Muhammad Ali's training?

[cljm]

I hear a rumor that Muhammad Ali did no weight training. Yes, it sounds crazy to me too, but I needed to put it out there.

Assuming this isn't true, any idea how he trained?

[HoosierBoy]

Plenty of fighters didn't do weight training.

IMO it's not necessary to be competitive.

[powerwrestler]

He probably did not lift weights. Many "old school" boxers and boxing trainers were very much against weight training as they felt it made you slow. The myth is still around even today in boxing, however there are alot of boxers that do use weights. Holyfield and Tyson lifted weights. Mayweather jr.,De La Hoya,Hatton all lift weights. Weight lifting will continue to become more popular amongst boxing circles as the myths about it begin to die as they should.

[enforcerlady]

He probably did not lift weights. Many "old school" boxers and boxing trainers were very much against weight training as they felt it made you slow. The myth is still around even today in boxing, however there are alot of boxers that do use weights. Holyfield and Tyson lifted weights. Mayweather jr.,De La Hoya,Hatton all lift weights. Weight lifting will continue to become more popular amongst boxing circles as the myths about it begin to die as they should.

Very true.

[nymortgagepro]

A lot of trainers still do not promote weight lifting. Punching power is like speed. Either you're born fast or you're not. You can improve on it and hone in on what you have but punching has to do with more natural ability than weight lifting and strength. Take Holyfield for example he has an amazing build and he is very muscular but he is not a puncher.

[shindiggler]

A lot of trainers still do not promote weight lifting. Punching power is like speed. Either you're born fast or you're not. You can improve on it and hone in on what you have but punching has to do with more natural ability than weight lifting and strength. Take Holyfield for example he has an amazing build and he is very muscular but he is not a puncher.

First off, speed & power can be attributed to form as well, not just natural ability.

Second, I don't think you fully understand the benefits of weight lifting in sports, especially anarobic ones like boxing. If you're lifting just for power, you're missing out on more aspects. Weight training helps tone your body which helps you absorb punches better. Muscular growth also helps in flexibility, and recovery. I'm not saying being a body builder is good, obviously you have to have the right balance between cardio endurance and muscular endurance... but to say lifting just for punching power is kinda ignoring the benefits of weight lifting

3rd, Holyfield was a good boxer before he started incorporating weight training, but became a great one after he did... just look at this article

http://sportsci.org/news/news9709/hatfield.html

[Jersey Mauler]

how is it hard to believe he didnt lift weights?

anyways, his training was old school even for his time.

i have some training videos and its old school to old school lol

btw- tyson never lifted weights. atleast in his prime he didnt

[Kozma]

many boxers did, and still do not lift weights do to the homosexual myth that it makes you slow

[Jersey Mauler]

i really hate getting into this...but i still believe boxing makes you slow...for boxing atleast

it might work for football, rugby, etc. but its not cut out for boxing

[powerwrestler]

i really hate getting into this...but i still believe boxing makes you slow...for boxing atleast

it might work for football, rugby, etc. but its not cut out for boxing

It does not make you slow! I don't understand why/how people continue to still believe this myth..unreal.

[sifutiger]

Any athlete that doesn't train with weights in some capacity is not going to keep up with the competition. Also, if you have ever really boxed, you know that those 14 or so ounce gloves are weights. In an average training session a professional boxer is required to throw at least 1500 punches. Now that's some REPS!

Also, I've never been to a legitimate boxing gym that didn't have a medicine ball or a heavy bag. Those are weighted strength training tools as well.
Crank it up!
Kevin

[streetlife]

He probably did not lift weights. Many "old school" boxers and boxing trainers were very much against weight training as they felt it made you slow. The myth is still around even today in boxing, however there are alot of boxers that do use weights. Holyfield and Tyson lifted weights. Mayweather jr.,De La Hoya,Hatton all lift weights. Weight lifting will continue to become more popular amongst boxing circles as the myths about it begin to die as they should.

Im pretty certain Mike Tyson didnt lift weights.

[pbhigag]

Both Troy Polamalu and Frank Gore don't lift weights - I think both use parachutes. That's what a friend said, so take it for what it's worth...

[shindiggler]

i really hate getting into this...but i still believe boxing makes you slow...for boxing atleast

it might work for football, rugby, etc. but its not cut out for boxing

I just thought this was kinda funny if you read it again... I know what you mean but "boxing makes you slow for boxing" just seems like too good of a quote to ignore

[shindiggler]

1st - Mike Tyson did lift weights as did Holyfield and as does Mayweather

2nd - Parachute training is still resistance training and great for your lower body & core... On that note so is Squats and Deadlifts which is necessary for football players to have for explosiveness. Maybe they don't do lower body, but polamalu & gore are pretty ripped upper body for me not to believe that they don't lift.

