Boxing is a physically intense and demanding sport. The diet consumed by a boxer in the weeks and months before a match will have a direct impact on performance in the ring. Eating the correct diet will reap dividends in the later rounds of a fight. Carbohydrate, protein and hydration are all crucial elements of a boxing diet.
Nutrients
The Talk Boxing website explains that carbohydrates are the ideal food in a boxing diet. Carbohydrates are converted to glycogen by your body and will be the primary energy source used during a boxing match. A high carbohydrate supply will boost your speed and power in the later rounds of a boxing match.
Protein is important to muscle reparation in a boxing diet. After a boxing match or strength training session you will need your body to repair your muscles, a process helped by an adequate protein supply. Ensure you are fully hydrated with water or a sports drink at all times during boxing training. You should drink eight to 10 glasses of water per day.
Benefits
Researchers from Northwestern University explain that an adequate carbohydrate intake allows the body to exercise at high intensity for longer periods. If you have consumed a healthy diet alongside your boxing training plan, you will find yourself able to land punches easier on a tiring opponent. You will also be able to avoid the counter attacks of a fighter who is slowing due to fatigue. High protein intake will allow you to repair damaged muscles after a boxing match, and strength gains from weight training will also be maximized.
Making Weight
Making the weight must be a constant thought in the mind of a boxer and his coaching staff during boxing training. The Mayo Clinic explains that you should lose only one or two pounds a week, and that faster weight loss is not healthy. If a boxer crash diets and cuts a large amount of weight before a fight, he can become dehydrated and at risk. Boxing trainer Ross Enamait warns that going into a fight dehydrated to make weight can not only ruin your skills, but have seriously damaging effects on your health.
Specific Suggestions
Chicken, pasta, rice and fruit are all good foods to include in a boxing diet. The Talk Boxing website explains that a boxer should aim to have 45 to 55 per cent of her diet formed by carbohydrates, 30 to 40 per cent from protein and 15 per cent from fats. Former Light Welterweight World Champion Ricky Hatton consumed four or five meal replacement supplements a day as part of his diet during boxing training.
Expert Insight
The Talk Boxing website explains that a boxing diet should eliminate high-fat foods or sugary snacks. High-sugar foods such as chocolate and soda will give an immediate energy supply, but will result in a crash, hurting your energy level and subsequent performance over the later rounds.
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