The recent tournament at Oakdale on 26 June went off well with Canberra boxers Nathan Carter and Mike Smith competing.

Tuggeranong PCYC's Clayton Tidbury will represent NSW in a Golden Gloves challenge in Hobart on August 28^th. This follows his win against Bankstown's Zoran Gorzab in a 4-round bout in Sydney on 23 July.

Everyone who trains will have had a trainer who has them chucking a heavy medicine ball at each others heads, or jumping over a bench for endless minutes, but few will understand its potential for improving your boxing skills..

Speed and strength are integral components of fitness found in varying degrees in virtually all athletic movements. Simply put the combination of speed and strength is power : Explosive Power.

Throughout this century and no doubt long before, jumping, bounding and hopping exercises have been used in various ways to enhance athletic performance. Now we have a name for these methods of training which seek to enhance the explosive reaction of the individual through powerful muscular contractions as a result of rapid eccentric contractions - Plyometrics.

So how does it work. Well, the maximum force that can be developed in a muscle occurs during a rapid eccentric contraction. The muscle can work in two types of contraction : concentric contraction(muscle shortens) and eccentric contraction(muscle lengthens).

When a concentric contraction occurs immediately followed by a eccentric contraction then the force generated can be dramatically increased. If a muscle is stretched, much of the energy required to stretch it is lost as heat, but some of this energy can be stored by the elastic components of the muscle. This stored energy is available to the muscle only during a subsequent contraction.

It is important to realise that this energy boost is lost if the eccentric contraction is not followed immediately by a concentric effort. To express this greater force the muscle must contract within the shortest time possible. This whole process is frequently called the stretch shortening cycle and is the underlying mechanism of plyometric training.

For boxers, aiming for explosive power training of both the upper body and lower body through plyometrics is the way to go. Here are a number of exercises that could be used as a starting point.

Plyometrics are tough on the body, but can produce amazing improvements. Close your eyes and think each exercise through for 30 seconds before doing it. Warm up and stretch well before doing these exercises.

Lower Body

Drop Jumping: - Stand on a raised box or platform and drop(don’t jump) off the box to the ground. As soon as you touch the ground immediately jump back up onto the box. The less time spent with your feet on the ground the more effective the exercise.

Lunge – Start in a forward lunge position. Jump up and switch stances in the air so that each foot replaces the other. Don’t stop to rest between jumps.*

Bounding - If forward motion is more the name of your game, try some bounding. This is a form of plyometric training, where over sized strides are used in the running action and extra time spent in the air. Two-legged bounds reduces the impact to be endured, but to increase the intensity one legged bounding, or hopping, can be used. Bounding upstairs is a useful way to work on both the vertical and horizontal aspects of the running action.

Superman – Take a three step running start and bound off both feet, throwing your arms in the air like superman. Land, take three steps back and repeat.

Squat thrust – From a standing position, bend your knees and waist until your hands reach the floor. Throw your feet straight bask so that you’re now in a push-up position. Immediately drive your feet back to the middle position, then stand as quickly as you can and repeat. These are basically just like the burpees you learnt at school.

These exercises are all aimed at the lower body, but a variety of drills can be used to make the upper body more explosive.

Warmup

Before getting into plyometrics you need a good warm-up. A thorough warm-up is essential prior to plyometric training. Attention should be given to jogging, stretching (static and ballistic), striding and general mobility especially about the joints involved in the planned plyometric session. A warm-down should follow each session.

How many ?

It is wise not to perform too many repetitions in any one session and since it is a quality session, with the emphasis on speed and power rather than endurance, split the work into sets with ample recovery in between.

Where to do it and what to wear

For bounding exercises use surfaces such as grass or resilient surfaces. Avoid cement floors because there is no cushioning. Choose well-cushioned shoes that are stable and can absorb some of the inevitable impact. All athletes should undergo general orthopaedic screening before engaging in plyometric training. Particular attention should be given to structural or postural problems that are likely to predispose the athlete to injury.

Conditioning for plyometrics

Higher than normal forces are put on the musclosketal system during plyometric exercises so it is important for the athlete to have a good sound base of general strength and endurance. Most experts state that a thorough grounding in weight-training is essential before you start plyometrics. It has been suggested that an athlete be able to squat twice his/her body weight before attempting depth jumps. However, less intensive plyometric exercises can be incorporated into general circuit and weight training during the early stages of training so as to progressively condition the athlete.

Simple plyometric drills such as skipping hopping and bounding should be introduced first. More demanding exercises such as flying start single-leg hops and depth jumps should be limited to thoroughly conditioned athletes.

Plyometric type exercises have been used successfully by many athletes as a method of training to enhance power. In order to realise the potential benefits of plyometric training the stretch-shortening cycle must be invoked. This requires careful attention to the technique used during the drill or exercise.

The rate of stretch rather than the magnitude of stretch is of primary importance in plyometric training. In addition, the coupling time or ground contact time must be as short as possible. The Challenge to you as coach or athlete is to select or create an exercise that is specific to the event and involves the correct muscular action. As long as you remember specificity and to ensure there is a pre stretch first then the only limit is your imagination.

The 1999 Australian Champion-ships will be in Darwin from Nov 4-7 inclusive.

Canberra Boxing Bulletin is the newsletter of ACT Boxing Inc., and is published at the start of every month (there was no issue in July 1999). Opinions are those of the editor or of contributors, unless otherwise denoted.