Well we'll just have to disagree. What exercises in your opinion can increase punching power and upper body strength and why? Please don't tell manual labor
When I was at Fraziers moving up to the 250 lb bag was the only thing that helped and I mean the ONLY thing and not by much. Nothing weight training wise ever helped me with power nor did pushups. And once I stopped hitting that very heavy bag and went back to it I had to work my way up again to get it moving. I was in good shape then too 6'0 215 bigger younger stronger (Weightlifting wise) than Joe and as stated earlier he could crush and move that bag like nobody's business. I'm telling you in my opinion it's 90% God given. Look at Hearns do you think he can do #### in the weight room? I think not. Not arguing with you my man but I went through and tried different things when I was younger. At my older age now I actually think I hit the hardest but you lose everything else.
I'm glad that you said that about push ups... cause I've heard some people saying stuff like push ups are good, but bench press is not? Hehe ridiculous I agree that a lot of it is God given... that's why you have freaks like Foreman who never touched weight but was strong and muscular... but if he trained properly for strength he would have been even stronger and more powerful! You can't turn Chris Byrd into George Foreman punching power wise with no kind of training, but you can fulfill his potential if he increases his maximum strength.. I believe you about heavy bag, but I personally think the most you can do for your punching power is strength training - lifting weights. And working on your technique and leverage while pounding the heavy bag.
Lucky Joe didn't try his hand at serious boxing or anything like that with such impossible and insurmountable intangibles against him.
Technique leverage and balance are a must. For developing power I still have to disagree about weight training making you punch harder. Alot of curling also takes away your snap as hammer curls develop the wrong muscles for punching. But if u feel it works for you then by all means hit it.
I personally think strict overhead press (no leg drive) is the best strength exercise for boxing, punching power... It builds your shoulders, traps, triceps, forearms (grip)... also your core, back and legs work heavy to stabilize the weight, plus works your balance and is a very technique demanding lift that requires some athletic ability.
We if there was any truth to that then boxers would be bench pressing and increase power but as it is there is no added punching power....I have no doubt that Hearns was not a weight lifter but hit harder than most the same for Wilder and or Foster but you let the rest of us know when you start training fighters and bench/ overhead press
Yup, punching power is a combo of timing, snap and technique RG. Look at a Danny Lopez, a Thomas Hearns or a Alexis Arguello for example. None of em look like weight lifters. Holyfield for example got a lot stronger due to his " scientific training " but he was never a big puncher. I would argue he was a better puncher when he weighed 205 than the later version as he had more speed which enabled him to land better punches. I really related to your posts on this thread RG as I used to work in the house raising-restumping game which is pretty hard work. We used to crack up laffin at the musclebound young gym types who while super strong at doing certain lifting motions had bugger all stamina, bugger all ability to repeatedly carry heavy #### over long distances and who tended to quit the job after a few days. Some of the old buggers on the other hand just looked like fat, beer drinking slobs but they had the work miles under their belt n they were fricken machines. They have what we call " old man strength " and they aren't the sorta guys you wanna froch with. Tony Galento comes to mind Cheers Everyone.
I suppose if you were training boxers you would have them bricklaying for strength and punching power
Well they were punchers cause of God given talent. And obviously technique, leverage, timing... As you said. If they did strength training, they would have punched even harder. Holyfield just wasn't blessed with great punching power, but he did everything he could in his power to increase strength and punching power.
