Thread: Will powerlifting help boxing training?

I've heard lifting heavy weights for boxing is not ideal unless you're doing lower body and back exercises. The mechanics of throwing a punch rely on your leg strength and back.

I've done this with my MMA fighters. The increased power in their hits they can give after only 12 weeks of using only 531 on some of their lifts are incredible.

Originally Posted by PITBULL915

I've heard lifting heavy weights for boxing is not ideal unless you're doing lower body and back exercises. The mechanics of throwing a punch rely on your leg strength and back.

Not true. You're using almost all core, arms, back and the lower body to position yourself without moving in a direction unfavorable to the actual sport.

Originally Posted by larry123

I have been thinking of doing it for a while to increase my strength and put on some size. Does anyone else here lift heavy? Does it help with your boxing training or make it worse?

Strength Training For Boxing

As juggernaut stated, strength training will help you.

The Foudation of Power and Speed

Strength training is the foundation on which power and speed are built.

That means as your strength increases your power and speed increase.

Lifting Weights Makes You Slow

There is some truth to this old addage.

There is point when when strength training will decrease your power and speed.

That in part has to do with...

Muscle Fiber Type

There are basically two type of Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber.

Type IIA

These Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber Type tend to be developed and use for Limit Strength, 1 Repetiton Max.

Type IIB/IIX

These Fast Twitch Muscle Fiber Type tend to be developed and used for Power and Speed.

Muscle Fiber Conversion

What is unique about Fast Twitch Muscle is that Type IIA can be converted to Type IIB/IIX.

Type IIB/IIX can be converted to IIA.

Lifting Heavy Loads

Thus, if all you do is lift heavy weight, you're going to end up converting more Type IIB/IIX to IIA. Load of 85% plus of your 1 Repetition Max develop Limit Strength.

What end up happening is you strength increases. However, your power and speed will decrease.

Lifting Moderate Load Explosively

Lifting moderately heavy load explosively increase Power. Moderate loads are those in the 40-80% of 1 Repetition Max area. The exercise you chose determines the percentage you use.

Lifting Light Load Explosively

Lifting light load explosively increases Speed. Light load are those in the 10-40% area.

Conjugate Training

One of the best method of increasing your strength, power and speed is to employ Limit Strength, Power and Speed movements.

The Poster Children For Conjugate Training

Olympic Lifters are some of the strongest, most explosive (power), and fastest (speed) athlete on the planet.

Olympic Lifter's Program

An Olympic Lifter's Program incorporates strength, power and speed movements.

Thus, the best thing to do is to employ Conjugate Training in your program.

Summary:

1) The key to increasing power and speed is strength training. This needs to be your initial focus.

2) Conjugate Training. Employ power and speed movements somewhere in your training program.

Kenny Croxdale

Originally Posted by juggernaut

I've done this with my MMA fighters. The increased power in their hits they can give after only 12 weeks of using only 531 on some of their lifts are incredible.

You're an MMA trainer juggernaut? What do you usually have them do in regards to lifting, and to accomplish what?

do you have a Kenny Croxdale training program?

Just look at the way GSP trains. Jump squats are a big part of his routine. He could probably lift more than most of the guys here, yet he walks around at 185lbs.

Power lifting will only make you big if you eat really big, otherwise you're going to mostly gain in power, as the title suggests...

Plyometrics seem more suitable for fighting sports.

Originally Posted by vancouver

Just look at the way GSP trains. Jump squats are a big part of his routine. He could probably lift more than most of the guys here, yet he walks around at 185lbs.

Power lifting will only make you big if you eat really big, otherwise you're going to mostly gain in power, as the title suggests...

No Power In Powerlifting

Powerlifting is a misnomer.

Powerlifting is a sport that measure Limit Strength, not Power.

Kenny Croxdale

Originally Posted by FitnessFreek

Plyometrics seem more suitable for fighting sports.

Plyometrics

Some type of plyotric movement is to some extent involved in most strength training movements.

Stretch Reflex

Any movement that employs a "recoil" movement is elicits the stretch reflex, a plyometric.

Bench Press and Squat Example

A touch and go in the bench press and when a slight bounce out of the hole in a squat employs the stretch reflex.

Plyometrics For Sports

Plyometrics are and effective tool that should be implemented in most sports programs.

Kenny Croxdale

Originally Posted by BP2000

do you have a Kenny Croxdale training program?

Plyometric Training Program

Yea, I employ various type of plyometric movements for my powerlifting.

Kenny Plyometric Bench press

The article above is one method of increasing power for the bench press.

Bench Press Throws

Rather than using the medicine ball drop, I am a proponent of performing "Bench Press Throws" with a Smith Machine.

Ballistic Movements

Any movement in which your body or an object becomes airborne is ballistic.

Ballistic Training Percentages

Loads of 10-40% of your 1 Repetition Max are the most effective for ballistic movements.

Research shows that load in the 30% of 1 Repetition Max are usually the best.

Bench Press Throw Example

Let's say your best bench press is 200 lbs.

That would mean Bench Press Throws in the Smith Machine should be in the 20 - 80 lbs range, with about 60 lbs being the most effective for developing power output.

(20 lbs is 10% of your 1 Repetition Max, 80 lbs is 40% and 60 lbs is 30%)

"Methods Change, Principles Remain The Same" Cosgrove

The same application in training the bench press applies to the squat, deadlift, etc.

Olympic Movements

These movements are exception to the rules above. Load of between 70-80% are the most effective.

Power Clean Example

Thus, if you're best 1 Repetition Max in the Power Clean is 200 lbs, Power is best most likely developed with 140-160 lbs.

Kenny Croxdale