pushups

[boxing_kid]

How many hard sets a day do u recomend?im tryna build punching speed and more power.I already know 90 percent of punching power comes from legs,but im trying to add more.

[MrMagic]

Do 100 at least per day.
I do however believe that you're underrating upper body strength in terms of generating power, there are guys with no legs and freakish upper body strenght that had concussive power like none other.

Just try this before a sparring session.. do your pullup & pushup routine just before your sparring session, you will note the difference.

[Jazzo]

If you are going to get any power from mere push-ups then you should perform them in a plyometric fashion.

I would seriously advise that you get into Olympic styled lifts for explosive strength though.

[MrSmall]

If you are going to get any power from mere push-ups then you should perform them in a plyometric fashion.

I would seriously advise that you get into Olympic styled lifts for explosive strength though.

Olympic lifts are not the be all and end all, dear Jazzo, even though they seem to be your favourite. Do you not feel that medicine ball throws are nearly as effective in building punching power?

[Rakim]

Do you not feel that medicine ball throws are nearly as effective in building punching power?



I'd say they're as good as plyometric pushups.


I can do about 25 pushups, maybe 30 with a gun to my head.

[Jazzo]

Olympic lifts are not the be all and end all, dear Jazzo, even though they seem to be your favourite. Do you not feel that medicine ball throws are nearly as effective in building punching power?

MrSmall, hello.

Do they seem to be my favourite? I was not aware, though perhaps you are correct.

In any case, nothing is the be all and end all.

I have never worked to build punching power, because frankly (everyone gets one free boast and this is mine!), I have badass power :D

It comes down to this:

Do you have time to fit in Olympic styled training? If yes, go for it. If no, it is not the be all and end all (as you have pointed out).

I think that you will find this to be a fair assessment.

[Calahan]

I personally wouldn't do pushups every day, especially if your training for boxing. Depending on how many reps you can push out, I would recommend doing 9 sets twice a week. Try doing 3 normal sets, three incline sets (with your feet proped up on a bench), and 3 sets of close grip. Once you can do a lot of those, try adding in a set of handstand pushups against the wall. Also, you might want to invest in a set of pushup bars (They dont have to be those expensive rotating ones) to save your wrists.

I have found found that doing pushups, pull ups, handstand pushups have improved my strength and size, but if its pure punching power your after, try using a bigger heavy bag, and try adding in some power rounds.

I personally think being strong definately has its assests in boxing, and especially MMA, but just remember some of the hardest punchers in boxing history didn't lift weights.

I also think that olympic lifting is pretty fricken dangerous unless you have a certified coach, and even than people with picture perfect form develop all kinds of shoulder, knee, and back pain as a result. Weight lifting to me is sort of a narcisistic, white man invention. I suppose it has its short term benefits when your young and have plenty of testesterone flowing through you veins, but it will catch up to you later in life.

peace

[joekirkbycobra]

do press up claps in sets of ten till you cant do no more

[AK-47]

Ahh puching power
Clap pressups?
Do them till failure, thatss what i do
But too get my strength i go on the heaviest bag and just concentrate a whole round on power punches. Trust me 58 kg bags are pretty hard to move around

Mike tyson says he has so much power because he was given a very heavy bag to hit at a young age

[Rakim]

Ahh puching power
Clap pressups?
Do them till failure, thatss what i do





I didn't think plyometrics were supposed to be done until failure.

[ralphc]

How many hard sets a day do u recomend?im tryna build punching speed and more power.I already know 90 percent of punching power comes from legs,but im trying to add more.


The tradition in boxing is to do your pushups on your fingers and knuckles. It is much more difficult and you will find that you won't be able to do as many.

[Relentless]

I didn't think plyometrics were supposed to be done until failure.

you thought right.

[viru§™]

What are you trying to say exactly, that if you lift weights you'll die earlier or something?

Half of what he said is complete bollox, I wouldn't take any notice.

