WELCOME TO ULTIMATE COACHING FOR COMBAT SPORTS

Thank you for taking part in this Ultimate Coaching for Combat Sports workshop provided by High
Performance Education in association with Boxing Science.
We started sharing our training methods online back in 2014, coinciding with our original research and
cohort of local amateur boxers. Since then, we’ve worked with top level professionals, aspiring
amateurs, and engaged with people from all over the world and still have a burning passion to continue
the positive impact we’ve had on the sport.
In 2017 we launched our coaching workshops and we were amazed that 20 coaches invested their
time and money to learn from us. Since then, we have delivered to over 500 coaches from all over the
world, and even taken it to international locations.
The workshops are one of our favourite parts of Boxing Science as we get to share in-depth
information with passionate coaches, helping improve their understanding and application of world
class training methods in any training environment.
Due to popular demand, we are now publishing this course ONLINE so our methods can be learned,
taught and applied ANYWHERE in the world.

WHO ARE BOXING SCIENCE?

Boxing Science provides cutting-edge training to boxers and combat athletes worldwide; we are at the
forefront of academic research in combat sports and deliver educational programs to boxers and
coaches using our insights from elite performance and pioneering research.
Our sport science practitioners have over 25 years of experience from grass-roots to elite
performance, and we are proud to have worked with hundreds of professional and amateur boxers,
including World, International, Commonwealth, European, British and regional champions.
We have developed our unique insights into the preparation of boxers through rigorous scientific
exploration of the key factors that underpin boxing performance. Our physical performance tests
enable us to identify the characteristics required for successful performance and analyse these in detail
on an individual level. This scientific approach helps us to plan and deliver training programmes with
precision and unlock an athletes potential. Read more about the team on page 100.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 2

HOW DOES THIS COURSE WORK?
The course can be completed in any order, and at your own time. However, we have put together this
e-book in an appropriate order that is highlighted in the table of contents below. Visit the page of each
workshop and click the link provided. There is also a password associated with each workshop.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR INTRODUCTION TO THE COURSE BY

DANNY WILSON

There are several ways you can keep in touch with the Boxing Science team during your Ultimate
Coaching for Combat Sports experience. You can email Danny directly at
[email protected] or become part of our community in our Telegram group chat. Click
on the links below to join today.

TELEGRAM GROUP CHAT

THE SCIENCE BEHIND BOXING 4

MOVEMENT TRAINING FOR BOXING - THEORY 7
STRENGTH TRAINING FOR BOXING 15
CONDITIONING FOR BOXING 29
PLYOMETRICS FOR BOXING 49
CORE TRAINING FOR BOXING 56
FITNESS TESTING FOR COMBAT SPORTS 68
PROGRAMMING FOR COMBAT SPORTS 92
TAPERING FOR BOXING 97
PUNCH SPECIFIC EXERCISES 100

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 3

 KEY WORKSHOP 1

THE SCIENCE BEHIND BOXING

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Highlight and understand the importance of movement and mobility training for Boxing

Understand the common movement and mobility issues in Boxing and combat sports

Learn easy and effective strategies to improve movement and mobility

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE001

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

Human civilizations and cultures have engaged in combative activities

associated with warfare for millennia. The origins of prize-fighting date back to
almost 400 years ago, which has now developed into a multi-million-pound
international business in professional boxing, as amateur and recreational
boxing is participated by millions of people worldwide.

There has always been a respect for a boxers strength, fitness and
determination. Physical conditioning has always been a priority for boxers.
Whether it’s Muhammad Ali’s long road runs, Mike Tyson’s skipping workouts or Manny Pacquiao's
track sessions, the greats have always grafted in search of supreme fitness.

In fact, ask any boxer and they’ll tell you how important physical fitness is for successful performance.
It’s important to be able to work at high-intensities, last the distance and perform to your full boxing
potential.

Furthermore, the strength, will and determination have always played a significant role in a champions
success. How many 1000’s of sit ups and press-ups have Mayweather and Golovkin accumulated over
their illustrious careers?

In recent years, the influx and growth in popularity of sport science methodology
has enhanced the training methods of amateur and professional boxing. Boxers are
now trading the circuit training for structured strength and conditioning, replacing
the ling road runs for evidence based high-intensity conditioning methods, and
favouring balanced nutritional strategies in oppose to excessively restricted diets.

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BOXING SCIENCE’S THREE PHASED APPROACH
Some practitioners can make sport science seem very
complicated, however at Boxing Science we simplify the
process with a three phased approach. This is essentially
fitness, strength and mobility.

In this workshop, Professor Alan Ruddock will take you

through these phases and explain how it relates to
successful Boxing performance.

SCIENCE BEHIND THE PUNCH

Newton's first law states that a body will maintain a state of rest (or uniform motion) unless acted on by
a net force. Newton's second law states that the change in momentum of a body under the action of a
resultant force will be proportional to the product of the magnitude of the force and the time for which
it acts (impulse – more on that below). The second law also states that the change in momentum will
be in the direction of the resultant force. Newton's third law states that action and reaction are equal
and opposite.
Irrespective of the type, punches are initiated by force generation in the lower body with torque
(rotational force) produced through the hips, torso and punching arm to the fist and into the target. The
muscles that are key to punching are activated sequentially from the ground up, working together to
optimise speed and then stiffness during impact.
In straight punches (jab and cross) boxers propel themselves forward towards the target, whereas in
hook punches, forces are also produced laterally (to the side). However, boxers partially counteract
this forward drive by creating forces away from the target using the leg opposite to the punching arm
leading to a “block” movement seen in throwing sports.
Such a blocking movement helps to increase hip rotation speed, and convert linear momentum
(straight-line force from the legs) to angular momentum, which is then transmitted through the kinetic
chain to the torso, upper limbs, fist, and target.

PRODUCING FORCE QUICKLY

TIME TO LAND THE

BACK HAND

0.183 SECONDS
Jordan is one of the strongest athletes on the
programme – does he look slow to you?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 5

THE PHYSICS
The impulse-momentum relationship describes how force is transmitted from the foot to the fist.
Impulse is defined as the amount of force applied over time (usually N∙s-1), and momentum (kg∙m/s-1)
is calculated as mass multiplied by velocity (more on that in a bit). In general, the more impulse an
athlete can create the greater potential they have to change the momentum of an object. That object in
the first instance is the boxer's fist, and secondly, a target site on the opponent.

WHAT WE KNOW
The numbers suggest a punch in boxing requires significant to be force produced in a short space of
time. This is often characterised as the rate of force development. For us, it’s more commonly known
as ‘hand speed’.
If something has significant momentum it's usually large, like an elephant or a tank. Or it’s small but
has a lot speed – like a rocket. You can make a punch harder by generating more momentum – you
can either be an elephant or a rocket.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 6

 KEY WORKSHOP 2

MOVEMENT TRAINING FOR BOXING - THEORY

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Highlight and understand the importance of movement and mobility training for Boxing

Understand the common movement and mobility issues in Boxing and combat sports

Learn easy and effective strategies to improve movement and mobility

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE002

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

MOVEMENT TRAINING FOR BOXING

Due to the intense, repetitive nature of boxing, and sport in
general, athletes become ‘tight’ in certain muscle groups and
‘underactive’ in others creating muscular imbalances that impair
performance and increase the risk of injury.
For every athlete we work with, mobility and movement training
will be the very first step on their Boxing Science journey. Before
we even lift a weight, we need to ensure that athletes have the
foundational movement skills to perform exercises correctly. This
enables our athletes to achieve better results and avoid injury.
However, it’s not just for the beginning of a programme; mobility
training plays a big role in training because it has many benefits.

Improved range of motion in key areas such as the hips, shoulders and trunk
Better force transfer through the kinetic chain leading to a harder punch
Increase robustness and decrease the risk of injury, enabling continued progression and
long-term development

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 7

MOBILITY ISSUES IN BOXING
Over several years, the Boxing Science team have programmed hundreds of training camps and
understands how frequently boxers experience soreness, niggles and injuries.
Through our knowledge, experience and research, we have been able to identify key areas that boxers
should target to achieve functional movement.
In this handbook, we share our information regarding each movement category, along with a range of
exercises to help improve performance and reduce the likelihood of injury. Importantly, you have the
freedom to choose different exercises to put together a mobility routine and integrate it into your
training. In addition, we also share our assessment tools so you can identify movement pattern
restrictions.

THE KINETIC CHAIN

During a punch, force is generated from the lower body and transferred from foot to fist, at rapid rates
through the kinetic chain (chain of movement). To deliver hard, fast punches, the lower body must
produce a large amount of force extremely quickly. The core and hip muscles must be strong enough
to transfer this force through the mid-section, the shoulders, and then arms, then need to be mobile
enough to deliver the fist towards the target efficiently. This must all be performed with solid technique.
We know there are common movement dysfunctions in boxers in both the upper and lower body.
Tightness, weakness or dysfunction at different parts of the kinetic chain can negatively affect force
transmission and can also increase the risk of injury as other areas are forced to over-compensate.

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POTENTIAL REASONS WHY WE SEE MOBILITY ISSUES?
All sports carry a cost and result in movement restrictions. However, boxing is an intense and gruelling
sport, with countless hours spent in training camp drilling technique, smashing the pads and going
hard in sparring.
Not only is it intense, but it is a sport of high repetition. Boxers spend hours in a closed boxing stance
and guard position, which can create tightness in the ankles, hips and shoulders. Furthermore, athletes
are likely to throw 500-1000 punches every session. These are all anterior dominant movements that
expose the upper-limb to high impact forces.
These two key components of boxing are often accompanied with high running training loads which
can create lower-limb mobility issues.
Lastly, due to strength and conditioning still being in its early emergence within boxing, mobility
training is not introduced to athletes from a young age. This can amplify the restrictions developed by
the activities of the sport.

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BOXING SCIENCE’S RESEARCH IN MOVEMENT
We’ve tested many boxers, ranging from world champions to youngsters taking part in their first bout,
and our database includes over 250 boxers.
Each testing session includes at least one movement screening exercise – we often aim for two
depending on time restrictions. We prioritise the Overhead Squat as it exposes various mobility issues
in one movement.
Below are the results from various junior and youth athletes we have tested. We’re sharing these
results, in particular, because these athletes have little exposure to S&C, so they represent the
movement issues that can be caused by boxing alone.
Another key reason is that these boxers probably have a shorter training history than other athletes
compared to older boxers – if you’re a more senior boxer imagine how much more restricted you could
be!

The graphic above more or less explains what’s happening for boxers. The majority of boxers have
shoulder, hip and/or ankle mobility issues and clearly demonstrates the need for movement training.
The demands of the sport cause these restrictions, and the lack of focus on S&C compound these
issues. As a result, athletes are limited in terms of strength, speed and movement and have an
increased risk of injury.

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BOXING SCIENCE’S MOVEMENT STRATEGIES
At Boxing Science, we use the mantra ‘Train the Movement and the Muscles Will Follow”. We focus
on training movement and letting the muscles adapt. Therefore, we categorise exercises into four
separate areas for our mobility warm-up and athletes performing these every session.

IT’S A BALANCING ACT

Think about the 1000’s of punches thrown in a single boxing session and the 100’s of hours spent in
the boxing stance during a typical training month.
This outweighs the amount of mobility training the average boxer performs, therefore, these restrictions
in movement will continue to be a problem and potentially worsen.
Adding a consistent mobility strategy can help maintain a better balance, improve movement skills and
reduce the likelihood

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NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

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 MOVEMENT TRAINING FOR BOXING - PRACTICAL
CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE002

CLICK HERE FOR DOWNLOADABLE POSTER

NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 13

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 14
 KEY WORKSHOP 3

STRENGTH TRAINING FOR BOXING

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Learn the science behind the punch and how strength training can benefit combat athletes

Develop an understanding of how to adapt to the needs and limitations of Boxing

Learn a range of exercises to improve strength for Boxing and combat sports

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE003
(SAME PASSWORDS FOR COACHING MASTERIES PAGE 23-24)

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

STRENGTH TRAINING FOR BOXING

Heavy strength training is a controversial topic in
boxing and combat sports. The feeling that ‘weights
make you slow’ often puts athletes and coaches off
heavy lifting.
There is an element of truth to this. If an athlete only
trains heavy and slow too much it will make that athlete
slow. At Boxing Science, we meet the demands of the
sport by making athletes strong, fast and explosive with
carefully structured strength training.
A punch is delivered in a blink of an eye, often under
200 ms. This requires an athlete to produce a lot of
force in a very short amount of time. When we started
training boxer's we needed to know what contributed to
this force development – so we created a fitness testing
battery to compare physical characteristics of boxers
and determine key contributors to boxing performance.

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RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT (RFD)
In an ideal world, we’d like to impart as much force as possible on an object (or the ground) to maximise
impulse and therefore maximise velocity (and acceleration), however, a punch has to be delivered in a
short time frame to bypass an opponent's defensive reactions.

When scientists ask boxers to produce single maximal-effort punches and record the duration of the
punch from initiation to impact, they find that jabs, crosses and lead hooks take between 0.4 and 0.5 s,
with reverse hooks taking slightly longer at around 0.7 s. When these punches are performed as part of
a combination they’re delivered much faster with jabs and crosses taking just 0.2 s and hooks around
0.4 s.

The greatest impulse observed in the lead leg occur during uppercuts, followed by lead hooks rear-
hand crosses and finally jabs. As well as creating force concentrically, boxers need to produce a
countermovement that takes advantage of the elastic properties of the muscles, tendons and
ligaments known as the stretch-shortening cycle. In boxers, the countermovement is observed as the
‘dip’ in hips, knees and ankles before the punch is driven towards the target. Biomechanists call this
‘dip’ the braking phase which has accompanying ‘braking forces’. The rear-hook is associated with the
greatest braking forces in the lead leg, followed by rear uppercuts, rear-hand crosses, lead uppercuts,
lead hooks and finally jabs.

In the rear the largest peak forces are observed in jabs – which has to create the largest magnitude of
force across the range of punches, followed by rear-hand crosses, uppercuts and then hooks. The
greatest impulse in the rear leg is follows a similar pattern to the lead leg with a lead hook generating
the greatest impulse but similar to uppercuts with crosses and jabs generating the least impulse.
Interestingly the rear-leg impulse for a jab twice as large as the lead leg, owing to the drive and
propulsion required in the jab.

In ‘power’ shots such as the uppercut and hook, these findings highlight the importance of the lead leg
in creating breaking forces through eccentric muscular activity, followed by isometric ‘blocking’ and
then rapid concentric forces. In jabs, however, there is a greater role of the rear-leg in producing
propulsive forces, likely because there is less trunk rotation and subsequent use of the upper-body
stretch shortening cycle – this means the rear leg has to produce more ground reaction force to
ultimately propel the first towards the target.

Of all the punches, the fist speed of the jab appears to be the most dependent on the ability to
produce impulse in the rear-leg but is also strongly correlated with peak elbow-joint angular velocity,
likely because of the limited trunk rotation and the requirement of the triceps to produce force
concentrically to rapidly extend the elbow. Fist speeds have been reported to be around 8.5 m∙s-1 (30
km∙hour-1) for rear-hand punches and 12 m∙s-1 for hook punches (43 km∙hour-1). So a punch is time-
restricted, as is the magnitude of impulse generated by the lower body, which will change depending
on the type of punch and how the boxer wants, or needs to, deliver the punch. A boxer therefore
needs to develop large whole-body forces and do so in a short space of time.

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INCREASING YOUR HAND SPEED
Hand speed isn’t everything in boxing. How many times have you seen a boxer with lightning quick but
feather-like punches? For a punch to be successful it needs to co-ordinated towards the target, create
an impact (impulse) on the intended target, and defended against using guard-positioning, trunk and
head movement/positioning, and/or footwork to move out of range. What we haven’t considered so far
is what happens to the to the fist on impact. Let’s go back to Newton’s 2nd law of motion:
‘The change in momentum of a body under the action of a resultant force will be proportional to
the product of the magnitude of the force and the time for which it acts (impulse)’
A boxer needs to create momentum of their fist which will then create force and momentum on the
target. That target is typically the opponents head. Knockout punches are often the result of a ‘power’
punch such as a hook or uppercut where fist speeds are the greatest due to the forces that enable this.
These punches have two advantages,

1) because of the hand speed they also generate a lot of

momentum; 2) the forces applied to the head come from a
lateral direction and impact the side of the head.
2) It is much harder for boxers to create breaking forces to
control lateral head movement as a result of impact;
torque (rotational force) and therefore velocity of the head
and ultimately the brain is greatest in these types of
punches which is believed to contribute to
unconsciousness in a knock-out.

