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Conditioning
 Conditioning is key to any workout. This section will help
give you some insight into pro-conditioning. From time to time we will have
guests from around the world on the Hit Boxing site that will give you valuable
tips on strength conditioning, diet etc. On a daily basis I consult and work
along some really good trainers, each different and unique in their own way. You
will see them contributing to this site and to my program, so check back from
time to time to see some new people profiled in this section.
Here I profile Coach John Philbin, affectionately
known to us as the "The Doc. I have had the pleasure of working with John and I
still speak with him on a weekly basis. He is currently working on another book
on strength and conditioning training, as well as working with Professional
athletes. I am proud to say he is my friend and one of my mentors. "
I
have applied his (NSPA) philosophy to my program and have seen tremendous
results.
The following is info on the Doc, his NSPA organization, and his strength
conditioning of boxing superstar Fernando Vargas.
Coach Philbin brings HIT to
Boxing
 The National Strength
Professionals Association Inc. (NSPA) (for more info on the Doc's site see http://www.nspainc.com), has certified thousands of
health and fitness professionals through its National Certification Courses.
Conducted by current leaders in specific health and fitness professions, these
courses emphasize professional competency through hands-on practical
application, group lectures, and student interaction. NSPA, formerly the
National Sports Performance Association, was founded in 1985 by John Philbin,
Head Coach, 1992 Olympic Bobsled Team, former U.S. Olympic Conditioning
Coordinator, has worked with numerous world-class athletes, such as, Herschel
Walker, Edwin Moses, Willie Gault, Renaldo Nehemiah and Darrell Green. He was
with the Washington Redskins Football Organization as an Assistant Strength
Coach for seven years under the legendary Dan Riley, Head Strength Coach since
1982. Coach Philbin was formerly hired as the physical conditioning coach and
nutritionist for Junior Middleweight World Champion "Ferocious" Fernando Vargas.
Coach Philbin has been credited for taking Vargas to another level of
performance with high intensity strength training, anaerobic threshold training,
and nutritional supplement guidance.
Coach Philbin is also the Director of
All-Pro conditioning which conducts personalized training programs for the
serious minded athlete. Coach Philbin serves as the Director of coaching and
recruiting for the U.S. Olympic Bobsled and Skeleton Federation. He is a former
National team member and all-American decathlete. Mr. Philbin previously owned
two health and fitness centers that served over 7,500 members. Both he and I
have spent time in Big Bear, California with Fernando for his fights. Coach
Philbin provides insight on this site on fitness nutrition and current training
Methods. The Doc’s NSPA has an excellent program that is in short, personalized
physical conditioning for the serious fitness enthusiast & dedicated
athlete. The Goals of the program include conditioning like the Pro's, reaching
your physical potential by improving maximum strength, size, speed &
quickness. This also includes sport specific agility, anaerobic conditioning
programs, as well as nutritional supplement Guidance. PNF, Active Isolation
Stretching, Pre-Post Rehabilitation in addition, sports psychology counseling.
The Doc’s program is scientifically proven, and we highly recommend it. They are
conditioning methods that guarantee results! Course information, videos as well
as all of the Doc’s NSPA training materials are available at: http://www.nspainc.com .
"NO FAST FOOD - NO FATTY FOOD -NO FRIED
FOOD."
 It is worth repeating
our meal plan for those who need repetition in Their life. We snack on fruits
all day and eat lots of chicken, (skinless), turkey, fish (tuna/salmon), pasta,
red meat twice a week, potatoes, rice, corn on the cob, green vegetables, salads
(low fat dressings), whole grain breads, skim milk, crystal light, yogurt, fat
free fruit bars, and 8 glasses of water each day.
Of course keep in mind
this is our basic menu and portion size become another factor. (Total calories
in verses total calories burned).
I would also like to
introduce Chris Wheless. He is also a very good coach and is prolific when it
comes to training.
Chris Wheless
 Chris Wheless is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and
president of EPS (Elite Performance Systems). EPS is a Virginia based company
which specializes in conditioning boxers for their upcoming bouts. Emphasis is
placed on advanced conditioning strategies and mechanical perfection.
In the past, boxers have been told to avoid weight training. This was based
on the notion that they would become muscle-bound. But this is simply not true.
Strength training not only creates stronger athletes but also makes them less
prone to injury, increases lactate threshold and improves flexibility.
Resistance training is a component of boxing supplemental exercise. This means
that you are not a bodybuilder nor are you a power lifter. You are a boxer, so
train accordingly. Do not go to 7-Eleven and pick up a muscle and fitness
magazine and start implementing Dorian Yates's training routine. The exercises
are similar, but the recipe is different. If you keep your goals in mind and
train accordingly, you will be delighted with your performance in the ring. In
sporting events where weight classes are used, the stronger athlete has a
decided advantage. Can you imagine De la Hoya v. Holyfield? Of course not, the
mere thought is laughable. However, it clearly defines the reason for weight
divisions. When fighters move up in weight they often have a difficult time
dealing with bigger and stronger opponents in the upper weight classes. A prime
example of this was Arturo Gatti's debut in the welterweight division against De
la Hoya. Both were high-speed boxers and, although they were in the same weight
class, Oscar was just too strong.
The goal of a boxer who chooses to incorporate weight training is to become
as strong as possible while remaining in the confines of his/her weight class.
This is done by using compound movements which strengthen muscle "groups" as
opposed to isolation exercises which target individual muscles. For example, the
incline bench press is a pushing motion which strengthens the anterior deltoid,
pectorals and triceps brachii. These muscles play a major roll in both the jab
and the cross. A properly implemented strength program should increase the
fighters total body strength while avoiding overtraining and excessive weight
gain. The following paragraphs contain guidelines for beginners who want to
incorporate weight lifting into their supplemental training programs.
