A lot of attention is paid to physical training in professional boxing. It is considered basic for achieving high sports results. Without good physical training in combat, it is impossible to use technical and tactical skills and psychological techniques effectively and for a long time. If the boxer doesn't pay enough attention general physical exercises, then it will develop one-sidedly, performances will become unstable and about the continuation sports career it will be possible to forget. Looking at leading professional boxers, we admire their physical strength and athletic physique. Athletes like Mike Tyson, Chris Bird, Frank Bruno and Evander Holyfield were often mistaken for bodybuilders before they became household names.

When our domestic boxers came to America in the early 90s of the last century, they were surprised by the high level physical training professionals.

This is what the seven-time USSR champion said about what he saw, three-time champion Europe Victor Rybakov:

“I remember in Miami for the first time we entered the gym where the stars train. There are two people in the ring wearing masks. They fight hard, clearly, well, cool. And my friend asks me:

– What weight do you think they are?

I speak:

– Probably on average (up to 71 kilograms).

– No, in yours it’s 139 pounds (about 63 kilograms).

From this you can understand how physically strong they were... To box as a pro, you need physical strength. That’s why, by the way, in Canada and America we worked a lot on simulators.”

Over the past hundred years, the physical training of professional boxers has changed significantly. At the beginning of the 20th century, fights between high-class athletes lasting 40–45 rounds were common. The intensity of the battle was somewhat lower than modern, but still not small. But the toughness of the fight and concern for the safety of the athlete’s health differed significantly from modern requirements. In those years, the rules of professional boxing did not provide for stopping the fight due to facial injuries, in which the boxers’ eyes literally closed, their noses were broken, their ears were torn off, their teeth were knocked out, and blood flowed from numerous small wounds. To successfully complete such a multi-round “distance,” the main physical quality was endurance. Therefore, boxers did a huge amount of work and trained almost all day long. The imperfection of the rules of combat, along with the enormous willpower developed, sometimes became the cause of the death of boxers in the ring.

For achievement necessary qualities During combat, Robert Fitzsimmons ran 30-kilometer marathons. James Corbett, the day before the match with him, ran 13 kilometers in the morning, 6 in the afternoon, practiced shadow boxing for an hour, played two games of handball and worked in the gym for an hour. To maintain a good pace, cross-country racers often ran behind a galloping horse.

Welsh flyweight boxer Day Dower was a miner by trade. Two months before the fight, he took a vacation from the mine and began training, which lasted 7–8 hours. They always started with a two-hour run at a low pace, then an hour of work on apparatus. After this, sparring partners arrived at the agreed time, with whom Dauer spent, depending on the time remaining before the fight, from 8 to 30 rounds. This was followed by training aimed at developing strength. To develop speed-strength endurance – long jumping rope at intervals. It all ended with gymnastic exercises.

To develop endurance and strength, boxers engaged in traditional hard physical labor: chopping wood, chopping wood, carrying logs. Jack Dempsey was digging ditches before the fight with Willard, Benny Leonard was plowing a field on a farm, and Robert Fitzsimmons was working in a blacksmith shop. By the way, Freckled Bob actually used a lot of unusual exercises. For example, he trained with animals. First, he enraged the donkey or mule with something, then stood behind it. The animal immediately began to kick with its hind legs. Needless to say, if hit by a hoof, Fitzsimmons would be deeply knocked out? However, he always dodged the blows. Moreover, Bob not only managed to stay close to the animal’s rump, but also performed air strikes himself. In addition, Fitzsimmons wrestled lion cubs and cubs for training. Anyone could pay $2 to attend his training and watch him fight with his pet lion. He parried the quick attacking blows of the predator's paws, after which he tried to knock it down. Robert Fitzsimmons had a very strong punch with both hands. He was able to knock out many opponents who significantly outweighed him. So, weighing only 71 kilograms, he knocked out the world champion in absolute weight category James Corbett, twice “knocked out” Tom Sharkey, from whom even such a giant as James Jeffries snatched victory with great difficulty.

James Jeffries himself was also a very gifted and hard-working athlete. In training, he ran the 100-yard dash in 10.2 seconds, which equates to 11.1–11.2 seconds in the 100-meter dash. And this despite the fact that Olympic champion In those years, he ran the 100-meter dash in 11 seconds! Weighing about 94 kilograms, Jeffries jumped almost two meters in height.

For speed-strength training, boxers of that time worked a lot on a skipping rope. For example, Johnny Dundee jumped 2000 times without a single failure, and James Jeffries jumped 1500-2500 times in each training session. Shadow boxing with a rubber expander, exercises with medicine balls(medicine balls), pull-ups on the bar and exercises on the floor: push-ups, raising legs and torso, working on a wrestling bridge, etc.

Jess Willard used the system of old fist fighters when training. He ran a lot. The crosses were so grueling that after them there was simply no energy left for quality work with sparring partners. To strengthen his joints, he pounded a sandbag for a long time, and took baths to recover.

To avoid cuts, boxers would wipe their faces with saline or alcohol (Jack O'Brien did this at least 20 times a day). The use of a helmet was not practiced in sparring. During training, boxers paid a lot of attention to the ability to enter into close combat, avoiding cuts from head collisions.

After the duration of the fight became a maximum of 15 rounds, the training method changed. “Short” battles no longer placed such high demands on endurance. But the role of speed-strength qualities has increased significantly, and in general, training has become more rational and thoughtful. For example, while running, it was recommended to carry a cane or squeeze tennis balls to develop the hands. The cross-country athletes began to run with a special instructor, who, if necessary, gave the command to accelerate. For example, Gene Tunney had Olympic marathon winner Johnny Hayes as his physical training coach. Hurdling was very popular among boxers of those years.

The exercises in the gym have also changed somewhat. Sparring became more intense, but less long. In training, much more time was devoted to the art of defense, the ability to quickly move around the ring and make unexpected spurts. Lighter bags began to be used. So, Jack Dempsey’s bag weighed “only” 45 kg. Some boxers climbed trees to develop strength and agility. They also began to pay much more attention to the development of dexterity: games and acrobatic exercises. World heavyweight champion Max Baer usually performed a somersault when entering the ring.

