Why were many old time boxers so scrawny looking

Woah...That story is so much cooler now.

I had no idea. Goes to show, different kinds of power. I thought he was some local sideshow. Jesus, he's a legend. Wow.

 

Guy's a beast, but past his prime now. Your arm wrestling resume is pretty good. Like those 0-1 opponents of ATGs you sometimes see crop up on boxrec

 

You armwrestled the greatest armwrestler of all time and didn't even know it.

I took an interest in Brzenk this past summer. I found it amazing that he was able to defeat men that had over 100lbs on him and arms 4-5 inches bigger of pure muscle at armwrestling and do it in such impressive fashion. I was even more amazed that he's been top dog by far in that sport since the mid 1980s and that he's basically prevented 2 generations worth of armwrestlers from being top dog and is currently preventing the 3rd from taking over.

Those who compete in armwrestling idolize Brzenk and are usually just happy to get the chance to pull with him, let alone aspire to actually win.

 

Old time fighters came into a bout fit to fight, not for posing contests. Bodybuilding has become part of training, and it takes away form some guys. I think the way guys are training, going al out with 3 or 4 workouts a day is ridiculous, and shortens some careers. Pacquio gets away with it, and good for him But so many others like TimBradley seem to break down quicker, shortening careers.

Old timers had to fight 12 or more times a year, even if a tittle holder, they were in shape, but were not concerned with how well they looked doing a double-biceps pose, or if their six-pack showed on abs.

 

Yeah, I think male vanity and the homo-erotic notion of the beautiful physique have crept into society across the board, not just boxers.

The old-timers still looked like fighters to me, at fight time certainly.
But these days more men will usually cover themselves up unless they in absolute peak condition.
Athletes get judged on the way their bodies look more.
Of course, that doesn't stop some heavyweights being fat slobs, but the average welterweight boxer has probably been caring about how his physique looks for as long as he's been boxing - or longer.

In the old days it was probably more like, yeah, you can send off for the Charles Atlas or lift barbells if you want muscles, OR you can learn to fight and make a load of money like Jack Dempsey and take whatever muscles you get in the process.
Boys wanted to be big and strong, of course, but there wasn't the same level of pre-occupation with have sharp and sexy abs or defined and developed pecs.

 

Absolutely.

"Modern" training contains a whole lot of unnecessary ****. I was guilty of nigh-on bodybuilding at one point, and my effectiveness(Particularly my stamina) tanked. I got too big for the second most important fight of my career and had to pull a come from behind out of my ass because I was sucking wind in the third. For big biceps and cut abs. Useless. Gimme the core strength, and the rest of that time back on the road running. I've learned my lesson now.

 

Yes all that was needed, because men back then made boxing their living not a hobby.

No, I don't think weights is only for aesthetics but exercises like arm curls have no benefit to a boxer ASIDE from having bigger or better looking biceps. They would obviously be stronger than someone who hadn't lift weights but unless boxers started armwrestling in the ring, it's not needed.

Also no push ups arn't included in resistance training they fall under calisthenics, as back then the mantra of boxing was that lifting weights would induce unnecessary muscle growth which impedes speed and stamina.

 

You armwrestled Brzenk? Damn, been a fan of his for a while I've heard his right hand is like an enourmous meaty brick. Much bigger than his left.

 

in my experience when i have been doing bicep work and boxing it has seemed to slow down my punches..makes me tighter....


the machinics of a punch, the biceps dont even come in much at all..m.aybe a bit on a uppercut....but not much.

 

actually a proper uppercut, you arent really "curlling your arm....its more legs hips (with the core) and back and shoulders

 

Yeah, psychologically, in any sport that requires physical muscular training, and in modern society, IT'S HARD NOT TO END UP USING THE MIRROR AS A GAUGE.
Being in condition we're gonna look in condition in the mirror, but that doesn't mean the better we look in the mirror the better we're gonna be in competition. At some point the two things diverge.

 

two things, odd stances and also when those guys had over 100 fights, and a fighter had to get used to going deep into the fight where big muscle mass would slow them down and wear them out.

 

Big muscles DO slow you down and gas you out.

Seriously. I noticed I had some DEFINITE might at 270, but my god, hauling that frame around and launching triphammer punches with it got exhausting fast.

I could box 50 rounds in a day in my 230 pounds frame. 7 years and 40 pounds later, I got the 4, and then I was in trouble. Not tired, not winded, IN TROUBLE. I spent the entire fight resting, trying to summon the energy to go for broke near the end.

Fighters; Don't put yourself in that situation.

 

Not being smart here, but is something which usually needs to be considered (and often isnt) when fighters go up in weight and it is pointed out that the blown up guy cant take the punches of the bigger guy, but do you think that the 7 years might have had a lot to do with the wind sucking?

 

Age hasn't effected my stamina in the ring so much as in the gym. I'm always game for a fight, and, thankfully, I've had the luxury for most of my career to have a LONG camp(Never shorter than 4 weeks) prior to fights; This allows me to show up psyched, sharp, and in shape.

What did change, though, is less of the really hard, really grinding stuff, and more strength based exercises. I shifted my routine to be more comfortable and, it felt like, more achievable, and in the end it bit me: I got bigger, I got slower, and I wasn't maintaining proper condition.

Old fighters don't gas cause they are old. They get hit and slow down and don't take punches so hot in that case. Old fighters gas because the right work stops getting done in the gym; 5 am and 10 miles isn't as easy at 35 as it is at 25. I stopped getting in fighting shape and settled for being cut and strong, and it dang near cost me when I couldn't get rid of a guy earlier.