McGuigan says modern fighters are much fitter

[onourway]

Boxing is undergoing a quiet revolution, changing the game beyond recognition.
It has had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the 21st century and accept the old methods were not actually benefiting fighters in the way thought.
Forget the image of the hooded hero out pounding the streets to [URL="***********.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/boxing/#"]getinshape[/URL]. Rocky is so yesterday. We admire his courage and his hunger, but not his brains. If he trained like that today, he might not get up off the floor.
Long, steady-state running (SSR) was the norm in my day, a one-paced jog with a sprint between telegraph poles if you felt like it.
"I was unusual. I did hill sprints and ran at sub-six minute mile pace for five to seven miles. No one would run with me.
I remember Ken Buchanan coming over to Bangor to spar with me and running along the pier in these great, big boots.
After about half a mile I said: "Is this your warm up Ken? Are you ready to start running now?"
He replied: "No, son. This is the pace I go at."
"You're joking me," I said.
"To be honest Ken, I don't think I can run at this pace."


"Away you go, son. Away you go," he said.
He ran for an hour at that pace in military style boots. That was the way it was done. He sparred my head off mind you.
In the summer of 82 I got this thing in my head that I had to run in boots, too.
I was clopping along at a phenomenal pace in these things and started to develop shin splints.
I now know there was little cardiovascular benefit to the boxer associated with SSR, other than maybe to lose weight. Most boxers would get their cardio benefit from sparring or gym work. But it was never understood scientifically.
With the advent of modern science and the development of strength and conditioning training we realise boxing is essentially anaerobic.
Boxers are required to explode off the mark, then relax out of punching range. Explode, relax.
We understand also in a way we never did the relationship between body fat and muscle, and how that impacts on power.
The result is a bigger, leaner, stronger athlete at the weight.
It explains how David Haye can go into the ring in Hamburg on July 2 at 15st 10lbs, believing he has the tools to smash Wladimir Klitschko, who might be 30lbs heavier.
I marvelled at the shape Victor Ortiz was in last week, stepping up to welterweight for the first time to take Andre Berto's crown.
The kid carried all his speed and power with him to fashion an outstanding win against a tough, formerly undefeated champion.
You have only to look at the success of Manny Pacquiao, working with strength and conditioning guru Alex Ariza, to understand the importance of incorporating modern techniques into preparation.
I have adopted the new strength and conditioning techniques with my own fighters, including super bantamweight Carl Frampton.
The difference is amazing.
Shane, my son, is a disciple of Charles Poliquin. The French Canadian, the best strength and conditioning coach in the world, turned on its head what we thought we knew about boxing fitness and Shane applies the Poliquin method to plan schedules.
This is how it works. Frampton engages in an eight-week, protein-based dietary programme before a fight, which leaves him at just two per cent body fat.
This combines with an [URL="***********.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/boxing/#"]exerciseprogramme[/URL] based on interval training, short bursts of 200m, 400m or 600m, then timed rest. Repeat, rest.
Running, sparring, hitting the bag will not cut it any more.
None of my fighters runs more than three times a week. I ran every day. I though it was compulsory when in fact it was counter productive.
But everybody did it that way so it didn't matter.
Technically boxers are no better but they can fight at a higher pace, which is what I traded on.
I could burn out guys who were maybe better than me. But I would struggle to match these guys today. Long live the revolution.

Read more: [URL]***********.mirror.co.uk/sport/more-sport/boxing/2011/04/23/running-for-today-s-boxers-is-not-rocky-science-115875-23081192/#ixzz1KWRBx7n0[/URL]

Thoughts?

[Big Dunk]

he is right. fighters today have allot of advantages due to technology and science....even though allot of british trainers and fighters still fail to adapt to new methods.

[Arnie]

Belive me Carls body fat does not go down to 2%

[LP_1985]

anything below 4% is unhealthy/not good for u is it

aint that swimmer phelps something like that tho, not sure

[colinthfc]

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[Arnie]

Originally Posted by LP_1985

anything below 4% is unhealthy/not good for u is it

aint that swimmer phelps something like that tho, not sure

Yeah it's not heathy m8!

[Rangersfan1982]

It's the same in most sports. The science involved these days massively improves the athletic performance. The 2% body fat part is nonsense though.

[phonk]

This could be applied to almost every sport you care to name.

[onourway]

Originally Posted by phonk

This could be applied to almost every sport you care to name.

Followers of every other sport acknowledge that fact though.

Whereas you'll find lots of boxing fans who deny that the fighters are fitter now.

[spud1]

I think Science gives modern fighters the ability to be more fitter as our understanding of sports has evolved, but I disagree with them actually being fitter, fighters of yesteryear on average fought at a much higher intensity and had better endurance which would be sustained throughout a fight through a much longer distance.

[BUMPY KNUCKLES]

possibly there fitter but they dont have the same will and determination as they used to

[Johnny Coyle]

Originally Posted by BUMPY KNUCKLES

possibly there fitter but they dont have the same will and determination as they used to

true. You'll never get fighters like you did back in the day

[Johnny Coyle]

anyone know what that protein based diet would be? i wouldnt mind doing it myself, i need to loose a bit of belly fat its doing my nut in

[GazOC]

Fish and chicken?

[Johnny Coyle]

Originally Posted by GazOC

Fish and chicken?

does it have to be fresh? And is that ALL you can eat?

what about boiled eggs?