Training Camp Vs Year Round Training

ThinkProgress

This is something that interests me, both as a fan of boxing... but also just as a general fitness enthusiast too.

What in your opinion are the main pros and cons of both approaches?

(btw I do realize even fighters who keep in shape year round also go into camp several weeks out and ramp up the intensity of their training)

I've always been fascinated by the approaches of different fighters and trainers.

Long term effects of too much sparring, overuse injuries to hands, big weight cuts etc and also just the grind of hard training are obvious reasons for taking time off between fights.

But do you think there are also some big advantages to be gained from essentially staying "in camp" - albeit with less intensity - year round?

Danye

ThinkProgress wrote: »

This is something that interests me, both as a fan of boxing... but also just as a general fitness enthusiast too.

What in your opinion are the main pros and cons of both approaches?

(btw I do realize even fighters who keep in shape year round also go into camp several weeks out and ramp up the intensity of their training)

I've always been fascinated by the approaches of different fighters and trainers.

Long term effects of too much sparring, overuse injuries to hands, big weight cuts etc and also just the grind of hard training are obvious reasons for taking time off between fights.

But do you think there are also some big advantages to be gained from essentially staying "in camp" - albeit with less intensity - year round?

I think staying in decent condition all year round is the way it should be done. Outside camp, I'd keep training in a tapered fashion and I'd still remain sparring lightly / technically. That's my opinion though. I think in boxing you have to be dedicated to your craft.

Some fighters take time off completely and put on a lot of weight. I seen an interview with Tyson Fury recently saying he was 7 stone heavier than the night he stepped into the ring to fight Klitschko. That's madness in my opinion as it's a lot of weight to cut in a relatively short space of time. The first few weeks of camp all your energy is directed towards reducing your weight instead of getting some really good quality work done.

Then if you go too hard & intense at the beginning of the camp trying to tackle your weight, your more susceptible to picking up injuries, which again will effect the quality of your training and maybe even jeopardise your fight.

Staying sensibly active all your round is the way to do it.

Danye

ThinkProgress wrote: »

This is something that interests me, both as a fan of boxing... but also just as a general fitness enthusiast too.

What in your opinion are the main pros and cons of both approaches?

(btw I do realize even fighters who keep in shape year round also go into camp several weeks out and ramp up the intensity of their training)

I've always been fascinated by the approaches of different fighters and trainers.

Long term effects of too much sparring, overuse injuries to hands, big weight cuts etc and also just the grind of hard training are obvious reasons for taking time off between fights.

But do you think there are also some big advantages to be gained from essentially staying "in camp" - albeit with less intensity - year round?

I think staying in decent condition all year round is the way it should be done. Outside camp, I'd keep training in a tapered fashion and I'd still remain sparring lightly / technically. That's my opinion though. I think in boxing you have to be dedicated to your craft.

Some fighters take time off completely and put on a lot of weight. I seen an interview with Tyson Fury recently saying he was 7 stone heavier than the night he stepped into the ring to fight Klitschko. That's madness in my opinion as it's a lot of weight to cut in a relatively short space of time. The first few weeks of camp all your energy is directed towards reducing your weight instead of getting some really good quality work done.

Then if you go too hard & intense at the beginning of the camp trying to tackle your weight, your more susceptible to picking up injuries, which again will effect the quality of your training and maybe even jeopardise your fight.

Staying sensibly active all your round is the way to do it.