Preparation Phase -
Before
beginning the actual routine, mastery of the proper lifting techniques is
crucial. This helps prevent injuries and establishes movement patterns. The best
way to do this is to have an experienced strength and conditioning coach show
you how to perform the exercises. You can contact the National Strength and
Conditioning Association at http://www.nsca-lift.org, or http://www.nspainc.com , for a professional in your
area. Once you have the technique down - this should take about two weeks - the
next step is to determine the proper poundage. There again, I recommend that you
have a specialist assist you. The weights should be heavy enough that you reach
muscular failure at the predetermined number of repetitions. This means that you
cannot possibly do another repetition past the prescribed number. For example,
the chart lists 12 as the prescribed number for squats. If the amount of weight
is correct, then it will be impossible to perform a 13th one. Once the weights
are set, record them in your journal and you are ready to begin.
Base Building Routine -
This
routine is very basic and very effective. In most cases it can be completed in
about 45 minutes. Most of the exercises are core (compound) lifts which serve to
strengthen muscle "groups." The program is to be done once per week as it is
very intense and requires sufficient recovery time. I recommend choosing a
training day which precedes a rest day. This allows your body to have a full day
of recovery before going back into the boxing gym. Begin the workout with three
to five rounds of light shadow boxing as a warm up.
On the accompanying chart there are three sets listed for each exercise. The
first two sets are warm ups which are done with a fairly light weight for 8-10
repetitions. Do not go to failure on these sets. Lower the weight in a
controlled fashion, pause for a second at the bottom and explode upward. Do not
lock your joints at the top of the movement. When you have completed the warm
ups, put the predetermined amount on the bar and get ready for the main set.
Record only this set in your journal. Let us take squats for example; during the
preparation phase you should have determined the poundage required for you to
reach a point of momentary muscular failure at 12 repetitions. Once this set is
completed, move on to the next exercise. Each week you should strive to beat
your previous best until you reach 20 reps. Some weeks you may only increase by
one or two repetitions, other weeks you may increase by as many as 6. When you
reach 20, you will be ready to add just enough weight to take you back down to
12 repetitions. Follow this example for the rest of the exercises. The numbers
will differ slightly according to the exercises, just follow the chart. Make
sure that you keep a journal of your weights and reps for each workout. When you
have finished, loosen up with three to five rounds of shadowboxing. These rounds
will feel terrible, but do them anyway. Their purpose is to help dissipate
lactic acid, reduce soreness and stimulate sport-specific neuromuscular
pathways.
Click here to print this work sheet
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Exercises for
Joe Boxer |
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Barbell Back
Squat
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Machine
Straight Leg Heel Raise
Barbell
Incline Bench Press
Overhead
Dumbell Press
Underhand
Pulldown
Lying Barbell
Extensions
Barbell Bicep
Curl
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About the author
Chris Wheless
is a certified strength and conditioning specialist and president of EPS (Elite
Performance Systems). EPS is a Virginia based company which specializes in
conditioning boxers for their upcoming bouts. Emphasis is placed on advanced
conditioning strategies and mechanical perfection
Bringing the Art of Running to the Next Level
by George Smith
From the beginning of the modern era of boxing
around the turn of the century and even before, running has been a basic part of
any boxing training program. Starting the day with a three-mile run became a
tradition. Every boxer worth his or her salt for the past century began his or
her day with a distance run. It was just understood that that is what a boxer
did. He got up early and did his roadwork. And for over 100 years, that was
enough. But today, "enough" just isn't enough. Running three miles is still a
good thing, but it isn't everything. Today's serious boxer must take his or her
running program to another level. The running aspect of today's boxing workout
has to have many facets, including the traditional distance run. One very
effective running program is SPRINTS. There are many different variations on the
sprint program. One of the most popular and effective variations is called
"Running
Rounds".
It is a simple idea, but many times the simple
way is the best. It works like this:
After stretching fully, begin running at
a steady pace that can be maintained for three full minutes. It is important to
maintain as steady a pace as possible for the full three minutes. At the end of
three minutes, the athlete should walk at a brisk pace for one minute. After one
minute of walking, the athlete should return to the steady run pace for another
three minutes, then repeat the brisk walk for one minute. Continue to alternate
between running three minutes and walking one minute for as many rounds as you
want to work. The pace maintained during the run portion should be as fast as
you can maintain for the entire round. This program is only effective if the
pace is constant for the entire round.
Training Beyond the Gym - By George Smith
 Most of us are familiar with the normal workout regimen that is
carried out in virtually every boxing gym in the country. Heavy bag, speed bag,
sparring, jump rope - the list is a fairly common one. With very little
variation, you could see the exact same workout in any gym from New York to Los
Angeles. These old reliable standards of boxing haven't changed much for a
hundred years. And except for a few modifications and techniques, they probably
won't change a whole lot in the next hundred years. But this article is not
about training in the gym. I want to talk about what should be done BEYOND the
gym. The most important facet of a boxer's training that is done primarily
outside of the gym is Cardio/Vascular. Most boxers use running as their primary
exercise for cardio development. For decades, boxers have run three or four or
five miles a day to increase their wind (good wind is an old time term for
cardio/vascular fitness). Today, this still an accepted form of cardio/vascular
exercise. But running distances isn't enough today. A proper running program
must include sprints, interval training, and even some time on a treadmill or
stair machine (especially on the days that you can't run outside because it is
too cold or raining).
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