Irrespective of the punch type generating momentum prior to impact is important. There is one easy
way to generate more momentum and that is to increase mass. However, boxers, apart from
heavyweights are restricted by their weight-class, which makes adding mass challenging. We can
however, optimise body composition to ensure that lean mass contributes to both force generation
and momentum.

Within most weight-classes we can observe boxers with different morphology, some are light and tall
for instance, others are short and stocky. We can then categorise boxers as rockets (fast hands) or
elephants (thudding hands). Rockets create force quickly and use hand speed to create momentum,
elephants create force slower but use their mass to create momentum. Clearly a boxer will create a
technical strategy around their phenotype, rockets tend to move in and out of range quickly and aim to
disrupt their opponent and win rounds by using their hand speed and accuracy, whereas elephants
tend to walk down their opponent and look to land single-shots or 2-to-3 shot combinations. Both
strategies have strengths and weaknesses, at Boxing Science we aim to maximise impulsiveness and
speed through strength training and mass by optimising body composition.

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EXPLOSIVE TRAINING FOR BOXING
As mentioned previously, it’s not a case of ‘moving light weights
quick’ nor ‘grinding heavy reps’. It takes various training types
programmed and delivered in a deliberate and systematic
manner. You can’t just jump into developing sport specific
strength.
What is clear from the scientific evidence is that boxers need to
produce force very quickly and generating large magnitudes of
force in a short space of time is the result of many integrated
processes, including genetic factors, muscle fibre type
composition, the ability of your nervous system to recruit motor
units and the structure and ultra-structure of muscle.
Training must therefore be carefully considered with respect to several inputs. At Boxing Science, we
use diverse training methods to get athletes stronger, more explosive, moving better and punching
harder. Boxing tradition states that adding muscle mass to a boxer will slow them down. Whilst
contemporary S&C coaches argue against the latter. Depending on the training method, however, both
are correct. A forceful punch is dependent on momentum. This is related to how quickly we can move
mass towards the target (glove to head). So the best way to punch harder is to get bigger, stronger
and move faster. That’s why heavyweights with fast hands hit so hard. They generate a lot of force and
momentum.
However, boxers are limited to increasing mass because they have to make weight. Therefore,
developing momentum without adding excessive muscle mass becomes a priority. This means that a
boxer needs to focus on training to develop a neuromuscular system with the capability to generate
force rapidly. To achieve this, we use a range of exercises across the force-velocity curve.

THE FORCE-VELOCITY CURVE

The curve shows an inverse relationship between
force and velocity.
This means the heavier the weight you lift (force), the
slower you lift it (velocity); and the lighter a weight,
the faster you lift it.
The graphic shows the different types of training
that occur at different points of the force-velocity
curve.

AT BOXING SCIENCE WE USE A RANGE OF EXERCISES TO TRAIN BOXERS

ACROSS THE FORCE-VELOCITY CURVE. CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

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MAXIMUM STRENGTH IS THE GOAL
To create a strong, fast and explosive athlete,
we should target various areas of the force-
velocity curve to the right. However, many
boxers and combat athletes force-velocity
curve looks like the black lined curve in the
graph to the right.
This represents an athlete that is better suited
to low-loaded-fast velocity movements –
however, they struggle with higher loads such
as maximal strength training. This is a theory
we’ve held for a number of years, and was
confirmed with our research using velocity
based training.
This means that initial strength and conditioning programmes should work towards developing
maximum strength. This can be for 2 to 3 x 10-week cycles of strength training.

HOWEVER, WE NEED TO BUILD THE FOUNDATIONS FIRST…

Despite maximal strength being the goal, we can’t just smash out heavy reps on squats, bench and
deadlifts. As we mention in the movement handbook, boxers and combat athletes have movement
issues that can make heavy lifting not only ineffective, but dangerous too.

We need to build the movement and strength foundations working towards maximal strength. This
includes regression exercises and higher volume repetitions. The image demonstrates how we
develop an athlete's squat.

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BOXING SCIENCE STRENGTH TRAINING
The Boxing Science approach to strength training follows key principles based on research and
experience.

EVIDENCE-BASED TRAINING PHILOSOPHIES

In our Boxing Science testing battery, we were able to identify the physical and physiological
characteristics of boxer’s. We found useful associations that have helped define our training
philosophies.

INCREASE MAX STRENGTH

The rate of force development (RFD) is a key physical contributor to fast and
forceful punches. Maximum force development is pivotal to RFD, therefore
max strength training should be a priority in a boxers strength and
conditioning program.

HIGHER YOU CAN JUMP = HARDER YOU CAN PUNCH

From our research a strong relationship between jump height and medicine
ball punch throw distance was evident, suggesting that lower-body impulse
has a big role in delivering fast and forceful punches.

STRONGER CORE = HARDER PUNCH

Lean mass of the trunk also demonstrated a strong relationship with
medicine ball punch throw distance. This is due to the rotational force
produce by the core muscles.

IMPROVE ECCENTRIC UTILISATION

A small difference between CMJ and SJ height suggests poor eccentric
utilisation of the lower-body muscles. This can be developed with various
strength and plyometric modalities and will contribute improvements in lower
body impulse, thus benefitting the punching action.

INCREASE THE SNAP

A final peak in force on impact of a punch requires rapid whole body
isometric tension. This can be trained using punch specific isometric
exercises and specific strength strategies such as accommodated
resistance.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 20

CHALLENGES OF STRENGTH TRAINING IN BOXING
Despite our training being evidence-based, we still need to make adaptations around the
complexities facing boxers during a training camp.
These adaptations have been made from years of gathering data, knowledge and experience and
influence our decisions regarding exercise selection, rep ranges and targeted adaptations.

WEIGHT CATEGORY SPORT

Due to boxing being a weight category sport, our strength training methods
are adapted to avoid increased muscle mass and soreness whilst being in a
calorie deficit, which impairs recovery.
Reps, sets and intensity are structured to focus on neural adaptations
Perform only two strength sessions per week
Optimise lean muscle mass of the core

HIGH TRAINING LOADS

Boxing is one of the toughest sports in the world, requiring hours of technical
drills, high-intensity conditioning and sparring. This means that strength
training adaptations maybe limited and also we don’t want the side effects of
strength training to affect boxing.
Select evidence-based methods to optimise adaptations
Apply minimum effective dose to reduce soreness
Limit to two strength training sessions per week

LACK OF EXPOSURE TO STRENGTH TRAINING

Due to very few strength and conditioning systems in place for youth athletes,
boxers have not been exposed to strength training from an early age. This
means that most boxers are likely to struggle with high-load strength
exercises.
Build up strength and movement foundations
Develop maximum strength in every training camp
Encourage youth boxers to partake in S&C training

POOR MOBILITY AND MOVEMENT PATTERNS

Our research shows that most boxers have limitations in hip and shoulder
mobility. This can affect technical performance during strength exercises.
Mobility routine performed every session
Develop better movement before heavy loading
Adapt strength exercises to optimise safety and effectiveness

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 21

STRENGTH TRAINING PHILOSOPHY
So far we have explained the science and the physical qualities
required to deliver forceful punches. Yet, the best way to improve
punch force is to improve your punching technique.

However, how easy is it to improve technique once it’s ingrained after

years of training? Answer: It’s pretty hard!

We can use strength and conditioning to improve physical performance

in an easy and effective way to develop punch effectiveness.

Based on years of research and coaching experience, we have developed a robust training
philosophy to meet the demands of boxing and to adapt to the limitations of the sport.
Combining the results of our research and an awareness of adapting around the barriers associated
with boxing, our strength training programs revolve around the following:

Increase Rate of Force Development through the upper and lower body
Retain or increase trunk mass
Limit fatigue or hypertrophy
Adapt around limitations which may occur
Ensure transfer to the punch

SIX PILLARS OF STRENGTH TRAINING

These six pillars or movement patterns form the foundation of each of our sessions at Boxing Science,
helping to create strong, powerful and robust athletes. Following this structure helps us develop our
programmes and target all the
important aspects of strength
training.

The volume, exercise variations,

target velocity and intensity will
vary depending on the athlete's
training age and the adaptations
were looking to achieve for a given
session.

In this next section, we will share

how we target each pillar in our
strength training programs.

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LOWER BODY TRAINING
Punches start from force development in the lower body. The lower-body needs to be strong to transfer
this energy to the hips, through the core and to the fist to deliver forceful punches. This is what we call
the kinetic chain. Additionally, the ability to produce force in the lower-body is important for running at
high speeds during your conditioning. The faster you can run, the more strain you can put on your
muscular and cardiovascular system to improve fitness.

SQUAT – CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE WORKSHOP

The squat is an exercise used in many sports and fitness programs because
it has multiple benefits. It improves strength and speed of the lower body,
whilst promoting core stability.
The squat, if performed and loaded correctly can improve lower body
impulsiveness, hip extension forces and eccentric utilisation of the quads,
hamstrings and glutes. These functions play a huge role in punching and
striking force.
The squat is also versatile. It can be loaded, light, medium, heavy or the bar
can be fixed in place to train isometric activity of the core which can improve ‘effective mass’ and
increase the snap in your punch.

DEADLIFT – CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE WORKSHOP

The deadlift will develop your posterior chain. This is important to improve the
function of your glutes and hamstrings, as well as strengthening your lower
back and core. This is important for boxers as the posterior chain isn't
strengthened through traditional boxing training methods.
Although the deadlift has many benefits, you should be cautious when
performing deadlifts as technique can be affected due to limited coaching,
understanding or mobility. For this reason, we typically opt for a Trap Bar
Deadlift as the higher and neutral hand grip allows for a safer and more
effective deadlift pattern to increase strength and reduce likelihood of injury.

SINGLE LEG EXERCISES – CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE WORKSHOP

Successful boxers have strong legs and great balance. However, boxers
spend so much time in a split stance that they can have imbalances in leg
volume and strength, resulting in movement and mobility issues.
Unilateral exercises are important for developing both legs in isolation. There
are two types we include in the program; Knee dominant and Hip dominant.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 23

UPPER BODY TRAINING
Your upper body needs to be strong to transfer force through the fist and deal with high impact forces.
Despite its importance, you should take care when training your upper body for two reasons.
1. Poor shoulder mobility can alter technique, causing different activation patterns we don't
particularly want e.g. increased activation of the lower back and anterior deltoids (front of
shoulders), which are higher-risk injury areas.
2. Unwanted muscle size of the arms and chest could slow down punches due to an increased mass
and relatively poor function.

HORIZONTAL PRESS
Most punches require a flexion and extension of the arm, making pressing actions
an obvious exercise to develop. This can develop the muscles that are important
for maintaining hand speed and 'stiffening' upon impact.

VERTICAL PRESS
Boxers have strong shoulders but often at the expense of muscular imbalances.
Vertical pressing exercises improve the function of muscles around the shoulder.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE WORKSHOP

VERTICAL PULL
An effective way to develop the lats and muscles in the upper back that support
the shoulder. This can help support the shoulder when delivering fast punches.

HORIZONTAL PULL
We use horizontal pulls to develop the back and the varied actions the lats and
upper back muscles can perform. Horizontal pulling is an easy action to perform
and makes loading the lats simpler.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE WORKSHOP

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 24

 TYPE EXERCISES

SQUAT

HINGE

PUSH

PULL

SINGLE LEG

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 25

 26
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM
SESSION 1 SESSION 2
EXTENDED PLYO PLYO (SL) BOXING SPECIFIC PLYO PLYO (SL) BOXING SPECIFIC
WARM-UP

THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE

SET SET
EXERCISE WEEK REPS SETS EXERCISE WEEK REPS SETS
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
1 8 4 1 8 4
1A HINGE 2 8 4 SQUAT 2 8 4
SUPERSET
3 8 4 3 8 4
1
CORE / SHOULDER 4 6 3 CORE / SHOULDER 4 6 3
1B
(8 reps e.s.) 5 6 4 (8 reps e.s.) 5 6 4
1 8 4 1 8 4
2A HORIZONTAL PRESS 2 8 4 VERTICAL PRESS 2 8 4
SUPERSET
3 8 4 3 8 4
2
HORIZONTAL ROW 4 6 3 VERTICAL PULL 4 6 3
2B
(8-10 reps) 5 6 4 (8-10 reps) 5 6 4
1 16 3 1 12 3
SINGLE LEG - SINGLE LEG -
3A 2 16 4 2 12 4
SUPERSET
KNEE DOMINANT HIP DOMINANT
3 16 4 3 16 4
3
POSTERIOR SHOULDER 4 12 4 POSTERIOR SHOULDER 4 16 4
3B
(8-10 reps e.s.) 5 12 3 (8-10 reps e.s.) 5 16 3
CORE CIRCUIT x 3-4 SETS CORE CIRCUIT x 3-4 SETS

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK
ANTI-LATERAL FLEXION HIP FLEXION WITH NEUTRAL SPINE
PERFORM
ANTI-EXTENSION ANTI-ROTATION
BACK TO BACK
ANTI-ROTATION ANTI-EXTENSION
PERFORM
HIP FLEXION WITH NEUTRAL SPINE ANTI-LATERAL FLEXION
SEPERATE
 27
STRENGTH AND CONDITIONING PROGRAM
SESSION 1 SESSION 2
EXTENDED
WARM-UP

THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE

SET SET
EXERCISE WEEK REPS SETS EXERCISE WEEK REPS SETS
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
1 1
1A 2 2
SUPERSET
3 3
1
4 4
1B
5 5
1 1
2A 2 2
SUPERSET
3 3
2
4 4
2B
5 5
1 1
3A 2 2
SUPERSET
3 3
3
4 4
3B
5 5
CORE CIRCUIT x 3-4 SETS CORE CIRCUIT x 3-4 SETS

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK
PERFORM
BACK TO BACK
PERFORM
SEPERATE
NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 28

 KEY WORKSHOP 4

CONDITIONING FOR BOXING

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Understand the physiological demands for Boxing and Combat sports

Learn the science that underpins the physiological characteristics of successful performance

Learn the science and practical applications of Boxing Science’s three pillar approach.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE004
(SAME PASSWORDS FOR DEMOS ON PAGE 23-24)

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

THE BATTLE OF THE FITTEST

Physical conditioning has always been a priority for boxers. Whether
it’s Muhammad Ali’s long road runs, Mike Tyson’s skipping workouts or
Manny Pacquiao's track sessions, the greats have always grafted in
search of supreme fitness.
In fact, ask any boxer and they’ll tell you how important physical fitness
is for successful performance. It’s important to be able to work at high
intensities, last the distance and perform to your full boxing potential,
from the first round to the 12th.
In recent years, the popularity of high-intensity interval training (HIIT)
has challenged traditional methods of long-steady runs to build
endurance.
But is HIIT beneficial for boxing performance?
Let’s start by taking a look at the physical demands of boxing.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 29

CONDITIONING FOR ULTIMATE FITNESS
Before we introduce our key conditioning methods to improve high-intensity performance, let’s
summarise the physical demands of boxing.
Boxing isn't an endurance sport. It's a sport of repeated high
intensities.
Studies suggest that boxing is predominantly an aerobic sport (75 -
80%); therefore, improving aerobic capacity is a priority.
The majority of time during sparring and competitive bouts is spent
above 90% maximum heart rate, often referred to as 'The
RedZone'.
An athletes capability to perform repeated high-intensity activities
is often determining factor of performance.
Boxers need be exposed to different session types and training
loads to ensure progressive overload to drive adaptation
These specific demands of successful boxing performance are what define the Boxing Science
conditioning philosophy.

