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How They Train:
Conditioning Methods of World Champion Boxer Evander
Holyfield Frederick C. Hatfield, Ph.D., FISSA drsquat=AT=aol.com Sportscience News Sep-Oct 1997 http://www.sportsci.org/news/news9709/Hatfield.html |
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Is there a place for periodization, force-velocity curves, and even plyometrics in the often archaic world of professional boxing? Fred Hatfield convinced Evander Holyfield that there is. Here, Dr Hatfield describes the conditioning program that prepares Holyfield for all the physical demands of a championship fight, all except biting. |
![]() World Champion Boxer Evander Holyfield (on the left) |
My responsibilities were limited to the physical conditioning component of Evander's training, which had to be integrated into his skills and sparring training. Boxers require not only agility, speed and strength in short, explosive bursts, but also a high level of anaerobic strength endurance in order to perform these bursts over and over for ten rounds or more. I designed Evander's training regimen and nutritional protocol to reflect these all-important elements. The road work ended promptly and completely.
After the 12 week cycle described below, Evander recovered quickly from intense activity, even after a series of ten, 3-minute drills. His agility and limit strength levels increased, and his lean Baudot increased from 208 to 218.
The conditioning program described below was the program I personally supervised Evander through prior to the Buster Douglas fight. He also used the same training cycle in preparation for his most recent fights against Mike Tyson, but I was not there personally to oversee his training. This preparation was supervised by a friend of mine in the strength coaching profession who assures me the Evander followed the prescribed program precisely.
General Points of
Conditioning for Boxers
There are several general concepts which helped to shape
the specific program that I designed for Evander. First, the work
profile of boxing is repeated 3-minute rounds of activity, often with
very high intensity bursts within a round. The rounds are separated
by one minute rest intervals. Thus, the relative contribution of
anaerobic energy release pathways is considered extremely important,
with aerobic capacity playing an important role in terms of
facilitating rapid recovery. Extreme conditioning is required to
fight effectively for ten intense, 3-minute rounds and anaerobic
endurance is a key aspect that cannot be overlooked. Short of an
early round knockout, boxers cannot afford to win only the early
rounds of a fight. They must maintain an intense, but measured pace
throughout a long and competitive bout. So conditioning counts almost
as much as skill for boxing success. Optimal physical conditioning
provides the platform from which the skills can be used. The best way
to simulate the demands of boxing is to use conditioning methods
which mimic the work/rest ratio and integrated bursts of power that
typify boxing.
Boxing is a highly individual sport. Fighters possess unique styles that create specific physical demands. Some rely on explosive strength ("power"), for others it's starting strength ("speed"), and for most a combination of the two ("speed-strength"). True champions alter their style in a way that will make them more able to attack the weaknesses of any given opponent. Improvements in specific capacities can be made, but they are only helpful if integrated into the fighter's style. For example, extensive footwork exercises may not benefit the power puncher who fights stationary and looks to deliver a blow that starts with the legs and drives right through the opponent (and wins that way). Similarly, a fighter who relies on punching speed and fast footwork should not put all his training hours into heavy bag work and muscle mass development. So, the program designed must not only be specific to boxing, but also specific to the boxer.
Ideally, the boxing punch consists of a synchronization between arm, leg, and trunk actions. The punching movement of a boxer consists of leg extension, trunk rotation, and arm extension, in succession. The more effective the coordination between arm, leg and trunk movements, the greater the impact force of a punch. The leg muscles play a vital role in the power developed in this sequence. Increasing leg force development and coordinating it with trunk and arm action is probably the most effective way to increase punching power.
Because boxing is an explosive sport, ballistic training methods are especially effective during weight training for boxing. This kind of training method requires the athlete to perform each repetition explosively, with maximal intended velocity. Finally, in my view, the best way to weight train for competitive boxing is via a cycled training schedule. This type of training schedule integrates workouts and exercises that will meet all the basic performance demands of boxing, strength, power, speed, agility, and strength endurance.
Evander's Conditioning
Plan
The twelve week macro cycle was broken down into four
mesocycles of three weeks duration. Each 3-week period had specific
goals, and each subsequent 3-week period built upon what was
established in the preceding periods. The conditioning goals for each
mesocycle were as follows:
Weeks One, Two and
Three
1. Maximize muscle mass -- Evander needed to increase his
body mass from under 210 to 220 pounds.
2. Minimize fat accumulation during hypertrophy phase (dietary
strategies including "zig-zag" diet were employed).
3. Improve general strength and fitness foundation, including
moderate aerobic threshold intensity training.
4. Begin training to increase anaerobic threshold.
5. Introduce light plyometrics.
Weeks Four, Five and
Six
1. Maximize limit strength of muscles/movement used in
boxing (emphasis on legs).
2. Increase anaerobic strength endurance (maximum force output time
after time).
3. Begin training specific skills (weaknesses) in earnest.
4. Concentrate on between-workout recovery.
5. Introduce explosive strength and starting strength with moderate
plyometrics.
Weeks Seven, Eight
and Nine
1. Maximize explosive strength.
2. Specific event skills must predominate all skills training
sessions.
3. Continue anaerobic threshold training.
4. Maximize between-workout recovery.
5. Incorporate weighted plyometrics and hill/stairs running.
Weeks Ten, Eleven and
Twelve
1. Maximize ballistic strength (starting strength) using
"shock" plyometrics (built on a 9-week base of plyometrics
progression).
