Top strength and conditioning coach reveals the three exercises no boxer should be without
Building a boxer is a balancing act. Yes, you need muscle, but not so much that it hampers mobility or means an athlete misses weight. Yes, you need endurance, but not so much that an athlete neglects the fast-twitch muscle fibres behind their knockout power.
Instead, coaches must craft a multifaceted training programme capable of balancing the many attributes required by a successful fighter.
Sonny Cannon knows this only too well. The experienced strength and conditioning coach specialises in boxing, with athletes such as Johnny Fisher and Skye Nicolson among his client roster.
He says there are 'still a lot of bad habits in boxing, in terms of training methods', with some athletes wasting time on exercises that offer poor return on investment.
By contrast, there are three exercises that Cannon says should be non-negotiables in pretty much any boxer's training plan, offering impressive bang for your buck.
Trap bar deadlift for developing absolute strength
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Origin gym performance Vo2max & Metabolic Testing. (@theoriginperformance)
Absolute strength is the maximum amount of weight a person can lift for a single repetition – e.g., a one-rep max.
'Absolute strength underpins all power and speed, so developing this is a must for me,' Cannon says. 'In the same way we understand that a good aerobic base is the foundation for the cardio-respiratory system, the same principles apply with absolute strength for our anaerobic energy system and the strength continuum.'
The strength continuum describes the various ways muscles can produce force. It comprises absolute strength, strength speed (the ability to move a relatively heavy load quickly), speed strength (the ability to move a relatively light load quickly and explosively) and absolute speed (the ability to move at maximum speed).
As a boxer, it is imperative to be able to express force across all of these areas. Without a good level of absolute strength, the relative weights you move during more-explosive exercises will feel heavier, leaving you less able to generate speed and power. For this reason, absolute strength lays the foundation for all strength training.
Cannon says the trap bar deadlift, performed with a hex bar, is his go-to method for developing absolute strength. It is a compound exercise that allows you to engage large muscle groups across the upper and lower body while lifting heavy loads. It also puts less stress on the spine than a conventional deadlift, reducing injury risk.
During Jonny Fisher's preparations to take on Dave Allen, his goal was to work up to lifting 2.2 times his body weight. Cannon says this is a solid general target to shoot for.
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Sonny The Cannon (@sonny_cannon_)
Plyometric press-up for developing explosive punching speed and power
Plyometric training involves eccentric loading (the lowering phase of an exercise) followed by an explosive concentric phase (the lifting portion of an exercise), utilising a muscular process called the stretch-shortening cycle.
It is used to develop power by challenging athletes to perform explosive exercises such as jumping and bounding. It should also, says Cannon, be used to target the upper body through exercises like plyometric press-ups.
'This is not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination, but plyometrics can bridge the gap between gains made in the weight room and the ability to generate power and speed,' he explains.
For example, he adds, incorporating plyometric press-ups into your training can carry over to improved punching power.
A 2022 study published in the Journal of Environmental and Public Health set out to see whether 12 weeks of speed strength training (largely plyometric exercises including plyometric press-ups) could improve the punching speed, punching power and punching effectiveness of members of the Chinese women's boxing team.
After a series of pre- and post-study tests on an experimental group and a control group of athletes, researchers reported that the former saw improvements in speed strength.
'With the improvement of the athletes' speed level, the athletes' punching power and punching speed were directly improved so that the athletes could better play the technical characteristics when attacking with straight punch, swinging punch and hook technique,' the study concludes. '[ It also ] improved the athletes' striking effect, thus increasing the possibility of winning the match.'
Fan bike intervals for developing maximum power output and repeat power ability
There are three energy systems; the phosphagen system (prioritised during high-effort, very low-duration activities), the glycolytic system (prioritised during short, intense efforts) and the oxidative system (which uses oxygen to create fuel indefinitely during longer efforts at a moderate intensity or below).
'Boxers generally do some form of strength training and have a good aerobic base,' says Cannon. This latter point means they are capable of taking in and using plenty of oxygen during exercise, allowing them to sustain moderate-intensity, steady-state activities for long periods. '
However, he says that anaerobic training is often a missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to boxing.
He explains: 'Breaking down and understanding the ATP-PC [ or phosphagen ] system, then specifically training this energy system for maximum power output and repeat power ability, is a must for boxing.'
The phosphagen system is the primary energy system used during short (10 seconds or less) explosive efforts such as sprinting, attempting a one-rep max lift or, critically, punching.
A 2023 narrative review of energy system contributions during combat sports, published in the Metabolites journal, states that the phosphagen system accounts for 10 per cent of energy during boxing matches, with the oxidative (or aerobic) system contributing 86 per cent. However, it is explosive movements that often decide a boxing match, so it pays to practise accessing them at any given moment.
The research explains: 'The ATP-PC system has a higher metabolic power (i.e. rate of energy transfer per unit of time) due to a low number of reactions needed to resynthesise ATP, but a low capacity (i.e. total amount of energy that can be released) due to limited substrate stores.'
In other words, it is an immediately available, yet incredibly limited, fuel source. To develop this system, allowing you to generate power quickly and repeatedly, Cannon prescribes intervals on a fan bike.
