The Importance of Sparring

We often study advancements in sports-science in an attempt to enhance our training routines. Through science, we can better understand how and why our bodies react to various movements. For example, we now recognize that a proper strength-training program can increase power and speed. The myth that weight training reduces flexibility and range of motion has been discredited through science. Additional advancements have been made regarding nutrition and supplementation. Yet despite these new school training methods, we must not lose site of the most traditional old school boxing exercise, sparring.

The Specificity Principle is a fundamental training principle. As an athlete, you must move from general training towards highly specialized training as a final objective. For example, suppose you have 12 weeks to prepare for a bout. Your first 3 weeks may emphasize conditioning. You will first develop a foundation before focusing on more specific (and intense) boxing training.

The Specificity Principle states that once the foundation is established, your training must reflect the specific competition that you are preparing for. As a boxer, you are training to fight. Your training program must reflect this objective. You are not training for a weight lifting competition. Boxing must form the backbone of your routine. You MUST train according to your desired objective. In boxing, the ultimate goal is to win fights. To adequately prepare to box, the Specificity Principle tells us that you must box.

Running and weight lifting are designed to enhance the condition of the boxer. These activities will not replace boxing, they are simply a supplement to a well-rounded routine. To improve as a boxer, you must step inside the ring to box. Sparring is the most important aspect of boxing training.

As a youngster, I once learned a heavy bag drill from my former trainer, Harry Figueroa. After working the drill for several rounds, Harry looked at me and said, “OK, now that you have learned the drill, let’s see if you can use it. Remember, the bag does not hit back.”

These simple words speak volumes for the importance of sparring. No matter how hard you hit the bag, you must apply what you learn through live sparring. Sparring will improve timing, reactions, and combination punching. It is excellent to work the focus mitts one-on-one with your trainer, but even mitt work does not take the place of sparring.

In addition to the obvious physical benefits, sparring teaches the boxer to overcome the nervous energy experienced on fight night. Nerves can play a major factor in the outcome of a boxing match. Nervous feelings can leave a fighter out of gas before the fight begins, their legs tired while walking towards the ring. The only way to overcome these feelings is through experience. The more you box, the easier it will be to overcome pre-fight anxiety.

All boxers have been nervous at some point in their careers. Whether before their first fight or first title bout, all fighters have had to quell their nervous energy before entering the ring. Through experience, you will put your anxiety to rest. You learn to rely on your skills and hard work in the gym. This is all part of the development process of a fighter. You must first learn the game, and then develop confidence and experience. Boxing is not a sport that is mastered over night. It takes several years to learn this sport.

Approach each sparring session as an opportunity to improve some aspect of your game. You may choose to work on your jab, counter punching, or strictly on defense. I recommend sparring with different opponents as often as possible. The more sparring you have under your belt, the more experience you will have boxing against different styles.

Conditioning drills will always be important to the boxer, but this game cannot be mastered on the track, it must be mastered inside the ring. Boxing is a complex sport. Most will never understand the true complexity. Boxing requires physical conditioning, courage, mental toughness, power, speed, and ability. You must integrate several forms of training to truly optimize your performance. You must focus on developing strength, stamina, and boxing specific skills.

Do not neglect the mental and physical benefits associated with proper sparring. Without sparring, you will never truly be in fight shape.

A Twist To Complex Training

Many of boxing’s training philosophies have originated out of tradition, rather than science. Trainers often refuse to change, continuing to teach archaic techniques. Unfortunately, the failure to accept change is just one of the problems. Many boxing trainers are unable to implement new techniques due to insufficient funding.

Boxing is a sport that thrives in the ghetto. Many gyms are located in city community centers that lack funding for expensive training devices. These gyms cannot afford Olympic barbell sets or other proprietary tools. Trainers are forced to work around their economic situation. Many continue to promote outdated techniques, while others implement unconventional (inexpensive) training solutions.

Consider the use of bodyweight calisthenics. I grew up boxing at a city community center. Our equipment was limited to a ring and several punching bags. There were no elaborate machines or weight sets. We succeeded with little or no equipment. Bodyweight exercise was convenient and effective.