[Calahan]

What are you trying to say exactly, that if you lift weights you'll die earlier or something?

No I am not saying you will die earlier. I'm saying it can take its toll later in life in the form of arthritis, tendenitis, and worn cartilage in the lower back, knees, elbows, and shoulders. I've seen people injure themselves permanently in the name of strength.


I feel weightlifting is sort of a sport on its own...In general I don't see many avid weightlifters in the gym who also practice boxing or MMA. I also just hate to rely on paying someone for resistance, when there is so much you can do with your own bodyweight.

[Rakim]

No I am not saying you will die earlier. I'm saying it can take its toll later in life in the form of arthritis, tendenitis, and worn cartilage in the lower back, knees, elbows, and shoulders. I've seen people injure themselves permanently in the name of strength.


I feel weightlifting is sort of a sport on its own...In general I don't see many avid weightlifters in the gym who also practice boxing or MMA. I also just hate to rely on paying someone for resistance, when there is so much you can do with your own bodyweight.



Bodyweight can't be adjusted. For example, I can do 30 pushups in one set but I only want to do about 8-9 reps, so I do bench press instead. I do pulldowns instead of pullups because I can only do 2-3 pullups and I like to do 8-9 in a set. I'm not saying bodyweight exercises are any less effective (for me, dips work well for 8-9 reps) but some people just find weights easier to work with. I don't see anything wrong with either method.

[Calahan]

I was mainly refering to olympic lifts (clean jerk, snatch).

[Rakim]

I was mainly refering to olympic lifts (clean jerk, snatch).



Fair enough. I just think that different stuff works for different people.

[joekirkbycobra]

pylometric press ups are best were you push your body off the ground

[cfizzl3]

Bodyweight can't be adjusted. For example, I can do 30 pushups in one set but I only want to do about 8-9 reps, so I do bench press instead. I do pulldowns instead of pullups because I can only do 2-3 pullups and I like to do 8-9 in a set. I'm not saying bodyweight exercises are any less effective (for me, dips work well for 8-9 reps) but some people just find weights easier to work with. I don't see anything wrong with either method.

Hmm. Well...

If you can't do enough pull ups....try working in some negatives, the muscle strength and endurance should improve drastically and within a month or two you should be able to belt out 8 no problem..

Calisthenics are actually more beneficial because they're all natural movement and require alot more stabilizer muscle unless you're performing kettlebell/dumbbell presses which are somewhat on par.
They also are easier on the ligaments and tendons due to this natural movement and the fact that they add functional mass. Weights, even if done correctly, may add a bulking factor which may interfere with flexibility if stretching is not made FIRST PRIORITY. With calisthenics, losing flexibility is almost impossible.

For those who are thinking that it may become abit too easy...wear a weight vest.

Trust me, 50-80lbs may not seem like much weight..but if you strap that on and try doing pull ups, dips, or pushups...you will feel the difference immensely...hell probably couldn't even perform 3 reps. lol

[Calahan]

Hmm. Well...

If you can't do enough pull ups....try working in some negatives, the muscle strength and endurance should improve drastically and within a month or two you should be able to belt out 8 no problem..

Calisthenics are actually more beneficial because they're all natural movement and require alot more stabilizer muscle unless you're performing kettlebell/dumbbell presses which are somewhat on par.
They also are easier on the ligaments and tendons due to this natural movement and the fact that they add functional mass. Weights, even if done correctly, may add a bulking factor which may interfere with flexibility if stretching is not made FIRST PRIORITY. With calisthenics, losing flexibility is almost impossible.

For those who are thinking that it may become abit too easy...wear a weight vest.

Trust me, 50-80lbs may not seem like much weight..but if you strap that on and try doing pull ups, dips, or pushups...you will feel the difference immensely...hell probably couldn't even perform 3 reps. lol


I couldn't agree more;)

[Filmnpuck]

Hmm. Well...