OUR CONDITIONING PHILOSOPHY

Our key goal is to improve the ability to produce, repeat and endure high-intensity activities.
We develop this by cycling through a range of conditioning methods targeting different physiological
adaptations.
Increasing the amount of oxygen-rich blood that is delivered to the muscles and returned for
re-oxygenation
Improving how the muscles utilise oxygen to generate energy
Improving buffering mechanisms to limit the effect of acidosis on force production
After 1000's of sessions, we have over 100 different conditioning sessions in our locker that sit across
our conditioning continuum that consists of three key pillars. We use these pillars to categorise
sessions that target the desired adaptations at different stages of camp.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 30

PILLAR 1 - CENTRAL ADAPTATIONS

Aerobic capacity sets the upper limit of boxing performance. The more oxygen you can deliver to your
muscles to fuel energy production the better you'll be able to perform repeated high-intensity actions.
The amount of oxygen you can deliver to your muscles is limited by your heart. If you can improve the
amount of blood that is pumped out of your heart and the network of arteries and veins, you'll be able
to fuel high-intensity performance.
So the target in our 4 min interval sessions is to spend an optimal amount of time in the red zone, close
to maximum pumping capacity of the heart and oxidative capacity of the muscles. By carefully
implementing this training strategy over a training camp the aim is to create a bigger engine to power
performance and recover between rounds.

HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING

Central cardiovascular adaptations, improvements in cardiac
output and delivery of oxygen to exercising muscle is improved by
high-intensity interval training lasting between 4 and 10 minutes at
an intensity equivalent to 90% of maximum oxygen uptake
repeated 4 to 6 times. These findings have been replicated in
scientific studies consistently over the past 20 years and we've
also found this type of training to be very effective.
However, although integral to improvements in aerobic capacity
and performance, beneficial structural adaptations to the heart and
the rest of the circulatory system take around 6 to 10 weeks, much
longer than sprint interval training (SIT) and therefore require a
prolonged training focus.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 31

HOW CAN I PERFORM THE RED ZONE RUNS?
The best way to control the intensity of your HIIT session is to use a motorised treadmill. This is
because you can set the gradient and speed and you won't be interrupted within an interval. It also
means you can closely track your progress because if your speed is increasing then you know you're
adapting to the training - make sure you use the recording sheet to help you do this.
A non-motorised treadmill (e.g. Woodway Curve) can be a useful tool, however speed is difficult to
maintain for repetitions of longer durations due to increased fatigue and diminished concentration.
Furthermore, athletes often fail to apply effective pacing strategies and go too quick at the start - that
will limit the speed performed at the back end of the rep and effect the heart rate.
When performing HIIT sessions on the curve make sure to have a target speed and have regular points
to record speed (every 20-30 secs) to calculate an average speed for each rep.
You can also perform HIIT outside, whether that’s on a track or on the road. A running track is better
than the road because you don't have the risk of traffic interrupting your interval and you can easily
track your distance within each interval without too much fuss. On the road it’s a little harder because
of the increased traffic, undulations in terrain and it's not easy to record speed/distance unless you're
using a GPS device or an app.
If you're running on the road it’s usually best to stick with your usual route so you can control as many
things as possible. If you can't run for any reason another suitable alternative is to perform HIIT on an
indoor bike or air bike.
Ideally you'd record average power during each interval but some bikes don't have power meters so
the next best thing is speed or the 'level' of intensity. Try to choose the same bike each time for your
intervals (same for treadmills too) as gym-based treadmills can deviate between each other despite
being the same model.
For all these intervals you'll need to pay close attention to your heart rate, if you're not in the red zone
then you'll need to increase your exertion to modify the speed or power!

TREADMILL CURVE AIR BIKE RUNNING BIKE

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 32

TRADITIONAL HIIT WORKOUTS – CLICK HERE TO WATCH
The gold standard session we implement at
Boxing Science is derived from a well
established study by Helgerud et al. (2002) that
found intervals of 4 repetitions 4 minutes of
running > 90% maximum heart rate with 2
minutes recovery increased VO₂max in just six
weeks.
We have a range of different sessions that
manipulate the volume or intensity to progress
an athlete and stimulate physical adaptations.
Check out some of the sessions to the right.

PYRAMID HIIT WORKOUTS – CLICK HERE TO WATCH

At Boxing Science, we have developed a series of pyramid sessions to
help unlock speed and fitness.
We look to increase the speed and intensity whilst performing in the red
zone as there is research that high-speed running intervals (15s on 15s off)
are likely to expose athletes to higher % VO2 max (>95%)
However, this can be hard to achieve with boxers due to their supreme
fitness levels but limited high running speed capabilities.
The pyramid sessions start with longer duration intervals (1-4 minutes) or
shorter recovery intervals (3:1 – 4:1 work to rest ratios) to help elevate
heart rate prior to high speed running intervals.

FIGHTING HIIT WORKOUTS – CLICK HERE TO WATCH

During the final stages of camp, we incorporate ‘Fight Specific HIIT’
sessions to get our athletes in the zone before fight night.
This is performed over 3-minute rounds, but is split up into high intensity
bursts of 10-20 seconds to replicate the demands of boxing.
These are psychologically rewarding for athletes heading into crucial
stages of camp, however, there are several physiological benefits.
These sessions challenge the delivery and utilisation of O₂ as well as force
production under fatigue. This means that these sessions can improve
aerobic capacity, muscle buffering and speed production

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 33

PILLAR 2 - MUSCLE BUFFERING

When you perform high-intensity actions you also create an acidic cellular environment that you might
know as the burn. This increase in acidity makes it hard to generate high forces because our
neuromuscular system doesn't work as well under these conditions.
Our body has a defensive mechanism against this called muscle buffering. Their job of these buffers is
to 'mop' up the cellular by-products of high-intensity performance and help maintain the pH of the
muscle cell.
Our 2 min interval training sessions place the muscle under high-moderate acidosis which stimulates
the activation and production of muscle buffers and improves the ability to produce high-forces for
longer without completely gassing out because of fatigue.
Question: What happens when you try and sprint with maximum effort for longer than 15 s?
Answer: Speed declines rapidly.
Take a look at the figure below. This data is taken from 5 of our boxers who performed a 30 s
maximum sprint effort on our curve treadmill. We’ve split the 30 s into 2 parts. The first 15 s and the
last 15 s. Each dot represents instantaneous speed at different time intervals. The dotted lines depict
the rate of speed decline.

THIS GRAPH SUGGESTS…

Peak speed occurs somewhere
around 7 s.
The average decline in speed over
the first 15 s is 1.3 kph (ignoring
the peak speed value).
The average decline in speed over
the last 15 s is 4.7 kph. That’s 72%
Figure 1: Speed response to 30 s maximum effort sprinting greater than the first 15 s.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 34

Our data above is in accordance with energy system contributions to maximal effort sprinting. You can
see below (figure 2) that peak energy contribution occurs around 7 s, when ATP-PCr energy system
rapidly kicks in shortly followed by glycolysis; after that there’s a rapid decline.
This happens firstly because the ATP-PCr ‘energy pool’ becomes depleted and glycolysis begins to
switch off, probably due to a rapidly increasing concentration of hydrogen ions - this ‘switch off’
happens to prevent excessive cellular acidosis (caused by hydrogen ions) and help protect the cellular
environment from major damage.
What we see and feel after 15 s is a declining speed and strong feelings of pain, also known as THE
BURN!

Energy system contributions to 90 s maximal effort sprinting

Similar responses
have also been reported during repeated sprints. Estimates of energy contribution to repeated-sprint
exercise can be seen below.
Much like the research above, PCr plays a large role in energy contribution to initial high-intensity
actions (46%), as does glycolysis (40%).
But as the number of sprints increases peak power/speed declines even in short sprints and glycolysis
contribution decreases by around 30%.
Whereas aerobic energy contribution increases and can do so by around 30% too.

Energy system contribution to repeated sprinting. Note the reversal of energy contribution from glycolysis.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 35

THIS STUDY SUGGESTS
In early sprints when we’re fresh we use the correct energy systems for the job
But as we perform more sprints we stop using the correct energy system
It means our ability to produce energy to generate high speed and power is a lot less
We see this as a lower speed/power in our efforts and increases in feelings of fatigue

HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO BOXING PERFORMANCE?

80% 72% 74% 76%
70%
PERCENTAGE ENERGY

The
60%
CONTRIBUTION

figure
50%
40% Aerobic
30% 22% 22% 22% PCr
20% Glycolysis
10% 6% 4% 3%
0%
1 2 3
ROUND NUMBER

Estimated energy provision during simulated amateur boxing (3 x 2 min rounds) depicts data
extracted
from a piece of research that simulated 3 x 2 min of amateur boxing, although the boxers were fairly fit
in terms of their aerobic capacity they were also novice boxers. We can see from the figure that
glycolytic energy provision to boxing performance is a lot less than other energy systems.
This could be due to a number of reasons but mainly 1) The glycolytic potential of the boxers might be
low; or 2) the participants in this research adopted a fast pacing strategy.
From the data it's hard to comment on point 1 but we know from the
research that on average the boxers performed an attacking,
defensive or technical movement every 1.2 s which by the end of the
bout induced an average blood lactate concentration of 9.5 mmol·L-1
which indicates a significant level of activity and accompanying
cellular acidosis. If you recall from the sections above, glycolysis is
sensitive to acidosis and with those kinds of blood lactate
concentrations we could make the assumption that even though
glycolytic contribution is low it is still impaired by acidosis.
This leads us on to another point - doesn't this research show a low
level of glycolytic energy contribution? If so why do we want to train
it? Well, certainly by not training this energy system you’d be missing
out on developing a big slice of that energy pie chart above.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 36

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
This data gives us an insight into energy provision during boxing even if it's only from novice amateurs.
What about the professionals?
Well, we have no data in relation to physiological responses, but we can review fights and situations
where similar responses may occur. In the last 20 seconds of the 10th round in one of the slugfests of
the 21st century, Keith Thurman and Shawn Porter detonated bombs, however, after 10 hard-fought
rounds neither were able to land cleanly and get the stoppage.
Also, Anthony Joshua seemingly ‘gassed’ out following two of the best heavyweight rounds seen in a
British ring when he and Wladimir Klitschko exchanged power punches and heavy knockdowns in
rounds 5 and 6.

The point? You never know when you’ll find yourself in that kind of battle or have the opportunity to
work harder than you ever thought for 20 s to get the win.
The solution: Give yourself every opportunity to capitalise on each opportunity that’s presented to
you. It's one of the reasons why we focus on adaptations and not specific exercise and in part why our
conditioning doesn't always look like, or replicate, the specific demands of boxing.
For Thurman and Porter, it’s more than likely that after 10 rounds of intense boxing their glycolytic
capability was significantly reduced because of large ionic disturbances - limiting the potential energy
they could draw on to be effective and limiting their force generating capability. You never know,
another 4 or 5 more effective punches for either boxer in that position could have swung the fight their
way.
In Anthony Joshua’s case, when an athlete has increased body mass, whatever composition (amount
and type of lean tissue, fat, water), it will increase their energy expenditure. Each shot thrown, every
head slip and foot defence will require relatively more energy to perform.
In heavyweight boxing, a large proportion of actions are forceful whole-body movements requiring
significant amounts of energy. This energy comes from short-term energy systems and predominantly
aerobic energy systems that require oxygen.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 37

MUSCLE BUFFERS
So now we know that 20 s very intense efforts are
powered heavily by glycolysis but glycolysis
switches off due to acidosis - what can we do
about it?
The major cause of acidosis within our muscle cell
resulting from high-intensity activity is depicted as
H+ (hydrogen ion).
The green circles represent what we call ‘muscle
buffers’. They are responsible for mopping up H+ and
maintaining the pH of the muscle cell. When H+
appears in the muscle cell the activity of these
muscle buffers increases.
When we stress these systems over a period of time the number and the function of these muscle
buffers increases.
This leads to improvements in the ability of the muscle cell to deal with acidosis induced by high-
intensity activity.
This type of training improves neuromuscular function, transports lactate out of the cell better,
regulates H+ more effectively, enables us to tolerate muscular pain better and improves energy
provision through glycolysis.
This is important because it will enable you to:
Perform at much greater intensities, or;
Perform at a sub-maximal intensity without feeling the psychological or physiological strain
Recover faster between periods of high-intensity activity
Perform more frequent high-intensity actions with less fatigue
Dominate your opponent by varying your pace

HOW DO WE TRAIN THIS?

At the Boxing Science Performance Centre we can assess something
called ‘blood lactate’, it’s very closely linked to hydrogen ions that make
our cell acidic and so it’s a good marker of acidosis.
A few pieces of scientific research have identified optimal lactate ‘zones’
for muscle buffering, so that’s what we aim for. Our general target blood
lactate range is between 10-12 mmol/L. Sometimes this range is increased
or reduced by 1-2 mmol/L depending on the individual athlete.
For those that don’t have access to lactate analyses we’ve also found that
we can use RPE to predict blood lactate. It’s very specific to the type of
session of session you’ll be performing but in your training programme
we’ll give you guidance.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 38

If you’ve followed our programmes before then you’ll know how we like to use max effort sprints and
red zone runs in our conditioning. These sessions are easy to regulate because you all you have to do
is put in maximum effort (which you’ll know whether or not you’re doing) and use your heart rate
monitor or RPE to know if you’re in the red zone.
The muscle buffer sessions are ‘creepers’, in the first few reps you can’t always feel the intensity -
usually because your body (as we looked at above) can deal with the metabolites that occur with hard
exercise early in the session. But as the session continues you end up going one of two ways:
1. Fatigue can creep up on you quickly and destroy the rest of your session by slowing you down;
2. You can feel good and push on past your target zone and burn through the session in which
case you’ll fry yourself and delayed perceptions of fatigue will hit you later that day or in the
training week which can increase the risk of overtraining.
The idea is to find the right balance because if you hit these sessions too hard they can fry you. In the
above examples during 1) you’ve gone off too fast and in 2) you’ve pushed past the target zone and
gone too hard. There really is a sweet spot during these sessions. It’s up to you to find this, RPE is
typically 8 to 8.5.

2 MINS ON : 3 MINS OFF X 5-8 REPS

Our 2 min interval training sessions place the muscle under high-moderate
acidosis which stimulates the production of muscle buffers and improves
the ability to produce high-forces for longer without completely gassing out
because of fatigue
These sessions are best performed on a treadmill or woodway curve.
Athletes at Boxing Science also have the luxury of using the Altitude Tent
that can elevate blood lactate levels at lower running speeds.
15-18 KM/H ON CURVE OR 16-18 KM/H @ 3% INCLINE ON TREADMILL
Alter speed depending on how the RPE / Lactate rises with each rep. If it exceeds the target, reduce
the speed. If it is under the target after two repetitions, increase the speed.

12 SECS ON : 48 SECS OFF X 15-25 REPS

This is our advanced training method for improving muscle buffer capacity
that we developed when preparing Kell Brook for the Golovkin fight in 2016.
The justification for this protocol was to target neuromuscular and
peripheral adaptations to repeat high-intensity actions. This means that an
athlete can optimise speed and intensity whilst effectively recovering and
controlling muscular acidosis
These sessions are best performed on woodway curve – also can perform
shuttles or air bike.

TARGET 85%-90% MAXIMUM SPEED / INTENSITY

Alter speed depending on how the RPE / Lactate rises with each rep. If it exceeds the target, reduce
the speed. If it is under the target after 6 repetitions, increase the speed.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 39

STEP GUIDE TO THE MUSCLE BUFFERING CONDITIONING SESSION
CLICK HERE TO WATCH DEMO

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EXCEL FILE

MAX WATTS – 1200 W

1. PREPARE FOR THE SESSION

This is performed on the air bike - 12 seconds effort, 48 seconds rest, repeated for 15 reps.
Set a goal to perform at 85% of maximum power with a lactate level target of 10–12 mmol/L.

2. RECORD PEAK POWER

For each of the 15 reps, record the peak power (watts) achieved during the 12-second effort
phase. Use either the provided table or the accompanying Excel sheet to document these
values.