The use of calisthenics continues today in boxing gyms across the country. Boxers are able to improve strength and endurance through bodyweight movements. Common exercises include pushups, pull-ups, burpees, sprint drills, rope skipping, and more.

Many strength and conditioning “gurus” will argue that bodyweight exercise is ineffective. Unfortunately, they are left speechless when asked to explain how so many of today’s world champions have thrived with nothing more than bodyweight exercise. Please note that I am not against the use of weight training, I am simply illustrating a point.

Professional boxing is unlike any other sport. How many other “professional” athletes work full-time jobs to support their passion? Have you ever seen an NFL player work a full day of physical labor before heading to a 2-hour practice? Although oblivious to many boxing fans, most professional fighters do not earn enough money to make a living. Consider the professional who trains 6-weeks for a $5000 payday. After training expenses and manager/trainer fees, the fighter is left with little.

The economics of boxing is partially responsible for the sport’s inability to keep pace with the mainstream sports of today. Fortunately, there are many ways to improve strength, power, speed, and endurance without elaborate training equipment.

Survival of the fittest requires that one adapt to their surroundings. If your training facility lacks equipment, you must improvise and adjust. This article will examine one low-tech solution to complex training. First, let’s review the concept of complex training. Complex training involves the integration of resistance exercise followed by an explosive movement. Two common examples of complex circuits include:

• Weighted Squats followed by non-weighted squat jumps
• Bench Press followed by medicine ball chest pass

The resistance work activates the nervous system (ex. barbell squats), followed by an explosive movement (squat jumps) to target the fast twitch muscle fibers. The goal of complex training is the improvement of explosive strength and speed-strength.

Dr. Yuri Verkhoshansky, renowned Russian scientist, defines speed-strength as the “ability to quickly execute an unloaded movement or a movement against a relatively small external resistance. Speed-strength is assessed by the speed of movement.” (1)

An old saying in boxing is that “speed kills”. Anyone who has stepped inside the ring can attest to these words.

Unfortunately, many trainers fail to recognize the difference between maximal strength and speed-strength. The recent trend in combat athletics is a relentless quest for maximal strength. Coaches overemphasize the need for maximal strength when the real need is speed-strength and rate of force development. Sport biomechanist Vladimir Zatsiorsky notes that “the ability to produce maximal force and the ability to achieve great velocity in the same motion are different motor abilities.” (2)

A boxer who throws a straight right hand does not have time for significant force production. Rate of force development (RFD) is much more important. As stated by Zatsiorsky, “If the time available for force development is short, RFD is more important than maximal strength.” (2) Verkhoshansky also noted that excessive maximum strength training can impair speed-strength. (1)

Fortunately, we can use low-tech complex training drills to enhance speed and explosive abilities. The equipment requirements are minimal.

Isometric Punch Followed By Med Ball Punch

These drills will use isometrics to form the resistance portion of the complex training equation. We will train each limb independently (ex. right side, then left side). The integration of an isometric hold followed by a dynamic movement is known as the static-dynamic method of developing muscular strength. The athlete begins with a brief isometric hold, followed by a dynamic movement, explosive in nature. This style of training has been proven to be more effective at producing speed-strength than dynamic exercise alone. (1)

The boxer will begin by holding an “isometric punch”. A right hand boxer will assume his conventional boxing stance. He will apply pressure with the right hand against an immobile structure such as a wall. You can wear a training glove to protect the hand, or place a small pillow against the wall. Two positions will be held, the beginning of the punch motion (Figure 1) and the mid-range portion of the punch (Figure 2). Maintain each position for 3-5 seconds with approximately 80% of maximum effort.

It is important to limit the time of the isometric hold to approximately 5 seconds or less. Extended isometric holds have been shown to “decrease coordination and speed of movement and worsen elasticity of the muscles.” (1) These potential drawbacks can be avoided by limiting the length of the contraction.

