Page 76 - Fighting Fit: Boxing, Workouts, Techniques, and Sparring

Part two: Drills

Build up, leave nothing behind

Training should gradually incorporate all six training
exercises listed to the left. Boxers do not drop any
parts of the program as they progress.Always start with
mirror training and work your way to the more
advanced stuff. Remember, basic fundamentals are the
foundation of good boxing.Work on them every time.

If need be, develop technical and physical skills
up to six months before sparring. Work rounds of
mirror training and bag drills first.

When you know and have grooved punches, defensive
moves and footwork on the bag, add partner drills to
your routine. In time, you will develop enough famil-
iarity with partner drills to add flow drills to the mix.

Sparring comes last.Your first sparring rounds should
have specific training goals in mind — for example,
one boxer works defense and the other offense.And
sparring is not a free-for-all. Each boxer brings a plan
into the ring based on training and development needs.

Three minutes on, one minute off
Drills should be performed by the round.A round of
boxing is three minutes. Rounds are separated by one
minute of rest.Three rounds of continuous punching is
generally considered a significant workout. Building up
to 6, 8, 10 and beyond rounds of working out, mark
substantial gains in boxing fitness.

One day hard, one day easier
Everybody’s different.Work rounds until you are tired
every other day. Give yourself easier days in between.

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