Training Regime & Diet Plan For a competetive Amateur Boxer

[levi]

I am an amateur boxer currently training at competetive level. I run in the morning 5 times a week including sprints with these runs, I also run in the evenings 3 times a week. I train at the boxing gym 6 times a week. I have a rest day once a week.
My diet includes porridge in the mornings, followed by a protein shake after my moring run. I then have a sandwich with grilled White meat with wholemeal bread,salad and chillies, or a bowl of salad etc 3 hours later. I then snack on almonds or fruit another 3 hours later. After my evening training session i drink another protein shake straight after. When i get home I eat a healthy meal including grilled meat, mixed veg and a palm sized amount of carbs about an hour to an hour and half after the protein shake.
The weight I box at is 69kgs and I am currently walking around at a weight of 75kgs. I would like to if the training im doing is right and if the diet is ok.

Id like to know the best way to do my roadwork training also. especially when to do sprints.

[Youngblood]

sounds like way too much running to me. and i don't say that often to a boxer as most aren't doing near enough.

I could understand if you were trying to peak for a tour or something, and had to cut to get there...but that amount of running is gonna break you in just regular training.

[levi]

ive been told its too much running off a few people now. Would it be better if i did 3 long runs ( about 5miles) a week and then 3 lots of sprint/interval training a week? i find it easier doing all the running to cut the weight though. And i just want to be the fitest i can be.

[RightHooker]

If you are eating that clean, and running that much how do you plan to lose 6kgs when you need to make 69kg?

Or did you stop training for a while and gain some fat, and now you're just starting that training routine?

[levi]

yea right hooker have stopped training for a bit and now looking to get back down to the right weight

[cool-cat]

your better doing 3 long runs then 3 interval runs.

[levi]

Monday,Wednesday,Friday: run 5 miles in the morning and train in the evening

Tuesday,Thursday: Interval/Sprint training in the morning and train at the gym in the evening.

Saturday: would it be better to have a rest day or do some sprint training.

Sunday: Morning gym session

Would that be a better training regime? Is the diet i currently use a good one for the amount of exercise im doing? Would it be better for me to use the saturday as a rest day? And also does anyone know any good sprint/interval training techniques?

[KillSomething]

You don't really need to run 5 miles. Maybe once a week if that. And running twice day is for RUNNERS, not boxers.

Schedule looking something like this could work.

M: Hard run (Sprints, hill sprints, tabata workout, etc.)
T: Easy run (3 miles, recovery pace)
W: Hard run (2-3 miles, short intervals)
R: Off
F: Easy run (3 miles, recovery pace)
S: Hard run (Sprints, hill sprints, tabata, etc.)
S: Off (Long walk or 3-5 mile run at slooooow pace)

That includes off days since you're just getting back. As you go on, you can rearrange it so the off days are replaced by recovery days and/or sprint days. The main thing is to set it up so you do a recovery run or off day on the days you'll be sparring.

Also, eat fruit. And depending on your bodyfat%, the diet might need more calories in it, especially on some of the days. Just don't eat the same things every day, and if you're constantly dealing with soreness, definitely eat more.

[Youngblood]

I dropped 9 lbs in around 2 weeks just cleaning up my diet for last weekend tour, limiting carbs and salt, focusing on all fresh veggies and fruit, lean steak and chicken. No milk. Next to nadda for grains outside of a bit of loading right before workouts (like 2-3 hrs before), then hammering protein home after (10-15 mins). And I wasn't doing 1/2 the running you are there. So the point being, I would focus more on diet and don't wear your body out physically. Sure do a mixture of sprints and distance, the distance will burn it off better imo...but don't work yourself into a weakened and unhealthy state. Always a rest day. Don't run more then once a day...and imo, 6 days running is just wrong. You aren't getting any recovery time in there...and recovery is as important as the training.

[levi]

Thanks a lot for the advice killsomething and youngblood, really appreciate it. Youve helped me out a lot there. So is it still cool to be training at the boxing gym m,t,w,th,f every evening with the m,w,f sessions being only an hour. and the t,th sessions being 2 and 1/2 hours?

So using killsomethings training plan as well could my training regime look something like this?

M: MORNING: Hard run (Sprints, hill sprints, tabata workout, etc.) EVENING 1 HOUR GYM SESSION
T: MORNING:Easy run (3 miles, recovery pace) EVENING 2.5 HOUR AT GYM (SPARRING aswell)
W: MORNING: Hard run (2-3 miles, short intervals) EVENING: GYM 1 HOUR
Th: NO RUNNING IN AM AND EVENING: 2.5 HOUR GYM SESSION incl Sparring
F: MORNING: Easy run (3 miles, recovery pace) EVENING: GYM 1 HOUR
S: OFF DAY?
S: GYM SESSION IN THE MORNING AND THEN (Long walk or 3-5 mile run at slooooow pace) Or would it be best to interval training??? IN THE EVENING

Sorry for the constant questions but ive been getting a lot of mixed opinions on how i train from many differnt people and i just want to make sure im applying the best training the regime i can so i can reach peak physical fitness for the championships and be sure i am eating the right things and the right quantity.

