Roadwork vs Sprints

[TheFightingMind]

Hey guys,

I'm 17 years old male, Amateur Novice boxer with 9 fights currently.

I compete with 2 mins x 3 rounds and in a couple of fights I will be in Open Class soon which is 3 mins x 3 mins. soon after that I will be Elite Class with no headgear.

I would like to be in my best condition because when your in the ring if you have no legs your basically fresh meat.

During sparring I wouldn't get tired, I guess my sparring partners and I pace ourselves but we still exert effort but during my fight on the weekend that just past I felt my legs gave out at the last round.

My style requires lots of energy because I'm usually in my tippy toes going in and out, in a fast pace.

I usually recognize during the fight that my legs would give out first out of all my body parts.

I go to the gym regularly 4 out of the 7 days of the week and I would do some roadwork when I have time to, if I don't have school work.

I tried many styles of running and sprints but im not really sure what's good for me as an amateur boxer.

1) My eldest brother (former amateur boxer) told me that I should run for an hour at a slow speed. but I tend to run a bit faster than he recommended. and it seems to be more time consuming and pro-style which I'm not.

2) Also my bro said a couple weeks before a fight he said to implement sprints which he called tapering

3) In addition, some of my teammates tell me to run for 30 minutes and slow

4) I also heard only do sprints

Please educate me on the benefits on the type of these 4 types of running and which would suit my amateur style so i can fight 3rd round with better legs

and also give a sprinting workout routine

Thank you in advance

[Richard P]

Sprints over a 10km plod any day. if you want to try to simulate a fight (if that's at all possible) sprinting at 100% effort for 10-15 seconds getting your heart bpm above 140 then jog for 20 secs then sprint then jog etc with the heart rate staying high then going through the roof then staying high going through the roof and so on and so on, is much more realistic than your heart rate staying at a constant 100 or 110 over 30 mins.

Tell me the last time you ever had a fight where your heart rate was a constant beat throughout the rounds? The answer is never, the fluctuating up and down, highs and not so highs are more fight realistic.

That doesn't mean to say roadwork doesn't have its place. A fast sub 20min 5km first thing in the morning to get loose and attack body fat and kick start motabalism I think still has a place in modern boxing

[Ray Corso]

When it comes to leg and lung work your going to need to try different running programs and compare them to others you use. Sorry but there is NO right answer for road work time duration.
I can tell you it is wise to mix in sprints with your base road work and definitely a change of surfaces will help too.
When I lived in New Haven Ct. I'd have fighters prepping for tourney's jog 8 to 10 telephone pole lengths then sprint 2 lengths.
Inclines and declines and of course a boxer step side ways and some backwards slow jogging too.
Hands always up to at least chest height and shoulder height.

You need to experiment with a variety of schedules and pay attention to your body and which ones are more beneficial.
It takes time to figure all this out, probably 4 to 5 months when comparing. I think 3 routines is a good start for someone your age. I was a Junior Olympic coach in Colo. and I have a good amount of experience taking experienced J.O. boxers into the Open Class and theres nothing wrong with being aware of the 22 year old multi-experienced boxer someone wants to match you with.
Hopefully your trainer knows the competition and more importantly the trainers in the region who are watching out for ALL the young man and not just their own.
Being too brave is border line ****** when your 16 & 17 yrs old.
I know a lot about what I'm telling so be prepared to fight but no when not to until you mature a bit more.
There are Open Class guys you can can be competitive with but there's always one you need to go after at a later date. Most of what I'm preaching is on your trainer but nothing like gaining some knowledge on all aspects of the game.
Interested to know what your weight is as you start your 30 day training and where you wind up at.

Ray

[Mr.MojoRisin']

Sprints target your legs and long distance roadwork targets heart and lungs. No laws saying you can't combine both into routine. You are only going to be able to sprint 1 or 2 times per week at first then after while maybe 3 at most.

[TheFightingMind]

When it comes to leg and lung work your going to need to try different running programs and compare them to others you use. Sorry but there is NO right answer for road work time duration.
I can tell you it is wise to mix in sprints with your base road work and definitely a change of surfaces will help too.
When I lived in New Haven Ct. I'd have fighters prepping for tourney's jog 8 to 10 telephone pole lengths then sprint 2 lengths.
Inclines and declines and of course a boxer step side ways and some backwards slow jogging too.
Hands always up to at least chest height and shoulder height.

You need to experiment with a variety of schedules and pay attention to your body and which ones are more beneficial.
It takes time to figure all this out, probably 4 to 5 months when comparing. I think 3 routines is a good start for someone your age. I was a Junior Olympic coach in Colo. and I have a good amount of experience taking experienced J.O. boxers into the Open Class and theres nothing wrong with being aware of the 22 year old multi-experienced boxer someone wants to match you with.
Hopefully your trainer knows the competition and more importantly the trainers in the region who are watching out for ALL the young man and not just their own.
Being too brave is border line ****** when your 16 & 17 yrs old.
I know a lot about what I'm telling so be prepared to fight but no when not to until you mature a bit more.
There are Open Class guys you can can be competitive with but there's always one you need to go after at a later date. Most of what I'm preaching is on your trainer but nothing like gaining some knowledge on all aspects of the game.
Interested to know what your weight is as you start your 30 day training and where you wind up at.

