Ever imagine what it’s like to go a few rounds in the boxing ring—elbows in, fists up, chin down. The black ropes closing in on your opponent as you prepare to take him down by sheer force. Though you may not be in line to be the next heavyweight champ, you can still train to be in fighting shape.
Boxers undergo some of the most intense training to prepare for just minutes in the ring. Sure, lifting weights and running endless miles will do the trick, but lets be real, nothing feels better than sweating it out like a true badass. Treadmills and stairmasters are child’s play in comparison to banging out a few rounds of speed rope or deadly one-two combinations.
Speed rope training and shadow boxing are staples of a fighter’s workout. They burn an insane amount of calories, tone your entire body, and have you gasping for air in minutes. With minimal equipment needed, they can be done almost anywhere. Incorporate these two classic exercises into your weekly workouts to change up stale routines, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll be able to last a few rounds with one of the greats.
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Here's what you need to know...
Power is king for a fighter.
A fighter can be very fast without being powerful. A thousand harmless punches are easily offset by one or two very hard ones.
Training for a fight requires a two-cycle phase, cycle one focusing on the development of strength and speed, and cycle two focusing on the development of power.
Do Harm and Win
A fighter, no matter what his style, needs power. Quite simply, it allows him to do harm and win.
Ferrari vs. Monster Truck
Power is a result of genetics and hard work. Genetics is a factor that can't be controlled. Some people are just born with a much higher potential for power.
Luckily, hard work can create power. But before we even start, we need to differentiate between two power-related factors: strength and speed.
Strength can be compared to an engine's mass. Let's take a Ferrari F50 and a monster truck as examples. The monster truck weighs around 10,000 pounds whereas the Ferrari only registers about 2700 pounds on the scale.
The monster truck is definitely "stronger" than the Ferrari.
Their speed, of course, is how fast they can go. At its top speed, the monster truck hits about 96 miles per hour while the Ferrari pushes up to 200 miles per hour.
The Ferrari's speed is of course a lot higher than the truck's. But power is strength X speed.
If the Ferrari slams into you at 200 mph it'll cause a lot more damage than the monster truck hitting you at 90 mph, though both would be unpleasant. The Ferrari is a lot more powerful than the truck.
As a fighter, you want to be more like the Ferrari.
Strength From a Fighter's Perspective
From a fighter's viewpoint, developing strength isn't easy, since focusing too much on strength will undermine speed.
On the other hand, a fighter who neglects strength development is putting himself at risk for injuries. Finding the right balance is key.
Speed From a Fighter's Perspective
A fighter can be very fast without being powerful. A thousand harmless punches are easily offset by one or two very hard ones.
Paying too much attention to speed development will inevitably cause a decrease in strength, so it's crucial to find a middle ground. Still, there are several important aspects of speed to consider:
Briskness: The transition from a defensive status to an offensive one, or vice-versa.
Reaction speed: There's a vast array of triggering stimuli (sounds, sight, etc.) and each will involve shifting and moving in a defensive or offensive manner.
Herein lies the secret for anyone lacking in innate skills to surpass his opponent. By working in particular on reaction (with a visual or a sound signal) and uncertainty exercises, it'll help to develop the weapons necessary to whip your opponent.
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