3. MONITOR LACTATE OR RPE

After completing 3 reps, measure lactate levels if equipment is available.
If lactate measurement isn’t accessible, use the Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) scale to
estimate intensity and fatigue levels. Observe changes in RPE or lactate every 3 reps.

4. POST-SESSION DATA ANALYSIS

Plot the recorded power outputs for all 15 reps on a graph to visualize trends (e.g.,
consistency or decline). Include lactate data (or RPE estimates) on the same graph or as
supplementary data points.

5. EVALUATE PERFORMANCE
Did the athlete maintain their target of 85% maximum power across all reps? Did the lactate
levels remain within the 10–12 mmol/L target zone?

Rep 1 Rep 2 Rep 3 Rep 4 Rep 5 Rep 6 Rep 7 Rep 8 Rep 9 Rep 10 Rep 11 Rep 12
Speed (km/h)
RPE
Blood Lactate (mmol/L)

32 16
31 15

30 14

29 13
Blood Lactate (mmol/L)

28 12
Speed (km/h)

27 11

26 10

25 9

24 8

23 7

22 6

21 5

20 4
Rep 1 Rep 2 Rep 3 Rep 4 Rep 5 Rep 6 Rep 7 Rep 8 Rep 9 Rep 10 Rep 11 Rep 12

Blood Lactate (mmol/L) Speed (km/h)

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 40

PILLAR 3 – PERIPHERAL ADAPTATIONS

Delivering more oxygen to the muscle to help improve performance using 4 min intervals is effective
but the adaptions take weeks because of the physiological structures that need to remodel. However,
sometimes we need a rapid change in fitness to kick-start our training and this what 30 s max effort
sprints give us.
When oxygen is extracted from the blood to the muscle cell it needs to be utilised by oxidative
enzymes. The more oxidative enzymes we have and the better they function provides us with a better
chance to produce energy for high-intensity performance.
30 s max effort sprints provide a strong signal for rapid changes in oxidative enzyme capacity and
function as well as having beneficial effects on neuromuscular force generation, coordination at high
speed and mental toughness. If you need a serious kick at the start of camp these sessions provide
you with a kick like no other.

THE GOAL OF 30 SECS SPRINTS

1) Increase neuromuscular demand by producing high
forces
2) Deplete the energy status of the muscle cell
3) Produce high-levels of lactate (fuel production and
cell signalling)
4) Accumulate free radicals, ions and metabolites that
increase important signalling responses,
associated with key regulators of mitochondrial
biogenesis and therefore aerobic metabolism.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 41

 Sprint interval training can be split into 3 distinct phases. In the
first 10 s you must attack the interval. This rapidly decreases the
energy status of the cell. The mid-part of the rep you must
concentrate on your running technique and keep your
speed/power high. The final 10 s is where you feel the
accumulation of metabolites – it is important to in the middle and
end of the rep to keep giving 100% effort.
0 – 10 s ATTACK INTERVAL WITH MAX FORCE
10 – 20 s RELAX AND HOLD GOOD FORM
20 – 30 s DRIVE ARMS AND PUSH THROUGH

These studies also provide evidence for beneficial changes in key enzymes involved in aerobic
metabolism. All-out high-force exercise which is demanded in sprint interval training is likely required
for boxers with advanced training histories, particularly in the early phases of training, since these
individuals might require intensive training to activate effective adaptations.
These peripheral (skeletal muscle) adaptations and perhaps improvements in muscle architecture,
mechanical force generation and neuromuscular coordination combine to improve exercise tolerance
but not aerobic capacity per se.
Nevertheless, these adaptations provide the foundation for further improvements in and complement
structural adaptations required for improvements in aerobic capacity in subsequent training phases
that includes high-intensity interval training.

WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT FOR BOXING?

This type of training is designed to rapidly improve fitness
for boxers by working on the ability to utilise oxygen at the
muscle cell level and set you on the right path to developing
your aerobic capacity and fight intensity. Furthermore, rapid
changes in fitness have been reported in scientific studies
after short periods of sprint interval training, typically 3
weeks or 9 sessions. So we can get huge fitness gains
during short training camps.
These also help improve an athletes ability to produce high-
intensities, and have the capability to repeat and endure
them. This means that they can set a high pace, unleash
barrage of combinations without becoming excessively
fatigued. It’s not just physical either. Our athletes have
mentioned the psychological benefits of these sessions, as
it requires the motivation to hit the required numbers.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 42

HOW TO PERFORM?
First of all you need to assess whether the athlete is ready for this workout. It’s a cliché, but 30 second
max effort sprints actually should come with a health warning. These sprints are not ideal to perform
with athletes who have never performed HIIT protocols before, come in unfit / overweight or carrying
any upper- or lower-body injuries,
Therefore it is excluded from this particular program, however if you want to take part in a 30 secs max
effort program you can get in touch with our team for a bespoke program.
Despite it’s exclusion, we have still covered the science and application of max effort sprints due to
peripheral adaptations being a key target for our conditioning methods.

WARM-UP
These sessions require an athlete to produce high forces, perform at
high-speeds and be exposed to high levels of fatigue. This means that
an athlete will need a thorough and effective warm-up to unlock
maximum speed, optimise session performance and reduce the
likelihood of injury.
Athletes should perform the full mobility routine provided in the
movement handbook, followed by 3-5 running mechanic drills
(especially if performing running modalities).
This should be followed by a 3-5 minute pulse raiser (jogging, cycling, skipping). Then begin to perform
warm-up reps on the modality of choice.
Perform 5 x 10s reps of increased intensity, starting at 75% effort and finishing on 90% efforts.

MODALITY
We prefer to use the non-motorised treadmill (the curve / air runner) when performing sprint interval
training. However, sometimes this equipment is not available or appropriate for the athlete.
There are are FIVE effective ways to perform 30 s max effort sprints.
We use each method with a purpose and have defined strategies in order to optimise the physiological
adaptations

CURVE AIR BIKE RUNNING PROWLER

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 43

THE SESSION

30 S MAX OUT TOTAL REST 3 MINS 4-6 REPS DEAD ZONE!!

EFFORT
These sprints need to be run as fast as possible right at the start, really attacking the sprint and gaining
as much speed / distance in the first 7 to 10 s. The purpose of this part of this interval is to rapidly
deplete the energy status of the cell and use up as much of your immediate energy stores as possible.
This will provide a strong signal for adaptation and start to switch on your anaerobic glycolytic energy
system.
After this your challenge is to resist the decline in speed for the remaining time. From 10 to 20 s you’ll
want to use your anaerobic glycolytic energy system that in turn, produces a lot of cellular acidosis.
This is another key adaptive signaling response and will also kick start your aerobic energy system
which will be ramping up after 20 s (but not to its full extent).
You need to record the speed / distance covered at different time-points to monitor your performance.
We use three different time points, two different protocols dependent on how you perform the sprints.

This is important because it will allow you describe the adaptations your making to the programme,
hopefully you’ll be running faster/further or performing at higher power as you progress through the
sessions. It will also enable you to prescribe speed targets for your next session, if you hit 25 km/h on
your first interval of your first session your target would be to exceed that in your second session.
When you collect all this data you can then revise your approach to training – maybe you went too fast
and bombed out, or perhaps you dipped in the middle of the session – monitoring your performance
will help you optimise each session..

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 44

CLUSTERS
During SIT we want to keep speed/power as high as possible
because this preserves the neuromuscular and mechanical
demand, but we also need to maintain a physiological demand to
induce our desired adaptations. One of the ways we can
enhance the speed of the session is to cluster the reps. The total
volume is kept the same for each set (e.g. 30 s) but is broken
down into smaller reps instead of one single 30 s rep.
The figure to the right is a comparison of a 30 s sprint (SIT)
protocol vs a clustered 10 s protocol (CLU), whereby athletes
performed a 10 s sprint, with a 10 s rest for 3 reps. What you can
see from the figure is that the overall mean speed of the CLU
group is greater than the SIT group. You can see that the
quality of the session was maintained much better as the speed
decrement was less in the CLU group.

HOW TO PERFORM CLUSTERS

Cluster sprints are performed exactly the same as 30 s
sprint interval training, where the goal is to attack each
rep.
The difference here is that you will be starting each from
a dead start, so they force you to attack each interval to
reach peak speed/power. As the session continues it
becomes harder to overcome the inertia of the dead- start,
especially if you have set a resistance level on a bike or if
you’re using the prowler.
This will require you to recruit higher-threshold motor units and is one of the key additional benefits of
clustering sprints.
This activation will have a better cross-over to other aspects of your training and performance –
especially when challenged by fatigue

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 45

30 SECOND MAX EFFORT SPRINT SESSION

CLICK HERE TO WATCH DEMO

1. WATCH THE TUTORIAL VIDEO

Click the link above watch a demonstration of a 30s max effort sprint.

2. CONDUCT THE TEST AND RECORD DATA

During the session, measure and record the watts produced in the database at these intervals
for each rep:
o 7 seconds
o 17 seconds
o 27 seconds

3. ANALYSE PERFORMANCE
Use the provided graphs to interpret the data recorded.

4. USE THE SPREADSHEET FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS

Download and use the accompanying spreadsheet to organise and review your athletes'
performance data. This will help track progress over time and highlight training priorities.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD EXCEL FILE

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE SCREENCAST DEMO

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 46

 47
SESSION LOG MAX EFFORT SPRINTS
Body Mass - Max Mean Rep 1 Rep 2 Rep 3 Rep 4 Rep 5 Rep 6
Date RPE Load
KG Speed Speed 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK
NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 48

 KEY WORKSHOP 5

PLYOMETRICS FOR BOXING

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Learn the science behind plyometrics and it’s transfer to explosive Boxing performance

Understand the limitations and considerations needed when implementing plyometrics

Learn techniques across a range of exercises included in the Boxing Science plyometric model.

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE005

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

PLYOMETRICS FOR BOXING

‘Plyometrics’ is a term used to describe jumping and speed exercises. However, by definition, a
plyometric action is only achieved when ground contact time is under 0.25 seconds. This is just a
quick tap on the floor, just like you would perform during skipping. We also look to improve with longer
ground contact time to target the stretch shortening cycle and RFD of the quads, hamstrings and
glutes.

Plyometrics improve the utilisation and function of the stretch shortening cycle
This can help produce large amounts of force in a short amount of time
Has a transfer to sport-specific actions such as sprinting, jumping, throwing and changing
direction.

Many strength and conditioning coaches set up drills from different heights, distances, single/double
leg exercises and prescribe lots of contact to provide training adaptation. However, a coach must
carefully manage all these aspects as plyometric training is a high-risk activity. The use of plyometrics
therefore depends upon the strength and experience of the boxer.

Boxers can benefit from plyometrics by developing the elasticity of their muscles and tendons. Elastic
muscles and stiff tendons contribute to fast feet, good balance and an effective stretch shortening
cycle. However, it’s not just a case of performing high volumes of jumping and hopping. Boxers should
take a careful and systematic approach to integrating plyometrics in their programme.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 49

JUMP HIGHER = PUNCH HARDER
We have identified that RFD is important for developing punch force. The vertical jump is a valid and
reliable test for assessing vertical impulse for the lower body.
We have performed jump testing with 100’s of boxers, and we have extended this research to identify
relationships between jumping and estimated punch force. We assessed punch force indirectly with
the Medicine Ball Punch Throw.
In our analysis we identified large correlations between relative and absolute jump height and MB
punch throw distance. We also extended this research by seeing what physical action was the biggest
contributor to a landmine punch throw.
This study found that jump height had strong correlations with peak velocity of a landmine punch,
superseding torso rotation and upper body strength.

Large correlations (r ≥ 0.50 to 0.69) between

med ball throw distance and CMJ + SJ height.
WILSON ET AL. 2020
Every increase 1 cm increase in SJH increased
landmine punch throw PV by 0.036 m/s

OMCIRK ET AL. 2021

WHAT WE KNOW…
Through testing 100’s of boxers, we have identified that Squat Jump (SJ) and Countermovement Jump
(CMJ) scores are lower compared to other sports.
The combination of these low values and high correlations with punching force, makes this a key area
for development.
We have also identified a small difference between CMJ and SJ in most boxers. This indicates an
ineffective use of stretch-shortening cycles of the lower body and eccentric utilisation.
This means that boxers struggle to control countermovement forces to transfer into a fast, explosive
jump. Boxers should train their ability to absorb force prior to jumping activity..

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 50

TWO TYPES OF PLYOMETRICS
At Boxing Science, we use two types of plyometrics we use for two different adaptations. We
differentiate these based on ground contact time (GCT) and utilise these in different training sessions.

LONG SSC – RATE OF FORCE DEVELOPMENT

This is to target the amount of vertical impulse developed through a
jumping action, which we know has a strong correlation with punching
force.
We can increase RFD by increasing max strength, and utilise light-loaded
and bodyweight jumps to transfer max force into fast and explosive
actions.
From our database of over 500 athletes, we know that boxers struggle
with creating eccentric forces on the downward action of the jump. This
means that we need to take caution when implementing plyometric
exercises, making sure to develop the ability to create eccentric force
first.
Our plyometric training therefore overloads the eccentric part of the jump
exercise to develop the SSC of the lower body.

BOXING SCIENCE PLYOMETRIC STRATEGY

In our research we routinely find that the higher a boxer can jump, the harder they can punch. We use
two types of tests in our jump assessments. A countermovement jump and squat jump. Normally
countermovement jump height is much greater than squat jump height because the countermovement
jump harnesses the elastic properties of the stretch shortening cycle.
However, boxer's do not display the differences in jump height observed in other athletes and our
research shows only a small difference between countermovement jump and squat jump height. This
suggests that boxers struggle with eccentric force production during lower-body actions meaning
boxers should take care when performing plyometrics.
Eccentric utilisation can be improved by increasing max strength. However, high-training loads and
negative energy balance can make this a slow process, as well as making athletes sore for their
conditioning and technical training.
It’s not all negative though, as we know that most boxers are well-adapted to fast SSC movements
due to skipping and being light on their feet. This can help us gain benefits from fast SSC exercises by
challenging height, complexity and using single leg exercises. However, this should be approached
with caution as boxers struggle with progressions to single leg exercises due to limitations in ankle
mobility.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 51

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PROGRAMMING PLYOMETRICS?
Evidently, plyos are a beneficial training tool to improve speed and power and that will transfer to
improved performance of dynamic athletic movements and can have specific transfer to boxing.
As such, the temptation can be to jump into high intensity plyometric training from the outset, however,
there are unique challenges and considerations that must be addressed when incorporating plyometric
training with boxers and other combat sports.
These considerations include the impact calorie deficits can have on recovery from high intensity
strength training, boxer’s relatively low strength levels compared to athletes in other sports and
movement limitations/dysfunctions often displayed by boxers due to prolonged periods of time in the
boxing stance.
We also need to think about how boxers are already well adapted to fast SSC movements due to the
short ground contacts associated with movement in the ring, as well as understanding that boxers will
tend to struggle with advanced progressions such as single leg variations and exercises that require
faster rates of stretch/higher eccentric demand.
The way we integrate safe and effective plyometric training into our programs is through our plyometric
training journey which has three key phases:

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 52

SHORT SSC - REACTIVE STRENGTH
Reactive strength has been described as the capacity of an athlete to create eccentric force and switch
rapidly to concentric muscle action. We use this reactive strength terminology for the ability to control,
recoil and produce force from the foot and calf complex. This can help boxers in several ways for fast,
dynamic and explosive performance.
The foot and ankle complex is the first contact point for delivering a punch and transfer of force from
foot to fist.
This makes reactive strength a key component in delivering fast and forceful punches. Our goal is to
make the time between ‘controlling’ and ‘recoiling’ as small as possible and recoil as much force as we
can with as little “leak” as possible.

FOOTWORK AND REACTIVE STRENGTH

Create or restrict space
Footwork takes place primarily on the front of the foot
Horizontal and lateral movement
Feints, push away, step back on one or two feet
Get in and out of range quickly
Movements are typically sub-maximal.