Below I present to your attention the mode training day Jack Dempsey as he prepares for his fight with Jess Willard.

1. 6.00 – rise.

2. Morning jog 11–16 kilometers.

3. Contrast shower.

4. Massage.

5. 10.00 – breakfast (meat and vegetables).

6. 10.30–11.30 – sleep.

7. 12.00 – sprint run 3–5 kilometers.

8. 12.30 – training in the gym: sparring 10–20 rounds (depending on the stage of preparation), exercises with a boxing bag, imitation of punches, strength exercises, gymnastics. Sometimes after sparring, sprinting was performed again.

9. 16.00 – lunch.

As you can see, Dempsey used two-time training sessions. This made it possible to make classes more intense and shorter in duration.

Rocky Marciano has always been considered one of the strongest and toughest boxers. Perhaps nature did not fully gift this man with boxing talents, but this was more than compensated for by unlimited willpower, courage and amazing ability to work. Marciano trained like a man possessed. He wore down his more technical and tactically competent opponents with a frantic pace and continuous pressure.

Over time, training has become even more varied. So, Mohammed Ali collected a pile of stones every morning. After that, he invited his brother and asked him to throw them at him. At first Ali walked around with bruises, but then he got the hang of dodging. Maybe this is where he had such a phenomenal sense of distance and impact?

I invite the reader to familiarize himself with the daily routine and training program of Muhammad Ali, who trained 6 days a week.

1. 5.30 – rise.

2. A little stretching. Morning jog – 10 kilometers (running in heavy army boots). After running, stretch and do some gymnastic exercises.

4. 8.00 – breakfast: natural products, orange juice and water.

5. Free time and communication with the press.

6. 12.30–15.30 – training.

Training program

1. Warm up. Side bends, body turns, jumping on toes to warm up - 15 minutes.

2. Imitation of impacts. Work on movements and speed of strikes: 5 rounds of 3 minutes (after each round a break of 30 seconds).

3. Exercises on a heavy bag. Work on combinations of punches and speed endurance: 6 rounds of 3 minutes (after each round a break of 30 seconds).

4. Sparring. The number of rounds depends on the stage of preparation.

5. Gymnastic exercises on the floor for development abdominals- 15 minutes. The total number of exercises is 300: lifting the body from a lying position with alternating lifting of the knees (“riding a bicycle”), leg lifts.

6. Exercises on a pneumatic bag – 9 minutes.

7. Jump rope exercises – 20 minutes. When working with a jump rope, Ali always moved around the hall: forward, backward, in a circle. He used a variety of movements and never jumped in one place. His trainer, Angelo Dundee, argued that standing in one place was bad for the heart.

8. Imitation of strikes – 1 round. Impacts when walking at an easy pace.

9. 15.30 – massage, shower.

10. 16.00 – lunch: chicken, steak, green beans, potatoes, fruit, juice and water.

11. Free time, communication with the press.

12. 20.00 – dinner: chicken, steak, vegetables and fruits, juice, water.

13. Lights out (at different time, according to health).

In the 1960s, boxers began to widely use weightlifting exercises from weightlifting to develop strength. However, Ali was an exception: he never used such exercises.

In the 90s of the 20th century, the physical training of boxers became even more selective. While athletes in the first half of the 1900s did one very long workout per day, by the middle of the 20th century training load began to be divided into two parts. Modern professionals train two to five times a day.

Here is the daily routine and training program of the young Mike Tyson. Trainings were held five days a week: from Monday to Friday. Saturday and Sunday are days off.

1.5.00 – rise.

2. Morning jog of 5 kilometers. Shower.

3. 6.00–9.30 – sleep.

4. 10.00 – breakfast: steak, pasta and orange juice.

5. 12.00 – training: sparring 10 rounds.

6. 14.00 – lunch (products are the same as for breakfast).

7. 16.00–19.00 – second training, consisting of two parts: special physical training (SPP) and general physical training (GPP).

8. 16.00 – SPT: paw work, pneumatic bag and stretch bag, bulk (heavy) bag, exercise bike.

9. 17.00 – General physical training.

First option. 2000 sit-ups, 500-800 dips, 500 push-ups, 500 reps – 30kg shrugs. Shrugs (from the English “shrugs” - “shrug”) are exercises for development trapezius muscles. They look like a shrug. Do these exercises with a barbell, dumbbells, or on a block. Tyson performed shrugs in the following series: 25-40 dips, 50 push-ups, 25-40 dips, 50 shrugs. After this, the series was repeated. This was followed by exercises to develop the neck muscles - 200 lifts (10 sets of 20 times) or 200 swings on a bridge without arms.

Second option. 10 rapid series: 200 squats, 25–40 sit-ups with weights on toes, 50 loaded presses, 25–40 sit-ups, 50 shrugs. The total amount was 2000 squats, about 600-700 weighted calf raises, 500 weighted abdominal exercises and 500 shrugs. After this, 10 minutes to develop the neck muscles.

10. 19.00 – dinner (same as for lunch).

11. 20.00 – third workout: 30 minutes on an exercise bike.

12. 21.30 – tactical training: watching video materials and discussing them with the coach.

13.22.30 – lights out.

As you can see, a modern professional boxer does a tremendous amount of physical training. Young Mike Tyson, not counting his classes tactical training, trained 4 times a day: a morning jog and three workouts. The total time spent on training in one day is about 5 hours. Of these, 3 hours were spent on general physical training.

The reader will probably ask the question: what about exercises with weights? What place does “iron” occupy in the training of professionals?

If you noticed, Muhammad Ali and young Mike Tyson did not use “work with iron” in training, that is, exercises with heavy weights. This is apparently explained by the fact that both were natural heavyweight boxers. In addition, they were afraid of losing speed. Another trainer of Tyson, Kevin Rooney, said that Mike never touched the “iron” while he was with him: “If Mike worked with weights, he would become much slower.”

