Bored? Try Boxing

Bored? Hit Something: Boxing Drills for Conditioning
By Eric Patterson, MA, CSCS
For www.EliteFTS.com

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I don’t like the treadmill, elliptical trainer, or stationary bike. I hate spending endless time doing a repetitive motion that I’m supposed to do for my “heart.” You would think that we are finally past the era when you have to separate cardio, weights, and sport-specific training, but we are not. I finally came to a decision that the next person who expresses surprise at my lack of “cardio” will have to actually work out with me. I’m eagerly waiting for that moment.

My “cardio” conditioning comes in the form of boxing drills. I quickly found out two things—“cardio” can be enjoyable and boxing drills will put you on the floor very fast. What awakened my interest in alternate forms of conditioning was kettlebells. Power B (an aspiring heterosexual that many of you are familiar with) sent me an e-mail while I was living abroad and described these ancient torture devices, emphasizing that they are the real deal and will be big.

It took coming back to the States and training with them to understand. They kicked my freakin’ butt. I imagined I was in good shape since I had just set a bench PR at 198 lbs and could occasionally muster up the attitude to rep out a set of 20 deadlifts. One set of kettlebell swings and I was convinced that training had just taken on a whole new perspective. The term conditioning now had meaning.

After a change in my work, I had to come up with a new idea to make some money and fast. I approached Carliss, my training partner, and asked her (see “Kindred Spirit” by B on this site) to teach a pay class with me. This was a leap since I work as a trainer. Group classes were left to aerobics instructors and held no special interest for me. However, money can be a great motivator. Carliss had been going to a boxing gym for the past year and had learned a great deal (she already had a martial arts background). My intention was a conditioning class that combined boxing drills, kettlebell work, and general sports conditioning drills. Ultimate Conditioning was born and has turned out to be a great success.

When we started the class, I knew I had to learn boxing skills. I started paying Carliss for private lessons and found a new respect for boxing training. Carliss was amazing. She worked with me on the mitts for the entire lesson rather than send me over to a jump rope. One minute on the mitts and I was winded with a side-stitch. I was hooked. There is always a new skill to learn, new combination to throw, or new way to put the drills together. The combinations are endless so boredom is never a problem.

Progression

Our goal is to always get better. The question then becomes where to begin? Here are some good workouts to get you going.

Workout One*

One minute on drill, one minute rest. Repeat for about 30 minutes. Perform 2–3 times per week.

After a couple of weeks, decrease the rest time to 30 seconds.

Jump rope: You know this one. Just work at it and you will get better fast. Try tricks like crossing and doubles.
Shadow box: Stand in front of a mirror and throw jabs and crosses, uppercuts, hooks, or combinations. This is form work, but it should be very demanding or you’re not doing it right.
Ab work: Take your pick but do the same movement for one minute.
Heavy bag work: Try these sample drills.
Soft-soft-hard: Throw a jab, cross, then a jab hard. Then throw a cross, jab, then a cross hard, etc. This should work extension. On the hard punch, breathe!

Burn out: Throw jabs and crosses or hooks as hard and fast as you can for one minute.

Body shots up and down the bag: This is self-explanatory.

Note: These drills should be difficult. Keep the hands up and keep working!

Slip rope: Hang a rope about shoulder height. “Slip” under the rope forward and backward. Throw some punches while you do it once you are comfortable. This should be rhythmic. This should get you winded, and if not, you’re going too slow.
Ab work
* Seek out a qualified instructor and have him or her teach you the proper form. It is impossible to do in an article, and bad habits will be difficult to break.

Workout Two

Two minutes on drill, 30 seconds rest. About 45 minutes for the workout.

Jump rope
Speed bag: There are endless combos for this. For the most basic, hit twice with each hand, then 4, 8, and 16 and work back down.
Ring drill: Move in a circle (like you were hugging the ropes in a ring) facing the center. Switch directions on command. Occasionally come in and work moving in and out (shifting your weight back and forth with your hands up).
Ab work: Two movements, one minute each.
Speed bag
Slip rope
Heavy bag work/punch mitts: If you have someone who knows how to do it, work on the punch mitts. If not, use a heavy bag. The person on the mitts should be correcting form and teaching you how to move. Work the bag like you are hitting a person.
Ab work
Agility ladder: Just run different drills. There are some that will help more than others. A great one is to take your stance and work down the ladder hitting all four corners of each square with your lead foot.

Speed bag

Workout Three

Jump rope: Three, three minute rounds and 30 seconds rest
Speed bag: Five minutes
Heavy bag/Punch Mitts: Three, three minute rounds and 30 seconds rest
Rest: Three minutes
Alternate slip rope and shadow box: Three, two minute rounds and 30 seconds rest
Ab work: Five minutes, do whatever you want
These workouts should give you just enough of a taste to decide whether you want to take a big bite or throw it away.

Boxing is a grueling sport and I think most of us would never want to participate in an actual fight in a ring. However, the training is both fascinating and addictive. If you ever want an alternative to your normal conditioning work, try it. I also find that it is great for clients. They think the training is a blast, and it works skill sets that are normally not trained. The transition period in a periodized program is the perfect time for athletes.

If the training does appeal to you, I want to stress that you seek out a qualified professional and learn the skills correctly. This will limit injuries and keep you from having to relearn the skills later.

Teaching boxing conditioning in a class setting presents a wide array of challenges. It is very difficult to make sure 18–25 people are using proper form. Close supervision, patience, and a lot of yelling works well. Here is a sample group class:

Warm-up

There are two groups of about 10 people. We do alternate ring drills and ab work for three, three minute rounds. The only rest is getting to the other station.

Circuit

The class divides into groups of three. Each station has three exercises, which are switched when a runner completes four sprints around the gym. The stations change when all three participants in one group complete the sprints.

Station One: heavy bag, jump rope, speed bag

Station Two: slip rope, jump rope, shadow box

Station Three: Farmers walk with kettlebells, step ups, tubing walks

Station Four: punch mitts, sprints around the gym (this is the timer), body weight squats

Station Five: push ups (all three participants do these and the number is decided by turning over a playing card)

Station Six: punch mitts, side to side over step, jump rope

After everyone has completed all of the exercises, everyone pushes a car around the parking lot. Those not pushing the car perform abdominal work. When all participants have had a turn at the car, class is over.

This class is one of the most enjoyable things that I get to do. Everyone is exhausted and smiling at the end. An interesting note is that no one has ever quit a class except a FEMA worker who stopped by after a tornado hit Evansville.

Eric Patterson has been ranked in the top 10 in the 220 lbs class, but he now chooses to focus on a wide variety of strength and fitness endeavors. He works at Resultz Fitness in Evansville, Indiana and is an aspiring metrosexual.