Boxing performance will incorporate movement of the lower body, with

repeated submaximal accelerations to move, with the aim of creating or restricting space. Footwork
manoeuvres will take place primarily on the front two-thirds of the foot, in horizontal and lateral
patterns. A few examples are feints, push aways, and directional steps to defend or cut off the ring.
Boxers must also do it quickly or opportunities to throw or defend will be missed.

These movements are often performed sub-maximally, to

get out of range in small manoeuvres. Since foot movement
is primarily performed with the heel off the floor, the achilies
will be demanded to transfer force from the calf and foot
musculature quickly, through the stretch shortening cycle.
The better the achilies tendon complex is at transferring
force rapidly, the less work the calf muscles have to
perform, thus reducing the cost of movement and footwork.
Plyometric training may be a justified method to therefore
reduce the energy cost of footwork and also improve the
speed at which it can be performed.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 53

THE REACTIVE STRENGTH INDEX
Through testing reactive strength index (RSI), we have found that generally, boxers have average RSI
values and can improve using intensive plyometric exercises.
We assess RSI with a 10/15 pogo test and use this calculation for RSI. RSI is calculated as a ratio of
the boxers flight time to their contact time. This score gives us a good indication of where to start them
off, in terms of movement intensity, complexity and
volume.

RSI = Flight Time / Contact Time

Boxers are typically well-adapted to fast SSC
movements due to skipping and being light on their
feet.
However, they often struggle with advanced
progressions and single leg exercises. This is often
due to poor force control or ankle mobility. Coaches
should be cautious in progressing athletes to
advanced plyos which overload the SSC.

SHORT SSC TACTICS

Coaches should be cautious in progressing athletes to advanced plyos. We’ll typically aim to reduce
contact time with most of the boxers we work with, and get them accustomed to “bouncing” off the
ground under short durations. Once technique and timing is familiar to the boxer, we can then
progress intensity through jump height, unilateral variations, and complexity.
To ensure short ground contact times, we can use ‘Low and fast’ pogos to reduce jump height and
reduce ground contact time. Furthermore, we can use barbell or band assisted pogos to reduce the
body mass upon contact with the floor which will help reduce eccentric loading and, in turn, keep
ground contact time to a minimum.
Most plyometric exercises range between 5-10 contacts, but due to these exercises being relatively
low impact we can use larger rep ranges.
Proceeding phases would look to gradually overload these movements with intensive plyometrics by
increasing the height, speed or complexity of the movement.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 54

 PLYOMETRIC TRAINING FOR BOXING - PRACTICAL
CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP 1

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP 2

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE005

NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 55

 KEY WORKSHOP 6

CORE TRAINING FOR BOXING

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Learn the science behind core training for boxing and combat sports

Understand the fundamental principles that underpin our core training strategies

Identify how we apply core training methods within our programme

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE006

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

Core training has been a cornerstone of boxing tradition, with core conditioning routines being
performed by professional and boxers all over the world. You can see the evidence of this extensive
core work if you look at the physiques of the best boxers of the 21st century, you will notice the
incredible condition of their core muscles. It’s not just rippling abs, but the tone, thickness and
symmetry

If you search on YouTube the core training routines of any of the boxers below, you will likely see
gruelling workouts of 100’s if not 1000’s of repetitions of traditional core exercises such as sit ups,
planks and Russian twists. We respect boxing traditions, as boxing strength and conditioning develops
athletes are now taking a more structured approach to core training selecting exercises and strategies
to meet the demands of the sport.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 56

WHY IS CORE TRAINING INTEGRAL FOR PERFORMANCE?
During our initial research into boxing, we developed a testing battery to identify the key physiological
characteristics of boxers.
In this research we were able to identify relationships between tests (jump height, upper body strength
etc.) and estimated punch force. We assessed punch force indirectly with the Medicine Ball Punch
Throw.
In our analysis we identified large correlations between
relative and absolute trunk mass and MB punch throw
distance.
Therefore, the trunk musculature was a strong predictor of
performance in a punch specific movement pattern.
This is why core training takes huge precedence in our
programmes.

THE CORE’S ROLE IN BOXING

We believe that the main reason why the core is the key contributor to punch force is due to the
influence on trunk rotation during a punching action.
Rapid rotation of the hips and torso is a crucial factor when transferring force through the kinetic chain.
The core is the key link when force is transmitted from the lower body through to the fist. In effective
torso rotation will create 'energy leaks', that can negatively impact punching force and speed.
Core strength also plays an important role in generating effective mass, this is known as the ‘snap’ of a
punch. Greater ‘snap’ is performed with short, simultaneous activation of many muscle groups,
particularly the core, arm and shoulders.

STRONGER CORE = HARDER PUNCH

The relationship between trunk muscle mass and punching force has a direct impact on the goals of
our strength and conditioning programmes.
Due to boxing being a weight category sport, we want our athletes to achieve the optimal body
composition on the scales. We aim to maintain or increase muscle mass of the core through
compound lifts, increased volume on core exercises, training frequency and time under tension.
.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 57

ROTATIONAL POWER
Rotational power exercises are held in high regard in the Boxing world
as rotational force and speed are integral components for a powerful
punch.

Rapid rotation of the hips and torso is a crucial factor when

transferring force through the kinetic chain. The core is the key link
when force is transmitted from the lower body through to the fist.

In-effective torso rotation will create ‘energy leaks’, that can

negatively impact punching force and speed. Furthermore, boxers
may subconsciously compensate with muscles in the lower-back to
rotate or laterally-flex the spine.

This compensation can lead to over-activity in these muscle groups, potentially increasing the risk of
inflammation, muscular soreness and injury in the lower-back muscles. To improve performance
and reduce the likelihood of injury, athletes and coaches should focus on exercises to improve
rotational performance.

PEAK ROTATIONAL STRENGTH = STRONGER PUNCH

Pallof Isometric hold is a fantastic way to encourage maximal effort to
increase activation of the Obliques whilst increasing force produced.
This can also contribute to ‘effective mass’ which is important for the
‘snap’ of a punch when the fist comes into impact with the target

We started to get feedback for this to encourage increased rate of force

development, then this progressed into us integrating it into our
6
Landmine Punch Throw Peak Velocity (m/s)

Boxing Science testing battery. 4

3
R² = 0.5872

We've found a 60% transfer of rotational performance to 1

performance on the Landmine punch throw

0 10 20 30 40 50
Rotational Isometric Force (kg)

Meaning isometric rotational strength is one of, if not the biggest contributor to the punching action.

ROTATIONAL TRAINING
Powerful and fast exercises such as rotational medicine ball throws are desired by coaches and
fighters because of the similarities to how punches are delivered. However, before an athlete focusses
on developing rotational speed, they need to develop the foundations – such as rotational mobility,
stability and strength.

Without these foundations, speed exercises will not optimise the activation of the core muscles that
directly benefit rotational performance. At Boxing Science, we prioritise rotational mobility, strength
and stability prior to using exercises to develop speed and power.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 58

BENEFITS OF CORE TRAINING
The main reason that core training is effective for boxing is that it is the vital link between the lower and
upper-body when transferring from foot to fist. In-effective core function will reduce the transfer of
force. However, there is a multitude of reasons why core training is vital in a boxers development.
These benefits can improve physical performance as well as transferring to technical attributes.

GENERAL STRENGTH DEVELOPMENT

Core strength plays a vital role when performing our key compound lifts. Our
core muscles need to be strong enough to be stable under increased external
load. Quite often this is a limiting factor when attempting to progressively
overload an athlete on Squat and Deadlift.

EFFECTIVE MASS

When the punches connect with the target, a rapid tension is required to deal
with impact forces and increase the ’snap’ of the punch. The core plays a big
role in this.

COMBINATION PUNCHING

For quick and powerful combination punching, the core muscles are required
to control and reproduce force through trunk rotation. This makes the goals
of the programme to develop the effectiveness of the stretch-shortening
cycle of the core musculature to transfer to combination punching

DEFENSIVE MOVEMENTS

The core can play a role in this as slips, dips and rolls require trunk
movement. Core training improves speed and economy of movement,
enabling explosive counter movements in return

INJURY PREVENTION

Core strength is important for reducing the likelihood of injury, in particular

the lower-back. The core muscles are not well-developed, an athlete will
subconsciously compensate by using lower back muscles (Erector Spinae
and QL). This can cause muscular soreness, overuse injuries, inflammation
and stains.
Furthermore, strength-endurance of the core is important to reduce the
likelihood of injury. When the core muscles fatigue, the lower-back muscles
will start to take over. Increasing core strength-endurance is important to help reduce the likelihood of
injury in a problematic area

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 59

MUSCLES THAT MAKE UP THE CORE
When training any movement or muscle group, it’s important to understand what muscles are being
targeted, their function and the most optimal way to activate it. This is particularly important when
training the core as movement restrictions and muscular imbalances can reduce the optimal results
gained from particular core exercises.
There are a range of muscles that contribute to core strength, but we have listed some of the key
muscles to focus on below.

ABDOMINAL MUSCLES – RECTUS ABDOMINUS, TRANSVERSE ABDOMINUS

The Rectus abdominis also known as the abs, is a long muscle of
the anterior abdominal wall. Low body fat levels allow for clear
visibility and palpation of this muscle, so often look to be well
developed.
The Transverse Abdominus is a muscle you don’t see. It is a broad,
paired muscular sheet located on the lateral sides of the abdominal
wall. It’s fibres are oriented transversely, covering a large portion of
the abdominal region. This is an important muscle in keeping the
core strong and stable.
Despite being visibly well developed and strong in trunk flexion, the Rectus Abdominis can be weak in
the eccentric action and resisting extension of the spine. This can increase lower-back activation and
reduce the activation of the transverse abdominis.
The abdominals need to be strong to provide a foundation for fast and forceful actions, protect the
lower-back and also to contribute to key strength lifts.

BACK MUSCLES – SPINAL ERECTORS (ERECTOR SPINAE)

The Erector Spinae are a group of muscles, located either
side of the vertebral column, that expand from the pelvis
inferiorly to the base of the cranium, superiorly. In boxing,
however the guard position lends itself to a high level of
trunk flexion which may decrease the role of the erector
spinae as a powerful trunk extensor.
This makes the erector tight and overactive, super-
compensates for extension when not fully developed – high
risk area for injury in boxing.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 60

THE LATERAL STABILIZERS – INTERNAL AND EXTERNAL OBLIQUES, QUADRATUS
LUMBORUM
The obliques are paired muscle located on the lateral sides of the
abdominals. This is part of the lateral stabilisers in conjunction with
the internal oblique and transverse abdominis. Internal oblique fibres
run downwards and forwards towards the midline, whereas external
oblique fibres forwards travel in an opposite direction, adopting a
downwards and backwards trajectory.
Both types of oblique muscles play significant roles in trunk rotation
and flexion as well as contributing the generation of intra-abdominal
pressure to protect the spinal column.
This creates lateral stability which is important for Boxing performance.
At Boxing Science, we develop the obliques using a range of stability, strength, explosive and dynamic
exercises. This will increase the Obliques to contribution to forceful trunk rotation during single
punches, and greater SSC function of the trunk.
Despite its importance, the obliques can be underactive and/or underdeveloped in Boxers due to a
boxer’s tendency for erector spinae engagement during trunk extension movements. With Boxing
being a rotational sport, this means that other muscle groups will look to compensate. In this case, it’s
a small muscle in the back named the Quadratus Lumborum (QL).
The QL muscle starts at the pelvis, inserting at the lowest rib and
tips of transverse processes of lumbar vertebrae. It plays an
essential role in stabilizing the pelvis when a person is upright and
contributes to spinal lateral flexion and extension. This can become
over-activated due to other tightness and imbalances across the
kinetic chain whilst throwing a punch. The QL can come under
increased strain if an athlete has underdeveloped lateral stabilisers
(obliques), poor hip flexor mobility or rotational mobility of the
thoracic spine. This increased activity can cause lower back pain.
You can use a foam roller, spend money on a sports massage and try numerous ways to stretch it to
make it feel better, but this is likely to be only a short term fix.
To make beneficial long-term changes, we should focus on improving hip flexor mobility, core stability
and hip abductor strength. This will reduce the compensatory patterns of the QL and use the preferred
muscles of the kinetic chain.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 61

“TRAIN THE MOVEMENT AND THE MUSCLES WILL FOLLOW”
Despite recognising the importance of anatomy and muscle function, we don’t particularly focus on
isolating muscles during strength training. Yes, we look to optimise the activation of the targeted
muscle groups, but we do this by a ‘movement first’ approach.
When we train and optimise the movement, then the muscles and adaptations will develop. So let’s
take a look at the movement of the core.

There are four movements of the core, flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation. All of these
movements are important contributors to successful physical and technical performance in boxing.
However, if these movements become excessive the core will crumble and we may cause technique
faults or injury. Here are a couple of theoretical examples…

Excessive rotation during combinations could affect angle of attack or defensive position
Lack of strength decreases stretch-shortening of the core muscles, therefore less punch force
produced.
Lack of control during fast and explosive movements will reduce activation of core musculature,
therefore creating compensatory patterns (particularly of the lower back). This can result in
tightness and overuse injuries.

Therefore, we need to resist these movements in order to develop stability, strength and to control fast
movements to develop effective stretch-shortening cycle of the core musculature.
On the next page, we will introduce our core training philosophy.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 62

21ST CENTURY CORE TRAINING
The 21st century core training was introduced on a blog post post on ‘T-Nation’ website by American
strength coach Mike Robertson back in 2011 and was one of the first methodologies we used to
categorise core exercises.
21st century core training uses ‘Anti-‘ ahead of each category to define the goal / targeted adaptation
of core exercises. This is a great way to develop stability, strength and power in each movement plane
of the core.

These are the four key movements and how it transfers to technical boxing performance.
Despite the goal of these four categories is to resist a chosen movement, this does not mean these
exercises are purely stationery and isometric. We can transfer the same principles to strength over a
range of motion and our core power exercises. For example, an athlete will need resist rotation during
the eccentric action on rotational medicine ball throws to avoid over-rotating and compensating using
the QL and lower-back muscles.
Our core training approach is very similar to our strength training philosophies, we need to take a step
by step approach in order to optimise the adaptations and reduce the likelihood of injury.
We need to build the foundations in stability and strength before moving on to more dynamic and
explosive exercises. What is different to strength is that we will revisit each phase during every training
camp to continually build strength, stability and power for each fight.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 63

ANTI-ROTATION
Resisting rotation of the trunk and lumbar spine is a prerequisite quality for
being able to transfer force effectively during rotational movements such as
punching and trunk defences. Improving strength within anti-rotation
exercises can promote stronger rotation during punches due to enhanced use
of stretch shortening cycle when performing combinations.
The internal and external obliques are particularly key in controlling and
transferring force during rotational movements.

ANTI-EXTENSION
Resisting against extension of the lumbar spine is important to protect the
lower back when performing high punching volumes within a training week.
The transverse and rectus abdominis are particularly key in resisting extension
of the spine. If these muscles are not well-developed, an athlete will
compensate by using lower back muscles (Erector Spinae and QL).
This can cause muscular soreness, overuse injuries, inflammation and strains.
Furthermore, strength-endurance of the core is important to reduce the
likelihood of injury.
When the core muscles fatigue, the lower-back muscles will start to take over. Increasing anti-
extension strength is important to help reduce the likelihood of injury in a problematic area.

ANTI-LATERAL FLEXION
Preventing excessive lateral flexion, or side-bending is important to punch
and move efficiently. Having a strong ability to punch without side bending is
important to recover when rotating back for combinations or trunk defences.
The Quadratus Lumborum, plus the Internal and External Obliques play a key
role in both preventing and producing lateral flexion of the spine. Stronger
resistance to lateral flexion can promote higher and faster force transfer
during explosive rotational movements.