With time Iron Mike I changed my training methods, started working out six days a week, and began to devote a lot of time to working with weights. He performed the bench press very quickly, almost “with an explosion.” But squats with heavy weights were done smoothly and without pauses. Despite the fact that Tyson began to use hardware, when watching his fights it is clear that if he lost in speed, it was only slightly. Let's say that his strikes, defenses and movements became somewhat slower, but we should not forget that Tyson had become much older by this time. And as you know, speed and years do not go well together.

Research by scientists has shown that in modern boxing the importance physical qualities and their hierarchy is as follows: 1) strength and speed - 45%; 2) endurance – 30%; 3) dexterity ( coordination abilities) – 25%. From these data it follows that for a professional boxer the main physical qualities are strength and speed. And therefore, the main time in physical training (45%) must be devoted to their development. The only question is: how to combine the development of such contradictory qualities as strength and speed? As you know, once a boxer begins to “swing,” he becomes strong, but loses speed. To answer this question, let us again turn to history.

Evander Holyfield, who won the throne absolute champion world in the heavyweight category, was not a real heavyweight. First, he received all three titles: in the first heavyweight division (up to 86.2 kilograms) according to the WBA, WBC and IBF versions. When there were no worthy opponents left in this weight category, Holyfield moved to the second heavy weight. In 1988, he debuted as a heavyweight against James Tillis, whom he knocked out in the fifth round. At that time, Evander had already gained weight and weighed 91.6 kilograms. But for a fight with really major opponent this was not enough. And Holyfield began to swing. And in order not to lose speed, he turned to specialists and assembled a unique team. It included bodybuilding trainers, nutritionists, aerobics instructors and even a ballet teacher. They laughed at Holyfield a lot back then. When he left the locker room in ballet tights, his sparring partners who remained there, very “big” guys, simply laughed. Subsequently, it turned out that this boxer was simply ahead of his time, and the results were not long in coming.

In 1988, Holyfield knocked out Pinklon Thomas, in 1989 he defeated former world champion Michael Dokes and in the same year he knocked out heavyweight Edilson Rodriguez in the second round. It turned out that Holyfield has a pretty decent knockout punch. In 1990, he knocked out the champion, Mike Tyson's winner, Buster Douglas, in the third round. At that time, Evander already weighed 93.4 kilograms, but was still light for a heavyweight. Although he looked very athletic.

After starting weight training, Evander Holyfield gained significant weight and strength, but did not lose speed. He was able to achieve this by combining weightlifting training with training for coordination, speed, flexibility and plasticity.

I won’t talk much about the development of physical qualities in this book. Many textbooks have been written about this, not only on boxing, but also on other martial arts. I’ll tell you only in general terms about exercises with which you can develop “explosive” (speed-strength) qualities.

To develop speed and strength indicators in boxing, the following groups of exercises are used: jumping, throwing and throwing objects, running accelerations and speed exercises with weights.

I offer the reader exercises, the use of which allows you to develop the “explosive” abilities of a boxer.

Training program for developing explosive abilities

The program consists of three complexes jumping exercises. Each of them is performed twice a week: Monday, Wednesday - complex No. 1, Tuesday, Thursday - complex No. 2, Wednesday, Saturday - complex No. 3. All of them are performed at the beginning of the main part of the workout.

Set of jumping exercises No. 1.

2. Jumping up with alternating push-off with legs – 20 times.

3. Jumping up with scissors (strong flexion and extension at the ankle joints) – 20 times.

4. Running with raised knees (the knee rises quickly and high) – 60 times (30 times with each leg).

Three series of exercises are performed. Rest between series – 1–2 minutes. Rest between exercises – 2 minutes. All exercises are performed with medicine balls weighing (depending on the weight category) 3–7 kilograms.

Set of jumping exercises No. 2.

1. Jumping up from a squat or half-squat position (the angle between the thigh and shin before the jump is 130–140°) – 20 times.

2. Jumping up from a deep squat (straight back): step – squat – jump – 20 times.

3. Jumping over a barrier with a push of both legs from a deep squat (jump - turn to face the barrier - jump - turn, etc.) - 20 times.

During rest between exercises, decrease your heart rate to 130 beats per minute. Rest between series – 2–3 minutes.

Set of jumping exercises No. 3.

1. Jumping up with straightened knees at the expense of the ankle joint - 25 times.

2. From the fighting stance, step forward and jump as far as possible. Jumping is performed alternately from a half squat and a deep squat. Only 25 times.

3. Running jumps with a push with both legs as high as possible – 25 times.

During rest between exercises, decrease your heart rate to 130 beats per minute. Rest between series – 2–3 minutes. Only 5 episodes.

Exercises to develop motor speed and explosive strength

Exercises with a weight that is 15–20% of a boxer’s weight develop motor speed. Working with weights of 70–80% of a boxer’s weight helps develop “explosive” strength. You just need to make sure that during exercises with such a weight the speed of the exercises does not decrease. This can be achieved by allowing the athlete sufficient time to rest and recover between exercises.

1. Squats, jumping ups with a load (or barbell) on one or two legs with the weight mentioned above.

2. First, quick steps (pacing) without weights, forward, backward, left, right - from 30 seconds to 1 minute (2-3 steps each). Then the same thing, but with a weight of 25–30 kilograms.

3. Quick steps without weights forward, backward, left, right with your favorite combination of blows at each change of direction - 1 minute (2-3 steps each).

4. The same exercise, but before performing a series of blows, touch the floor with your hand.

5. High starts at a distance of 5–10 meters at a signal - in pairs, threes, selected by weight, height, speed. Performed forward with your face, then forward with your back.

6. Low starts at a distance of 5–10 meters. Performed in the same way as in the previous exercise, but after 5–10 push-ups from the floor.

7. Running for a distance of 10–20 meters with high lifting hips, turning into acceleration over the same distance.

8. Running with the shin touching the buttocks for a distance of 10–20 meters with the transition to acceleration for the same distance.

9. Running with jumps alternately on the left and right leg for 20–30 meters with the transition to acceleration for the same distance.

