Weightlifting and Boxing

There is a mantra in the boxing world that says one should not carry out any weightlifting using weights if training to be a boxer. The mantra is that all weightlifting should be completed through calisthenic exercises utilising a persons own body weight, but is this correct?

The rationale behind this is that weightlifting will increase your muscle mass making you bulky which will cause you to become slow and less flexible in the ring while calisthenics will keep the flexibility and add some strength without slowing you down.

It is important to mention that Calisthnics is a great way to improve muscle endurance while increase a persons strength but it has its limits, namely you cannot lift more than you weigh.

I personally believe that many boxing trainers automatically think of bodybuilding style weightlifting when telling budding boxers not to weight train. Bodybuilding style lifting is all about building bulky muscle so yes they are correct in this regard but I feel they have never understood or they have overlooked two other types of weight training, strength training and power training.

Strength training

For strength training you need to lift the 5x5 workout which will improve overall strength without building huge bulky muscles.

This involves lifting 5 sets of 5 reps on the heaviest weight you can lift for 5 sets and reps using any compound movement (movement where you use more than one joint such as the deadlift, benchpress or squat).

Power training

For power training you need to carry out explosive reps, other wise known as speed training. What you need to do is lift a weight you can comfortably carry out 8 reps but instead of lifting them normally you will push the weight out as quick as possible making it an explosive move....great for improving your speed.

An example is when I carry this out for the bench press using the smith machine I push so hard that the weight jumps out of my hands at the top and lands back in my hands before bringing the weight back down (this is a purposeful act but dont do this unless you comfortable to do so).

Summary

With strength training and powertraining you will improve your strength and power/ speed which will aid your boxing. Its important to use this as an aid to your boxing training and not let it take over any of your boxing regimes.