HIP FLEXION WITH NEUTRAL SPINE

The core should be strong enough to be able to flex the hips, without a loss
of posture in the spine.
When attacking or moving forwards, strength within this movement pattern
can help prevent excessive forward lean and a loss of shape. Strength within
the Supine Isometric Hold test is one of our key performance indicators of
overall “global” core strength, requiring optimal activation of large muscle
groups, the rectus abdominis and transvers abdominus in this movement.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 64

BOXING SCIENCE CORE TRAINING
In consideration of the importance of core
strength for physical and technical performance
in Boxing, the 21st century core training model
and the need to take a step-by-step approach.
Here are our tactics and strategies to build
functional core performance.

FREQUENCY
We aim to include 1-2 exercises of each of the four categories within 3-4 sessions per week. We rarely
do stand-alone core training sessions, we mainly integrate these into strength sessions and then add
circuits to Boxing or Conditioning sessions. We select different exercises on stability, strength and
explosiveness dependant on the training phase.

PERIODISED CORE TRAINING

At Boxing Science, we build general physical qualities across the camp and aim to transfer into more
sport-specific activities near fight night. The same rule applies with core training, as we build stability
and strength before developing speed and explosiveness.
WEEKS 1-3 – STABILITY WEEKS 4-7 – STRENGTH WEEKS 8-10 – POWER

INCREASE TIME UNDER TENSION

The strength endurance of the core muscles can also contribute to overall
core strength and stability. High volume sets (12-15 reps), ISO
endurance holds (30-45 second holds), circuits (3-4 exercises back to
back) and loaded carries will increase time under tension (TUT) which is a
key contributor to muscular hypertrophy.
This will help us increase relative and absolute trunk muscle mass, as well
as developing core strength-endurance which helps reduce the likelihood
of lower-back injuries.

INCREASE THE SNAP

Trunk training can be used to increase isometric strength and, in turn,
‘effective mass’. Overloading the trunk with high tension stability exercises
such as the Wall Pallof Holds (pictured) can increase the isometric force
production (bracing) at impact.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 65

 CORE TRAINING FOR BOXING - PRACTICAL
CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE006

NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 66

 TYPE ACTION EXERCISES

STABILITY

Actively
ANTI- resisting
STRENGTH
ROTATION rotation of the
lumbar spine

POWER

STABILITY
Actively
ANTI- resisting
extension of STRENGTH
EXTENSION the lumbar
spine
POWER

STABILITY

ANTI- Resisting
lateral flexion
LATERAL STRENGTH
of the lumbar
FLEXION spine

POWER

STABILITY
Bracing the
HIP FLEXION core to create
WITH a controlled
flexion at the STRENGTH
NEUTRAL hip without
SPINE flexing the
spine.
POWER

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 67

 KEY WORKSHOP 7

FITNESS TESTING FOR COMBAT SPORTS

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Learn the testing methods used within Boxing Science testing battery

Understand how to apply the Boxing Science testing battery

Learn how to analyse the data you collect and apply it to training

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE007

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

SPORT SCIENCE TESTING FOR BOXING

The Boxing Science Testing Battery was developed in 2014 to create standards to help enhance our
understanding of physical characteristics of successful boxers, looking at strength, speed and high-
intensity fitness.

We have taken over 500 athletes through this to create the most comprehensive testing database in
boxing and combat sports. We have a detailed understanding of physical performance, and have the
ability to quickly identify an athletes strengths and areas for improvement. This helps us structure
training programs to suit individual needs, set goals and track progress.

Over the years we have tweaked and evolved the testing battery through us gaining more experience
and having access to advanced technology. We have created two versions of the testing battery to suit
athletes needs and training facilities.

As well as the obvious advantages, our

assessments provide educational opportunities
to improve the knowledge and understanding of
how a boxer should approach training and
prepare for competition.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 68

SELF-ASSESSMENT TOOL
Use the self-assessment tools on the next pages to assess your current fitness, strength and mobility.
Perform the tests before you take part in the 'Train like a Champion' program, and then towards the
end of your program. We normally test 7-10 days before a fight.
Fill in post-program results
Fill in the Fill in your general athlete data at the top. in the right column, along
results from with the difference between
each pre- pre- and post-tests
program
test in the BOXING SCIENCE PERFORMANCE TESTING
left-hand Name DOB Gender Body Mass

column Pre-Test Post-Test

Test Hips Shoulders Z-Score Hips Shoulders Z-Score Difference

Overhead Squat
Test Scores Test Scores

Squat Jump (cm)

Countermovement Jump
(cm)

CMJ-SJ Difference (cm)

RSI Flight Time (ms)

RSI Contact Time (ms)

Record your Z-SCORE. This is between 1 and 5

RSI (Flight Time /
Contact Time)

MB Punch Left (m)

rated from poor (1) to excellent (5) on each test.
MB Punch Right (m)
This will help you create a radar plot (below)
Supine Hold (secs)

Prone Hold (secs)

Each result will be categorised with a score from 1 to 5, mark these scores on the radar plot (see below
Lateral Hold L (secs)
right for example). This will help standardise your scores to see what physical characteristics you need
Lateral Hold R (secs)
to improve on the most.
30-15 Test (km/h)

EXAMPLE DATA RADAR PLOT

BOXING SCIENCE PERFORMANCE PROFILE
MOBILITY
5

AEROBIC FITNESS
4 COUNTERMOVEMENT JUMP
3
2
1
SUPINE ISO HOLD 0 SQUAT JUMP

RIGHT PUNCH RSI

LEFT PUNCH

DISCLAIMER: Boxing Science provide a guide to help educate better training practices in Boxing. Methods
used in this guide is supported by scientific research that has been granted ethical approval. Therefore, Boxing
Science, or any of the authors, do not take responsibility of any injuries or illness any user may experience whilst on
the programme.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 69

BASIC TESTING PROFILE
Use this form to log your testing results before and after the 10-week block. The testing battery is
outlined on the following pages.
Not sure how to use this? We explain more in our demonstration videos
Click here to access your videos

BOXING SCIENCE PERFORMANCE TESTING

Name DOB Gender Body Mass

Pre-Test Post-Test

Test Hips Shoulders Z-Score Hips Shoulders Z-Score Difference

Overhead Squat
Test Scores Test Scores

Squat Jump (cm)

Countermovement Jump
(cm)

CMJ-SJ Difference (cm)

RSI Flight Time (ms)

RSI Contact Time (ms)

RSI (Flight Time /

Contact Time)

MB Punch Left (m)

MB Punch Right (m)

Supine Hold (secs)

30-15 Test (km/h)

BOXING SCIENCE PERFORMANCE PROFILE

MOBILITY
5

AEROBIC FITNESS
4 COUNTERMOVEMENT JUMP
3

2
1
SUPINE ISO HOLD 0 SQUAT JUMP

RIGHT PUNCH RSI

LEFT PUNCH

CLICK HERE FOR EXCEL TEMPLATE

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 70

OVERHEAD SQUAT
There are a range of tests designed to assess an athlete’s flexibility, mobility and movement
competencies, however most tests are subjective and time demanding.
At Boxing Science, we only perform a single mobility assessment in our testing battery - the overhead
squat.
The overhead squat can help assess a range of movement competencies and restrictions. It can
identify tightness in both upper and lower extremities, highlight uni-lateral imbalances and challenge
core strength and stability.

THE TECHNIQUE

Use a wooden broomstick or PVC pipe

Have your hands just wider than shoulder width apart then hold the stick above the crown of your
head.
Have feet slightly wider than hip width apart.
Descend and hold at the bottom, make sure you have someone to take a video / photo of you
Use the guide on the next page to rate shoulder and hip mobility out of 5.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 71

5 – Movement is performed perfectly
4 – Movement is performed with only 1 minor fault
3 – Movement is performed with 2 faults
2 – Movement is performed with 3-4 faults
1 – Movement is performed with over 4 faults
0 – Movement is not performed due to pain or inability.

Pre-score - …………..…… out of 5 Date = ………………………………..

Post-score - ……………… out of 5 Date = ………………………………..

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 72

JUMP TESTS – USING THE MY JUMP APP
We use jump tests to estimate lower body impulsiveness. At Boxing Science we’re fortunate enough to
have an Optojump to assess jump height, however we understand that this isn't available to everyone.
The MyJump app is a valid alternative which calculates flight time from video footage – this is used to
calculate jump height. We recommend this for ensuring a valid assessment of jump height for this
programme.
Download MyJump 2 on your smart phone (approx. £9.99). We see this as a worthwhile investment,
we are not affiliated with MyJump and do not make any financial gains from recommending this
product.

COUNTERMOVEMENT / SQUAT JUMP TESTS

REACTIVE STRENGTH INDEX

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 73

COUNTERMOVEMENT JUMP
The countermovement jump (CMJ) is a popular test amongst professional and amateur athletic
populations to assess lower body impulsiveness. Since jump height is determined by velocity of the
centre of mass at take-off, and mass is constant throughout the movement, velocity at take-off is
determined by impulse (force x time) when technique is sound.
This is important to assess in boxing as lower-limb force production contributes forceful punches.

THE TECHNIQUE

Start with feet hip width apart in an upright position and arms just in front of the body.
Start the jump by flexing at the hips and knees quickly into a half squat position whilst swinging the
arms back.
Drive through the heels and rapidly extend the hips to jump as high as possible. Keep the legs
straight and ‘avoid tucking’ to ensure a valid and reliable assessment.

Below
CMJ / SJ (cm) Excellent Good Average Poor
Average
Senior 47 43 39 35 31

Junior 45 41 37 33 29

Female 40 36 32 29 27

Pre-score - …………….... cm Date = ………………………………..

Post-score - …………….. cm Date = ………………………………..

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 74

SQUAT JUMP
Unlike the countermovement jump, in this test, we pause at the bottom of the jump for a count of
three. This allows us to remove the elastic recoil effect of the stretch shortening cycle, and observe the
capability of an athlete to produce force concentrically.
Once again, use the MyJump app for assessing the squat jump height if you can.

THE TECHNIQUE

Start with feet hip width apart and sit into a squat position, hips just above the knees and arms just
in front of the body. Hold this position for 3 seconds.
Start the jump by swinging the arms back and jumping from a dead start with no
countermovement.
Drive through the heels and rapidly extend the hips to jump as high as possible. Keep the legs
straight and ‘avoid tucking’ to ensure a valid and reliable assessment

Below
CMJ / SJ (cm) Excellent Good Average Poor
Average
Senior 47 43 39 35 31

Junior 45 41 37 33 29

Female 40 36 32 29 27

Pre-score - …………….... cm Date = ………………………………..

Post-score - …………….. cm Date = ………………………………..

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 75

JUMP DIFFERENCE
The difference between the countermovement jump scores and squat jump scores can tell us a lot
about a boxer's overall athleticism. An athlete should be able to jump higher in the countermovement
jump compared to the squat jump, due to the benefit of the elastic muscle recoil of the stretch-
shortening cycle.
During the “dip” phase of the jump in the countermovement jump test, an elastic muscle stretch is
created, which recoils and increases the potential to jump higher. This stretch-recoil mechanism is
removed in the squat jump test.
A higher difference between the two jump scores indicates better effectiveness and utilisation of the
stretch shortening cycle, which is important in combination and counter punching.
To calculate the difference, simply subtract the squat jump score from the countermovement jump
score, and record the difference in centimetres.

Countermovement Jump (cm) – Squat Jump (cm) = Jump Difference (cm)

Below
SJ - CMJ (cm) Excellent Good Average Poor
Average
Senior 4 3 2 1.5 0.7

Junior 3.5 2.7 2 1 0.5

Female 3.2 2 1.5 1 0.5

Pre-score - …………….... cm Date = ………………………………..

Post-score - …………….. cm Date = ………………………………..

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 76

10/5 POGO TEST - REACTIVE STRENGTH
Reactive strength index (RSI) is a representation of the fast SSC function. It
assesses an athletes’ ability to change quickly from an eccentric to a
concentric action in the lower-leg.
Higher RSI scores are indicative of faster and more economical footwork
patterns, with faster and higher amounts of force transferred through the
achilles and ankle complex, allowing a boxer to produce more force in less
time and with less muscular effort.
This is often assessed through a range of different pogo style jumps,
however we prefer the 10/5 Pogo Test. This is where an athlete performs 10
pogo jumps from a standing position, then an average of the best five jump
scores is used to determine RSI performance.

THE TECHNIQUE

This test can be easily adapted to your training environment by using the MyJump2 App.
To perform the test, stand in an upright position with feet hip width apart and hands on hips. Start
by jumping in the air with bent knees before performing pogos.
On the pogos, jump as high as you can whilst performing short ground contact times. Minimise
knee flexion as most of the force should be produced through the foot complex.
Coaches should cue athletes to be fast off the ground and high in the air. Athletes should avoid
‘piking’ or losing posture when performing the test.
Perform ten pogo jumps in total. Then import into the MyJump2 App to record individual reps to
input into the table on the next page.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 77

ANALYSING YOUR REACTIVE STRENGTH INDEX
Step 1 – Record all flight times, contact times and RSI scores for each rep

Step 2 – Calculate the mean (average) of the FIVE best jumps

Step 3 – Use this calculation to work out your RSI

Flight Time (ms) / Contact Time (ms) = Reactive Strength Index (FT:CT)

Rep Flight Time (ms) Contact Time (ms) RSI

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Mean of Best 5
Jumps
Below
RSI Excellent Good Average Poor
Average
Senior 3.1 2.8 2.5 2.2 2

Junior 2.8 2.6 2.3 2 1.8

Female 2.8 2.6 2.3 2 1.8

Below Below
Flight Time (ms) Excellent Good Average Poor Contact Time (ms) Excellent Good Average Poor
Average Average
Senior 487 466 425 404 390 Senior 158 168 178 188 200

Junior 470 460 440 390 370 Junior 168 178 187 198 208

Female 470 460 440 390 370 Female 168 179 187 198 208

Pre-score FT - …... ms CT - …... ms RSI- …... ms Date = ………….

Pre-score FT - …... ms CT - …... ms RSI- …... ms Date = ………….

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 78

MEDICINE BALL PUNCH THROW
The medicine ball back-hand punch throw is a valid and reliable test to assess ‘explosive’ force
production in a punch specific movement pattern.

THE TECHNIQUE

Place the ball near the chin with a split stance. Switch stance for right (orthodox) and left hands
(southpaw).
Rapidly rotate and throw the ball as far as you can, keeping both feet planted.
Your score is determined by how far the ball travels before the first bounce

Pre-score Right - …….. m Pre-score Left - …….. m Date = …………………

Post-score Right - …….. m Post-score Left - …….. m Date = …………………

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 79

CORE ENDURANCE TEST
It is difficult to perform maximal strength / force production assessments for the core musculature.
However, research suggests that muscular endurance is a reliable indicator of the strength of the core
muscles. Therefore, we perform endurance holds to assess an athletes core strength.
Poor scores on this test may be an indication that core strength may be limiting effective force transfer
during high force actions such as punching.

THE TECHNIQUE
Start by sitting towards the end of a bench, with the
upper body off the bench.
Sit back at approximately 60 degrees to the bench,
back as straight as possible and hands on opposite
shoulders.
Maintain this position for as long as possible. Once
the athlete elevates too high or stops that’s the time
they score on the test.

Below
Core Hold (s) Excellent Good Average Poor
Average
Senior 150 90 45 30 15

Junior 130 70 35 20 15

Female 120 60 40 30 15

Pre-score - …………….... s Date = ………………………………..

Post-score - …………….. s Date = ………………………………..

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 80

30-15 INTERMITTENT TREADMILL TEST
The 30-15 Test is a High-Intensity Intermittent fitness test which assesses a boxer’s ability to perform,
repeat and recover from intense efforts of increasing demand. The 30-15 intermittent running treadmill
test assesses an athletes ability to perform at high-intensities. This is an adaptation of the 30-15 test
by Dr. Martin Buchheit.
The treadmill version reduces the limitations of turning, enabling an athlete to run at higher speeds to
allow a more accurate assessment of their high-intensity fitness. This test is easier to control than the
field test.

HOW TO PERFORM
Begin the test on a treadmill at 8km/h on 1%
incline – running for 30 seconds, then jump off
the belt for 15 seconds.
Increase the speed by 0.5 km/h – to 8.5.
Repeat this process, increasing the speed for
every 30 second effort, until you can’t complete a
full 30 second stage. At this point, the test is
terminated. The final stage which you are able to
complete is recorded as your 30-15 score.