10. Jumping forward on two legs (legs together) at a distance of 20–30 meters with the transition to acceleration at the same distance.

11. Running with straight legs thrown forward (without bending the knees) up to 40 meters with the transition to acceleration for the same distance.

12. Dash 15–40–60 meters with a medicine ball in your hands.

13. Passing a medicine ball in pairs during speed running. One boxer runs forward with his face, the other forward with his back.

14. Ascend and descend stairs as quickly as possible, taking into account the frequency of movements. It is held as a competition between two or three boxers.

15. Juggling two or three tennis balls with one and two hands.

16. Juggling two or three medicine balls.

17. Two athletes, lying on their stomachs at a distance of 2–3 meters from each other, pass 1–3 game balls for a period of 30–40 seconds. You can hold a competition between pairs of boxers for the number of passes.

18. The same as in the previous exercise, but in a sitting position.

19. Jumping on straight legs with arms raised 3-4 times for 1 minute. The time spent pushing off the floor is minimal.

20. The same as in the previous exercise, but the push and landing are performed from the left foot to the right and vice versa - alternately (feet slightly wider than shoulders). The same back and forth at the distance of a normal step - “pendulum”.

21. Jumping with a 180 and 360° turn with arms raised up.

22. Squat jumps (useful for strengthening the muscles not only of the lower leg, but also of the hips and back). Can be performed in pairs - with their backs to each other, hands clasped at the elbows. Moving sideways, back and forth.

23. High jumps over a loaded bar. The height of the bar depends on the individual capabilities of the boxer.

24. Jumping over gymnastic bench on one or two legs.

25. Jumping over a regular rope on one or two legs for up to 5 minutes.

26. Jumping onto an obstacle 50 centimeters high (then jumping off it) by pushing your ankles, without bending your knees. In series of 23–30 jumps in a row.

27. Serial jumps with knees pulled up to the stomach. The boxer performs jumps while simultaneously holding an object in his arms extended above his head. Series of 30–35 seconds.

28. Serial jumps on two legs reaching a certain high mark on the wall. Series of 20–25 seconds. The height of the marks depends on the height of the boxer.

29. Jumping over a gymnastic horse with a ball in your hands. The horse can be positioned along or across the direction of the jump.

30. Catching and passing medicine balls (2 pieces) in pairs in one jump.

31. Jumping back and forth with a jump length of no more than 50 centimeters. The exercise is performed as a timed competition: who can do the most jumps in 1 minute.

32. Serial jumps with weights in the form of a barbell, weights, medicine ball. Performs within 25–30 seconds.

The topic is especially popular among novice boxers knockout blow. Indeed, having a strong punch in professional boxing provides a number of advantages. Among high-level professionals, the vast majority have it in their combat arsenal. But still, you should not focus on the force of the blow; its importance cannot be overestimated. Oddly enough, the boxers who supposedly had the biggest one-time punch in boxing history - Earnie Shavers, David Tua, Donovan Ruddock - never ascended the throne of world champion. But the boxers, who were significantly inferior to them in this indicator, turned out to be more fortunate. A striking example of this is Mohammed Ali. He had a strong shot, but far from the best. But he more than made up for it with accuracy and timeliness. That is why with one of his right crosses he often sent his opponents into a deep knockout. And do not confuse a strong blow with an effective one - they are not always the same thing.

However, a boxer with dynamite in his hand always has a spare trump card. It’s not for nothing that the old boxing saying goes: “The puncher always has a chance.” Such magnificent professionals as Billy Conn and Tommy Farr never rose to the top of the boxing Olympus, because at the decisive moment they did not have enough strong blow.

A boxer who wants to have a strong punch needs to understand what this power depends on.

Three main muscle groups are involved in the formation of a blow: legs, torso and arms. Participation share of these muscle groups unequal. Scientists have found that the optimal contribution of body muscles to the striking movement has the following ratio: leg muscles - 42.2%, torso muscles - 39.1%, and arm muscles - 18.7%.

In addition, the force of the blow depends on the consistency in the work of the listed muscle groups (intermuscular coordination). A correct strike should have this sequence.

1. Pushing leg extension.

2. Rotational-translational movement of the body.

3. Impact movement of the hand towards the target.

Thus, the force of a boxer's blow is the result of the addition of the velocities of individual parts of the body - legs, torso and arms. In this case, parts of the body accelerate from bottom to top, that is, each subsequent organ begins to move when the speed of the previous one reaches its maximum value. This mechanism for increasing speed can be compared to the movement of a whip. A blow with a whip also begins with a jerk of the handle, then the impulse is transferred to the whip, and the blow itself is directly performed by the metal knob located at the end of the whip. Even a light whip blow, executed correctly, has great destructive power and can penetrate a 10 mm sheet of plywood. In a boxing punch, the fist plays the role of the knob.

It goes without saying that the total sum of speed-strength indicators of all muscle groups depends on how large the indicators of each individual group are. If any individual link turns out to be weak and “underperforms,” then the overall result worsens.

If you are not lazy and try to experiment with striking with a whip, you will quickly become convinced that the force of the blow of the knob depends not only on how hard you pulled the handle. It will matter how sharply (quickly) you perform this movement. This means that the force of the blow depends on the starting and “explosive” strength of the muscles, that is, on the ability to apply great effort at the beginning of the movement.

Imagine a car rushing at high speed. Braking. What happens to the passenger? He experiences a sudden jerk and is thrown forward. The sharper the braking, the stronger the jerk. The same thing happens with a good blow with a whip: first we accelerate the handle, and then sharply brake it. Conclusion: the force of an impact depends on the pre-impact braking of the body organs, which starts from the legs and ends with the hand.

Do you think that if you rotate a whip over your head, the destructive power of the flying head will be greater when it moves in a large radius or in a small one? Of course, the force will be greater if we accelerate it in a large circle. This means that the greater the radius of movement of the fist relative to the vertical axis of the body, the greater the force of a fist strike. For example, when striking right hand the axis of rotation of a boxer’s body can pass through the right leg of the same name, through the middle of the body (along the line spinal column) and through its opposite name left leg. It turns out that the maximum radius of movement of the right fist will be on the extremely distant axis of the body - passing through the left leg.

