TejasT
02-03-2011, 10:49 AM
I come from a family who loves the sweet science. But I'm sorry . . . heavyweight boxing simply sucks these days.
If I had to guess at one reason, it's because the heavyweights are just too big and slow these days. There's no action. No great combinations. Just headhunters looking for a knockout punch.
The lighter divisions are much more exciting in my opinion.
I wonder how much the addition of weight training (and/or "legal" or illegal supplements) has added to the demise of heavyweight boxing. I think back not only to Dempsey, Marciano, Ali, Frazier, but also Tyson. These guys were small compared to modern day heavyweights (OK, not Tyson, but he was a genetic monster).
If you research their routines, you'll find they very rarely touched weights. They also, in my opinion, would put modern heavyweights to shame.
Case in point, here's a Frazier workout (from his book, "Box Like the Pros."). Other guys like Dempsey and Ali followed a similar type training.
Any thoughts?
# # #
Frazier's Routine:
1. First, get into decent shape before going to gym by doing Push Ups, Sit Ups, and Jogging every day. Jog for 30 or 35 minutes (Or run what you can then walk the rest). 3 or 4 Sets of 25 Push-Ups (or as many as you can do) with a minute or minute and a half of rest in between. 3 or 4 Sets of Sit-Ups of as many as you can do comfortably with 25 seconds of rest in between.
2. Once you can Jog the whole 30-35 minutes straight, do 30-35 Pushups straight, and 50-60 Situps straight you switch to gym workouts.
3. Gym workout (typically something like this -- see his book for more detail). This is 5 days/week.
Loosen Up/Stretch: 2 Rounds
Shadowbox: 2 Rounds
Spar: 2-5 Rounds
Heavy bag: 3 Rounds
Speed bag: 3 Rounds
Double-end bag: 2 Rounds
Jump Rope: 15 Minutes
Calisthenics
If I had to guess at one reason, it's because the heavyweights are just too big and slow these days. There's no action. No great combinations. Just headhunters looking for a knockout punch.
The lighter divisions are much more exciting in my opinion.
I wonder how much the addition of weight training (and/or "legal" or illegal supplements) has added to the demise of heavyweight boxing. I think back not only to Dempsey, Marciano, Ali, Frazier, but also Tyson. These guys were small compared to modern day heavyweights (OK, not Tyson, but he was a genetic monster).
If you research their routines, you'll find they very rarely touched weights. They also, in my opinion, would put modern heavyweights to shame.
Case in point, here's a Frazier workout (from his book, "Box Like the Pros."). Other guys like Dempsey and Ali followed a similar type training.
Any thoughts?
# # #
Frazier's Routine:
1. First, get into decent shape before going to gym by doing Push Ups, Sit Ups, and Jogging every day. Jog for 30 or 35 minutes (Or run what you can then walk the rest). 3 or 4 Sets of 25 Push-Ups (or as many as you can do) with a minute or minute and a half of rest in between. 3 or 4 Sets of Sit-Ups of as many as you can do comfortably with 25 seconds of rest in between.
2. Once you can Jog the whole 30-35 minutes straight, do 30-35 Pushups straight, and 50-60 Situps straight you switch to gym workouts.
3. Gym workout (typically something like this -- see his book for more detail). This is 5 days/week.
Loosen Up/Stretch: 2 Rounds
Shadowbox: 2 Rounds
Spar: 2-5 Rounds
Heavy bag: 3 Rounds
Speed bag: 3 Rounds
Double-end bag: 2 Rounds
Jump Rope: 15 Minutes
Calisthenics