On the next pages are recording sheets for the

30-15 test, here is how to use it.
Record body mass before testing
Write down heart rate and % heart rate max at the end of each interval using Bluetooth heart rate
monitor
Record Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) every 6 stages. Use the scale provided on the next page
At the end of testing, fill in the boxes to the right (Peak speed, Top HR etc.)

Below
30-15 (km/h) Excellent Good Average Poor
Average
Senior 23 21.5 20 19 18

Junior 21.5 20 18.5 17 15.5

Female 21 19.5 18 16.5 15

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 81

 30-15 - TEST 1
Date Weeks away from fight
Speed (km/h) HR (bpm) % Max HR RPE Body Mass
8.0 Peak Speed
8.5 Peak HR
9.0 Time above 90% HR
9.5 Speed at RPE 8
10.0 Speed at RPE 10
10.5
11.0
11.5
12.0
12.5
13.0
13.5
14.0
14.5
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.5
17.0
17.5
18.0
18.5
19.0
19.5
20.0
20.5
21.0
21.5
22.0
22.5
23.0
23.5
24.0
24.5
25.0

CLICK HERE FOR EXCEL TEMPLATE

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 82

 30-15 - TEST 2
Date Weeks away from fight
Speed (km/h) HR (bpm) % Max HR RPE Diff - HR Body Mass
8.0 Peak Speed
8.5 Peak HR
9.0 Time above 90% HR
9.5 Speed at RPE 8
10.0 Speed at RPE 10
10.5
11.0
11.5
12.0
12.5
13.0
13.5
14.0
14.5
15.0
15.5
16.0
16.5
17.0
17.5
18.0
18.5
19.0
19.5
20.0
20.5
21.0
21.5
22.0
22.5
23.0
23.5
24.0
24.5
25.0

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 83

 ADVANCED TESTING METHODS - STRENGTH
Over the years we have tweaked and evolved the testing battery due to advances in technology and
our experience of testing over 500 athletes. We have added a few more tests to further enhance our
understanding of physical performance in Boxing.

LANDMINE PUNCH THROW

We developed the landmine punch throw test in 2015 as we found it to have
more accurate feedback in comparison to MB Punch throw. We use [eak
velocity can represent impulse and have boxers perform incremental loads
can act as a force-velocity profile for the punch. Most testing sessions we
use 20 kg and 30 kg total loads to assess punch ‘speed’ and ‘strength’.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

GRIP STRENGTH
Grip strength is a crucial characteristic for reducing hand and upper-limb
injuries, particularly for boxers who frequently subject their upper limbs to
extreme forces and high workloads. Research has shown that grip strength
accounts for 37% of the punch power in amateur boxers (Suchomel, Stone,
and Stone, 2010), highlighting its significant contribution to performance.
Additionally, our in-house research has shown strong correlations (R² = 0.59)
between grip strength and the peak velocity of a Landmine Punch Throw,
further emphasizing its importance in enhancing athletic output and reducing
injury risks.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

ROTATIONAL STRENGTH
Various rotational isometric strength tests are commonly used, including
isokinetic assessments, rotational throws, and seated isometric assessments.
Trunk rotation plays a vital role in delivering a forceful punch (Lenetsky et al.,
2020), and core training interventions have been shown to improve punch
force (Brown et al., 2021). In our experiments, we utilized the maximum effort
Pallof press to assess rotational strength and discovered that peak force in
this test strongly correlated (R² = 0.60) with the peak velocity of a Landmine
Punch Throw. This indicates that performance on the Pallof press is a
significant contributor to punch force.

CLICK HERE FOR VIDEO DEMO

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 84

 ADVANCED TESTING METHODS - TASK
We have prepared a task for you to take an athlete through the Boxing Science Testing Battery…
virtually. Watch one of the videos below where you can use the data to fill in a performance profile.
STEP ONE
Select Athlete: Choose either Eilish Tierney or Iman Zahmatkesh. Click on the images to select the
video,

STEP TWO PERFORMANCE PROFILE

Name Age

Test Date Body Mass (kg)

Conduct Tests: Observe all tests (e.g., grip strength, punch velocity,
Test Test Score 1 Z-Score (1-5) Test Score 2 Z-Score (1-5) Change?

PERFORMANCE PROFILE
Overhead Squat (1-5)

Squat Jump (cm)

rotational strength) per protocol.

Countermovement Jump
(cm)

Name CMJ - SJ Difference (cm)

Age
RSI Contact Time (ms)

RSI Flight Time (ms)

Test Date Body Mass (kg)

Data Sheets: On the next page record raw scores performed during the tests
Rective Strength Index
(FT / CT)

LM Punch 20 kg Right

Test Test Score 1 Z-Score (1-5) Test Score 2 Z-Score (1-5) Change?
(m/s)

LM Punch 20 kg Left (m/s)

LM Punch 30 kg Right
(m/s)

Overhead Squat (1-5) LM Punch 30 kg Left (m/s)

Grip Strength Right (kg)

Squat Jump (cm) Grip Strength Left (kg)

Rotational Strength (L)

STEP THREE
Rotational Strength (R)
Countermovement Jump
(cm)
Supine Hold (secs)

Mobility
5
Core Strength Squat Jump
4

CMJ - SJ Difference (cm) L Rotational Strength 3 Countermovement…

Analysis: Go onto the second to next page to view the ratings from poor to execellent, then convert
2
R Rotational Strength 1 CMJ - SJ Difference
0
RSI Contact Time (ms) R Grip Strength Reactive Strength…

into a z-score (1–5 scale).

L Grip Strength L Punch (20kg)

RSI Flight Time (ms) R Punch (30 kg) R Punch (20kg)

L Punch (30 kg)

Rective Strength Index

1 = Poor (FT / CT)

LM Punch 20 kg Right
Below
CMJ / SJ (cm) Excellent
(m/s)
Good Average Poor
Average
2 = Below Average LM Punch 20 kg Left (m/s)

Senior 47
LM Punch 30 kg Right 43 39 35 31
3 = Average ±0.5 SD
(m/s)

Junior 45
LM Punch 30 kg Left (m/s) 41 37 33 29

4 = Good Female
Grip Strength Right (kg)
40 36 32 29 27
Grip Strength Left (kg)

5 = Excellent Rotational Strength (L)

Rotational Strength (R)

Supine Hold (secs)

Fill Radar Plot: Plot z-scores for each test and connect Mobility
5
Core Strength Squat Jump
points to visualize strengths and weaknesses. 4
L Rotational Strength 3 Countermovement…

2
R Rotational Strength 1 CMJ - SJ Difference
0

Analyze & Discuss: Share results with the athlete, R Grip Strength Reactive Strength…

highlighting strengths and areas for improvement. L Grip Strength L Punch (20kg)

Document: Save all data and the radar plot for tracking R Punch (30 kg)
L Punch (30 kg)
R Punch (20kg)

progress.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 85

 PERFORMANCE PROFILE
Name Age

Test Date Body Mass (kg)

Test Test Score 1 Z-Score (1-5) Test Score 2 Z-Score (1-5) Change?

Overhead Squat (1-5)

Squat Jump (cm)

Countermovement Jump
(cm)

CMJ - SJ Difference (cm)

RSI Contact Time (ms)

RSI Flight Time (ms)

Rective Strength Index

(FT / CT)

LM Punch 20 kg Right
(m/s)

LM Punch 20 kg Left (m/s)

LM Punch 30 kg Right
(m/s)

LM Punch 30 kg Left (m/s)

Grip Strength Right (kg)

Grip Strength Left (kg)

Rotational Strength (L)

Rotational Strength (R)

Supine Hold (secs)

Mobility
5
Core Strength Squat Jump
4
L Rotational Strength 3 Countermovement…

R Rotational Strength 1 CMJ - SJ Difference

0

R Grip Strength Reactive Strength…

L Grip Strength L Punch (20kg)

R Punch (30 kg) R Punch (20kg)

L Punch (30 kg)

CLICK HERE FOR EXCEL TEMPLATE

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 86

 TESTING STANDARDS
Below
CMJ / SJ (cm) Excellent Good Average Poor
Average
Senior 47 43 39 35 31

Junior 45 41 37 33 29

JUMP Female 40 36 32 29 27

ASSESSMENTS SJ - CMJ (cm) Excellent Good Average

Below
Average
Poor

Senior 4 3 2 1.5 0.7

S Junior 3.5 2.7 2 1 0.5

Female 3.2 2 1.5 1 0.5

Below

REACTIVE
RSI Excellent Good Average Poor
Average
Senior 3.1 2.8 2.5 2.2 2

STRENGTH Junior 2.8 2.6 2.3 2 1.8

Female 2.8 2.6 2.3 2 1.8

INDEX
Below
LM Punch (20 kg) Excellent Good Average Poor
Average
Senior 4.1 3.9 3.7 3.5 3.2

Junior 3.4 3.1 2.9 2.5 2.3

LANDMINE Female 3.2 2.8 2.5 2.3 2

Below
PUNCH LM Punch (30 kg)

Senior
Excellent

3.5
Good

3.3
Average

3
Average
2.8
Poor

2.5

Junior 3 2.8 2.4 2.1 1.9

Female 2.8 2.5 2.2 1.9 1.6

Grip Strength Below

GRIP
Excellent Good Average Poor
(% BW) Average

Male 86% 76% 66% 57% 46%

STRENGH Female 76% 68% 59% 50% 41%

Rotational Core Below

Excellent Good Average Poor
ROTATIONAL Strength (% BW)
Male 52% 42% 32%
Average
22% 12%

STRENGTH Female 38% 31% 24% 17% 10%

2
Below
Core Hold (s) Excellent Good Average Poor
Average

SUPINE CORE Senior

Junior
150

130
90

70
45

35
30

20
15

15

TEST Female 120 60 40 30 15

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 87

 ADVANCED TESTING METHODS - CONDITIONING
LACTATE PROFILE
This incremental test assesses an athlete's response to increasing
intensity by progressively raising speed by 1 km/h every 3 minutes,
starting at 9-11 km/h, with 1 minute of active recovery between
each interval. Key metrics such as heart rate, rating of perceived
exertion (RPE), and blood lactate are recorded after each interval.
The test continues until the athlete reaches their maximal
sustainable intensity, with lactate accumulation, elevated heart
rate, or high RPE indicating the shift from aerobic to anaerobic
metabolism. This protocol helps determine the athlete’s aerobic
THE BLUEPRINT TO
and anaerobic thresholds, cardiovascular fitness, and endurance ELITE PERFORMANCE
capacity.
BLOOD LACTATE PROFILE | ANALYSIS AND INTERVENTIONS
12.0 12.0 12.0

10.0 10.0 10.0

Blood Lactate (mmol/L)
Blood Lactate (mmol/L)

Blood Lactate (mmol/L)

8.0 8.0 8.0

6.0 6.0 6.0

4.0 4.0 4.0

2.0 2.0 2.0

0.0 0.0 0.0

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19
Running Speed (km/h) Running Speed (km/h) Running Speed (km/h)

“BALANCED” PROFILE “SPIKE” PROFILE “ENDURANCE” PROFILE

Ready to perform, repeat and recover Reduced ability to control and buffer Reduced ability to tolerate high levels
from high intensity actions. acidosis. of acidity.

Male boxers should reach 18 km/h or After the second lactate threshold (4 This athlete is more endurance based
above, and female boxers 15 km/h or mmol/L), the increase in blood lactate where they have a reduced ability to
above. will rise exponentially, with rapid work at high intensities. This means that
increases as intensity rises. This the test was completed due to high heart
This profile shows a steady, controlled indicates that a boxer can tolerate rates. Athletes will need to focus on
increase in blood lactate as intensity acidosis in the muscle, but has a poor central adaptations whilst improving
increases. Boxers able to tolerate and ability to control and buffer acidity. force / speed characteristics to improve
thrive at high levels of acidity in the high-intensity performance.
blood.

SPRINT INTERVAL TRAINING | (30 s max) HIIT | (4 min : 2 min)

REPEATED SPRINTS | (12 s : 48 s)
REPEATED SPRINTS | (12 s : 48 s) HIIT PYRAMID | (30s – 4 min)
MUSCLE BUFFERING | (2 min : 3 min)
MUSCLE BUFFERING | (2 min : 3 min) SPRINT TRAINING | (10 s : 50 s)

CLICK HERE FOR BONUS WORKSHOP –

LACTATE PROFILE FOR BOXING

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 88

30 SECOND WINGATE ASSESSMENT
The 30-Second Air Bike Wingate Assessment evaluates anaerobic power and endurance to tailor
athlete conditioning programs.

After a 5–10 minute warm-up, athletes perform two 30-second maximal-effort intervals on an air bike,
separated by 3 minutes of active recovery.

The goal is to hit peak power (Watts) within 7 seconds and maintain at least 60% of that power
throughout.

Power output is recorded at 7s, 17s, and 27s, alongside blood lactate levels. Key metrics include peak
power, power retention (%), and lactate response, guiding training focus on anaerobic endurance,
power development, or sport-specific needs.

TASK - Get a feel for what it’s like to perform the Boxing Science 30s Wingate Test with our virtual
assessment - here are the steps

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE

EXAMPLE

FILL IN THE EXCEL DATABASE

HERE
1. WATCH THE TUTORIAL VIDEO
Click the link above watch the step-by-step demonstration of the Wingate Test..

2. CONDUCT THE TEST AND RECORD DATA

During the test, measure and record the watts produced in the database at these intervals:
o 7 seconds
o 17 seconds
o 27 seconds

3. ANALYSE PERFORMANCE

Use the provided graphs to interpret the data recorded.

Refer to the decision tree on page 90 to identify areas of improvement. For example, focus on
the trends in power output and pinpoint whether the athlete needs work on power endurance,
peak power, or another area.

4. USE THE SPREADSHEET FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS

Download and use the accompanying spreadsheet to organise and review your athletes'
performance data. This will help track progress over time and highlight training priorities.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 89

USING AND UNDERSTANDING THE 30S WINGATE
Fill in your general athlete data at the top including body mass.
These are the Boxing Science
averages W/Kg and the % drop off.

Record the Watts at the set

intervals. Relative power (W/kg)
will be automatically calculated
and compared to the average.

These are your targets set for

30s max effort sprints based
off the Boxing Science
standards.

Here is the profile created

compared to the average. We
use the graphic below to make
informed decisions for
conditioning interventions.
THE BLUEPRINT TO
ELITE PERFORMANCE

` 30 SEC SPRINT ASSESSMENT | ANALYSIS AND INTERVENTIONS

100% 100% 100%

90% 90% 90%

80% 80% 80%

% Peak Power

% Peak Power

% Peak Power

70% 70% 70%

60% 60% 60%

50% 50% 50%

40% 40% 40%

7s 17s 27s 7s 17s 27s 7s 17s 27s
Time (s) Time (s) Time (s)

“SPRINT” PROFILE “DROP-OFF” PROFILE “ENDURANCE” PROFILE

Ready to produce, endure and An athlete produces high peak power, A “paced” effort where an athlete fails
maintain a high intensity sprint effort. but fails to display endurance. to produce maximal power.

Male boxers should hit at least 17 Watts Here a boxer will produce an explosive Here a boxer will demonstrate minimal
per kilogram (W/kg) or above, with effort, but will quickly drop off and fail to drop-off in a sprint, where they go in to a
female boxers at 14 W/kg or above. maintain their intensity, dropping off by protective mode and fail to accelerate
over 40% throughout the sprint. maximally at the start of the sprint.
Their power should decrease by less
than 40% throughout the duration of a Significant drop-offs can be seen at 17 Here a boxer may lack the capacity to
sprint effort, demonstrating an ability to and 27 seconds, often due to an inability produce an explosive 7-second effort at
thrive in a 30 second burst, which may to tolerate or buffer acidosis at the the start of the sprint, and may benefit
be seen several times in a contest. muscle level, limiting speed endurance. from sprint type workouts.

