Tense shoulder(s) while sparring, mitwork, bagwork, shadowbo

[Zokal]

Hello!

I have a little problem which i've been struggling with almost since i began boxing!

I have a pretty mixed style, I feel most comfortable in the philly-shell defence, and bring my offence mostly
out off counters, and potshots

Anyway! Im an orthodox boxer, so I use my left shoulder to cover my chin (Left side of face)
and the right glove is on the side of my face, I've noticed that every time I spar, or doing some mit work
with my trainer, My left trap gets pumped as hell, aswell as as i tire in my shoulders quicker than most
I understand that If you drag your shoulder up for defence you eventually get tired, but when i'm doing mitwork
i sometimes try to just keep it down, but it automaticly goes up, and i just feel stiff in both of my shoulders

I'm not nervous, or tense or anything like that, I try to relax jump up and down, beeing "loose"
but eventually I end up pretty tense in my stance and rely on my footwork and waist-movement to get out of harms way
(Style is pretty similar to Guillermo Rigondeaux, not that I compare myself to him but just to give you the idea)

Anyway, what im asking is for tips, exercises, ANYTHING to just
make me relax in my shoulders, i bring both my shoulders up during shadowboxing and mitwork and keeping them up
like that makes them tire so much faster than they shoulder

So i'm open for all suggestions and tips



kind regards
Patrick

[stevieb_8006]

I would consider studying your breathing habits during training.

[TempleSlave]

As great sport as boxing is, it's pretty bad for shoulders/posture issues.
I'd do some external rotator cuff exercises, either with cables or free weights.