'I would typically start with a 10-second max effort, followed by 50 seconds of rest, then repeat between 12 and 15 times,' he says.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
44 minutes ago
- The Sun
Galal Yafai reveals beatdowns he took from his older champion brothers knocked him into the fighter he is today
GALAL YAFAI reveals the beatdowns he took from his champion older brothers knocked him into the fighter he is today. Yafai grew up as the youngest boxer in the household and admits it was constant civil war at home older siblings Gamal and Kal. 4 4 4 He told SunSport: "My mum would come in screaming and shouting, we'd always end up fighting but I knew my place when you're like ten years old or nine years old. "Two-three years is a big difference. When they were 13-14 years old and I'm only just 10, it's a big jump. So yeah, I knew my position. I used to get beaten up on a little bit!" Despite taking his fair share of brotherly blows, Yafai admits the real wars came between Kal and Gamal. He said: "They were closer in age and I think they felt sorry for me a little bit because I was a little bit smaller than them. "They had the real big fights and my mum used to come out shouting and it was kind of like hillbilly style. It kind of helped us to get where we got to. "Kal was always better than me, Gamal was always bigger and better so I don't think I ever got the better of everyone really. "I could hold my own, well I could hold my own when I got a bit older, but I think they took it easy on me. "But they always helped me anyway, it helped in my career." Yafai trained as a teenager and watched his older brothers become amateur champions - later replicating that success in the professional ranks. The youngest of the pack only began boxing again at 18 but by 2021 he was on the Olympic champion after packing in his job working in a Land Rover factory. Boxing icon Tyson Fury spotted posing topless in Scots town as he chats with locals Now he is undefeated and 9-0 as a pro - meanwhile ex-world champ Kal, 36, is retired and Gamal, 33, now coaches the younger generation. But Yafai - who returns on Saturday against Francisco Rodriguez Jr in a bid to earn a shot at WBC and WBO champ Kenshiro Teraji - doubts brother Gamal will be part of his corner team - preferring he remains just a fan for now. He said: "My coach Rob McCracken sorts all that out and I just like my brothers being there. They help me just being there and showing me support and having my back. "My brother Kal's been in my corner before as like a second in America. But as long as Rob's in my corner and my brothers are there supporting me, yeah, I'm happy." 4
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
Canelo Alvarez reveals why Terence Crawford is BETTER than Floyd Mayweather… but vows to learn from infamous loss
CANELO ALVAREZ believes Terence Crawford is a BETTER fighter than Floyd Mayweather - the man who handed him his first-ever loss. The Mexican superstar was outclassed over 12 rounds by undefeated great Mayweather in 2013 - while only 23 years old. 3 Fast forward 12 years and Canelo once again faces another undefeated American in Las Vegas - this time Crawford. The mega-fight - streamed on Netflix on September 13 - has drawn comparisons between Canelo's fight with Mayweather over a decade ago. But he said: "I think Crawford is better than Mayweather because he turns his guard to both sides, he's more intelligent. "I think he's better than Floyd Mayweather. That's what I think." Canelo bounced back from defeat to Mayweather - who retired at 50-0 in 2017 - to carve out a Hall of Fame career. But the harrowing points loss is not the the only reason four-division champion Canelo improved so vastly. He said: "I learned in every single fight not just in the Mayweather fight but I learned everything and for every fight. "I'm gonna put all my experience there because I'm gonna need it." 3 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Canelo, 34, defends the super-middleweight titles he regained by beating Cuban William Scull, 32, in May in Riyadh. Crawford, 37, meanwhile returns for the first time since beating Israil Madrimov, 30, last August to win the 154lb WBA title. Terence Crawford says there is 'nothing' Canelo Alvarez can do to beat him.. He is unbeaten at 41-0 having won belts from lightweight to super-welterweight - now attempting to become undisputed champ at THREE weights. And Canelo admitted: "He can use both guards. He can do everything he can counterpunch, move around, he's a complete fighter. "He's gonna be a difficult fight but you know it's nothing new for me." 3
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
England football star Kieran Trippier and his wife 'to divorce' - after he broke his silence on their marriage split
English ace Kieran Tripper and wife Charlotte are divorcing, according to reports. The Newcastle United right-back revealed earlier this week that he split from his wife Charlotte more than a year ago. But a source said that the pair are definitely committed to making the separation permanent, the Sun has now reported. Trippier, 34, married Charlotte in Cyprus in 2016 and the couple have three children togther, Jacob, and two daughters, Esme and Isla. The source said: 'Charlotte has been open with her friends about getting a divorce. She has been seeking legal advice and is keen to move on with her life. 'Kieran is a devoted dad but as a partner it hasn't worked out as Charlotte had hoped. 'She has moved house and started anew, so getting a divorce has been the next logical step. Charlotte wants to keep things as amicable as possible with Kieran.' The 34-year-old football star said on Wednesday in a statement on Instagram stories: 'I feel I have no choice but to confirm publicly that myself and Charlotte separated over a year ago. 'Myself and Charlotte separated over a year ago. I have not commented previously as it is a private matter and we want to protect our children.' Kieran and Charlotte married in 2016 and sources say that they were keen to keep their split a secret so their kids would not have to deal with any upset. However, it has been reported that Charlotte has a new property where she lives without Kieran. Rumours of their split began during last year's Euros in Germany when Charlotte unfollowed her husband on Instagram on the end of the England's final group game. She also did not jet to Germany like other WAGs. She then posted a cryptic message on social media, saying: 'Sooner or later you get over the s*** you swore you'd never get over and it's the best feeling in the world.' Further posts included the caption 'the sun is shining, happy Monday', where Charlotte was seen sitting in the car listening to music while she waited to pick up her children from school. Meanwhile, the footballer, 34, was reportedly seen mingling in Ibiza with another woman this week. The Newcastle United player was spotted partying with Geordie Shore star Chloe Ferry and her pals including Love Island star Jess Harding at Ushuaia club on the White Isle. The sportsman announced his retirement from international football in August last year - with MailOnline revealing how he wanted to to focus on life outside the game following his marriage breakdown. MailOnline has approached representatives of Kieran Trippier for comment, and also Charlotte Trippier.