Try sticking a knife into a tree trunk. This is easiest to do if the knife moves perpendicular to the surface. The same thing happens upon impact. The blow is stronger if the forearm is at a right angle at the moment of contact with the target.

And finally, as noted above, the force of the blow depends on the rigidity of the striking lever - the hand. The less movement in the joints of the hand, the greater the severity of the blow. To increase rigidity, you need to tense the muscles that perform rotation and flexion-extension in the joints of the hand at the moment of contact of the fist.

So, let's draw conclusions.

The strength of a boxing punch depends on the following factors:

1. the degree of participation of three main muscle groups in the impact;

2. consistency in the work of muscle groups. A correct strike should have the following sequence:

Pushing leg extension;

Rotational-translational movement of the body;

Impact movement of the hand towards the target;

3. level of development of speed-strength abilities of the muscles of the legs, torso and arms;

4. starting and “explosive” muscle strength, that is, from the ability to exert great effort at the beginning of the movement;

5. pre-impact braking of body parts, in which sequential braking occurs from the leg to the fist of the striking hand;

6. radius of movement of the fist relative to the axis of rotation of the boxer’s body. The further the fist moves from the axis of rotation of the body, the larger the radius of its rotation and the stronger the blow;

7. position of the forearm relative to the target. The blow is stronger if the forearm is perpendicular to the target;

8. rigidity of the kinematic chain. The less movement in the joints of the hand, the higher the rigidity of the striking lever and the greater the impact force.

Below I offer to your attention training program aimed at developing a knockout punch, developed by Z. M. Khusyainov.

The most significant results in increasing the strength and speed of blows are obtained by exercises with dissected weights. They are selected in such a way as to maximize the development of separate leg muscles, torso muscles and arm muscles.

To develop the leg muscles involved in push-off extension in boxers, exercises with a barbell on the shoulders are used - half-squats and “step-ups”. To develop the muscles of the torso that perform rotational-translational movements, rotations of the body with the barbell on the shoulders are used. In order to develop the muscles of the arms that perform the extension movement, the exercise “bench press” is used.

The program lasts 30 days. Three times a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), after a 15-minute warm-up, exercises are performed with a wall pad, which is struck for 10 rounds. The pace of execution is one beat every 3 seconds. In total, 500–600 blows are delivered during training (50–60 per round). The blows are performed with maximum force. Rest between rounds – 1 minute. On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday there is a barbell workout that includes the following exercises.

1. Half squats (“spreads”) with a barbell on the shoulders, the weight of the barbell is 70% of the athlete’s weight. Half squats followed by straightening the legs and stepping onto the toes are performed in series - 5, 20 repetitions each. Rest between series – 1–2 minutes.

2. Torso rotations with a barbell on the shoulders: 5 series of 20 repetitions each. The weight of the bar depends on the weight category of the athlete (bar 15 kilograms for boxers up to 71 kilograms, 20 for boxers over 71 kilograms). Rest between series – 1–2 minutes.

3. After warming up with a light weight, perform a bench press (5 series, each of which has the maximum number of lifts (until “failure”)). Series 1 uses a weight that is 70% of the maximum weight of the barbell lifted by the boxer; in the 2nd series – 75%; in the 3rd – 80%; in the 4th – 85% and in the 5th – 90% of the weight. Rest between series – 1–2 minutes. The duration of the workout with a barbell is 60–80 minutes, and the heart rate should be in the range of 140–160 beats per minute. During the rest between series, relaxation exercises or simulating blows are performed.

In parallel with the implementation of the proposed program, the boxer should under no circumstances give up technical and tactical training. Sparring, exercises on paws, equipment and in simulations do not stop. Trainings of this nature are conducted separately.

After finishing training program aimed at developing punching power, boxers should have a greater amplitude in both striking and defensive movements. Impacts after training with a barbell will be performed with greater power, will become more united and coordinated. At the same time, the speed of punches and all other movements of the boxer will decrease significantly. There is no need to be alarmed by this: such sensations are temporary and will disappear 15-18 days after completing the weight training program. Reaction speed, ease of movement and speed of striking will return on the 18th-20th day after stopping barbell exercises.

21 days after the end of the proposed program, a significant increase in all special speed-power indicators of impacts will be observed. Therefore, when preparing for competitions, you must stop barbell exercises at least 20 days before the fight. The remaining time should be primarily used to develop speed, speed endurance and technical and tactical training.

In conclusion, I suggest one more a set of exercises to develop punching power and the “explosive” strength of a boxer.

Barbell

Complex No. 1.

1. Half squats with a barbell on the shoulders, followed by straightening the legs and stepping onto the toes.

2. Torso rotations with the barbell on the shoulders.

3. Push the bar from the chest from the front rack.

Complex No. 2.

1. “Step-up” with a barbell on the shoulders.

2. Rotations of the torso with hands holding a vertically standing barbell, one end of which is fixed to the floor.

3. Push vertically standing bar from a fighting stance with the left and right hands.

Complex No. 3.

1. Multi-jump with a barbell on the shoulders.

2. Bend the body forward.

3. Bench press.

Sets of exercises with a barbell should be stopped no less than 20 days before the fight.

Medicine balls, cannonballs

Complex No. 1.

1. Push a medicine ball with your left (right) hand from a sitting position.

2. Push the medicine ball with a rotational movement of the torso and an extension movement of the arm from a sitting position.

3. Medicine ball pushes from a boxing stance with accentuated extension of the back leg.

Complex No. 2.

1. Throwing the ball up from a half-squat position, followed by straightening the legs.

2. Torso turns with the ball in your hands (arms parallel to the floor).

3. Push the ball with both hands from the chest.

Dumbbells

Complex No. 1.

1. Delivering direct (side, bottom) strikes with dumbbells in hands from a fighting stance position.

2. Applying direct (side, bottom) blows with dumbbells in hands from a sitting position on a bench due to the rotational movement of the torso and the extension movement of the arm.

