Old School Training

Was only able to skim but it sounds like they mostly use the same workout approach as modern fighters, except that they spend some portion outside? I've seen several videos of Tyson Fury in modern gyms doing modern workouts.

 

If you read writings of Dempsey and Tunney and those before them ROADWORK is stressed in terms of conditioning.

My father lived around Harvey's Lake in PA as a kid. He recounted to me watching Tunney train for one of his bouts with Dempsey by doing Roadwork around the lake. Tunney would alternate running forward and backward around the lake for many miles.

 

It is hard to argue with the results of the old school training methods.

 

Always exceptions to the rule. Naseem Hamed did no roadwork at all yet built big thighs and calves with just gym work and was able to generate tremendous power through his legs into his punches.

 

The great fighters who did no road work, almost invariably had stamina issues.

 

Chopping some wood every day = training like an old school fighter?

 

Road work was great for those 15+ round fights...but chopping wood? Sounds
like a Rocky montage.

 

I don't get it. How is that the point? My point is that their overall training strategies seem more new school than old. Plenty of weight lifting, including Olympic lifts and core work. A lot of padwork. Double end bags, etc. It's cool that they mix in some old school throwback stuff but it seems more the exception than the rule with them. Just my impression (based on a dozen or so youtube clips of their workouts).

 

Gene Tunney and Ernie Shavers both did it.

 

Its just a variation on the sledgehammer to tyre method.

If it was good enough for Ali, Foreman Johnson and even Mayweather then axe to wood sounds good to me.

 

Yeah chopping wood was part of old school but so was throwing heavy objects and tons of road work.......the fighter Jesse benavidez trained his core power by swinging a sledgehammer on a junk car for one hour per day....it builds torque strength and enhances power......hand strength chewing gum and neck exercises we're part of many old school fighters trained.......Marciano did everything from throwing heavy objects to eyeball exercises and hopping up stairs on one leg then switching over and over

 

The thing with training is this: There is more than one way to skin a cat.

Roadwork, and I'm assuming we are talking about RUNNING ON A ROAD for miles on end, will destroy the body.

If you can match your roadwork heart rate by swimming (or any other type of cardio) instead (which is much more easier on the joints) why wouldn't you do that? You prolong your body AND your career. Win/Win.

Lifting weights, depending on the rep range (usually 1-5) will make you stronger. Strength is a huge factor in sports. You could name a bunch of fighters that had they used modern methods they would have been an even better, more destructive version of themselves (you could say the same about conditioning).

Skill-Work > Everything else. So you'd practice boxing before you go running, not the other way around. Why guys do a 5 mile run and THEN box is crazy.

But if stamina is an issue then there's multiple ways to improve it, running isn't the only answer. Putting in more work and upping the intensity in your sport is usually the better choice.