Working out before boxing

**Katriona1992** · Posted On: 7/05/2011 2:28am

Hey,
So I've found that I've got around two hours in the gym on Friday before the coach actually pops in and was wondering if I should exercise then. I asked a couple of my mates during lunch today and they gave me different opinions.

Friend A: "I think it is essential! By the time class starts, you will be exhausted- which realistically mimics an actual self defense situation at night or the later rounds of boxing!"

Friend B: "No. You will be too tired. You will fall asleep in class or slow everyone else down."

Friend C: "If I were you I would do some basic sit ups, push ups and skipping. Nothing too intense like weights. This way you could have the best of both worlds!"

In your opinion, who is correct and what should I do? A, B and C are used to keep the name of my peers confidential as I have not asked their permission to use them openly in an online forum :P

**erezb** · Posted On: 7/05/2011 2:41am

try working out once and see how you feel in the boxing class. If its too much, well now you know first hand.

**Azatdawn** · Posted On: 7/05/2011 3:01am

I don't think I'd work out to the point of exhaustion. Being too tired could keep you from executing techniques correctly, training might be a lot less fun and you might actually develop bad habits to save energy.

Just a thought.

How much of your usual boxing training consists of skipping, push ups and sit-ups (which I'm not a fan of, I'd think crunches, leg lifts, flutter kicks and other things are better, but what the hell do I know)?

**HereBeADragon** · Posted On: 7/05/2011 3:22am

Some yoga, mobility drills and light technique practice isn't a bad idea before boxing but you don't really want a hard workout before boxing, most coaches will give you a prettt good workout anyway. In my own practice I usually do my workouts on the same days that I hit the boxing, judo and jiu jitsu classes but I try to get my workout in the morning, recovery session in the afternoon and my martial arts classes in the evening.

**gregaquaman** · Posted On: 7/05/2011 7:42am

I do an hours workout twice a week before MMA. Kettlebells, curcuit, Sprints that sort of stuff. At the start I was really dopey and tired in training. I just shut up and trained as hard as I could.

Now I am fitter and people bitch at me because I don't gas out as quick as they do as if it is some sort of special power I have.

If you want to employ your boxing skills for the whole three minutes of a round then you need to be conditioned

**Katriona1992** · Posted On: 7/05/2011 7:32pm

Originally Posted by Azatdawn

I don't think I'd work out to the point of exhaustion. Being too tired could keep you from executing techniques correctly, training might be a lot less fun and you might actually develop bad habits to save energy.

Just a thought.

How much of your usual boxing training consists of skipping, push ups and sit-ups (which I'm not a fan of, I'd think crunches, leg lifts, flutter kicks and other things are better, but what the hell do I know)?

Our class is actually pretty loose (compared to something more formal like kyoukushin) with us doing whatever we want (e.g. some people are hitting the weights, others are skipping, people could hit the pads if they pair up and so on) whilst the coach walks around monitoring and correcting us. The last thirty minutes is when sparring is held- two two minute bouts for noobs like me, three two minute bouts for intermediates and three three minute bouts for competitors (we don't have anyone going pro at our gym).

**yli** · Posted On: 7/05/2011 8:58pm

Exercise and the subsequent exhaustion helps you keep your technique sharp even after you're tired and about to fall over, assuming that you are able to remain focused and loose enough to not make mistakes in your techniques. Since you're trying to use boxing to defend yourself, you need to learn how to operate under duress, and the best way to do that short of getting into 3 bar fights per week is to fight while exhausted.

To prevent from developing bad habits to save energy, you need someone to watch you, whether it is an instructor or a more senior student with sharp eyes and have them correct you if you mess up and are doing something wrong. If you can't get that, then slow down and work at half speed and power to make sure your technique is correct if you have to, but always keep in mind the requirement to able to execute at will under any physical condition.