BoxRec

After almost a quarter century absence, I went back to running steps here http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/d ... story.html within the last hour. It's one of the hardest and most rewarding exercises there is. Started today with 6 consecutive sprints up 55 stairs (not ready for the whole thing yet since I'm 56) then walked up and down to the top a few times, walked the trails for about 45 minutes then did 2 more sprints up stairs. Feel great !

Don't run steps... It busts your ass and It's great for your wind, but it doesn't improve your sprinting speed or punching power... A rock climber may want to run steps, not a boxer.. Build a couple stands with notches you can adjust a bar higher or lower like a high-jump bar or limbo bar.. You start with the bar 3 or 4 feet off the ground, or whatever you can jump over fairly easily with a standing jump. Grass is a good jumping surface, or use or a tumbling mat.

Jump back and forth over the bar with as few foot adjustments as possible (land and take off) for up to 30 jumps. You might start with 6, 8, 10, or 12 jumps. Make your landings as soft as possible and your take offs as explosive as possible. As you get better in the air with more accurate twists, turns and landings, you'll want to move the bar higher. But spend a few weeks at 1 height and don't adjust the bar higher too quickly. Clear it very easily 30 X in a minute first before jacking it up an inch or 2. Don't do more than 30 or whatever you can get done in 1 minute, and you'll get a lot faster at it with practice and have more control, balance, a softer landing, and more springing power. Use a stop watch.

Another thing boxers neglect, besides plyometric jumps, is wind sprints. Do 100 meter sprints 95% full out with 1 minute rests for up to 12... Do the sprints backwards too, because they help build stronger footwork, balance and better control as you do them better, smoother, and faster. Use a stop watch.