Figure 1

Figure 2

After completing the isometric holds, you will continue with a simulated medicine ball punch. I recommend using a very light medicine ball for this portion of the drill. The emphasis must be speed. In the video clip demonstration below, I am using a 5-pound ball. The medicine ball must be small enough to fit in one hand. The goal of this movement is to mimic the exact motion of punching. If the ball is too large, this will not be possible.

We commonly use 3 and 5 pound medicine balls. More is not better when training speed-strength.

It is imperative that you throw the ball with a max effort. After throwing the ball, you will catch it from the rebounding surface and continue for 6-8 reps. Be sure to simulate the act of punching as closely as possible.

As you can see in the video demo, I have thrown the medicine ball against a large punching bag. I have improvised and used the heavy bag as a rebounding surface. You could also use a cement wall if one is available.

Perhaps the greatest benefit of this medicine ball drill is the avoidance of deceleration. One of the drawbacks of conventional weight training is the need to decelerate at the end of the movement. Consider the bench press. After lifting the bar from your chest, you must decelerate to avoid launching the barbell into the air. Deceleration is a not a functional component of punching.

You do not decelerate when throwing a punch towards your opponent. Your goal is to punch through your opponent. Medicine ball release drills can simulate the muscle actions required for punch acceleration.

Another advantage of this drill is the development of your non-dominant side. Many athletes possess considerable strength and coordination differences between dominant and non-dominant sides. The smaller medicine ball introduces a unilateral component that is not realized during two-hand drills.

For example, as a right-handed athlete, it will feel natural to perform a right hand medicine ball punch (simulating a right cross). It may feel awkward when training the non-dominant side (ex. left hand). When training the non-dominant side, you will need to reverse your footing. For example, a right-handed athlete will assume the southpaw stance. Your right foot will be in front when you throw the left hand medicine ball punch. You will simulate the arm action of a left cross. As a right-handed fighter, you will rarely throw the left cross. This is no reason to skip this portion of the drill. Our goal is symmetrical development. Work both sides evenly. Your coordination will improve with regular practice.

A sample routine is listed below:

Sample Routine

Right hand (left foot is in front)

1. Right hand isometric punch (start position) x 3-5 seconds
2. Right hand isometric punch (mid-range position) x 3-5 seconds
3. Right hand medicine ball punch x 6

Left hand (right foot is in front)

1. Left hand isometric punch (start position) x 3-5 seconds
2. Left hand isometric punch (mid-range position) x 3-5 seconds
3. Left hand medicine ball punch x 6

Repeat for 3-5 sets.

Routine Notes

• There is no rest between the isometric hold(s) and the medicine ball throws. Rest 1-2 minutes after training both sides, and then continue with another set.
  
  
• These workouts are not designed to enhance endurance. Perform these drills when the body is fresh.
  
  
• These drills are convenient, yet highly effective. You can purchase a 5-pound medicine ball for less than $15.
  
  
• The isometric punch exercise can also be utilized to strengthen the hook and uppercut. Simply stand in between a doorway and tense the beginning and mid ranges of each punch.
  
  
• Perform these drills 2 to 3 days per week.
  
  

Works Cited

1. Verkhoshansky, Y. (1986). Fundamentals of Special Strength Training in Sport . Livonia, MI: Sportivny Press. (Original work published in 1977, Moscow, Russia: Fizkultura i Spovt)
2. Zatsiorsky, V.M., Science and Practice of Strength Training, Human Kinetics 1995

Intensifying The Heavy Bag

The heavy bag is one of the oldest, most recognizable pieces of training equipment. Unfortunately, due to its commonality, the bag is often overlooked when searching for speed, power, and endurance. Fitness manufacturers continually develop and market new products catered towards today’s combat athlete. As new products are developed, old training tools such as the heavy bag are often forgotten.

This is unfortunate, as the heavy bag is perhaps the most sport-specific and effective training tool available.

Consider a typist who wishes to type more words per minute. To increase her typing speed, she types away at the keyboard. To type fast, one must type.

This logic also applies to the act of punching. To punch with speed and power, one must punch. What better way to enforce this simple analogy than hitting the heavy bag?