[PugilistStudent]

Thanks a lot for the advice killsomething and youngblood, really appreciate it. Youve helped me out a lot there. So is it still cool to be training at the boxing gym m,t,w,th,f every evening with the m,w,f sessions being only an hour. and the t,th sessions being 2 and 1/2 hours?

So using killsomethings training plan as well could my training regime look something like this?

M: MORNING: Hard run (Sprints, hill sprints, tabata workout, etc.) EVENING 1 HOUR GYM SESSION
T: MORNING:Easy run (3 miles, recovery pace) EVENING 2.5 HOUR AT GYM (SPARRING aswell)
W: MORNING: Hard run (2-3 miles, short intervals) EVENING: GYM 1 HOUR
Th: NO RUNNING IN AM AND EVENING: 2.5 HOUR GYM SESSION incl Sparring
F: MORNING: Easy run (3 miles, recovery pace) EVENING: GYM 1 HOUR
S: OFF DAY?
S: GYM SESSION IN THE MORNING AND THEN (Long walk or 3-5 mile run at slooooow pace) Or would it be best to interval training??? IN THE EVENING

Sorry for the constant questions but ive been getting a lot of mixed opinions on how i train from many differnt people and i just want to make sure im applying the best training the regime i can so i can reach peak physical fitness for the championships and be sure i am eating the right things and the right quantity.

That looks like a very good routine. When are the championships? because for about a month before the championships you will want to replace those hard runs with sport specific conditinioning to truly peak for boxing.

Examples would be minute drills 30 seconds burpees and shadowboxing or hitting the bag hard (keep alternating for full rounds), Tabata punchouts, 10x10 drills, shark tanking (sparring, fresh opponent every minute), and so on.

[KillSomething]

Yeah, it's fine to train at the gym at night and run in the morning. Most boxers do that. I'd say keep Sunday's running/walking light because Monday you have sprints.

Don't worry so much about your running though. Most of your work should be done in the gym on skills, so make sure your fitness work isn't taking away from your skill work. If you're finding you don't have energy in the gym, cut back on the running.

[SouthpawSlayer]

I am an amateur boxer currently training at competetive level. I run in the morning 5 times a week including sprints with these runs, I also run in the evenings 3 times a week. I train at the boxing gym 6 times a week. I have a rest day once a week.
My diet includes porridge in the mornings, followed by a protein shake after my moring run. I then have a sandwich with grilled White meat with wholemeal bread,salad and chillies, or a bowl of salad etc 3 hours later. I then snack on almonds or fruit another 3 hours later. After my evening training session i drink another protein shake straight after. When i get home I eat a healthy meal including grilled meat, mixed veg and a palm sized amount of carbs about an hour to an hour and half after the protein shake.
The weight I box at is 69kgs and I am currently walking around at a weight of 75kgs. I would like to if the training im doing is right and if the diet is ok.

Id like to know the best way to do my roadwork training also. especially when to do sprints.

one long distance run once a week is enough, 2 days sprint training is all that you should do per week also, sprints are very demanding and your body will not cope with more than 2 sessions per week, put in a lot of work into these 2 sessions and that is enough

you are running a lot man at the moment as the lads have mentioned and i reckon you are over training, your calorie intake seems tiny for someone who trains as much as you, 8 runs and 6 in the club thats 14 times per week :scaredas:, i dont know what level you are at but only guys i know who train like that are pro's or guys at elite amateur level

if you really want to keep all these sessions up, substitue 5 of your running sessions and replace them with sessions of plyometrics, weight training for power and strenght, calisthenics, however i would strongly advise you rest a little more, rest is just as important as nutrition and training itself

your diet needs some work also, what you are eating is very good, you are getting all main nutrients with porridge, salads fruit nuts almonds grilled meat etc this is all very good stuff, however there needs to be more attention paid to WHEN you eat, the protein shake after a long run is not what the body needs, after training the most important thing is carbs, you need to replace the energy stores that have diminished from training, the sooner you replace these the better especially since you train twice a day, after a training session try get your carbs but a meal with everything would be far better, replace your protein shake with a mass gainer (carbs protein, vitamins, minerals), dont worry about putting on weight, after a run take about 300 calories in your shake and after a good session in the club possibly 500 calories, you can consume half of this during training also to top up energy levels, after 60 mins they are seriously low, 3 hours before training always consume a very high carb meal, porridge is good with mabe 2 sandwiches of tuna, by the looks of it you are not taking in enough carbs to provide you with your training needs, try calculate the amount of calories you use per day (for living and training) and go off that

here i could go on forever so im just gonna stop, best of luck

in two weeks update us on what how your training and diet has changed then we can give you more pointers

[levi]

Right im confused about the whole diet situation now, So say for example i wake up in the morning drink a green tea and a glass of orange juice and eat a medium sized bowl of porridge.

