This is something I dont understand. Lifting weights seem to greatly benefit guys in the NFL, MLB and other sports. Yet in combat sports they offer no functional benefit. George St. Pierre said he lifted weights as hobby. And that it did absolutely nothing to help him in the octagon. Chris Algieri likes to lift weights. And yet he couldn't crack an egg if he was armed with a hammer. He just simply cannot punch. Just pathetic amount of power. Anthony Crolla likes to lift weights. But he couldn't hurt a 12 year old. Willie Monroe has a powerfully built body and yet same thing he just cannot punch. When Kell Brook bulked up for GGG, he hit about as hard as my grandma. Felix Trinidad, Sergey Kovalev and Erik Morales look like they have never touched a weight in their life. Yet all three of those guys were massive hitters. I'm talking just knock your block off. Makes me think power comes down to technique and God. It's just something you're born with. It just has the come randomly. I dont get it.
Do you think Algieri lifts weights to bodybuild? This guy has a PHD or whatever in diet and exercise. And yet all that cant even help him crack open an egg.
I’ve been boxing 20 years to current. For my body type, I use core workouts, abs, legs, everything else is boxing or sprints. I won’t even swim because my chest gets huge. No pushups, dips, pull-ups. None of that. Nothing for upper body other then boxing or somekind of abs. By boxing I mean all your bags, mitts, sparring, jumprope.
I see people doing the stupidest exercises. Sledgehammer on the tire. Throwing the medicine ball into the wall. Grabbing cables and doing rotational punches. Stuff that isnt gonna help at all.
Nutrition. You can’t overcome fibre composition or poor mechanics. So many fallacies and lack of critical thinking in these conversations.
it depends on the weights being used. fighters may carry 2lb weights when doing roadwork to build endurance in their arm muscles. in a fight, holding your arms up for 30 minutes is a killer even if youre not throwing punches. for punching, muscles are only good to a certain level, then it becomes excess weight. i will give you an illustration. get in a fighting stance in front of a wall, now place your jab hand against the wall, now push away until it displaces your feet. that is all of the strength that you need to transfer maximum energy through your jab, extra muscle will not increase that. unless you add weight to your whole body to create a heavier base from which your punches can increase torque, your punching power will not increase no matter how much muscle you add to your arms. it will actually hinder your explosiveness and decrease your stamina because of increased useless weight that robs your body of more valuable oxygen. punching is not about strength, its about transferring as much energy as the weight of your body can anchor. that is done through technique, speed and genetics.
Why all the talk about arms? As you say the power comes from the feet/ground. That’s why doing heavy squats/deadlifts etc. is good for punching power. If you put more force into the ground you can apply more force, that’s basic physics. Equal and opposite reaction. Punching is absolutely about strength, power is intrinsically part of that equation. If you can’t coordinate your strength to throw a punch then it’s useless, but for two people with identical technique/leverage etc. then strength absolutely makes a difference to punching power. It’s literally impossible for it to not make a difference.
