how often should you do conditioning training per week?

taylorbridges · 09-20-2007, 04:48 PM

hey guys, first post..

i've been strength training for the past year and recently i got into boxing.
i'm trying to incorporate conditioning workouts in my routine.
question is how often should i train conditioning and how often should i train with strength training? should i drop strength training and just straight up do conditioning workouts?

thanks guys

mmuhr2 · 09-20-2007, 05:12 PM

never completely abandon strength training. if you are specifically interested in functional strength training for boxing then you may want to alter your lifting sessions to incorporate ME (maximum effort) days alternated with DE (dynamic effort) and RE (repetition effort) so you may only want to lift heavy 1 day per week (i.e. monday) and then on another day or two (i.e. wed/fri) you can drop weight and increase reps and really focus on explosive strength. then on 2 or 3 other days per week you can fit in some HIIT (high intensity interval training aka sprints) and cardio but youll obviously have to fit all this around your boxing training. dont be afraid to start out somewhere and adapt your program even after only a couple days. just try to make sure youre not overworking.

p.s. stick to compound lifts (squats, deads, variations there of) to maximize the amount of time you spend lifting

**MikeMartial** · 09-20-2007, 05:19 PM

That's an almost impossible question to answer. Really, it all depends on:

Your current strength level and conditioning
Your boxing schedule
Your time constraints, boxing aside
Your recovery ability, based on age, diet and conditioning
The frequency, intensity and duration of the conditioning workouts

Your best bet is to start including some conditioning outside of your boxing on days off. My suggestion would be to start with lighter, more "active recovery" type workouts; think LSD training at a light pace, say, 60% MRH. Increase the intensity gradually, working your way up in duration and frequency.

Strength training can be a little trickier; the DOMS carry-over into your primary sport/martial art can affect training. This is a trial-and-error approach, based on how you feel for boxing. If your DOMS and CNS fatigue is affecting your speed and strength, you'll have to cut back.

**XTrainer** · 09-20-2007, 07:18 PM

Mike's right.

At the same time, however, don't be paranoid of overtraining. Your body is capable of far more than you think it is, and the more you push it, the more capable it becomes.

steven6hyde · 09-20-2007, 11:55 PM

whats your goal?
do you need more conditioning?
is it holding you back, or you just want to improve it, but dont need to?
can you run a mile? 2 miles? 20yards?