I let that go down for a couple of hours then i head out on my run (either the sprint/interval/tabata run or the 3 mile recovery run. once i get back from the run i'd drink a protein shake, the one i currently use is Maximuscles Promax Diet shake.

Then 3 hours later ill eat my lunch i usually either have 2 slices of wholemeal toast with two scrambled eggs or ill have a sandwich which will be made with wholemeal bread, grilled chicken breast, chopped chillies and salad. with a piece of fruit.

3 hours later ill eat a banana and drink another green tea before i go training for the evening. After my training session ill immediately drink another promax diet shake. An hour and half later ill eat my dinner which always includes grilled meat (chicken,turkey,pork,steak,) or grilled fish (mackerel,salmon,cod) with spinach, mixed veg some rice and i sometimes have asparagus instead of spinach.

Throughout the day i aim to drink around 3 litres of water. I also take a multivitamin tablet and a cod liver oil capsule every morning.

Now is this ok along with my training? im walking around at 75-76kgs and i box at 69kgs.

And also with the runs called HARD RUNS with the sprint/hill sprints/tabata how many miles should i do this for? because i dont want to get up go running and feel that i havent done enough afterwards!

[levi]

Here is some info on the protein shake ive been using also

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

[MrPook]

I think you are doing it right. There is something like overanalysing things you now. Train hard and do what feels right to you. You do train hard so that is good.

When I lived in the USA and was totally dedicated to boxibg this is what I did:

Run 6 times a week. Get up at 7 in the morning. Run for 30 minutes including sprints in my running. Then walk out and run up the stairs to the 14th floor as fast as possible without skipping steps. (honestly it was most times it was more like I did run 4/5 times a week in reallity) Sometimes I did run in the evening also but after a while I did not, instead I did like 2/3 times a week weights in the evening for 1 hour. I think that would be better for you instead of running in the evening. You already run 6 times a week you know what I mean?

AFTER i did run I had breakfast. Wich was really no more then 1/2 boles of cereal with skim milk. Trough the day I would drink 1 gallon of skim milk a day (3.76 liters). Great for proteins. 1 gallon of skim milk is like 140/150 grams of protein.

Other things I did eat a lot were kidney beans. Sometimes I would eat a whole can for breakfast or I would eat a whole can for dinner. Or I would eat other kind of peas for dinner. And some steak or chicken. For lunch I would eat either an orange, a bowl of cereals, a banana (had that for breakfast also sometimes), or a sanswich. If I felt hungry or felt like I needed the callories I would eat a sandwich or (very exceptional) drink a quart of whole choclate milk. I also made sure I never felt hungry. If I felt hungry I would eat something. But never eat cookies, junk food, fruit juice (to much sugar/carbs), fried food.

I was always carefull never to take more carbs then I needed on one day and eat/drink a whole lot of protein. I also took creatine and two vitamin pills a day. One after running and one before going to bed.

Boxing training I did 5 days a week. 3 hours in the gym training. 1 hour of jumping rope on the clock. (3 minutes, 1 minute rest) Other 2 hours were bagwork, sparring, pull-ups, push-ups, stomach muscle training, jumpingjacks etc. Those 3 hours were 3 hours of training not dressing, talking, fooling around.

As i said 2/3 times a week I would do weights for 1 hour.

O yeah and I did sleep like 11 hours a day/night. Always was in the bed before 10 in the evening and always got up no later then 7 in the morning.

[RDJ]

Your diet seems to be reasonably well, if you want more ideas check the sticky nutrition thread.

[Bodi]

Not much wrong with your diet fella.

Many others will beg to differ, as there really isn't a clear cut method for boxing conditioning, but personally, I would look to cut down on the running. I like my fighters to follow more 'fight specific' and full body conditioning drills. I have always advocated running once per week with longer intervals in between fights, tapering down to shorter intervals as fight time approaches. In place of much of the running that many fighters do, I tend to prefer power developing exercises, muscular endurance drills and mobility drills. The reason that I say this is that aside from the elite level fighters, many people struggle to find the time to develop every aspect required to be a complete fighter, so many facets can be neglected when someone is too dedicated to their running. So for me, the 'typical' morning run is an inefficient use of the time that many have available. That said, many world champions built their success off the back of morning runs.

[SILVIO_DANTE]

Don't you have a job or school or something mate?

Where do you find the time to fit in all this diet & exercise for such a long length of time?

