Roadwork
On my constitutional with the dogs, I was happy to see a few local boxers out running. It's a sight I seldom see nowadays.
Boxers have run since time immemorial. A boxing training routine should incorporate regular roadwork sessions. Watching all-time greats dilligently hitting the roads should be reference enough. But there seems to be a modern-day trend to change traditional roadwork. Some boxers eschew it all together.
To me, this is another case of new school snobbery. I've seen this recently with equipment like the speed ball. The constant thirst for progress and innovation can often fritter away timeless knowledge. Many ignore the subtle nuances that old school training offers. Those intangibles slip through the cracks and are lost to a whole generation of athletes.
Let's look at the benefits.
Roadwork improves stamina and conditions a boxer to time on the feet. Some coaches call this 'putting miles' into the legs. A modern school of thought criticises this as being too aerobic specific. Yes, boxing is an anaerobic sport — full of quick bursts of effort and energy. But these high intensity efforts need an aerobic base. Any boxing regimen without a solid aerobic base is like a house without foundations.
A few years back I watched a good British boxer outclass a world level opponent over 6 to 7 rounds. He then fell apart in the second part of the fight as his legs tired. His coach did not believe in roadwork so the boxer did not do it. I see this more and more often — coaches putting their own ego before the boxer's well-being.
Conversely, I'm not someone that defaults to the 'old-school is the best school' outlook. There is always room for innovation. A comprehensive roadwork programme should include anaerobic modules. This includes high octane bursts like sprints and hill running.
Some coaches prefer to using equipment like stationary bikes and treadmills. There is nothing wrong with this. I use a Rogue Echo air bike with my boxers. As a conditioning tool it is second to none. But I often think that this approach misses a trick.
Running the roads offers other benefits. There is an old boxing saying that the sport is more mental than physical. In some ways I am inclined to agree. Roadwork offers many opportunities to develop mental fortitude and resilience.
You can improve cardiovascular fitness in an air-conditioned gym. You can also improve it on a wind-swept winter morning in the sleet and rain. Which will improve your mental strength the most?
I used to hate running in the wind. For me, wind always spoils a good run. A teammate of mine changed my perception on this. He prayed for windy days to run in. He embraced the adversity. BIg shout to Michael ‘The Spider’ Oliver!
Watch the older generation of boxers on their runs. They shared that same spirit. Muhammad Ali and Sugar Ray Robinson would run in heavy army boots. Marvin Hagler would conquer the bleak beaches and trails of the New England coast. Hagler opined that doing morning roadwork was harder after sleeping in silk pyjamas. He refused to lose his hunger. Adversarial training helps to keep that kind of hunger burning.
In my own roadwork days, I would pick the most boring, drab route I could find. This was a two-mile, straight stretch through an industrial estate, ending at a bleak tenement of flats. At the end of this stretch, I would turn around and run back the way I'd came. The kicker was that the last two miles was uphill. I made it as unpleasant as possible as it helped me to become more mentally resilient.
Having said that, a more scenic route can develop mental toughness too. Anyone who has run in deep sand on a beach will testify to the torturous endurance it needs. Running an undulating woodland trail keeps you fleet of foot. It works the core and analogous muscles.
Of course, you can overdo it. It's important to remember you are not training for a marathon. I know of many boxers who have gone too heavy and left their stamina and endurance on the roads. Everything in moderation. A mixed routine that gets you out and about three times a week will serve an amateur boxer well.
So, get out there and follow in the footsteps of the greats. Switch off from the troubles of your day and enjoy the sounds of your breath. Hear the beating of your heart and the blood rushing in your ears.
It's just you and the road. What else do you need?
