Me Starting Training Again.

[TheGreatBoxer]

I used to be an Amateur Boxer, but have not Boxed for 3 years.

Over the last three years due to some stressing issues, I have fallen into a bad place and have a Nicotine habit, I have just started running again and can do about 2 miles.

I plan to ditch the Nicotine, as for many years I was not a smoker.

What are you suggestions for a Training Regime to get Fighting Fit Again, I would like to fight again next year.

[Kalan]

Running 2 miles does not cut it... Run 5 miles and just keep working on getting your time down to 30 minutes if it takes 2 or 3 years... Alternatively you can run for 30 minutes -- but just keep improving the distance you can cover in that time until you can do 5 miles. Might take years.

For me, if you box amateur you train like a pro... Total 100% commitment with plans, goals, and time tables in place. Run early in the morning... Eat a slightly heavier meal at noon or lunch so you can eat lighter in the evening.. Eat right after work, even if you have to make the meal the previous night and keep it in your car.. That way, once you drive to the gym, dress in your gym duds and put on your wraps, your supper is already settling. Some people can eat late at night and have no trouble sleeping like a baby -- but that's not most people and probably not you.

Start with shadow boxing for about 20 minutes straight. Use a full length mirror and work on form. Then skip rope for a few rounds. Hit the speed bag next. Tear into the heavy bag next. Next do the double-end bag. Then work the mitts with a good mitt man.. Finish your workout with sparring if you can, but sometimes you can't do that.. Sometimes you have to spar when the gyms best or greatest boxers want to spar.. They decide that.. Spar anytime anyone gets ready to spar because it's your highest value workout.. When you leave the boxing gym go to a great weight training gym that has tons of weights, machines, snakepit rooms, and conditioning devices of all sorts and varieties.. Use Bosu balls to develop balance and footspeed.. Use YouTube to develop routines.. Don't do barbell presses or barbells for anything.. benchpress with dumbbells so you isolate the triceps and can turn your wrists like a punch. Do presses tight. Don't use barbells for curls.. do them with dumbbells while turning your wrist in an up alternating hands. Don't do squats with a barbell on your shoulders. They can wreck your knees. Use the leg press machine and do shallow squats. 1/3rd bend instead of full squats. When you box you rarely bend your knees more than a third of the way. use machines that develop your back, abs, obliques, and torso strength in general. A brutally powerful torso and lower back gives you great power.. Experiment and keep revising your routines for a few months, or longer.

Work out for 40 minutes to an hour in the weight training gym -- drive home and go to bed.

If you're a boxer live for the weekends.. You have 16 to 20 hours to have fun so plan them very well.. Don't do crap during the week if you want to be great.

Every Sunday night do a couple of hours of planning - if that's your day off training.. Planning is as important a commitment as driving to the gym for an hour and an hour back every day if that's what you have to do.. How well did you meet your weekly goal? Be honest ... Revise and replan your goals for the next week.. Where do you want to be in a month and in 6 months??? In a year and in 5 years??? That time passes in a flash if you don't plan, plan, and plan

[northern]

Honestly it all depends where you are physically at the moment before you can start fighting again, if you're kicking the smoking habit, well done to you for taking it seriously and getting that knocked on the head early.

As for running, it depends if you're up to it immediately or if you need to build up your mileage again, start slow, walking or hiking long distances to get used to moving for long periods of time and jogging to build your strength. For hiking or walking it's even better if you have weights you can add (Weight vest, wrist and ankle weights), it's not a popular way to train but it works to get your body stronger and at a easier pace while you get back into things and recover.

Otherwise it depends where you are with training. Are you back in the same Gym you were in before or are you somewhere new all together ? If you trust the coaches, keep them in the loop and take on board all they are recommending you do to get into fighting shape.

also if you're looking for extra motivation, i'd say look into running clubs or some form of challenges locally to you. Running clubs sound boring I know but the training environment even at beginner level is a good motivational atmosphere to improve and have people around you as you do.
Local challenges though, look at things like Big obstacle courses or any events that are based outdoors that really do challenge you and you have fun doing them, once you reach the end of them they do give you that sense of achievement and in yourself you'll know your getting stronger thanks to the effort you're putting in.

For training on your own there are dozens of training apps you can download and some can be pretty challenging, I'd recommend any that stick to bodyweight exercises since you essentially are your own gym then or any workouts that have a military inspired training programme, those regularly set tests for you to measure your progress while still being pretty challenging to get you fit to fight.

[devon runner]

Really good post Northern

Me I have been a distance runner for 35 years and run everyday but spend more time following boxing now than I do following athletics ! So If your looking for an almost 50 year old light middle weight that is flat footed and slow you know where to find me
Or maybe I could sweep the gym floor !

While the OPs fitness may not be up there now it wont take long and your suggestions of using hiking to help bring on the fitness is always too over looked and because of the nature of it ,it is considered to be of no use .
The hiking actully builds the muscle up but importantly trains the system to develop that slow burn of energy required for when the athlete finally makes it upto the weekly long run .
Increasing running distance by 15 % a week should work well with out the risk of injury along with a 6 mile walk to begin with .This walk can become a run over time

You point about joining a running club is a really good idea over the years I have seen amateur boxers benefit from being a club member quite a few times at the end of the day the hardest thing to get motivated for as a boxer is normally the long run especially on a winters day
Back in the 70s here in Cullompton Devon (if you know it) the running club was a boxing /running club and that worked really well

[Oiky]

I've been building fitness up lately (and getting ripped) by sprinting.

Just find a big open place and set a distance , sprint as fast as you can then stop for 30 secs (as you do it more often you'll cut down rest time)

Sprinting is great for fitness and would recommend it over your 2mile jog