Boxing training

Boxing training is the training method that boxers use in order to get more fit for their sport. This training method is often cited by medical doctors, boxing trainers, and writers as one of the most spartan forms of sports training.Fact|date=February 2007

Training

A boxer's training depends largely on the point in their career at which she or he is situated. If the boxer is just a beginner, a minimal training routine might consist of learning how to hit the heavy bag, the speed bag, and the double end bag (a small bag with a cord on top and bottom connecting it to the floor and ceiling) as well as doing shadowboxing in front of a mirror, skipping, sit ups or crunches, push ups, back pull ups, pull ups and jogging every day, as well as an occasional practice bout inside the ring (sparring).

For the amateur or professional boxer preparing for a competition or bout, however, training is much more stringent. This could include getting up at 5 am to jog, flying to a far away place to get isolated during 2 or more months before the fight, dieting, doing the same gym routine as a beginner, only that twice every day, and getting to the city hosting the fight two weeks before the fight to get used to the location's climate. Boxing is widely considered one of the most physically demanding sports in the world.

While fighters often go sightseeing in the places they go to for fights, they usually prefer to leave most sightseeing activities to the day after the fight, where they usually still have one full day free before returning home. They prefer to wait until then, because in the days before the fight they want to keep training to stay in good shape and make sure they will have the right weight during the weigh-in.

Weight

Boxing, like several other fighting sports, categorizes its competitors into weight classes. Some fighters try to take advantage of this by dieting before weigh-in so that they can be bumped down a weight class. In extreme cases, a fighter may forgo solid food before the official weigh-in ceremony, and eat a lot afterward to compensate. In some very extreme cases, boxers have been forced to stop eating solid food up to three days before the weigh-in ceremony, in order to make weight for the fight. Sometimes, if a boxer doesn't make the weight agreed for on the first weight-in, he or she might go to a sauna or to jog with a jacket to sweat and lose the extra pounds, however this is mainly water that the body holds.

A boxer will generally try to have the maximum weight possible within the Boxing weight classes (s)he is fighting in, as a good boxer will be able to use his weight to his advantage.

Sparring

High quality sparring is the best method to train in boxing. Sparring is "practice fighting" with the aim of training skills and fitness, not to determine a winner. Sparring should always involve use of a gumshield, head-guard and groin-guard. Sparring gloves are often more padded than gloves used in actual bouts (gym sparring gloves will be 14 or 16 ounce). Sparring partners sometimes agree to practice particular types of punches or defense moves to focus their training.

Body Sparring refers to sparring where only hits to the body are allowed, not to the head. This is often used to reduce the risk of injury or for inexperienced boxers starting out in the sport.

Equipment

Basic boxing training equipment includes:

Safety Equipment

*Hand wraps: Protect the knuckles and wrists when training and sparring.
*Speed Bag Gloves: Created to prevent the hands from getting hurt while hitting the speed bag, these gloves are the lightest gloves, yet offer more protection than hand wraps alone.
*Heavy Bag Gloves: Created to prevent the hands from getting hurt while hitting the heavy bag, these gloves are lighter than boxing gloves but heavier than speed bag gloves, and are insulated for your knuckles to reducing the risk of wrist, hand, and knuckle injury while hitting the Heavy bag.
*Sparring Gloves: Contrary to popular belief, these gloves were designed to protect the boxer's hands, not the opponent's head. Generally weigh much more than professional fight gloves in order to cushion blows and accustom boxers to added weights.
*Headgear: Used to protect boxers from soft tissue damage, (bruises, cuts, etc), during sparring - also used in competition in amateur boxing. Head gear offers no protection from the effects of hard punches (stunning, knockdowns, KOs). It is important that boxers are aware of this otherwise headgear can produce a false sense of security leading a boxer to take punches rather than defend himself or herself.
*Groin Guard: Protects the groin against low punches
*Mouthpiece: (Sometimes known as gumshield, mouthguard). Used to protect the inside of the mouth and lips from getting cut by the teeth when a hard punch to the face is received. The mouthguard also helps to lock the top and bottom jaws together preventing painful damage to the jaw joint capsule when a boxer is struck by a hook. Important that it is worn in both sparring and competition.

Training Equipment

*Jump Rope: Used to improve footwork and agility, and for aerobic fitness. also helps maintain stamina
*Focus mitts: Padded targets worn on the trainer's hands for the boxer to strike and practice combinations.
*The Heavy Bag: Used to teach young boxers where exactly to hit an opponent and for all kinds of boxers to practice their combinations.
*The Speed Bag: Used to improve hand speed and hand-eye coordination.
*The Double End Bag: Also known as the floor-ceiling bag, crazy bag, or the reflex bag, the double end bag is hooked up by two thin elastic ropes to the gym's ceiling and floor, and because of that, it moves around easily, giving the boxer good equipment for target practice and timing.
* The Maize Bag: Used to practice head movement and close-range combinations, such as uppercut/hook combinations.
* The Slam man: Used to practice combinations of punches on a human shaped bag
*The Medicine Ball: Used for plyometric training - often used when training in pairs (quick throwing/passing of the ball) or with a trainer.
*The Mirror: Used by boxers to do shadow boxing.
*The Boxing Ring: When boxers are training, used to stage practice or competition bouts.

References