If you can't do enough pull ups....try working in some negatives, the muscle strength and endurance should improve drastically and within a month or two you should be able to belt out 8 no problem..

Calisthenics are actually more beneficial because they're all natural movement and require alot more stabilizer muscle unless you're performing kettlebell/dumbbell presses which are somewhat on par.
They also are easier on the ligaments and tendons due to this natural movement and the fact that they add functional mass. Weights, even if done correctly, may add a bulking factor which may interfere with flexibility if stretching is not made FIRST PRIORITY. With calisthenics, losing flexibility is almost impossible.

For those who are thinking that it may become abit too easy...wear a weight vest.

Trust me, 50-80lbs may not seem like much weight..but if you strap that on and try doing pull ups, dips, or pushups...you will feel the difference immensely...hell probably couldn't even perform 3 reps. lol

At the risk of sounding like a dumb ignorant bastard (which I am), what's a negative?

[Calahan]

A negative is just a "forced rep" for example....lets say someone couldn't do a full pull up. a negative pull up would be just lowering your self from the bar.

You can use negatives with pretty much any type of stregth training...its a great way to get through a plateau

[viru§™]

At the risk of sounding like a dumb ignorant bastard (which I am), what's a negative?

A negative is doing the eccentric phase (lowering phase) of the lift slowly, about 5-10 secs per rep.

[lefty]

Wrong, your power comes from moving your body in one unbroken motion from your feet to your fists, you can't say 90% is your legs, if anything most of your power comes through your waist, if you want to punch harder work on your waist/core strength more.

[cfizzl3]

True. I agree. I am one of those people who think that power is something genetic.

It can be improved slightly but never really gained upon in large portions.

For example, Malignaggi has a great physique...and I am quite sure if he could put more power in his punches he would...sadly it's just not in his arsenal. He has great punching technique, and I would think he trains his body very well as he appears amazingly conditioned...so I don't think he lacks core strength and technique.

I just think it's something you are born with more or less. Another example, some people are fantastic sprinters, while others with the exact same physique, dimensions, age, sex, are unable to compete anywheres near the same level.

[joekirkbycobra]

Ahh puching power
Clap pressups?
Do them till failure, thatss what i do
But too get my strength i go on the heaviest bag and just concentrate a whole round on power punches. Trust me 58 kg bags are pretty hard to move around

Mike tyson says he has so much power because he was given a very heavy bag to hit at a young age
you'd best be wrapping your hands well

[Relentless]

True. I agree. I am one of those people who think that power is something genetic.

It can be improved slightly but never really gained upon in large portions.

For example, Malignaggi has a great physique...and I am quite sure if he could put more power in his punches he would...sadly it's just not in his arsenal. He has great punching technique, and I would think he trains his body very well as he appears amazingly conditioned...so I don't think he lacks core strength and technique.

I just think it's something you are born with more or less. Another example, some people are fantastic sprinters, while others with the exact same physique, dimensions, age, sex, are unable to compete anywheres near the same level.

malignaggi cant punch hard because his hands are brittle.

[joekirkbycobra]

malignaggi doesnt need ko power its not his style

[cfizzl3]

malignaggi doesnt need ko power its not his style

Power isn't a style...it's an attribute, something you add to your repitoire(hope i spelt that right).

[joekirkbycobra]

Power isn't a style...it's an attribute, something you add to your repitoire(hope i spelt that right).
didnt mean it like that i meant the way he fights and throws his punches having ko power wouldnt make much difference

[Relentless]

malignaggi does have the power, he cant put much force into his punch because when he does his hands break.

[spion]

Don't count on being able to do a certain number of pushups increasing your power. So much of delivering solid punches is technique. AFTER learining this then pushups can help a bit. Remember that punching is a chain of muscle contrations happening in a fraction of a second involving muscles from the foot to the shoulder and everything in between. Coordinating these muscles together with medicine ball throws should be able to add more to your immediate power IMHO.