For the three years that I've been boxing, I usually try to train as hard as I can in the hopes this will carry over into increased endurance/conditioning when I spar and/or compete. However, after ****yzing my past sparring matches and bouts, I've come to realize that I don't have the conditioning to keep up with my preferred method of fighting, which is that of an out-boxer or counter-puncher. So, my question is, what should I do when training/sparring when it comes to pace? I've done the traditional 4-5 mile runs in the past, and I've also mixed in sprint intervals 2-3 times a week. I haven't been doing any roadwork lately, but even when I did, I never really noticed that much of a difference in my conditioning when it came to the pace I tried to put on. Whether I go with consistent combos right in front of the bag, or whether I mix in head movement, slips, bobbing and weaving, etc., with varied styles and strengths of punching, I've found that I tend to get tired anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute after starting the round. Then I would move around the bag a bit to rest and reset, then start again. Then in the last 30 seconds I try to go all out with power punches. But still, I get tired after 30 seconds to 1 minute after starting. So, should I continue to push myself as hard as I can in the hopes that this 30 seconds-1 minute window that I have will increase, or would it be wiser for me to figure out my optimal output/time and train based on that?
Are you extra tense in the ring? A fighter like Andre Berto can get Victor Conte to be his conditioning coach, but it doesn't matter if he's not relaxed and wasting too much energy with useless movements. If you're tense, all your conditioning work won't prevent you from gassing out. It'll just prolong it
Not really. I think I'm pretty relaxed in the ring after the first few exchanges. I tend to move in and out a lot, and I'm constantly sort of bouncing and using head movement/footwork. This usually works pretty well for the first round. I can hit my opponent and get out of the way of his big shots. But the second round's another story. The second round they usually start coming forward more aggressively, and by this time I'm not as good at moving in and out when I'm attacking or slipping and countering. I usually move a lot more than my opponent (in the first round), but in my opinion, it's not really useless movement. I think that's what allows me to hit more than I get hit. I just don't have the conditioning to keep the same pace I do in round one in later rounds. So, keep training as hard as I can and hope it will carry over, or train at a slower pace that is more sustainable to me?
with the amount of cardio you said you used to be doing; your conditioning should be fine... its most likely what chump said you are to tense even though u dont think you are
How don't you have the conditioning to keep up with a counterpunching style? Think Rigo, Toney, Hopkins, and Jersey Joe. Watch Rigo, Toney, Hopkins, and Jersey Joe. Imitate Rigo, Hopkins, Toney, and Jersey Joe. If you have the power to really hurt someone and you have good timing, poise, and countering technique there's no way you have to fight any faster than you want to. I'm more of a natural pressure fighter but I was never conditioned enough to do it as well as I wanted to. I'm more of a marathon runner-type than a sprinter. So by learning from masters of slowing the fight down and intimidating the opponent into fighting your pace, I got decent at the counterpunching style. Had to do it because I was basically training part time and in terrible shape. So I figured why not watch Hopkins because if a 50yr old can get away with throwing 10 punches per round and still beat guys half his age there's got to be something I can learn from that. :good P.S. Use this as a temporary thing to get you through while you improve the hell out of your conditioning.