[levi]

thanks for the help guys, yeah i work from 8-4 i just get up early and make sacrifices,thats what boxings all about. And make sure i hit the sack early. So is it cool that i drink protein? and would that example day i described be ok for me? remember ive got to make weight too.

And the hard run id do with the sprints/intervals/tabata, for how many miles would i run for this?

[MrPook]

If you run everyday 30 should do it

[SouthpawSlayer]

Right im confused about the whole diet situation now, So say for example i wake up in the morning drink a green tea and a glass of orange juice and eat a medium sized bowl of porridge.

I let that go down for a couple of hours then i head out on my run (either the sprint/interval/tabata run or the 3 mile recovery run. once i get back from the run i'd drink a protein shake, the one i currently use is Maximuscles Promax Diet shake.

Then 3 hours later ill eat my lunch i usually either have 2 slices of wholemeal toast with two scrambled eggs or ill have a sandwich which will be made with wholemeal bread, grilled chicken breast, chopped chillies and salad. with a piece of fruit.

3 hours later ill eat a banana and drink another green tea before i go training for the evening. After my training session ill immediately drink another promax diet shake. An hour and half later ill eat my dinner which always includes grilled meat (chicken,turkey,pork,steak,) or grilled fish (mackerel,salmon,cod) with spinach, mixed veg some rice and i sometimes have asparagus instead of spinach.

Throughout the day i aim to drink around 3 litres of water. I also take a multivitamin tablet and a cod liver oil capsule every morning.

Now is this ok along with my training? im walking around at 75-76kgs and i box at 69kgs.

And also with the runs called HARD RUNS with the sprint/hill sprints/tabata how many miles should i do this for? because i dont want to get up go running and feel that i havent done enough afterwards!

if this is your pre training meal (usually 2 to 3 hours before training) its quite shit for a hour and half or 2 hour session, you need way more carbs than that, a banana gives a quick short burst of energy when really you want something which releases energy slowly (porridge), caffeine is not needed before boxing training either, in between rounds you need your heart rate to slow down from the huge peaks it gets during sparring forexample caffeine will not allow your heart rate to drop the way it should

the shake you are taking is more like a meal replacement shake rather than a protein shake it contains carbs and fats and a few other things, id still recommend somthing with more carbs though, overall you have a well balanced diet, educate yourself on the glycaemic index of food and when to eat these different foods with low and hi glycaemic index, it will benefit things like energy stores, energy replacement and energy during training (by educate i mean google or buy a nutrition book) you will find it helpful

[levi]

Thanks for the advice SouthpawSlayer, so basically cut the green tea out before training and have a bowl of porridge and a banana before training? would a boel of pasta and chicken be ok etc i would eat these types of things as id love all the energy i could get but i get worried about making the weight all the time i hate cuttting the weight too soon near the fight. Should i carry on drinking the shake i currently use or not? and Do you know of any good nutrition books i could purchase?

[SouthpawSlayer]

Thanks for the advice SouthpawSlayer, so basically cut the green tea out before training and have a bowl of porridge and a banana before training? would a boel of pasta and chicken be ok etc i would eat these types of things as id love all the energy i could get but i get worried about making the weight all the time i hate cuttting the weight too soon near the fight. Should i carry on drinking the shake i currently use or not? and Do you know of any good nutrition books i could purchase?

i hear what you say about making weight but with extra calorie intake means you have more energy to exercise at a higher intensity which ultimately could lead to a lower body fat % which will make making weight easier, yeah cut out the caffeine before training on pads bags sparring or anything that involves a recovery period, caffeine before a long distance run can be helpful

Anita Beans - Complete guide to sports nutrition is a good start its not too technical and covers everything, i had the 4th edition when i done my personal training course there might be a newer edition out now

about your shake mate its up to you i would recommend something with slightly more carbs but its totally up to you, straight after my training at the club i take carb protein mix , 50 g carbs and about 25 grams protein

[masterold]

I dropped 9 lbs in around 2 weeks just cleaning up my diet for last weekend tour, limiting carbs and salt, focusing on all fresh veggies and fruit, lean steak and chicken. No milk. Next to nadda for grains outside of a bit of loading right before workouts (like 2-3 hrs before), then hammering protein home after (10-15 mins). And I wasn't doing 1/2 the running you are there. So the point being, I would focus more on diet and don't wear your body out physically. Sure do a mixture of sprints and distance, the distance will burn it off better imo...but don't work yourself into a weakened and unhealthy state. Always a rest day. Don't run more then once a day...and imo, 6 days running is just wrong. You aren't getting any recovery time in there...and recovery is as important as the training.

why did you stop drinking Milk?

[MrPook]

I would rather stop drinking fruit juice. Really that stuff makes you fat. You better drink water and skim milk instead and eat fruit and take vitamin pills instead.