Ray

I'm a naturally a 113 pounder competing at 56kg (123 lbs). No one is ever at 52kg thats why. but when i turn open im trying to slim down and cut weight so i can compete at 49kg (108 lbs) because the guys i fight with have bigger, taller body frames and will be dangerous to fight in that weight class eventually

[Ray Corso]

Why not (52kg) at 112lbs. Flyweight Open Class?
If you can cut the 5lbs. for 49kg. and make it for daily weigh ins then fine but being at your strongest weight is always best!
(108 to 112 in minimal difference) If your concerned over 4 pounds your over thinking it!

Ray

[TheFightingMind]

Why not (52kg) at 112lbs. Flyweight Open Class?
If you can cut the 5lbs. for 49kg. and make it for daily weigh ins then fine but being at your strongest weight is always best!
(108 to 112 in minimal difference) If your concerned over 4 pounds your over thinking it!

Ray

I know. i could easily stay at 52 kg and compete. I'm fit very fit and muscular for my size but still have room to loose a bit of fat.

During the summer, i'm trying stay consistent with my roadwork. Also, i'm planning to do like a short 20 mins run in the morning before i go to school because like you said it will attack the fat in my body because nothing is left in your system to eat. I haven't been running consistently ill tell you that. The past months have been cold up here in T Dot and i'm weak to go outside and run in the cold recently because a year ago in my grade 11 year i would run consistently and would be like 111 lbs but than again i'm still growing I am in hibernation mode lmao.

Also, i need to have a strict proportionate healthy meals throughout the day because right now I eat healthy but i tend to eat a lot after my workouts and other meals in the day. In addition, I usually hit the gym and start working out by 7:00pm and leave like 8:45pm. So when arrive home, clean gear, shower I would eat my post-workout meal around 10:00pm (1hr and a half before my sleep) and my assumption is that my post-workout meals are late and large proportions which could contribute to development of small fat = weight gain while i sleep.

imgur.com/a/WhDJk

^^^^^ Flexing & Non-flexing pictures of me 5'3, 113lbs, 17 year old.

I'm very fit but i could be in better shape probably very ripped if i were to cut and consistently do some roadwork and in a strict diet.

Some comments? and thanks.

[Furn]

long slow runs that makes you an efficient energy converter, in other words you can turn glucose from various sources and oxygen into ATP (energy).

This isn't of great use unless you are competing in an endurance sport, which boxing only really becomes in long fights.

sprints or (HIIT) high intensity interval training will help you with repeated short bursts of high intensity and help you recover from them and go agin.

This is better suited to boxing, especially short fights but it also will require a longer recovery period so isn't something you want to do everyday.

I would suggest doing HIIT every 3 days maybe but going really hard. So go to a football field and sprint from goalline to goalline then walk around the side of the field and sprint again. Do this til you want to throw up. then do it some more, go side to side in you cant keep going. You also want to not have too much on the next day training wise.

Then if you want and are planning to move up to longer fights someday do some long slow runs on the days in between just to build up your endurance.

[Cheek busting]

I know. i could easily stay at 52 kg and compete. I'm fit very fit and muscular for my size but still have room to loose a bit of fat.

During the summer, i'm trying stay consistent with my roadwork. Also, i'm planning to do like a short 20 mins run in the morning before i go to school because like you said it will attack the fat in my body because nothing is left in your system to eat. I haven't been running consistently ill tell you that. The past months have been cold up here in T Dot and i'm weak to go outside and run in the cold recently because a year ago in my grade 11 year i would run consistently and would be like 111 lbs but than again i'm still growing I am in hibernation mode lmao.

Also, i need to have a strict proportionate healthy meals throughout the day because right now I eat healthy but i tend to eat a lot after my workouts and other meals in the day. In addition, I usually hit the gym and start working out by 7:00pm and leave like 8:45pm. So when arrive home, clean gear, shower I would eat my post-workout meal around 10:00pm (1hr and a half before my sleep) and my assumption is that my post-workout meals are late and large proportions which could contribute to development of small fat = weight gain while i sleep.

imgur.com/a/WhDJk

^^^^^ Flexing & Non-flexing pictures of me 5'3, 113lbs, 17 year old.

I'm very fit but i could be in better shape probably very ripped if i were to cut and consistently do some roadwork and in a strict diet.

Some comments? and thanks.

You're 5'3'" no man should be under 5'8''

Consider suicide.

[TheFightingMind]

You're 5'3'" no man should be under 5'8''

Consider suicide.

lol i was considering that too thanks