SPRINT INTERVAL TRAINING | (30 s max) CLUSTER SPRINTS | (20 s : 20 s : 20 s)

PYRMAMID HIIT | (12 s : 48 s)
REPEATED SPRINTS | (12 s : 48 s) SPEED ENDURANCE | (20 max)
MUSCLE BUFFERING | (2 min : 3 min)
MUSCLE BUFFERING | (2 min : 3 min) REPEATED SPRINTS | (12 s : 48 s)

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 90

NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 91

 KEY WORKSHOP 8

PROGRAMMING FOR COMBAT SPORTS

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Learn the scientific principles and debunk myths of periodisation in sport

Learn how to arrange training in a systematic process

Develop skills needed to monitor training loads and track wellness

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE008

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 92

WEEKLY PLAN
Below is an example outline of a weekly plan for amateur and professional boxers.
Effective training distribution is important to ensure you are getting the most out of each session. The
weekly plan below shows the possible distribution of your running, strength and recovery training
across the week.
Please note that this is only an example as we do not know when your boxing sessions are likely to
take place, as well as your work/study/social schedules.

WEEKLY PLAN
AM / PM MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY SATURDAY SUNDAY

CONDITIONING ACTIVE CONDITIONING CONDITIONING

AM STRENGTH STRENGTH
SESSION 1 RECOVERY SESSION 2 SESSION 3
ACTIVITY

BOXING -
PM BOXING BOXING LIGHTER BOXING BOXING
SESSION

H
LOADING

MH
M
L
R

MAKE YOUR OWN ADJUSTMENTS

The weekly plan above is only a suggested schedule so feel free to make your own adjustments.
Our key tip is to make sure you don’t perform too many hard days in a row such as two HIIT sessions
in two days.
If you need help in making the adjustments, feel free to contact us through the Facebook Training page
or Telegram service. Before you do, check out this video below on our rationale for this structure.

WATCH ON YOUTUBE:
HOW TO PLAN YOUR
TRAINING WEEK

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 93

PLANNING YOUR PROGRAM
An optimal program includes a progressive variations in volume and intensity to help push the body
and let it recover. This not only helps a boxer to improve physical performance but also reduces the
risk of injury and illness.

There are many different periodisation models and loading patterns used in strength and conditioning.
At Boxing Science, we utilise the 3:1 loading pattern to enable progressive overload and integrate de-
load weeks to allow the body to recover.

Furthermore, we carefully control training load to avoid spikes as these can increase the likelihood of
illness, injury and excessive fatigue. Our aim is to increase training load by no more than 10% per
week.

10 WEEK PERIODISED PLAN - BEGINNER

Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

H
Training
Loads

MH
M
L
R

STRENGTH-
Strength STRENGTH FOUNDATIONS - 6 - 12 REPS STRENGTH - 5-8 REPS
SPEED

Plyos /
CMJ, Seated
Explosive Altitude Landings, Box Jumps, Ice Skaters Med Ball Punch Throw, Landmine Punch Throw
Squat Jump
Complex

Boxing Banded TAPER

Landmine Punch, Isometric Holds Med Ball Punch Throw, Landmine Punch Throw Shadow, MB
Specific
Training Focus

Punch Throw

LM Squat to
Key Lift Goblet Squat, Romanian Deadlift Landmine Squat, Rack RDL Press, KB
Swings
MB Chest Pass
Throw, LM Punch,
DB Chest Press, Standing LM Press, DB Prone Row, Weighted
Upper Press Ups, 1/2 Kneeling LM Press, Pull Ups, TRX Row Row and Rotate,
Pull Ups Banded Pull
Downs
Goblet Rev
Single Leg / Lunge + Knee
Goblet Split Squat, Single Leg Bridged March Goblet Reverse Lunge, Single Leg Hip Thrusts
Accessory Raise, Lateral
Lunge + Rotate

Plank Row, Paloff Press, Farmer Walks, Straight Arm Straight Leg Ab Wheel Rollout, Cable Rotations, Straight Arm Straight Leg Sit Core
Core
Sit Ups, Deadbugs, ISO Holds Ups, Weighted Leg Lowers, Rotational Plank, Landmine Rotations Complexes

Conditioning PYRAMID PERIPHERAL ADAPTATIONS CENTRAL ADAPTATIONS

4 mins on 2 4 mins on 2 4 mins on 2 4 mins on 2

15 MIN 30s on : 3 mins 30s on : 3 mins 30s on : 3 mins
Session 1 mins off x 4 mins off x 5 mins off x 6 mins off x 4 Tabatas
PYRAMID off x 4 reps off x 5 off x 5
reps reps reps reps

4 mins on 2 4 mins on 2 4 mins on 2 4 mins on 2

15 MIN 30s on : 3 mins 30s on : 3 mins 30s on : 3 mins Fight Specific
Session 2 mins off x 4 mins off x 5 mins off x 5 mins off x 3
PYRAMID off x 4 reps off x 4 off x 4 HIIT
reps reps reps reps (FAST)

4 mins on 2 4 mins on 2 4 mins on 2 4 mins on 2

20 MIN 30s on : 3 mins 30s on : 3 mins 30s on : 3 mins Fight Specific
Session 3 mins off x 5 mins off x 6 mins off x 6 mins off x 4
PYRAMID off x 4 reps off x 5 off x 5 HIIT
reps reps reps reps

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 94

Create Your Own Program Using Our Templates

WEEKLY PLAN
AM / PM Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Sunday

AM
Activity

PM

H
Training

MH
Loads

M
L
R

10 WEEK PERIODISED PLAN

Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

H
Training
Loads

MH
M
L
R

Strength

Plyos /
Explosive
Complex

Boxing
Specific
Training Focus

Key Lift

Upper

Single Leg /
Accessory

Core

Conditioning

Session 1

Session 2

Session 3

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 95

NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 96

 KEY WORKSHOP 9

TAPERING FOR BOXING

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Understand the physiological and psychological benefits of tapering strategies

Learn more about how to structure an effective taper for Boxing and combat sports

Learn exercise routines to implement on fight week

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE009

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 97

THE TAPER
The taper is a reduction in an athlete's training load in the final days
and weeks before a fight, with the aim of optimising performance.
The Boxing Science tapering strategies can help a boxer get
through fight week to reach physical and psychological peak
performance come fight night.
We use a range of mobility, speed and punch specific exercises to
maintain speed and intensity whilst reducing the overall training
load. This will help keep the muscles firing throughout fight week.

The difficulty for athletes and coaches is finding the

strategy that balances enough training with enough
rest. This is called the fitness-fatigue model (left).
The aim is to maximise the decrease in accumulated
fatigue, whilst retaining or enhancing physical fitness.
This leads to peak performance on fight night.

Performance can be impaired if the taper is too short

and the acute training load too high, likewise for tapers
that are too long with low training loads. This reduction
of training load can be achieved through the alteration of several components, including training
volume, intensity, and frequency. Also, training load can be manipulated with the pattern of training
loads and the taper duration.
The most common and effective way to maintain fitness is to keep the intensity high whilst reducing
training volume. This taper can be 7 to10 days, however with a long training camp (e.g. 16 weeks)
athletes can start their taper 14 days from competition.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 98

NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 99

 KEY WORKSHOP 10

PUNCH SPECIFIC EXERCISES

SESSION OBJECTIVES

Learn the science, benefits and technical goals of punch specific exercises

Understand how to profile athletes punching ‘type’ and what exercises are suitable.

Acquire a range of punch specific exercises to help increase punch power

CLICK HERE TO WATCH WORKSHOP

PASSWORD: ULTIMATE010

CLICK HERE FOR PDF SLIDES

PUNCH SPECIFIC EXERCISES

We use traditional strength training to develop rate of force development. However, a boxer must also
learn how to transfer and express this in punch specific actions. Punch specific exercises are ideal to
help transfer strength and speed into improved punching force.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 100

MEDICINE BALL PUNCH THROW
This is an effective exercise to improve hand speed by using a rapid
rotation of the core and extension of the hips.
Start in a stance where the med ball is held with your back hand.
Hold the ball close to the chin, with hips open.
Rapidly rotate and drive through the punch to throw the ball

LANDMINE PUNCH / PUNCH THROW

The landmine punch can be performed at various loads, which makes it
really useful in different training phases as it can be used as a strength,
strength-speed and speed exercise.
Start in a stance where the bar is held with your back hand.
Hold the bar close to the chin, with hips open.
Rapidly rotate and drive through the punch, making the bar 'rattle'
Throw bar as fast as possible on the throw variation

ISOMETRIC PUNCH HOLD

We utilise isometric punch holds to increase core, shoulder and glute
activation upon impact of the punch in the aim to increase the ‘snap’.
Set up in the boxing stance ready to press a med ball into the wall
Rapidly rotate the hips and trunk whilst keeping the arm extended to
drive as hard as you can into the wall.
Hold for between 3-5 seconds, brief rest and reset before the next rep.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 101

NOTES:

ACTION POINTS - What new learnings are you going to apply to your coaching?

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 102

THANK YOU FOR TAKING PART IN THE ULTIMATE COACHING FOR
COMBAT SPORTS ONLINE WORKSHOPS
Thank you all for taking part in Ultimate Coaching for Combat Sports by Boxing Science. Your
dedication and commitment to improving your skills and fitness have been truly inspiring. We hope you
gained valuable insights and tools to enhance your performance both in and out of the ring. We
appreciate your hard work and look forward to seeing you continue to grow in your training. Keep
pushing forward—your journey to excellence is just beginning!

THE BOXING SCIENCE TEAM

Danny is a UKSA accredited strength and conditioning coach with a
wealth of world level experience. He has coached 100’s of boxers,
from World Champion professional to junior amateur boxers.

Danny achieved BSc and MSc degrees in Sport and Exercise

Science before developing the Boxing Science testing battery,
strength and conditioning programme and online platforms that has
been accessed by millions worldwide.

Alan has a PhD in sport science from Sheffield Hallam University,

UK and is a Fellow of the British Association of Sport and Exercise
Sciences.

Dr Ruddock has worked with Olympians, Paralympians and World

Champions in a range of sports for over 10 years and provided
sport science support to boxers in more than 15 world-title fights.

Lee is a performance nutritionist who works in professional football

and boxing. He is a practitioner registrant of the sport and exercise
nutrition register (SENR), ISAK accredited to perform accurate body
composition testing, and has an MSc in Sport and Exercise
Science.

Lee is undertaking a PhD in the use of polyphenols and exercise

induced muscle damage.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 103

CONTINUE YOUR JOURNEY WITH BOXING SCIENCE
There are many ways you can continue your journey with Boxing Science, as a coach looking to
develop knowledge and experience, or services to help your athletes take their physical performance
to the next level.

BOXING SCIENCE ONLINE PROGRAMMING

Train with Boxing Science with our 1-1 online bespoke programming. Our
bespoke training packages allows us to tailor the program to each
athletes individual needs. We use testing results to provide detailed
analysis on your physical performance, structuring the program to develop
your areas for improvement and transform your strengths into SUPER-
STRENGTHS..
We also can help adapt the Boxing Science training methods around your
current training schedule and the training kit available, this makes the Boxing Science Bespoke Online
Program accessible to ALL athletes WORLDWIDE.
CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

BOXING SCIENCE TESTING AND PROGRAMMING

We have hosted athletes from all over the UK and Europe at Boxing
Science Performance for our Bespoke Testing and Programming
packages. This gives athletes an opportunity to spend a day with the
Boxing Science experts to get a detailed understanding of their physical
performance.
We take athletes through our advanced Boxing Science Testing Battery,
present at detailed analysis of strengths and areas for improvement, and
then formulate a 10-week program to work towards individual strength,
speed and fitness goals.
ENQUIRE FOR MORE DETAILS [email protected]

BOXING SCIENCE MENTORSHIP

The Boxing Science Mentorship is an ideal opportunity for those seeking to
advance their knowledge in sport science and learn cutting-edge training
methods tailored to boxing and combat sports. This program not only
equips participants with advanced coaching skills but also provides
insights into developing effective business strategies within the fitness and
sports industry. Whether you're a coach, trainer, or fitness professional, the
mentorship offers a unique progression path to accelerate your career.
🖥 +20 EXCLUSIVE WEBINARS 🤝 1-1 MENTORSHIP SESSIONS 📊 ACCESS TO PROGRAM
ENQUIRE FOR MORE DETAILS [email protected]

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 104

 TOP FIVE READING RESOURCES - RESEARCH
Strength and Conditioning Recommendations for Professional Boxing
Alan Ruddock, Daniel Wilson, Steve Thompson, David Hembrough and Professor Edward
Winter
In our first published article, the Boxing Science team provide scientific justifications for the
program delivered at Sheffield Hallam University.
We explain the physiological demands of professional boxing, and the different training
methods we use to improve the physical characteristics needed for successful performance.
High-intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle: Part I:
cardiopulmonary emphasis.
Buchheit M, Laursen PB.
This is an excellent article that provides a detailed explanation of the different factors you need
to consider when struturing your running programs.
The article provides the science behind a range of conditioning sessions targetting different
physiological adaptations.
High-intensity interval training, solutions to the programming puzzle: Part II: Anaerobic
energy, neuromuscular load and practical applications
Buchheit M, Laursen PB.
Following from part 1 this article delves into the anaerobic considerations of interval training
and provides recommendations for programming training.
Making the Weight: A Case Study From Professional Boxing
James P. Morton, Colin Robertson, Laura Sutton, and Don P.M. MacLaren
Many different nutritionists, boxers and coaches have different ways of losing body mass and
making the weight. This makes it very confusing for athletes when selecting which approach to
take. This article provides a evidence-based approach that helped a professional boxer make
the weight safely and effectively.
“I try to catch him on the tip of his nose, because I try to punch the bone into the brain”
Ethical issues workining in professional boxing.
Andy Lane
This article explores some of the issues surrounding the brutality and ethical questions around
Boxing, drawing on Andy’s experiences of working with professional boxers. Case study data
is presented on the psychological preparation of boxers.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 105

 TOP FIVE READING RESOURCES - BOOKS
The Chimp Paradox - Professor Steven Peters
In his interview, Johnny Nelson mentions how ‘The Chimp Paradox’ helped change his
behaviours, and encourages the conference viewers to read it… but what is it about?
The Chimp Mind Management Model is based on scientific facts and principles, which have
been simplified into a workable model for easy use. It will help you to develop yourself and
give you the skills, for example, to remove anxiety, have confidence and choose your
emotions.
Tools of the Titans - Tim Ferriss
The Tim Ferriss Show is a favourite podcast at Boxing Science, with Tim interviewing over 200
successful professionals.. The guests range from super celebs (Jamie Foxx, Arnold
Schwarzenegger, etc.) and athletes (icons of powerlifting, gymnastics, surfing, etc.) to
legendary Special Operations commanders and black-market biochemists.
The book is a summary of the people Tim has interviewed over recent years, and contains the
distilled tools, tactics, and habits of billionaires, icons and world-class performers.
How to support a champion - Steve Ingham
If you are contemplating working with a champion, a potential champion, or anyone with
untapped talent - be prepared, be very prepared.
In this book Ingham draws on the lessons learned from a career in the intense, unforgiving
rollercoaster of elite sport; His journey shows that all the knowledge in the world will get you
only so far, but it is with trust, team-work, critical thinking, adaptability, accountability and
altruism that you can truly support a champion.
Winning - Frank Dick
Motivation for business, sport and life. The purpose of this book is the same as that of a coach
- to help you get the best out of yourself. It uses sport as a vehicle, but the motivational
lessons apply equally to professional and personal life - in fact, to every aspect of our lives
where winning counts. Plus… this book is FREE!
Conscious Coaching – Brett Bartholomew
In the world of strength and conditioning, learning how to move others—not just physically, but
also psychologically and emotionally—is paramount to getting the most out of them.
Unfortunately, while much attention has been given to the science of physical training, little
attention has been given to the science of communication. Conscious Coaching: The Art and
Science of Building Buy-In bridges this gap.

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 106

BOXINGSCIENCE.CO.UK THE BLUEPRINT TO ELITE PERFORMANCE 107