Why does GGG blow so heavily between rounds?

[johnswan1]

Anybody else notice this? At the end of each round, even the early ones GGG always seems to be out of breath and blowing really hard with his whole body almost convulsing?

Is it some sort of special Kazakh breathing technique to get as much air into his lungs as possible or is he really that much out of breath at the end of a round, even more so than an opponent who he has just been smashing to pieces?

I've never noticed a lack of stamina or tiredness during any of his fights, it just seems to be between rounds. Odd?

[Ian1973]

It certainly isn't anything negative, he hardly has George Groves style stamina issues. I hadn't really noticed to be honest, I'l look a bit closer next time.

[johnswan1]

Just had a quick look on youtube for an example - go to 4.25 of this video to see him in his corner after first round against Monroe. This continues at the end of every round but gets worse.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBbZDmsb6-M

[ikorolev]

Any MW throwing as many punches would blow heavily.

[tatertots00]

Its an exercise more than anything not. He's obviously not winded

[jamesmcdonnell]

I suspect he is trying to get as much oxygen into his blood between rounds as he can. You're meant to breathe deeply after exertion, it prevents the buildup of metabolytes - I think that's what you call it - Rhino?

[palooka]

In the 'Choke' DVD one of the Gracie's does a similar yoga breathing method to get loads of oxygen in and CO2 out.

[ikorolev]

That's what they do in Eastern marshal arts too. Amateur boxing/wrestling/etc. trainers even use towels to push more air to fighters.

I think I also heard "a deep breath" from Sanchez.

[witherspoon]

I'm pretty convinced by the posters who allude to Eastern martial arts practices and it makes sense in terms of o2/co2 levels in the bloodstream.

Probably not completely relevant, but I am reminded of something I once heard from Michael Spinks, he was being interviewed after his first fight with Holmes. He said that Mackie Shilstone's training routine was so intense, and his fitness level so high, that he didn't feel that he had performed in any particular round during the fight unless he was blowing. He seemed genuinely amazed at how much his fitness had improved.

It was an interesting insight into how modern training techniques compared with a (relatively) old school approach.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I'm pretty convinced by the posters who allude to Eastern martial arts practices and it makes sense in terms of o2/co2 levels in the bloodstream.

Probably not completely relevant, but I am reminded of something I once heard from Michael Spinks, he was being interviewed after his first fight with Holmes. He said that Mackie Shilstone's training routine was so intense, and his fitness level so high, that he didn't feel that he had performed in any particular round during the fight unless he was blowing. He seemed genuinely amazed at how much his fitness had improved.

It was an interesting insight into how modern training techniques compared with a (relatively) old school approach.

I tend to think that the best methods for training for a sport, are to replicate the actions of that sport. Guy's like Ali and Frazier, and going further the back the real old timers who fought until one man was stopped or quit, had no stamina issues.

I know a few conditioners now who say the same, that a lot of these old school methods are extremely effective, like the Wood Chop, or sprint training, although now they don't go chop down trees, they do it on a pulley system as it minimises the risk of injury or obviously, accidentally chopping one of your feet off.

[jamesmcdonnell]

That's what they do in Eastern marshal arts too. Amateur boxing/wrestling/etc. trainers even use towels to push more air to fighters.

I think I also heard "a deep breath" from Sanchez.

In Yoga they advocate it, to purge Co2 which tends to remain in the lower portions of the lungs, which reduces your capacity to take in oxygen.

[Boxing Prospect]

Vitali Klitschko always looked gassed too

[johnswan1]

16.15 in the video is end of round 4 or 5 and he seems to be blowing really very hard.

[Tanzio]

He was blowing hard because he was working hard. Throwing that many jabs and being on guard for every single punch, which is a testament to the respect 3G showed for Lemieux, is draining.

3G was not gassed but he was working 3 minutes of every round.

[Mr Icaman]

If you are not puffing at the end of the round you haven't done enough to win it.

[Shirow]

Never noticed GGG before but it must be an ex soviet training thing cos Povetkin is in this club too

[zojo]

That's what they do in Eastern marshal arts too. Amateur boxing/wrestling/etc. trainers even use towels to push more air to fighters.

I think I also heard "a deep breath" from Sanchez.

In the wrestling aspect, they dip the towel in water before waving in in their face to help cool them off.