I have read publications where they detail routines of old boxers like Dempsey or Marciano... Does anyone have an idea or approximation of what Johnson used to eat?
IMO too much is made of diet in professional athletes. I'm no pro but generally speaking, I avoid the diet hype and just eat what I might eat normally, nothing specific, in fact lots of variety is very important. So it's a regular diet but I eat about 500-600 calories more when I am training hard. Disregard protein powders and such, it's all just a gimmick.
This isn't much to add to the discussion, but I once read an article which claimed that Jack Johnson was particularly fond of bananas and they were a regular part of his diet.
In “America on the Ropes,” Johnson’s diet went heavy on ham, eggs and chicken. Apart from the usual training regimes, many followed today, he and his contemporaries used the 12 pound medicine ball. There is footage on YouTube of JJ throwing one back and forth amongst training partners, somewhat vigorously. Looks a great routine, that doesn’t seem to be used today. Patterson and Liston can be seen using one, but, not seen any since. Might be incorporated with some other routine!
Yes, there's a fair bit around. What strikes me ist hat he's up on greens (far from universal - McGovern just scoffed meat endlessly in camp for example) and chicken. He didn't overdo the beef, the thought it wasn't a great idea. He does a pretty good job of describing a modern fighter's diet, say 1980s. He did dry out though - he did avoid water. I've read a theory that this was due to lack of clean water and he therefore preferred beer, but I dunno man. I think Johnson dried out which is ****ing crazy.