To increase speed and power, one must hit the bag hard. Regular practice is required to develop efficiency of movement when punching. Unfortunately, it is common for fighters to coast through a heavy bag session. These individuals stick with a few basic combinations, flicking out an occasional jab while grunting and groaning to impress onlookers.

A common heavy bag workout consists of three or four rounds on the bag. Amateur boxers compete with 2-minute rounds while professionals compete with 3-minute rounds. These work-to-rest ratios are often followed when hitting the bag. Certain trainers intensify bag sessions by reducing rest between rounds to 30-seconds. Another common means of progression involves increasing the length of the round. For example, certain professionals hit the bag for 4-minute rounds. The reason for the increased round length is to “over-condition” the fighter for a traditional round. If a fighter can hit the bag for 4-minutes, a 3-minute round should be easy.

Unfortunately, this theory rarely works in the real world. As round length increases, many fighters “learn” to pace themselves throughout the longer round. Rather than maintaining an intense pace, these fighters conserve energy for the longer round. This style of training is detrimental to a competitive fighter. During competition, these fighters will be unprepared for an opponent who maintains an aggressive, furious pace.

Rather than increasing round length, I recommend increasing intensity through short, yet highly intense punch-out drills. A punch-out drill simply consists of a string of all out punches thrown in rapid succession without rest. Common punch-out intervals range from 15 to 60 seconds. During these drills, the fighter will throw non-stop punches. I recommend straight punches during this drill to reduce bag movement. For example, you will throw a non-stop 1-2-1-2 (1 = jab, 2 = cross).

These drills are extremely intense. You will essentially be performing high intensity interval training on the heavy bag. This style of training will prepare you to throw explosive combinations with maximum speed and power.

Punch-out drills are commonly referred to as the “Olympic Drill”. These drills have been used at several Olympic boxing camps. You will not find many drills that can match the intensity and effectiveness of these brief punch intervals.

Not A Replacement, An Addition

These drills should not replace traditional heavy bag work. The heavy bag is ideal for drilling and reinforcing new combinations. Skill training and conditioning are not the same. You can however supplement a traditional heavy bag routine with a brief punch-out sequence.

Sample Workout

• 4 x 3-minute rounds – Skill emphasis
• 4 x 30-second punch-out drills
• Finish with 1 x 3-minute round

This routine will begin with four traditional rounds of bag work. Your focus should be on skill development. Throw combinations, moving left to right, and right to left. Integrate head movement, feints, and combination punching. Rest one-minute between rounds.

After four rounds are complete, proceed with four punch-out drills. Each drill will consist of one non-stop combination, thrown with maximum speed and power. Allow one-minute of rest between drills.

Finish with one round of traditional bag work. At this point, you will be forced to fight through fatigue, as if you were in an actual competition.

Variety

I recommend variety when performing punch-out drills. In the preceding example, the routine called for 30-second intervals. You can also perform a punch-out sequence with shorter, more intense intervals. For example, perform 10 x 15-second punch out drills. Allow 45 seconds of rest between drills. This brief 10-minute sequence is much more challenging than it appears. By reducing the length of the drill, you are able to maintain a true max effort from start to finish. These drills are excellent when training to improve speed, power, and anaerobic capacity.

Power Boxing

Another option to traditional heavy bag work involves brief full-speed, power boxing rounds. Each round will last 60 to 90 seconds. You will throw combinations with an emphasis on maximum power. This is no time to be practicing your jab. You will work solely on power punching. Each round should involve a max effort. Each punch will be thrown with bad intentions.

Integrate a variety of punches (ex. hook, uppercut, cross). As you can see in the sample video clip below, I throw multiple punch combinations, all with maximum power.

Sample Workout

• 3 x 3-minute rounds – Skill emphasis
• 4 x 1-minute power boxing
• 5 x 30-second punch out drills

This routine will begin with three traditional rounds of bag work. Your focus should be on skill development. Throw multiple combinations, moving left to right, and right to left. Integrate head movement, feints, and combination punching. Rest one-minute between rounds.

After three rounds are complete, proceed with four power-boxing rounds. Each round will be “fought” at full throttle with an emphasis on maximum power punches. Allow one-minute of rest between drills.