2. Heavy emphasis on anaerobic threshold.
3. Maximize between-workout recovery ability.
4. Heavy emphasis on skills.
5. Emphasize speed, agility, ballistic movements.
6. "Overspend" drills in final preparatory period.
7. Begin "complex training" (description below) as a replacement for
normal weight training.
Evander's Training Techniques
and Sequences
(abbreviated terms are described after the table)
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Session |
Training Mode |
Frequency |
Morning workouts |
Boxing Skills |
Daily |
|
LBE |
Mon, Wed, Fri |
|
UBE |
Tues, Thurs, Sat |
|
Versaball |
Mon, Wed, Fri |
Noon workouts |
3 Minute Drill (4-6 sets) |
Mon, Wed, Fri |
|
Plyometrics |
Tues, Thurs, Sat |
Evening workouts |
Weight Training |
Mon-Fri |
| ||
Session |
Training Mode |
Frequency |
Morning workouts |
Sparring/IE |
Daily/twice weekly |
|
LBE |
Mon, Wed, Fri |
|
UBE |
Tues, Thurs, Sat |
|
Versaball |
Mon, Wed, Fri |
Noon workouts |
3 Minute Drill (7-9 sets) |
Mon, Wed, Fri |
|
Weighted plyometrics |
Tues, Thurs, Sat |
Evening workouts |
Explosive weight training |
Mon-Fri |
| ||
Session |
Training Mode |
Frequency |
Morning workouts |
Sparring |
Daily |
|
LBE |
Mon, Wed, Fri |
|
UBE |
Tues, Thurs, Sat |
|
Versaball |
Mon, Wed, Fri |
Noon workouts |
3 Minute Drill (10-12 sets) |
Mon, Wed, Fri |
|
Shock plyometrics |
Tues, Thurs |
Evening workouts |
complex training |
Mon-Fri |
|
UBE load setting/intensity |
Work Duration |
Rest Duration |
Repetitions |
Mesocycle One |
max |
1 minute |
1 minute |
5 |
Mesocycle Two |
max |
90 seconds |
1 minute |
8 |
Mesocycle Three |
max |
2 minutes |
1 minute |
12 |
|
UBE load setting/intensity |
Work Duration |
Rest Duration |
Repetitions |
Mesocycle One |
max |
1 minute |
1 minute |
5 |
Mesocycle Two |
max |
90 seconds |
1 minute |
8 |
Mesocycle Three |
max |
2 minutes |
1 minute |
12 |
Weight
Training Initially (during mesocycle one),
Evander followed a modified bodybuilding and basic strengthening
program using a "variable split" format. A, B and C specify whether
the workout is to be a very easy one (A), a moderately difficult one
(B), or a high intensity one (C). This part of Evander's program was
monitored by Lee Haney, multiple "Mr. Olympia" bodybuilding champion,
and a former student of mine.
Evander's Variable Split
Exercise Listing
The precise schedule of when to do an A, B or C workout was
matched to Evander's recuperative abilities.
Chest |
A workout |
bench press |
|
B workout |
add dumbbell bench press |
|
C workout |
add incline dumbbell bench press |
Shoulders |
A workout |
seated dumbbell presses |
|
B workout |
add frontal dumbbell raises |
|
C workout |
add lateral raises |
Back |
A workout |
bent rows, back extensions |
|
B workout |
add modified pull-ups |
|
C workout |
add pull-downs |
Arms |
A workout |
EZ curls, pushdowns |
|
B workout |
add hi, moderate and low rep system |
|
C workout |
add dumbbell curls, dips |
Legs |
A workout |
safety squats, keystone deadlifts |
|
B workout |
add lunge walking, glute-ham raises |
|
C workout |
add twisting squats, leg curls |
Midsection |
A workout |
Russian twists |
|
B workout |
add pre-stretched crunches |
|
C workout |
add sidebends |
Each 3-minute drill is performed on verbal commands from the
trainer. Evander must go for a solid 3 minutes at a heart rate of 180
beats per minute (minimum). After a one minute rest (getting his
heart rate back to 110-120) repeat, rest, and repeat again.
Notice that jumps, hops and skips should be performed with
"checkmark" intensity, as should every single move Evander makes --
POUND that thought into his head every minute of these drills. Always
tape Evander's wrists and wear gloves (protection from debris and
potholes)!
Plyometrics This is a way of
improving starting strength, explosive strength and amortization (the
"checkmark") through total concentrated force output in every move
Evander makes. On days where the midday workout is limited to
plyometrics, they should be relaxed, with much rest between bouts,
with each bout only lasting 10-20 seconds.
The Plyometrics
Sequence
1. jog or do stepups to warm up
2. easy (not "all-out") jumps, hops, skips, and then
3. do 20 yards of skips
4. again
5. hops like a kangaroo
6. again
7. repeat 3, 4, 5, and 6 backwards
8. one-legged hops 30 yards (both feet)
9. hops on hands 10 yards
10. repeat 9 backwards
11. repeat 9 left and right
In second mesocycle, do all of the above with a weighted
vest.
In third mesocycle, incorporate bench hops, 10 reps.
In third mesocycle, incorporate twisting skips 40 yards, and
twisting the other way back 40 yards.