Boxing Training?

[Wee Jock]

Hey all,

Im a university student (just finishing 1st year) with an interest in joining the marines after I finish. It's a four year course, so I won't be attempting c@#t maybe the summer of my third year. Anyhoo, what I'm really after is some advice on training towards this (despite being 2 years away) and building a solid base on which to work on.

I've taken up boxing this year in order to build up some fitness, which I do 3 times a week (about an hour and a half each session). Along with this I'm doing a mixture of 3 and 6 mile runs (ideally twice a week), or replacing them with some weights sessions (primarily geared towards rugby, since most of my mates seem to play it). Boxing training involves a fair amount of shadow boxing, quick circuits (Upper Body:press-ups, hyperextensions, and squat thrusts in sets of varying numbers, Lower Body: different abdominal exercises) and technique, finished off with some pad work.

My problem is that, although I do enjoy boxing, it is just a means to an end, rather than an end in itself. Would it be worth replacing this setup with something more appropriate (maybe next year), like triathlon, or even just concentrating more on the weights for next year to build up my upper body strength. At 5'7 and about 63kg, this is my main fear, since the boxing training seems to burn off as much muscle as I'm ever able to put on.

Any help would be much appreciated,

[pablo]

Ideally, you'll want to be gaining CV and core fitness over lifting strength. If you're doing weights, perhaps just stay light and go for higher reps. It's been said around the forums that the best thing you can do to prepare yourself for POC/PRMC is circuits instead of weights. I do both (weight lifting as a hobby, circuits for fitness).

I hear boxing is good for fitness, never done it myself. Personally, I'd stick with the running, circuits. You could add weight training or boxing into your training week for variation, wouldn't hurt (boxing might ).

Rich.

[Wee Jock]

[quote]Ideally, you'll want to be gaining CV and core fitness over lifting strength.[/quote]

True, but since I've got a fair amount of time, don't you think it would be better to build up some core strength first, and then work on endurance nearer the time? Being quite a small lad, I'm worried about not having the upper body power needed for running with a bergan, etc. I don't think with my body type (ectomorph?) I'll be in any danger of getting too big...

[Nickosx]

They build you up to running with weight in training so dont worry about that, just add bodyweight circuits to your routine keep up the boxing and the cv work and you will be fine. Dont fret about it to much. You have 3 years

[rc]

Personally if I was you and given the time available, I would hit the weights to gain some core strength and gain some mass.
Steer clear of the machines and concentrate on compound movements to develope functional strength.
I would also continue with the running twice a week which will provide a good foundation for the future when you decide to increase your endurance training.

Rich.

[Greg The Great]

True, but since I've got a fair amount of time, don't you think it would be better to build up some core strength first, and then work on endurance nearer the time?

The sooner you start endurance training the better. Stamina doesn't come quickly or easily.

Regards,
Greg.

[Chappy]

Sit back mate. You have two years and your at uni. Theres better things to be doing than training for the Marines. If I was you I would maybe train with just boxing, that will give you CV and some lean muscle mass. Huge muscle mass will be a bad idea in the end, try lumping it around with a bergen for 30 miles.
I train in 3 martial arts and the fitness from these alone is immense. In your last year of uni start to progressively bring it on more and more.

[letsrole]

By the way for all of those people who are against strength training in your programmes, it can be beneficial. There are three types, two of which are maximal and endurance, if you weight train for maximal then I would say its not such a good thing as this is more the one rep max thing which wont really help you for the royal marines.

However the strength endurance would be beneficial (well I believe it would)! Strength endurance can be achieved by any weight, which you can do 12+ reps on, and take rest breaks of thirty seconds or so and do a minimum of three sets. I'm not talking so much strength training in your arms (although it could be beneficial for supporting muscles like the back and shoulders), I mean it would be best for your legs on... one of those machines... which I dont know the name of!!

I’m not saying its more important than the good old press ups, chin ups and the good old squat, just a thought

[Wee Jock]

I've heard a lot of good things about 'super-setting' different exercises. Apparently it's used in the martial arts to build strength endurance as well as keeping the heart-rate up for a sustained period.

One of these sessions involves doing 4 seperate sets of 3 exercises super-setted (with 1 min rest in between) three times (bit of a mouthful...). For example,

Incline Bench (8 reps)
Flies (8 reps)
Weighted press-ups (8 reps)
[1 min rest]
repeat
[1 min rest]
repeat

Would this be a viable weight training session (obviously intersperced with conditioning sessions (more than 15 reps)) with regards to the military?

[letsrole]

Hey there, sounds good to me but remember; try to go for number of reps rather than resistance, well thats what I perceive to be the best (as it builds endurance). I see that your from Kinross, many moons ago I used to live there (or a place that sounds like that )

[Wee Jock]

Kinross = city of angels

(having a slight problem at the moment however...there is a backflow of raw sewage coming through the man-holes in all the residential areas, which is pleasant)

[Konassin]

Lifting weights probably won't help you all that much in the Marines. But you have a long time to get fit for that, so if you fancy doing it as a hobby, knock yourself out.