Forums >Running 101>supplementing interval training with all-out intensity set on the punching bag
I work at a gym and get bored. I recently got back into running and my legs of course in the beginning have been quite sore. I figured since I can't run as much or hard as I want sometimes I would add some high intensity boxing sets of 30 secs. It really is one heck of a load on your cardiovascular system. I'm wandering if this would at all compare to running short intervals on the track. I guess I'll see how fast my track intervals progress in terms of speed improvement and if my short interval endurance increases.
any thoughts??
Ask Manny P.
"If you have the fire, run..." -John Climacus
According to Pacquiao, he runs 10 miles every morning, does 2,000 sit-ups a day, eats 7,000 calories daily, and trains for eight weeks straight.
2000 situps. Good lordie. That would take me well probably all week. maybe all month.
What name did you use last time you were here?
We've played Quiz Bowl before with you, I'm sure of it.
What name did you use last time you were here? We've played Quiz Bowl before with you, I'm sure of it.
huh, are you implying that, I've registered under another name before? What purpose would that serve. That's absolutely ridiculous. john kuykendall, nice to meet you. http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1249844192
Nice to meet you, John. My name is Horace. Horace Cheeseman: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1504196
I do not believe in facebook.
It may help you burn some extra calories, which could help your running. However, punching a lot will just make you a more efficient puncher, not runner.
I work at a gym and get bored. I recently got back into running and my legs of course in the beginning have been quite sore. I figured since I can't run as much or hard as I want sometimes I would add some high intensity boxing sets of 30 secs. It really is one heck of a load on your cardiovascular system. I'm wandering if this would at all compare to running short intervals on the track. I guess I'll see how fast my track intervals progress in terms of speed improvement and if my short interval endurance increases. any thoughts??
The last white man to win Olympic (1980) 100m, Allan Wells of England, used to include a bunch of boxing exercises. One of the sprint exercises I do (not myself but the one I give others! ;o)) is punching to get the feel of "stomping" the ground. It's a simple physics of action-reaction. You push your fist out in the front real hard and you stomp your foot down hard (on the same side). This is a very effective exercise.
That being said, however, if you are talking about equivalent energy expenditure of boxing and interval (running) workout, especially talking about the activity of "running", then you are so far off that it's not even funny. Let me ask you to use your brain and think about this for a minute; so you just got back to running recently and, for however much you had run, your legs are already sore. So what does that tell ya? YOU USE LEGS IN RUNNING. So, in order to strengthen your legs further, you decided NOT to use your legs and substitute with boxing? Now does that really make sense to you? Boxing, to most people, is the act of upper body, especially particularly your arms. When they punch the punching ball, or whatever they call it, their arms would become like rubber. But also, most, if not ALL, boxers also run. It is because some of (a lot of) aerobic development cannot be achieved by upperbody exercises alone. Try to see how much you can bench-press with your arms vs. how much you can leg press and see which set of muscles are stronger.
I'm not saying that boxing is not a good over-all exercise. It is. It is enough to get your heart rate elevated. But that is NOWHERE near what you can do with running.
I do believe in Nobby.
Self anointed title
The last white man to win Olympic (1980) 100m, Allan Wells of England
The last white man to win Olympic (1980) 100m, Allan Wells of England, used to include a bunch of boxing exercises. One of the sprint exercises I do (not myself but the one I give others! ;o)) is punching to get the feel of "stomping" the ground. It's a simple physics of action-reaction. You push your fist out in the front real hard and you stomp your foot down hard (on the same side). This is a very effective exercise. That being said, however, if you are talking about equivalent energy expenditure of boxing and interval (running) workout, especially talking about the activity of "running", then you are so far off that it's not even funny. Let me ask you to use your brain and think about this for a minute; so you just got back to running recently and, for however much you had run, your legs are already sore. So what does that tell ya? YOU USE LEGS IN RUNNING. So, in order to strengthen your legs further, you decided NOT to use your legs and substitute with boxing? Now does that really make sense to you? Boxing, to most people, is the act of upper body, especially particularly your arms. When they punch the punching ball, or whatever they call it, their arms would become like rubber. But also, most, if not ALL, boxers also run. It is because some of (a lot of) aerobic development cannot be achieved by upperbody exercises alone. Try to see how much you can bench-press with your arms vs. how much you can leg press and see which set of muscles are stronger. I'm not saying that boxing is not a good over-all exercise. It is. It is enough to get your heart rate elevated. But that is NOWHERE near what you can do with running.
I agree that running is much better for improving running, but boxing is in absolutely no way, shape, or form an upper body activity. Power comes from the posterior chain -- the same muscles as running, the arms simply articulate that power.
Please start out by working with a QUALIFIED instructor. You can do some damage to your hands/wrists with improper technique. If you're doing this a lot, you might want to consider adding wrist/forearm/finger training exercises in.
CyclingAHEAD until 2012
They also work your legs more than most people might realise. as some cross training? Yep. Very good indeed.
There's a video about Allan Wells here - I saw it on TV many years ago. It has quite a bit about his training if I recall correctly.
MTA - missed out the link - http://ssa.nls.uk/film.cfm?fid=4713