Weight Training vs Cardiovascular conditioning?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by RoccoMarciano, Jan 20, 2008.


  1. RoccoMarciano

    RoccoMarciano Blockbuster Full Member

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    Which makes the greater fighter?

    Weight training really makes one look good to the fans, but does it win you a fight in the long run - or does cardiovascular stuff win the day?

    Incidentally, all fights WILL last at least 15 rounds.
     
  2. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    A blend of course. If you're saying pick just one well a fighter with nothing but weight training is going to be very severely lacking in wind and aerobic stamina.
     
  3. dpw417

    dpw417 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    You've got to have cardiovascular conditioning...it is a must...If you're gassed in a fight, you get a beating, and you will lose...
     
  4. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    Today, I'd say the ideal deal fighter requires a strong balance of strength and condition along with cardio training as well. In the earlier days however, more emphasis seemed to be placed on running and sparring more than things like weight training.

    Strength and conditioning involving the use of weights, medicine Balls, cables, etc is essential for developing power, along with strengthening the bones, and maintaining muscle mass. It also gives fighters strength needed for breaking clinches and handling opponents on the inside. Cardio training is important for building long term indurance in fights, and maintaining weight as well.
     
  5. RoccoMarciano

    RoccoMarciano Blockbuster Full Member

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    No blends wih this one, it is either one or the other.

    It's a matter of why some eras are better than others.
     
  6. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Not at all - the older era's did their own types of strength training as well and the present definitely blends both, or are you going back to the 1800's?

    Weights and perfect implementatio of them are great but the older era's had some reasonable and effective boxing specific exercises etc.
     
  7. rekcutnevets

    rekcutnevets Black Sash Full Member

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    Cardiovascular conditioning, of course. Weight training is merely a piece of the puzzle. Cardiovascular conditioning is still the main goal.

    Question: What do you think is the best way to achieve cardiovascular conditioning? Most now think it is high intensity, interval work. Most fighters are now using explosive movements to become more explosive.

    Anyway, to make a long story short... If you have fighters of equal talent and skill level face one another, then the one who has the best conditioning methods will win. Boxing is more anaerobic than aerobic. If your training is more aerobic than anaerobic, you've missed your goal.
     
  8. RoccoMarciano

    RoccoMarciano Blockbuster Full Member

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    The more modern guys are blended, to be sure. Just what they are blended with is up for debate.

    If a guy is currently muscle-bound (in other words, he isn't a fat ass like some) he will lose to the cardiovascular conditioned athletes of old.

    As far as the fat asses are concerned, they lose to the muscle heads and the cardio-heads :)
     
  9. RoccoMarciano

    RoccoMarciano Blockbuster Full Member

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    God, do I need to go back to first year stuff again?:lol:

    Tell me, oh brilliant one, why does clostridium tetani cause tetanus? May be a good start for ya :lol:
     
  10. rekcutnevets

    rekcutnevets Black Sash Full Member

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    Well, Genius, while you're asking...

    Why does Jones have more left at 39, than Ray Leonard at 34?

    Why is Evander Holyfield better at 39 than Muhammad Ali is at 39?

    It has to be because Jones and Holyfield have many more genetic gifts than Ali or Leonard. That, or weight training got in the way. Oh, I forgot. We're trying to discredit weight training here.

    Ali and Leonard lasted a lot longer than Jones and Holyfield because they didn't weight train. That makes sense.
     
  11. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Modern emphasis in sports is on functional lean muscle mass. Going back in years people used to think weights and the like made you muscular but slow - we have since learned we can put on muscle mass without losing speed and sometimes actually gaining it. Tiger Woods has pioneered (certainly at the highest profile) weight training for golfers and Holyfield did similar things for boxing. Holyfield's scientific bulking up to heavyweight was superbly done (unless i see evidence of artificial assistance) and particularly noteworthy.

    I am by no means saying this means the fighters of today beat era X but modern strength training sure don't hurt them.
     
  12. couch13

    couch13 Member Full Member

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    Maybe you should look up old training techniques, they had thier own forms of weight training that weren't our modern methods, but they were there none-the-less.

    Pulleys- A ton of fighters used them from the early twentieth century until even today, these are a form of weight training as they do have weights on them.

    Shadowboxing with weights- Been happening since the 1900's if thats not weight training in your book then you need to take a basic strength training course.

    Funnythings they did- Many old boxers chopped down trees (weight training right there), rowed boat (counts as any rowing motion in modern gyms), etc

    Existing- During their years before boxing many boxers manual labor jobs count as weight training, Bob Fitzsimmons was a blacksmith, Rocky Marciano worked on a shoe convaery that reqiured physical strenght, Jack Dempsey was a miner and lumberjack all of these are comprable to weight training.

    So they definately weight trained, if not in the perfect modern sense of the term.

    BTW, if trained properly with the right lifts and the proper sets and reps, weight training increases speed, strength and endurance. Thus it helps.
     
  13. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    You can get a proper cardio workout using weights of course, but to find the equivilant of the 12 mile run you'd have to be using prety light resistance and they type of long workout that asks for a muslce pull/very serious stiffness regardless.

    If you are talking of one in exclusion of the the other, cardio is the only sensible choice.
     
  14. RoccoMarciano

    RoccoMarciano Blockbuster Full Member

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    That's the one..
     
  15. RoccoMarciano

    RoccoMarciano Blockbuster Full Member

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    Tiger is hardly a muscle machine, John. He is the GREATEST in golf, ever, to be sure.

    I'm of the ilk that believes a large muscle mass may slow a person regarding longer fights in boxing... very limited energy is consumed in ONE golf swing - and the rest period between swings is quite large.