A question for Thomas Kurz

[LGDOBE]

Dear Thomas, Should I have a boxers work out the same day I Weight train? If so which one first? Should I RUn and swim the same day i Do Leg Strengh training? Also What do you think of Pavel Tsatsouline and his ides?

[Nightshade]

I'm not Thomas Kurz, but I might be able to help.

First off, what do you mean by a "boxers workout"? What parts of the body does it work? What kind of intensity are you talking here? Does it emphasize strength, agility, strength-endurance, aerobic-endurance, anaerobic-endurance, speed, what? What kind of weight training would it be in that same day? Would it work the same parts of the body? With what intensity? With what aim? Maximal strength with minimal hypertrophy (3-6 reps/set of a heavy weight), strength-endurance (12+ reps of a light weight), strength and hypertrophy (8-12 reps of a medium-heavy weight)?

As to running and swimming the same day you do leg training, I believe that again depends on the aim of the leg training and the aim of the running. Swimming generally does not utilize the same muscles in your legs as are used in a typical leg-weight training program; if that is your case I wouldn't worry about it. However, if you're talking running AND swimming AND leg strength training all in the same day, regularly, I would be more worried about overtraining than whether you can fit them all in together. Be sure to listen to your body and adjust your workouts accordingly.

As to Pavel Tsatsouline (and again I'm no Thomas Kurz, but I do know something of sports training), I think in general his ideas on stretching and strength training are very good. There are some things I disagree with him on - crunches and their place in a workout routine, WHEN to stretch, encouraging beginners to stretch isometrically, etc - but for the most part his specific techniques are very valuable. Just weigh what he says against what you know about sports training and you should be okay. For example, when he tells you to stretch in order to avoid injury, you know it's more complex than that. True, dynamic stretching before dynamic movement can help avoid a muscle tear or strain, but flexibility in and of itself does not prevent injuries. You also know better than to perform static stretches before a dynamic workout. Not to mention that a beginner should not perform isometric stretches or exercises (for the most part) lest he overstrain himself. It's usually better to condition the body with low-resistance high-repetition dynamic exercises before performing heavy-resistance, low-rep static exercises.


Hope that helps, and I look forward to seeing Mr. Kurz's answers as well.

-Shawn

[LGDOBE]

I am studying to be a thai, shoot, and western boxer. Now to be a well conditioned fighter for these styles i need to have a well thought out plan. I have The Boxers workout like 3 3min set intervals of heavy bag jump rope and so on. Then a also have Martial arts specific excercise for developing leg strenght and good form. Now my question is how do i apply plyometric, swimming, running and weight lifting all in to a *good* *safe*****Productive***** routine. I realy need help in making up a well round routine.[/u]

[Haakon_Myrseth]

I have read many of pavel tsatsouline's books. Thomas Kurz books is far better than tsatsouline's, because kurz method combines isometric stretching with strength exercises, pavel's doesn't. When it comes to strength exercises for the abdominals, tsatsouline deliver some very interesting ideas. When it comes to general strenght training I do not agree with him when he recommends that every athlete should do strength training in powerlifting style.

[Nightshade]

I apologize for how long it took me to reply.

I cannot create your plan for you; only you or your coach can do that. I don't know you, don't know your capabilities, don't know your current level of fitness, don't know your psychological preparation, etc etc. Even things such as your general preferences when it comes to exercise make a difference.

However, I can give some guidelines.

First, develop general fitness. This involves following the progression Thomas Kurz laid out in his columns here: starting with pushups, squats, crunches, back extensions, eventually working up the ladder of more challenging exercises until you reach a level of fitness based on your bodyweight. Examples of that measure include being able to deadlift twice your bodyweight, squatting your bodyweight on a bar, performing good mornings with 2/3 of your bodyweight on a bar, etc. Read his columns for a more specific list of this progression. To this I would add the gymnastics progressions described at http://www.dragondoor.com/cgi-bin/artic ... icleid=229

After you have developed general fitness, and you're pretty much strong as hell, then and ONLY then do you progress to sports specific exercises. During the general fitness phase you also work flexibility, so by the time you reach sports specific you should be at your maximum dynamic and static flexibility - ie, able to kick past your head cold, able to perform both side and front splits cold, etc. This level of fitness will have prepared you for the rigors of sports specific training, especially the stress on your back.


To be honest, I don't know boxing that well, so you're going to have to come up with your own sports specific exercises (or talk to your coach), but I imagine they will consist of extensive plyometrics, form exercises, throwing hundreds of punches and kicks per day, etc etc. But you need to start at the basics; form a good foundation and you'll be a much better athlete.

I hope that helps, and if you can give any more specifics I'm sure I could work with you a bit better. But I'm no replacement for a proficient, knowledgable coach. Just watch out for anyone who suggests doing sports specific work before you've reached a substantial level of general fitness.

BTW, I suggest you read Mr. Kurz's book "Science of Sports Training," it has a lot of good information in it. As for Mr. Tsatsouline, check out the Naked Warrior, Power to the People, and Relax into Stretch. Just remember to compare the information Tsatsouline gives to what you already know. For example, I recommend AGAINST performing one armed pushups and one legged squats until you're able to do several hundred normal pushups and squats (normal being hindu style). So not all his specific information and suggestions do I agree with, but his ideas are excellent.

Hope that helps,

-Shawn

[Thomas Kurz]

Dear Thomas, Should I have a boxers work out the same day I Weight train? If so which one first?

That depends on what do you do in this particular boxer's workout and what you are going to do during your weightlifting workout. A few weightlifting exercises for increasing strength mainly and perhaps strength-endurance of selected muscle groups can be done at the end of a boxer's workout focused on technique or on speed. But there are situations when it is better to do the strength exercises at the beginning of your boxing workout--right after the warm-up. For example, when boxing workout is going to be focused on known techniques/combinations, and if focused on boxing endurance then it better stresses muscle groups not stressed in the strength-developing part. If you plan to do two separate workouts per day (one boxing and one weightlifting) then all depends on your training priorities and on your speed of recovery.

Issues of how to arrange exercises in a workout, workouts in a day and in a week, how to set training priorities depending on your current shape and goals, and how to cycle and periodize your training are covered in the book “Science of Sports Training” (http://www.stadion.com/science.html ). After studying this book you will know how to plan and adjust your training according to your body's responses.

Should I RUn and swim the same day i Do Leg Strengh training?

Running and resistance work for legs are better not done during one day. The reason is given in “Science of Sports Training.”

[LGDOBE]

THank you all for your replies. I will work on my own schedule, Of course base it form the principles of Kurs book. than you all.