Swimming for boxing fitness

Do fifty lengths with a pair of rigger boots on should do the trick

 

I think swimming can be a good substitute for running, it really opens up your lungs and offers a full body workout.

Plus, I'd imagine it would be good to switch the routine a bit now and then, a mile in the pool once a week as opposed to pounding the pavements breathing in carbon monoxide constantly.

 

An idea would be to replicate you fight time in the pool.

So do 3 minutes high intencity then a 1 minute break and repeat 4 times. Standard front crawl is probably the best as your technique and speed on that stroke will be better than the rest. Make sure you use your legs to kick to build stretgh. Each time try and better your overall time.

I did the same thing with sprints when i was fighting. I did 3x2s so I would do 2 minute sprints at 16k on the treadmill and then a minutes rest....UPHILL MOTHER ****ER!!

Is this your first fight?

In terms of your leg build up the strentgh in it using the machine weights at the gym and then move on to squats (the best gym exercise bar none) and then get onto the bike & x trainer before you can eventually run again.

 

Ken Buchanan did a lot of swimming when he was fighting but underwater, he reckoned it improved his lung capacity.

 

Id agree with Jonesy here. The only part id vary would be the technique.
Some lentghs crawl some b/stroke,butterfly etc

 

If you're from Leeds the international pool would be great, given that they've still not sorted the current out yet.

Takes twice as long to get from one end to the other, great resistance training :yep

 

I believe the Klits use pool work to train ... its a good idea saves the wear n tear on the knees ..

 

Marciano used to train in a pool, wearing a weighted belt he would sink to the bottom & throw punches until he ran out of air.

The Klits do a lot of cardio & resistance work in the pool, easier on the knees & ankles.

 

Butterfly stroke is great for the shoulders and is a fairly explosive movement which is good for intensity. A little underwater shadow boxing is good (with your head above water), because the water resistance forces you to really slow down and focus on what all the parts of your body are doing.

I've had ligament injuries in the knee that led to long spells of pool rehab, and the water is a massively underused resource in my book. Try doing footwork drills waist deep, and see how easy it is to spot any little deficiencies in balance, or weight distribution etc.

Even as a non-specific, swimming is a great way of burning calories and increasing aerobic capacity as it's easy on the joints, and in my experience led to a lot less soreness than roadwork the next morning.

 

Breaststroke to bottom of pool is a good one, makes you really work. I do that and i kick without using arms to get to other end at times.

I do a bit of pivoting in the pool, some punches and upperbody movement as the water restricts the movement it makes it harder which is good.

Try lots of dynamic boxing related stuff in the pool alongside your lengths swimming. Do 3-4 minutes of swimming with differing paces. You can set yourself a time limit like i did my final 2 lengths in 70 seconds. I was already tired but decided to push myself like it was last round of a fight. The time limit i had to beat was 80 so i got there in enough time and felt it afterwards .

But really try the underwater work, it does a lot of good :good.

 

Swimming is great plus you don't get the risk of knee joint injuries from long distance running

 

Is Pool Running not an option, my local leisure (Darwen) centre do classes, I use it to keep running fit when I'm not racing. Its can be a really intense workout without the impact.

 

Some of the hardest training sessions Ive ever done have been rehabbing from injury at the pool with the physio.
This pre-season I had to do the exact timed runs the others were doing at training, but in the water with a flotation belt. 12 minute runs suspended in water are a nightmare!