises with each other for supersets.

For further examples of lower body exercises, let’s move on to the power phase.

Power Phase

For power, you are looking for explosive, fast movements, which also means more risk of injury. This emphasizes the need to build a base of strength first which will help alleviate the possibility of injury, as well as ready you to build the kind of explosiveness you will need in the ring.

Technique is also important in this phase, and you will need to start with a light load first, after which you can add incremental resistance increases as you go along. However, starting with a light load and high reps will allow you to solidify your form and use proper technique far better than trying to start out “big,” which is merely an invitation to injury.

Once you are comfortable with your muscle’s motor memory, use sets in the 3-6 rep range of explosive, powerful movement. Unlike with strength training for boxing, do not work muscles to the point of fatigue, and all sets should be done with a full force of movement. You should never have to “grind” out your last reps for instance.

1. Jump Squat—Starting with your feet at about shoulder width (no wider), squat down so your thighs are at about a 90-degree angle from upright, and no lower. Power through your upward movement and use your upward momentum to help lift you off the floor a few inches, and then use a soft landing followed by a controlled decent back to the spring position. Never land on stiff legs or drop down too quickly, and always land soft on flexed knees before sinking back into a squat.

 

When unloaded, counter your upward movement by throwing your arms down to your sides, or you can throw your arms up as you launch. However, down is typically more comfortable.

 

As you add load, be sure and keep the bar secure and in tight to your shoulders. Ideally, you will have a squat rack to use, although you can also use dumbbells or other weights if not. Power through your upward movement, using reps in the 3-6 range, and try to launch yourself as high off the floor as you can at the top of the lift.  You should always be able to launch yourself at the top without any kind of grinding effort, and if you are “grinding” at the top, lighten the load until you are able to power all the way through the movement.

 

Work from 3 sets of 3-6 reps up to 6 sets of 3-6 reps before adding weight and starting again at the 3 set range and continue adding incrementally as such.

 

Remember that a strong punch needs a firm foundation to generate its power from, which is why developing explosiveness in your legs is so important!

 

2. Push Press—Starting from the same position as a jump squat, but using weights held in each hand above your shoulders, power upward like in a jump squat while simultaneously extending the weights upward. Finish by staying on the floor, and without jumping or flexing your ankles from the floor.

 

However, you should be reaching the top of the lift with enough force that the weights would go flying straight up out of your hands were you not gripping them tightly enough. Make sure the weight you are using is low enough so that you never have to grind at the end of a set, and keep reps in the 3-6 range, and lower the number of reps before working back up as you incrementally add weight.

 

3. Power Twists—Core strength is essential for strong, powerful movements in the ring, and using resistance bands to perform rotational exercises is one example of how to strengthen your midsection.

 

You can start by doing a form of static exercise called a Palov Press, where you position yourself with a band to your right (or left) that is about shoulder height. Stand with your feet at shoulder width, knees flexed slightly, and hips locked so that you can press against your foundation and core as you push the band taut with both hands and arms forming a V out in front of you. Hold the band tight for about 5-seconds, and then repeat for 5-reps on each side. You should feel most of the resistance in your core, which you will keep locked in against the stretch of the band. As with all side-to-side exercises, it is important that you apply an equal workload to both sides and never favor one side over the other. The idea is to train your body in balance.

 

Next, slightly increase the distance from where the band is anchored and position yourself to rotate away from it. Pivot from your waist and turn your entire body through to full stretch, hold for a few seconds, and return to the neutral position before repeating. All movement should be initiated from your core, and it should almost feel like you are trying to touch your spine with your belly button. Do a set of 5 and repeat with equal effort on the other side.

 

Finally, you can add an explosive finish to it, which will require you to roll up on your back foot and drive your hips through on the finish. This is like how you rotate your body as you drive off your back foot when generating punching power and is the kind of functional strength you need to become a strong combat athlete. This is also a good exercise for developing stability and a firm base, which you will also need in the ring, and training for a firm stance on a stationary surface will help you more than using say, a wobble board. Since a fighting ring is stationary, there is no need for you to work out on an unstable surface.

These are just some examples of exercises which you can do during your power days, and you can also add exercises such as plyo pushups or high pulls to your routine. The main thing is, use exercises which will generate explosive power, but won’t overload you to the point of fatiguing the muscle or having to “grind” out the final effort.

Conditioning Phase

For your conditioning phase, high intensity interval training (HIIT) will be used to get you ready for the short bouts of explosive power and endurance you will need in the ring. This is different from the type of conditioning used by endurance athletes, and for your boxing workout, you will avoid the kind of long, slow runs and other steady-state forms of exercise which only focus on developing slow twitch muscle fibers. Instead, short, intense bouts of effort followed by active recovery and then repeated will be used to increase your endurance and fast-twitch power.

While such exercises as burpees, jumping jacks, and pushups can be used for HIIT conditioning, there are also other functional exercises which can take it a step further. These can include working with a battle rope, chopping wood, or simply beating on an old tire with a sledge hammer. You can also incorporate such exercises as uphill wind sprints or stair climbs, deep sand sprints, or other high intensity exercises which put you in the red for around 30-seconds, after which you will actively recover with jumping jacks, a slow jog, or a similar low intensity phase for no longer than 2-minutes (about 60-90 seconds should work fine), and then repeat.