Finish with five punch-out drills. Each drill will consist of one non-stop combination, thrown with maximum speed and power.

This brief bag workout integrates skill work, power boxing, and punch-out drills. You will start with a skill emphasis while the body is fresh. You will proceed to power boxing, and finish with a brief conditioning sequence via punch-out drills.

Another Sample

• 10 x 1-minute power boxing

Once again, you can incorporate variety into a power boxing routine. This workout will equate to 10-minutes of max-effort punching. These workouts provide obvious benefits when training to increase power and anaerobic endurance. You will train the body to throw power punches round after round. Increased punching power plus increased punch output is a dangerous combination.

Summary

These sample routines will greatly intensify a heavy bag workout. Do not limit yourself to “traditional” heavy bag training. You can achieve numerous benefits with short, intense drills on the bag.

Balance intensity throughout the week. One session can be geared more towards skill development (ex. combination punching) while another can emphasize power and anaerobic endurance. Do not be so quick to overlook the heavy bag. The heavy bag is perhaps the most effective, sport-specific conditioner of all.

Hit the heavy bag hard and often.

The Heart of Boxing

The fighting sports are amongst the most difficult athletic pursuits known. Most sports require a high level of physical conditioning and mental preparation, but only the brutal one on one competition of a fight can so absolutely invoke the primal survival instincts that each of us posses. There is something raw, wild and unyielding that occurs when a fighter steps into the squared circle. Preparing for this activity requires more than physical preparation, it also requires spiritual strength. What motivates a fighter to go on despite immeasurable fatigue, pain and injury? Standing alone, almost naked and facing an opponent bent on knocking you out is a very unnerving experience. Doing that more than once could be considered insane! Champions not only do this many times, they thrive in this environment.

Miles of roadwork and heavy bag punching will not prepare you for the moment when your opponent lands a crisp punch and destroys your equilibrium. The human nervous system is a marvel of evolution. It allows us to think, move, create and express ourselves in many different ways. Unfortunately, it is also subject to the forces of physics. Disrupted nerve impulses lead to all sorts of alterations in cognitive, emotional and motor ability. A fighter that receives a hard blow on the chin could find himself suddenly dizzy, disoriented and unable to move the way he wants to. Does a champion admit defeat and quit the fight? Hell no! He summons up his spiritual strength and fights on. The old timers call the ability to do this heart. It is what separates champions from every one else. The most physically gifted athletes in the world will never achieve success if they fold when the going gets tough.

How does one go about training his “heart” or spiritual strength? This is something that a lot of us are born with to some degree. We all know people with an absolute can-do, never give up attitude. Despite this truth, spiritual strength must also be cultivated. A fighter needs to forge himself in a crucible of focus, discipline and hard work. Each day pushing himself to do more and be more than he was the day before. It starts in the gym, doing one more round of sparring, attacking the bag with ferocity and determination, getting out and training in the cold, wet, uncomfortable conditions that all of us must face if we are committed to winning. Staying disciplined with preparation and making oneself impervious to pain and resistant to fatigue through training, training and more training develops it even further. But training alone is not enough. You can develop a great deal of physical skill and toughness through training, but spiritual strength must be taken a step further.

You have to ask yourself how bad you want to win and be prepared to do what it takes to achieve victory. The time to ask yourself how bad you want it is not when you are reeling from a hard combination. When the day comes, and it will come, that you must fight through the pain and punishment being inflicted upon you by your opponent you need to already have an answer to that question. You must know deep down in your soul that you will be victorious at all costs.

Don’t hide from the truth. Live in the world of the absolute. Boxing is a brutal business, and you will be hurt in the ring at some point during your career. The hidden key to boxing is knowing that truth, accepting it and being prepared to fight through that hurt when the time comes. You must go about all of your preparation for boxing with this fact in mind. This type of spiritual strength is not developed over night. It takes time and work. Don’t wait until you get your bell rung in the ring, get to work today preparing yourself to deal with and overcome adversity.

