Is the 5x5 routine good for boxing?

[_Maxi]

If you don't know what it is, it's mainly a routine for strength. If you want more info you can check at or you can google.

You work five exercises only, all compound exercises, no machines, and three times a week, max 1 hr per day.

What do you think?

[Mr.MojoRisin']

I'm familiar with it and while it does provide strength benefits, it is mainly a bodybuilding/mass building routine. Great for beginner weight lifters but not necessarily for boxing and I have been experimenting with different weight lifting techniques and routines for the last 3 years.

I do recommend the dead lift for boxing as long as you don't overdue it and give yourself proper recovery. Bench press and squat not so much because in my experience I became a little to restricted on movements particularly when throwing a right cross.

If a boxer does any type of weight lifting they would need to make sure it is explosive and fast reps.

[_Maxi]

I'm familiar with it and while it does provide strength benefits, it is mainly a bodybuilding/mass building routine. Great for beginner weight lifters but not necessarily for boxing and I have been experimenting with different weight lifting techniques and routines for the last 3 years.

I do recommend the dead lift for boxing as long as you don't overdue it and give yourself proper recovery. Bench press and squat not so much because in my experience I became a little to restricted on movements particularly when throwing a right cross.

If a boxer does any type of weight lifting they would need to make sure it is explosive and fast reps.

Yikes... so many muscular boxers lately and most of them seem not to be lifting weights. How are they building that physique?

[Redd Foxx]

Not for boxing. Lower the weight, up the reps, and you have a great supplemental routine for training and fitness in general.

[_Maxi]

Not for boxing. Lower the weight, up the reps, and you have a great supplemental routine for training and fitness in general.

Is it good to mix it up? for example monday heavy weights low reps. Wednesday low weights high reps. Friday same than wednesday.

[_Maxi]

BTW, Sergio Martinez did weight lifting three times a week. I've seen it on video and I've read about it. For example here:

[Redd Foxx]

Is it good to mix it up? for example monday heavy weights low reps. Wednesday low weights high reps. Friday same than wednesday.

Weight training is fine, but the reason you want to keep the weight down and reps up is to avoid injury. Higher weight is harder on the tendons, something you really want to avoid when your main training consists of explosive movements like boxing.

There's also a bit of myth that higher weight and low reps builds muscle better. Having formerly been completely into low reps, I've got to say my best progress came from just stimulating the muscles and not going over the top with the weight.

Use weights, just don't feel compelled to stack on the weight. You should be thinking 10 to 20 rep range. You can even go higher reps if you're looking to lean up a bit and not bulk.

[Redd Foxx]

BTW, much of what I'm saying is a matter of observation, not just experience. When I was into HIT/low-rep training, I always noticed that guys who practiced it were injured more often.

Right now, I'm in the best shape I've ever been and all I'm doing is 20 to 30min of compound movements in the 30 to 40 rep range 4 days a week and boxing on 2 of the other days. It's nice to be able to do less work, get less injury, and get comparable results. Everyone responds differently though so find what works for you. A lot of your progress with have to do with your diet too.

I really think compound movements and freeweights (rather than machine) is where it's at though. Greatest efficiency.

[AlexKid]

No its really dumb!!

5x5= mass and strength you only want strength!!

8 SETS x 3 rep MAX is what you want for weights

the mass is just bodybuilding hypertrophy it wont help power and it will kill cardio!

[Mr.MojoRisin']

Yikes... so many muscular boxers lately and most of them seem not to be lifting weights. How are they building that physique?

Well if you didn't notice many boxers are on steroids. You will never find a boxer on the bench/squat/whatever doing slow and controlled reps. Doing boxing training alone will build muscle. Many boxers do isometrics and plyometrics as well as having a low body fat which makes it easy to have a good physique. Also boxing is a weight making sport so a boxer would have no use for any mass building routine whatsoever. Maybe at the beginner level but they would want to build functional muscle. Weights leave more imbalances than calisthenics and don't activate the stabilizers as well imo.