The fitness program with punch but minus the lumps and bumps!

By Mike James

Pull unlike Marlon Brando in “On the Waterfront” our aim is to be pretenders, not contenders in the boxing stakes.

If someone mentions the word boxing, chances are your thoughts will turn to the fistic deeds of world famous pugilists like Muhammad Ali, or the exploits of celluloid heroes like Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky Balboa" or Marlon Brando in the 1950's classic, "On the Waterfront".

You probably either like or loathe boxing. Many people are thrilled at the prospect of two individuals of equal weight displaying skill, courage and strength, in this ultimate "one on one" contest. Others revile boxing for its primitive display of brute force and naked aggression and point W the dire consequences it can have for the health of its competitors.

Indeed there is no sadder sight in sport today than ex heavy weight champion, Muhammad Ali, who in his prime, was a truly beautiful and gifted athlete, who could "float like a butterfly and sting like a bee". Today he is a muttering, incoherent shadow of a man with a shuffling gait and permanent tremor in his limbs.

 

No matter how you view it boxing is unquestionably one of the most physically demanding contact sports. Boxers require superior levels of aerobic fitness, strength, muscular endurance and flexibility together with excellent hand-eye coordination, speed, reflexes and manual dexterity.

Until now boxing training has remained a relatively secret science, revealed only to the select few whose main aim is to compete in the ring. The traditional image is of an overcrowded, sweaty gym in a refurbished warehouse or factory, patronized only by men with leering eyes and bad intentions.

Gymnasiums and health clubs throughout America and now Australia are incorporating boxing training into a new and exciting format called "Boxacise". Many sporting teams are taking advantage of the principles and skills involved to supplement their pre and post season training. Most Australian Rules and Rugby League teams use boxing as a year round conditioner, warm up modality and mental toughener.

Boxacise is also useful for the average person wanting to increase his or her level of fitness, or add variety to an existing program. The advantage this form of training has over others is that it is a total body workout which also helps improve the motor skills required for superior sports performance. The speedball and floor to ceiling balls are particularly good for developing reflexes, lateral body movement and hand-eye coordination.

With Boxacise, there is no sparring so we can avoid emerging from a session with black eyes, blood noses and bruised egos. Unlike Marlon Brando our aim is to be "pretenders, not contenders" in the boxing stakes.

Boxacise training takes the form of a circuit involving the traditional boxing equipment including skipping ropes, speed balls, medicine balls, punching bags and floor to ceiling balls.

The work/rest ratio employed depends on the person's present level of fitness and proficiency with the equipment. The beginner may find it hard to maintain a rhythm with the speed and floor to ceiling balls.

For this reason it is worthwhile incorporating a few aerobic stations like cycling, rowing or rebounders to help elevate the heart rate and obtain a training effect. For beginners 2 minute work, 20 -30 second rest ratio can be employed.

For the more advanced who can work the various apparatus with a fair degree of skill, a slightly longer work and rest ratio can be employed, for example, a 3 minute work, 10 second rest ratio.

The Circuit

The circuit should be preceded by a 5 -10 minute total body warm up, paying special attention to stretching and loosening of the shoulders, lower back, calves and leg adductors.

There can be as many as 25 stations. An area the size of a squash court or slightly bigger is ideal. The order of exercise is not important but it may be advisable to alternate aerobic, upper and lower body exercise to avoid repetition strain of one particular muscle group -for example, bike, speedball, skipping, floor to ceiling, rebounder. Boxing mitts should also be worn to avoid hurting the hands and wrists. Before starting, let's see how we can best use each apparatus to satisfy our own specific fitness requirements.

The Speedball

This is an excellent way to improve hand-eye coordination and strength in the shoulders and arms. Boxers require shoulder strength to help hold their gloves up, throw punches and pull the hand back quickly for defense.

The speedball also has many other sporting applications and is used extensively in training by sprinters requiring faster arm action and by racquet sports players to improve reflexes, timing and hand-eye coordination. There are many different ways of using the speedball.

For beginners it is important not to be mesmerized by the ball's erratic movements. Keep your eyes focused on the ball, hands held at shoulder height and start slowly. Try and hit through the ball. You will eventually get a rhythm. As you become more proficient you will be able to increase speed.

The Heavy Bag

It is essential that boxing gloves be worn here to avoid jarring the hands. Commence with light, glancing blows employing the basic jab and straight arm punches. As you become more proficient, move on to other punches like the hook and uppercut. This is very taxing aerobic training if done continuously for the 2 -3 minute round. As you improve, experiment with various jab, hook, and uppercut combinations in a fast non-stop manner to help anaerobic conditioning.

It is important to have the correct stance so as to not waste energy. Stand with feet shoulder width apart, left foot slightly forward. Keep on the ball of your back foot. Your back foot will act as a motor, keeping you balanced and generating power. Your front foot will be like a rudder allowing you to transfer weight and force from the back foot.

The Floor to Ceiling Ball

This is an extremely difficult apparatus to master but excellent for speed, reflexes and lateral body movement. Don't be surprised if the ball springs back and hits you in the face on your first try. Remember you are working the ball, it's not working you. Attack it with a left jab and a straight right. (Right jab then straight left for left handers.)

The Light Bag

You can practice more forceful punches here. Punch in combination. Move around the bag as it swings. Try moving in close to the bag and punching rapidly in a milling type of motion. This is an excellent aerobic conditioner. Most of us have some idea how to skip from our childhood days. Use a similar shuffling motion of the feet and try to let your arms and wrists do most of the work. Beginners should start slowly here as the calves and ankles may suffer soreness from the jarring.

The most important thing to note about all this equipment is that it takes time to master. Don't worry if you can't seem to get the speedball, floor to ceiling and skipping going at a mile-a-minute. They all require a great deal of patience and persistence. You will feel awkward at first but remember -Stallone trained for years to reach his level of proficiency for the conditioning scenes in "Rocky".

Some Useful Tips

Boxing experience is great but not a necessary qualification for your instructor but he or she should be a good motivator who knows the various skills and is patient in teaching beginners the basics. It is important for an instructor to know how to structure a circuit to get the maximum fitness benefits. Your instructor should be totally aware that the focus is on improved fitness and coordination, not golden gloves status.

DO

• Incorporate some abdominal exercises - for example, medicine ball sit-ups and some light weight training movements.

• Include some rhomboid fly's to help stretch and strengthen the rear shoulder area which is often rounded by the typical boxing stance.

• Wear boxing gloves or mitts for hand protection and have your own pair for hygiene. Strapping the hands may also be useful.

• Warm up and cool down paying particular attention to stretching the shoulders, chest, leg adductors and lower back.

DON'T

• Become frustrated

• Try and emulate Sugar Ray Leonard on your first try. Your hands will come off second best.

• Give Boxercise a go and put some punch and power into your exercise program. Many gymnasiums throughout the country now have Boxacise classes. In

Melbourne, former Australian Olympian, Des Duguid conducts classes at the Australian Boxing Academy and Northcote YMCA.