Boxing With A Poker Face

The card game of poker involves deception and concealed emotions. A player will bet that the value of his cards is greater than that of the hands held by others, in which each subsequent player must either equal or raise the bet, or drop out. Card players are said to wear a poker face, meaning that they conceal their true thoughts and feelings to mislead or persuade the other members of the game. For example, you may present an image that you have an excellent hand, when in fact you do not.

While I am not suggesting that you become an avid gambler, a fighter can certainly learn from concept of the poker face.

A boxer must also conceal emotions throughout the competition. If he is hurt or fatigued, he must mask these feelings from his opponent. The idea behind the poker face is to present a specific image to your opponent. For example, entering the final round of a bout, there is a good chance that both you and your opponent are battling with fatigue. Your arms may feel heavy, the legs unsteady. It is during these times that you will look to identify a weakness within your opponent. Is he also tired? Is he breathing heavy? What can you read from his body language?

The last thing that a tired fighter wants to see is a look of vigor and energy from his opponent. A tired fighter is hoping that his opponent is equally tired, or perhaps even more exhausted. You have likely seen or experienced bouts where both men essentially draw a mutual ceasefire. The two athletes will hold on the inside, neither man punching. Each man is completely exhausted, and trying to buy a few moments of rest, hoping that his opponent is in the same situation. Don’t buy into this storyline. Don’t let anyone know that you are tired. If your opponent is offering a momentary ceasefire, rip an uppercut on the inside. There will be no ceasefires until the final bell rings.

Seeing your opponent gasping for air and looking to hold will often add fuel to your fire. You will quickly gain a second wind, sensing that your opponent has run out of gas. During such times, you will put your fatigue aside, as you capitalize on your opponent’s weakness

Masking Fatigue

Hall of Fame football coach Vince Lombardi once said, “Fatigue makes cowards of us all.” No man is immune to fatigue. The best fighters in the world will eventually battle with exhaustion. Great fighters learn to box effectively through fatigue.

The ability to mask fatigue must be developed, just like any skill. This is not something that you can expect to do without preparation. A fighter needs to train with the look of strength and vitality. No matter how hard you train at the gym, you should maintain composure.

For example, suppose you are hitting the mitts with your trainer. Now is the perfect time to work on this unique skill. Don’t let your trainer know how tired you are. At the end of the round, take deep breathes and relax. Do not slouch over as if you are about to pass out. No matter how tired you are, now is the time to mask the fatigue. Apply this mentality to all aspects of training (ex. bag work, sparring, conditioning drills).

You may be running intervals or sprinting hills early in the morning. No one is there to see you panting on the side of the road. This is no excuse to let your guard down. In between intervals, stay calm, maintain composure, and keep the fatigue to yourself. You do not need to put on a show, by falling to the ground in agony. Walk around, shadow box lightly, and focus on being a fighter.

Masking fatigue is just one of many forms of deception, similar to feinting. Feinting is defined as “A mock blow or attack on or toward one part in order to distract attention from the point one really intends to attack.” For example, a boxer may fake the jab, and then step in with a short left hook. Feints are used to keep your opponent guessing and off balance. You are essentially deceiving him, in preparation for your next attack. Feinting can also help you buy time when fatigue sets in. You may be in need of a quick break in the action, so you can temporarily freeze your opponent with effective feints.

Masking fatigue could even be considered a form of feinting. You are deceiving your opponent, by giving him the impression that you feel fresh and ready for action.

Hiding your fatigue can also be useful with the judges. Judges are human beings, capable of being persuaded and manipulated. Don’t show the judges that you are completely exhausted. Show them that you are in shape, and ready for more action.

Furthermore, you should hide fatigue both during and in between rounds. Many trainers will glance over at the other corner in between rounds. If they see you slumped over the stool, gasping for air, it will often provide that much needed spark for their fighter. You’ll often hear a trainer say words such as, “Look at him, he’s out of gas! He’s all done. Jump on him!”

Don’t give the other corner this ammunition. Sit up in your stool and maintain your poker face. Let everyone know that you feel strong and are ready to fight.

Maintain your poker face inside the ring.

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