Is Boxing And Powerlifting A Good Combination?

The three events of powerlifting focus on strength in your legs, back and the large muscles of your upper body. Powerlifting strengthens you to deliver more powerful strikes when boxing. Much of the power in boxing comes from your legs and back, and the focus in powerlifting on the squat and deadlift builds a strong base and core of power that other training methods struggle to duplicate. Consult a health care provider before beginning any athletic training program.

Squatting

Squatting not only strengthens your legs, it builds power and burst speed, which is critical for closing the gap between yourself and your opponent in the ring. A 2005 study published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research" showed a direction correlation between squat strength, power and speed. When squatting, always squat deeply as this develops the muscular of the hips to their fullest, according to a 2002 study published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research." A great deal of punching power comes from your waist, and this is initiated through your hips.

Deadlifting

The deadlift helps build strong legs but is primarily an exercise for your back, according to a 2002 study published in "Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise." The muscles of your lower back provide power, and the muscles of your upper back provide stability. Your trapezius, the large muscle at the top of your back, not only provides stability for your shoulders, but for your neck as well. As stronger, thicker neck makes you more resistant to being knocked out.

Bench Pressing

The bench press develops your chest, shoulders and triceps. While most of your punching power comes from your legs and back, your shoulders and arms still contribute. When jabbing, nearly all of the power from the jab comes from your arms, and a strong bench press heavily works your triceps, according to a 1995 study published in the "Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research." Benching can also improve your muscular endurance, which can help keep your punches sharp into the later rounds.

Balanced Program

Do not overtrain in an attempt to get strong overnight. While this would be nice, stepping into the ring with arms so worn out from training that you cannot keep them up is not the best move in your boxing career. Slowly integrate the powerlifts into your boxing schedule, and keep the volume low until you can determine the effect it has on your skill training. In the ring, no one cares how much you squat or deadlift, only if you can deliver the power you generate effectively.