1. Sledge Hammer Swing–If you have a large, old tire such as a tractor tire, use a sledge hammer and take big circular swings in which you raise the hammer to full extension above your head, and then land it with full force against the tire and continue. Try to extend fully at the top of the swing, so that you are as straight upright as possible, and then apply as much force as you can as you show the tire just who’s boss.

 

Be sure and switch grips to go left-handed/right-handed so that both sides are worked equally and focus on elongating at the top of the swing, before pulling the hammer down with full force and continuing in circular swings. If you don’t have a tire, any object which will absorb the impact of the hammer can be used, such as an old mattress over a hay bale.

 

And, you can also incorporate some HIIT training in your daily chores. Have wood to chop? Perfect! Get your work in whenever you need firewood. However, avoid hitting hard objects such as rock or metal, which can increase your chance of injury, either with flying chips, hammer bounce-back, or just the increased jarring you will experience hitting a solid object.

 

2. Sled Work—Just as football players used weighted sleds to build strength and endurance to drive forward off the line, you as a combat athlete can use one to for the kind of one-on-one force you will need against your opponent. This will strengthen your legs and foundation while improving your cardiovascular endurance, all of which will help you be your most competitive in the ring.

 

Start with a forward push of a weighted sled, such as how a winter athlete would begin a luge or bobsled run. Stay low to the ground, get your hips down and use short, driving steps to push the sled as fast and powerfully as you can. Do this for about 30-seconds, and then shadow box, do jumping jacks, or similar recovery exorcise for a minute-or-so before repeating.

 

Next, you can turn around and using handled straps attached to the sled, drag it backwards. You will use the same quick, short steps as forward, just that you will be working the muscles which counter those worked going forward. Keep your arms straight as you lean slightly backwards and continue for about 30-seconds. Perform active recovery for no longer than 2-minutes, and repeat.

 

3. Battle Rope (AKA Tornado Ropes)—While much of your endurance work will focus on legs and lower body regions, it is also important to ensure you have the upper body power and endurance necessary in being a strong combat athlete as well. Begin in an athletic position with knees flexed, core engaged, and your arms loose to move with the rope.

 

Start by “making waves” with the ropes together, and then for the second phase you will be doing alternating waves where your arms as though you are beating drums. Do this for about 30-seconds and recover for 30-90 seconds with easy movement (shadow boxing, light jumping jacks, etc.), and then repeat.

 

Another benefit of this exercise—particularly the alternating version—is helping you increase your coordination and athleticism, which is something you want to look for when strength training for boxing.

If you don’t have access to specialized equipment such as a weighted sled, you can also use medicine ball workouts, burpees, or other body weight exercises to achieve results. You can also consider out-of-the-box solutions, such as pushing an old car in a driveway, rope climbing, or even skidding a large stone or log across the ground.

As with all phases of your workouts, the exercises you will be doing won’t directly mimic fighting moves, although they will provide carry-over strength which will increase your power, strength and endurance as a fighter. This is far more effective than merely adding weighted gloves or resistance bands to boxing moves, which again, can alter your form and power for the worse.

However, using a drill such as shadow boxing as a means of recovering between HIIT rounds is a highly effective means of helping you hone your punching combos, technique, and fighting form.

Finally, there are some static stretches which you can perform now that you are done with the intense part of your workout, and it is time to cool down. For this final phase, you can use a series of post workout flexibility exercises, holding each stretch for around 10-seconds. These flexibility exercises can include:

1. Lateral Flexion of the Neck—Start by holding your head straight upright, and then lower first one ear toward the shoulder closest to it, and then the other. Hold each side in a comfortable stretch for about ten seconds and focus on elongating the muscles on the side of your neck, your traps, and neck vertebrae. As with all static stretching exercises, never force anything too far, and try for a smooth, comfortable, bounce-free stretch.
2. Neck Rotation—Next, and from the same starting position, rotate your head to first look to your right, and then your left. Move your head as far around as is comfortable, hold for ten seconds, and repeat equally on each side.
3. Active Hamstring Stretch—Rather than a purely static stretch, this is a functional stretch in which you will begin in a standing position, and then lifting first one leg, and then the other which you will hold straight out in front of you. Hold each side for about 10-seconds and be sure to give both sides equal work.
4. Active Thigh Stretch—Similar to the active hamstring stretch, keeping your knee in line and from a standing position, lift your heel as close to your butt as you can, hold for about 10-seconds, and repeat on the other side. Think of these as stationary butt-kickers.
5. Active Lat Stretch—Standing tall, hold your hands together above your head and press them first upward toward the ceiling, and then to your right, and finally to your left. You should lean slightly to the left/right from your waist while performing the side-to-side parts. Hold each position for 10-seconds.
6. Chest Stretch—Again, standing upright, grasp your hands together behind your back, squeeze your shoulders together, and lift your hands as comfortably high as you can. Remember not to force any muscle beyond its natural (and comfortable) range, and NEVER bounce against a muscle you are stretching!
7. Lunge Stretch—Basically a slow version of the walking lunges you warmed up with, except you hold each pre-lunge position, and stretch your arms back over your head. Hold for about 10-seconds and repeat on each side.
8. Cat-Dog—Finally, get down on your hands and knees and first raise your head toward the ceiling while arching your back upward and hold, and then lower your head and arch your back down and hold.

Now hit the shower and grab some recovery calories—your strength training for boxing workout is complete for today. You are now on your way to becoming the best combat athlete you can be through safe, injury free, and effective functional boxing training.

As Hans and his brother Franz would say, “We’re here to pump…you UP!”