3rd - For those who think weight lifting makes you slow in boxing, it's cause you are probably doing the wrong lifts, bodybuilders would make terrible boxers cause that's now how their body is built to be... Yes they would be very slow. But each sport has to train differently, and is necessary in boxing to obtain explosive bursts of intensity. If you're slow it's probably cause you're only doing bench press & bicep curls and not enough squats & other compound lifts.

4th - Each boxer has their own form, style, and training regimine so what works for some my not work for others, I just think that having muscles helps more than not having muscles in life.

[Kozma]

3rd - For those who think weight lifting makes you slow in boxing, it's cause you are probably doing the wrong lifts, bodybuilders would make terrible boxers cause that's now how their body is built to be... Yes they would be

Phil Baroni

[SuicideGripMe]

Bodybuilding physique isnt bad, its just the fighter has to have good endurance and not just look pretty. Needs to have explosive strength and good maximal strength. Plenty of wrestlers Ive seen and wrestled have great bodybuilding physiques and can move great. Dont generalize.

[Jersey Mauler]

I just thought this was kinda funny if you read it again... I know what you mean but "boxing makes you slow for boxing" just seems like too good of a quote to ignore

lol, i was in a rush

i meant weights. haha


anyways, tyson did lift weights, but only when he went into prison and after that

basically, when he sucked

[sifutiger]

Bodybuilding physique isnt bad, its just the fighter has to have good endurance and not just look pretty. Needs to have explosive strength and good maximal strength. Plenty of wrestlers Ive seen and wrestled have great bodybuilding physiques and can move great. Dont generalize.

As a trainer, I've got to comment on that! No wrestling coach that knows anything is going to sanction any type of weight training that does not meet the criteria of strength and conditioning. You cannot Body Build and work at the capacity it takes to wrestle, box or fight MMA at a competitive level with any proficiency. They are different in their needs and means. You will simply extenguish all your available ATP and gas out, there's just too much mass to move efficiently. And incidentally, if Tyson didn't juice then I don't know which athlete would be more guilty.
Not knocking Body Building...they're just different methodologies.

[SuicideGripMe]

I agree its just with proper nutrition you can get a bodybuilder physique through powerlifting and plyos too.

[Jersey Mauler]

did i just read that?? tyson juiced??



.....................




if you havent seen them, ill take screenshots of tyson at 15 shadowboxing with his shirt off (no homo) and youll see its all genetics

evander is the one who juiced. if you look at his early cruiserweight and middleweight days compared to the tyson fights, youll see it. PLUS, he has a crazy heart condition (ahem...juice)

[streetlife]

lol, i was in a rush

i meant weights. haha


anyways, tyson did lift weights, but only when he went into prison and after that

basically, when he sucked

True when he was knocking everyone over he didnt lift weights muscle is heavy and slows you down.

[imrightshutup]

[QUOTE=shindiggler;14033681]1st - Mike Tyson did lift weights as did Holyfield and as does Mayweather


mike tyson did not lift weights before he went to jail, which was when he was in his prime and didnt just fight for money, you fail.

[xxtwistedxx]

True when he was knocking everyone over he didnt lift weights muscle is heavy and slows you down.

yikes....

i think some are confusing bodybuilding with weight training. just because you weight train to help produce more power doesnt suddenly equal bulking up and packing more muscle on like a bodybuilder.

[DenisKrajnc]

Can't say it better than powerwrestler.

[DamianD]

yikes....

i think some are confusing bodybuilding with weight training. just because you weight train to help produce more power doesnt suddenly equal bulking up and packing more muscle on like a bodybuilder.

I was about to say the same thing.. Bodybuilding and weight training are not the same thing.. If you're a 300 pound beast that can barely move because of the size of your muscles, yeah.. You might be slower. If you're at a "healthy" level of strength it doesn't mean you won't have speed.

I don't find it hard to believe that he didn't do weight training but I do think it's a mistake that so many amature fighters today avoid strength training because they're so worried about their speed.

[00_Juris]

Any athlete that doesn't train with weights in some capacity is not going to keep up with the competition. Also, if you have ever really boxed, you know that those 14 or so ounce gloves are weights. In an average training session a professional boxer is required to throw at least 1500 punches. Now that's some REPS!

Also, I've never been to a legitimate boxing gym that didn't have a medicine ball or a heavy bag. Those are weighted strength training tools as well.
Crank it up!
Kevin

By that logic, the guy on the left ought to be faster than the guy on the right.