3. Delivering direct (side, bottom) blows from a sitting position on a bench due to the extension movement of the arm.

Complex No. 2.

1. Jumping up from a half-squat position with dumbbells in your hands.

2. Rotations of the torso with arms spread to the side, holding dumbbells.

3. Extension and flexion in elbow joint hands with dumbbells.

Exercises with medicine balls, cannonballs and dumbbells can be performed even after 20 days are left before the start of the fight. However, for this it is necessary to reduce the weight of the equipment used and increase the number of classes. In addition, exercises should be performed with an “explosion” mindset, that is, as quickly as possible. It is rational to completely abandon classes no later than 5 days before the fight.

Each described set of exercises with weights is performed from 40 to 80 minutes. The intensity is moderate, the pulse should not exceed 140–160 beats per minute. Exercises with weights are performed in 5-6 series, each with 10-12 repetitions. The rest time between series depends on the degree of recovery of the boxer and ranges from 2 to 5 minutes. During this time, you can perform relaxation exercises and striking the air quickly. Of great importance in this case is monitoring the correctness of striking, as well as performing self-massage during the rest period of the muscles that bear the main load. You should try to perform all exercises with weights as quickly as possible. After completing a set of exercises with weights, it is advisable to practice signature punches on boxing equipment for 3–5 rounds, while paying attention to the technique of their implementation.

I include the following equipment: punching bags, paws, special dummies.

Start working on apparatus with a punching bag. A beginner should first master the correct stance and striking technique.
Trained boxers practice several variations of working on the bag, alternating them in different workouts. While striking the bag with maximum force, take breaks and, in between, perform combinations at speed or simply “spread” your arms. I recommend performing a series of 3-4 strikes with an emphasis on the last one. As a rule, work on bags is divided into rounds (3 minutes each). Trained fighters spend an hour or more on the bag; beginners are recommended to spend at least 4 (everything depends on physical fitness) rounds with a one-minute break between rounds. Gradually, the number of rounds should be increased, the main thing is to do everything wisely, not to overdo it. Try different combinations. The main mistake novice boxers make when working on the bag is that many stand in one place in front of the bag and just punch. I recommend everyone to “circle” around the bag, break and shorten the distance, work with the body, work on “floors”, that is, in one combination, strike both the head and the body. Don’t forget about protection, don’t lower your hands, keep them at your chin. In general, we do what we do in battle.
To train a strong blow, I advise you to choose a non-hard bag. Since when working on a hard bag the likelihood of getting injured is higher (dislocating a hand, knocking out a finger, etc.), the body will subconsciously give a signal and the force of the blow will decrease.

Pneumatic blower with guy wires

Develops reaction, accuracy, speed
It’s easy to make a pneumatic blower at home: take a ball to tennis we pass an elastic band through it (through it), and fasten the ends of the elastic band to the ceiling (horizontal bar) and the floor.
Try to strike from different angles, giving the punching bag an unpredictable range of motion, then try to accurately hit the projectile. Hit straight blows, in this case the pear will move in one plane, so train the clarity of your blows. Use a blow bag to train your defense. After a direct hit, move away (dive, dive, etc.) from colliding with the ball.

Be sure to take time to work on your paws.

On your paws you will be able to consolidate what you learned on the bag, namely to strike in a timely manner.
Work on the paws, like work on the bag, is divided into rounds; the number of rounds when working on the paws depends only on your physical fitness. In the first round, we usually swing, and in subsequent rounds we work with full dedication. Try to work on speed (without investing too much in punches), when you start to get quick combinations, the force of the blow will come by itself (unless, of course, you practiced punches for power on the bag). The next round, deliver accented blows (invest in). Work on your feet. Apply both straight and side impacts. Work on “floors”. Ask your partner who holds the paws to respond with blows after your combinations, and you move away (not stagnate) from the blow.

Looking for new options for training on a punching bag?

The punching bag has become a symbol of punching power in pop culture, and rightfully so. A punching bag is a large, powerful and durable tool. It's made to be hit, and it tempts you to test your strength with every blow.

But a punching bag is more than just strength. Use it to develop your striking endurance, punching accuracy, and even your footwork! Here are five bag exercises that will show you how to do it.

Watch my video for a visual demonstration. various exercises on the bag!

1. Strength exercises

The most obvious way to develop your punching power when working on a bag is to hit it as hard as you can. It will be better (especially for beginners) if you can resist this urge and limit yourself to using only 50-80% of the force. Strength comes more from good technique than from muscular effort, so strength training should also focus on technique rather than pure athleticism.

It's best if you strike in a realistic manner. Which means throwing combinations instead of single punches. Hit quickly instead of charging like a karate master breaking boards. Use good technique instead of mindlessly wasting your energy with every strike. And keep striking until the end of the round.

The problem is not striking with too much force,
and too much FOCUS on strength.

Normal Bag Exercise

This is not so much an exercise as it is a common way of working with a bag. Follow the bag and hit it hard.

Exercise Repeat Combinations

I really enjoy this exercise because it develops muscle memory. Spend an entire round throwing the same combinations or the same series of power combinations. In a busy gym, this drill can be done by having several fighters rotate with each other, taking turns throwing punches and holding the bag while the trainer calls out combinations. For example, a trainer might call out 1-2-3, where fighters continuously throw jab-right hook until he throws the next combination. If the coach shouts the command “change,” then the kicker and the bag-holder switch places.

2. Endurance exercises

Exercise Short Strikes

Hit the bag non-stop with short, repeated strikes as fast as you can for an entire round. In this exercise, the focus should be on throwing as many “hits” as possible and breathing correctly the entire time. Some trainers will tell you to lift your legs as if you were running and it will look like you are stepping with each kick. You can forget about technique, because endurance work is about volume, not strength.

The best advice I can give for endurance training is to RESIST hitting with force. So many guys end up trying to work on strength AND endurance in one exercise and it ends up looking like a strength exercise. When working on endurance, focus ONLY on landing as many punches as possible. This exercise may seem frivolous, but in reality, you are developing muscle memory so that your arm muscles become accustomed to contracting more times per round.

Develop your endurance
by increasing the number of cuts.

Endurance exercise tips:

• Try to exhale with each blow.
• Maintain a straight posture without leaning towards the bag.
• Stand forward, or at least more forward than your normal boxing stance.
• You can aim at any height; many trainers prefer you to aim at head height to work your shoulders more.
• The heels rise and fall with each strike.
• The knees bend and straighten. There is no need to rotate your feet with each kick.

3. Speed ​​Exercises

Tabata Interval Exercises

To develop speed on the bag, use the same exercise as for endurance, but perform it in intervals (also known as Tabata exercises). The most popular interval is to punch for 15 seconds, then rest for 15 seconds, and repeat for the rest of the round. This time of 15 seconds is ideal because it is short enough to practice your high speed flashes without getting tired, but long enough to wear you out.

Once again, make sure you focus on your breathing. You can raise your legs if you want. It may be more convenient to do Tabata exercises with a partner, so that you take turns changing, first one throws punches, the other holds the bag, then switch. You can also change levels, such as hitting at the head level (straight punches), chest level (straight punches with a vertical fist), and belly level (using short uppercuts).

Tips for speed exercises:

• Resist the urge to turn your speed exercises into endurance exercises by skipping breaks between sets. The breaks allow your muscles to relax so you can always hit at a high speed and thus develop your arm speed.
• Speed ​​has more to do with the rate of muscle contraction than with technique. Don't focus on technique when performing speed drills.
• Fast breathing equals fast speed. Exhale in short bursts of air to increase your hand speed.
• Your heels rise and fall with each kick.
• The knees bend and straighten. You don't need to rotate your feet with every kick.

4. Leg Work Exercises

Leg Work Exercise 1 – Move With the Bag

Use a bag that can swing freely. It's best if you can find one that weighs 50-75% of your body weight. You want a bag that's heavy enough to take hits without flying off every time you hit it, but light enough to bounce around when you hit it. You may have to adjust your impact strength to create the desired effect.

Hit the bag as you normally would, but constantly move with the bag. If the bag swings in a circle, circle with it. Sometimes you can even dodge to the opposite side of the bag or dodge it completely. The goal is to move with the bag rather than stand still waiting for it to come back to you.

Footwork Tips:

• Always keep the bag at a distance arm's length, follow it when it flies away from you and move away or circle when it flies towards you.
• Don't hit the bag too hard if it moves faster than you can move your feet.
• Try to walk with the bag rather than jumping around it in a tight stance.
• The easiest punch to throw while moving is the jab!

Legwork Exercise 2 – Leaving at an Angle

This angled retreat drill is designed to develop good footwork habits while working on the bag. The idea is to always move either back and right or back and left, and never back in a straight line. Throw a combination and then take a step back and to the right. Throw another combination and take a step back to the left (right-handed fighters will need to turn on their feet for this). Keep doing this over and over again.

It should look like a very smooth step after a combination, and not like a jump! Another tip is to not move back too far from the bag so that you can't reach it after moving. When this exercise is performed correctly, it should look like you are repeatedly throwing punches while moving back away from the bag. An agile fighter will look like he is just throwing punches and walking around the bag.

Footwork Tips:

• Keeping your feet on the ground allows you to be ready to strike or counter at all times.
• Constantly jumping only wastes energy and takes you too far out of counter range.
• Try to work in a calm, relaxed manner.

5. Accuracy Exercises

You wouldn't think that a punching bag could be used to improve accuracy, but here are a few methods for doing so:

1. Scotch tape

What some gyms do is they put tape on the bag. Some have an organized system where they put different colored rings of tape on them, separating different levels for head and body shots. Others place pieces of tape in different places throughout the bag. Regardless of how you place the tape, the goal is to increase your alertness and force you to aim at something instead of just hitting something random.

2. Numbered Goals

There are even bags with different numbers stuck on them so that you can practice certain combinations. I'm not a big fan of this system (since the numbers disappear when the bag rotates), but it's an option and you might like it.

3. Thin Punching Bags

I've only seen these in Canada, but I really liked them. This is a small but very dense bag, approximately 15 centimeters in diameter. It is suspended from a chain, but also has a bungee cord attached to it from the bottom of the bag to the floor. It swings like a heavy bag, but comes back like a stretch bag (heavy bag with guy wires?). Very useful and good for developing power strikes TOGETHER with accuracy.

Tips for hitting accuracy:

Accuracy has more to do with eye-hand coordination than with waiting for the right moment (called timing). You don't develop accuracy by waiting for the target, you do it by using your eyes to help you find the target. Keep hitting and make adjustments to make your next shots more accurate. Don't sit and wait for a moving target to slow down.

Develop ALL Your Strokes on the Bag

The most important aspect of using a punching bag is not to get carried away with the punching power. IN real battle There are all types of impacts. Sometimes, you need more speed, or more quantity...strength is not always needed. The punching bag, for that matter, is designed to develop punching power FOR ALL YOUR PUNCHES (not just power punches).

After improving your striking abilities through the exercises above (strength, speed, endurance, etc.), apply them to your strikes in combat when necessary. Allow your strikes to go through various qualities and acquire the properties you need in order to win the fight.

All types of strikes are necessary.
The perfect arsenal of strikes has power, speed and endurance!

Want more bagging tips?

Punching bag

Develops strength endurance

Training method. There are many ways to work with a bag - try to alternate them in different classes. You can strike the bag with maximum force - use this from time to time, carrying out combinations and focusing on the final blow. Typically, bag work is divided into rounds. Beginner boxers (less than a year of experience) usually do 10 rounds of 1-2 minutes, with a 1-minute break between approaches. For experienced fighters, the time spent on bags can be an hour or more.

1. Work on the bag in a free style, reminiscent of shadow boxing. Move around the bag, striking, add variety to your movements. Try different combinations, hit both side and direct blows. Don't forget about defense - after each combination, try to dodge an imaginary blow or block it. Imagine that you are in the ring and you have to defend 10 rounds - plan your tactics and use your imagination.

2. Work according to a strictly specified algorithm. A coach who can clearly see what you need to work on especially helps you create it. The work can proceed according to this algorithm - 2 rounds in the shuttle, with a jab and deuces from two straight lines. Then 3 rounds of side training - moving around the bag, throwing left and right hooks and swings. After this - several rounds of defensive training: after two or three, leaving the attack line is mandatory. And the final rounds are free work.

One of the most important rules for working with a bag is don’t overload! If you are tired and strike, then your technique is unlikely to be at the highest level. Consequently, you will subconsciously remember incorrect movements. If you are still tired, but want to continue training, spend more time on defense, move more and hit less often. Remember how professionals fight in the ring. They do not always box at high speeds and after a sharp start they reduce the speed, restoring their strength. And finally, one more tip if you are going to work with the bag at home. Choose a softer bag - such shells can still weigh a lot, but be more voluminous. Hitting a hard bag with all your might is not always convenient and can sometimes lead to injuries to the wrist and phalanges of the fingers. Therefore, intuitively the body will give a signal and the force of the blow will decrease. And when working on the bag, it is necessary to combine both weak and accentuated blows, and it is advisable to hit the latter with maximum force and full investment.

Punching bag

Develops speed endurance

Training method. Everything is simple here - try to work on the bag at high speed, delivering accented blows from time to time. The pear is like a bag - its weight is much greater than that of a pneumatic pear. However, unlike the bag, the amplitude of movement of the pear is much greater, and you have additional opportunities to practice punches in motion.

Pneumatic blower with guy wires

Training method. The first way is to strike at different angles, causing the pear to move chaotically. After this, try to clearly hit the projectile. The second way is to deliver direct blows, setting the pear in motion along one axis (that is, the projectile will move in a straight line back and forth). To do this, you need to clearly hit the striking part of your fist approximately in the center of the pear. In this way, the precision of blows is trained and the correct positioning of the fist is developed.

Tennis ball stretched on ropes

Develops reaction, accuracy, speed

Training method. This projectile resembles a pneumatic bag on stretch marks, but you can work with it in a different way. Try not only to accelerate the ball and hit it, but also to dodge the projectile. You can try different defense options - diving, dodging, going back or to the side. The ideal training option is strike, defense, strike, defense.

In addition to the mentioned projectiles, there are many others in boxing. The most common: wall pillow, mannequin (pear in the shape of a person), pneumatic bulb, paws, etc. More detailed information can be found on the website of the online magazine

class words: technique, boxing, endurance, strength, power endurance, speed endurance, reaction, speed, accuracy

Punching bag

Develops strength endurance

Training method. Boxers practice many variations of working with the bag - try to alternate them in different classes. You can hit the bag with maximum power - use this from time to time, carrying out a series and focusing on the final blow in the combination. Typically, punching bag work is divided into rounds. Beginner boxers (less than a year of experience) usually perform 8-10 rounds of 1-2 minutes each, with a 1-minute break between approaches. Experienced fighters can spend an hour or more working on punching bags. Let's look at the 2 most popular training methods with this popular equipment.

1. Working with a punching bag in a free style, reminiscent of shadow boxing. Move around the bag, striking, add variety to your movements. Try different combinations, hit both side and direct blows. Don't forget about defense - after each combination, try to dodge an imaginary blow, or block it. Imagine that you are in the ring and you have to defend 10 rounds - plan your tactics and use your imagination.

2. Work according to a strictly defined plan. A coach who can clearly see what you need to work on especially helps you create it. The work can proceed according to this algorithm - 2 rounds in the shuttle, with a jab and deuces from two straight lines. Then 3 rounds of side kick training - moving around the bag, throwing left and right hooks and swings. After this, work on your defense for several rounds: after a two or three, you must leave the line of attack. And the final rounds are free work.

One of the most important rules for working with a punching bag is don’t overload! If you are tired and strike, then your technique is unlikely to be at the highest level. Consequently, you will subconsciously remember incorrect movements. If you are still tired, but want to continue training, spend more time on defense, move more and hit less often. Remember how professionals fight in the ring. They do not always box at high speeds and after a sharp start they reduce speed, restoring strength. And finally, one more piece of advice on choosing a projectile if you are going to work with a bag at home. Choose a softer bag - such shells can still weigh a lot, but be more voluminous. Hitting a hard bag with all your might is not always convenient and can sometimes lead to injuries to the wrist and phalanges of the fingers. Therefore, intuitively the body will give a signal and the force of the blow will decrease. And when working on the bag, it is necessary to combine both weak and accentuated blows, and it is advisable to hit the latter with maximum force and full investment.

Punching bag

Develops speed endurance

Training method. Everything is simple here - try to work on the bag at high speed, delivering accented blows from time to time. The pear is like a bag - its weight is much greater than that of a pneumatic pear. However, unlike a bag, the range of motion of a punching bag is much greater, and you have additional opportunities to practice punches while moving. Therefore, move more, trying to strike as clearly as possible and from different positions.

Pneumatic blower with guy wires

Training method. The first way is to strike at different angles, causing the pear to move chaotically. After this, try to clearly hit the projectile. The second way is to deliver direct blows, setting the pear in motion along one axis (that is, the projectile will move in a straight line back and forth). To do this, you need to clearly hit the striking part of your fist approximately in the center of the pear. In this way, the precision of blows is trained and the correct positioning of the fist is developed.

Tennis ball stretched on ropes

Develops reaction, accuracy, speed

Training method. This projectile resembles a pneumatic bag on stretch marks, but you can work with it in a different way. Try not only to accelerate the ball and hit it, but also to dodge the projectile. You can try different defense options - diving, dodging, going back or to the side. The ideal training option is strike, defense, strike, defense.

In addition to the mentioned projectiles, there are many others in boxing. The most common: wall pillow, mannequin (pear in the shape of a person), pneumatic bulb, paws, etc. We will talk about some of them in the next article.