PREPARE TO WIN

THE SECRETS FOR PHYSICAL

PREPARATION IN BOXING
 "The secret to being
the best is that there is
what to train like
if you were the worst"
Muhammad Ali
 MIM
NIPM1/9D

I couldn't do it
without you!
I thank each of you for taking your time and adding more
knowledge of this beautiful sport.
Special thanks to God, my family, the CREAR Group, the
entire "Maravilla Sosa" team, each of the athletes I have
trained, they are a great inspiration for me and my friend
and great champion Lucas Bastida.
And to each one who opened the doors for me in this
profession.
Index

Round 1
• Origins of boxing
• Description of sport
• Generalities

Round 2
• Anatomy
• Biomechanics
• Physiology
Round 3
• Types of physical preparation
• strength training
• Endurance training
• speed training
• Training Examples

Round 4
• Nutrition
 Introduction
The first and most important thing is that you have to understand the general concept of
what “physical preparation” means and know the sport in which it is going to be developed
(which in this case would be boxing). In my professional experience and by training boxers at
different levels (amateurs and professionals at different stages of their career), I have been able
to analyze that during the different moments of the boxer's career, his preparation has to
become increasingly specific and punctually depending on their neuromotor and
neuromuscular abilities, with general physical preparation being the starting point for the
beginning of a day and specific preparation leaving it for the end of the day. This is how when
we realize that an amateur boxer has 1 fight every 40 days in general, and a professional boxer,
from his beginning and throughout his career until he is elite, (as in this case Lucas Bastida is in
that process) we can observe that the proportionality of fights will decrease with the rounds
and with the time between fights. Due to this temporality, physical preparation plays an
important role in the development of the athlete, since due to different factors external to him
(changes in the agenda in the fight, dates and/or rival) he must always be up to the task. of the
circumstance. Based on this conjecture, different scenarios that the coaches and their athletes
faced were analyzed. To achieve this, it is essential to know the chosen sport, its types of
movements, both in defense and attack and different physiological resources (body biotype
and its energy resources and their correct use at each moment of the competition).
 Round 1

THE ORIGIN OF BOXING AND DESCRIPTION

Boxing emerged in Africa and from there it went to Egypt, and in our times, in the 18th
century, the English were in charge of popularizing it. However, until 1889 the use of gloves
would not be implemented in this sport, so we could consider it a violent sport.
Before that, we have to refer to the origin of the Olympic Games in Greece, when boxing
began to abandon part of its aggressive side to become a sport. Between 800 and 400 BC It
already has spectators, and it is in the year 688 BC. C. when a type of boxing is introduced that
is included among the events of the Olympic Games of antiquity. Onomastos of Izmir is
considered the first Olympic champion. Theagenes and Cleitomachus were other great Greek
champions. We see how some of the boxing fights of the time were illustrated on Greek
ceramic vases that illustrate great episodes of sporting competitions.
BOXING RULES
As we have already mentioned before, it was in 1899 when the use of gloves was
implemented and also when the Queensberry rules arose, which imposed that the two
opponents had to wear gloves, that the rounds had to last 3 minutes with a minute of rest
between each one, that when a fighter falls he had to start counting ten seconds and it was
prohibited to grab, push or hug the rival.
None of these actions can be performed :
• Hitting the back of the head or behind the head.
• Kick the opponent.
• Turn your back to the opponent.
• Trip the rival.
• Hitting below the belt.
• Intentional headbutting.
• Use objects other than regulatory gloves.
 THE RULES OF PROFESSIONAL BOXING
We continue to tell some of the history of boxing to better understand and understand the
rules of professional boxing. Between the 17th and 19th centuries, boxing became a sport
driven by money: the protagonists of the fight did it to win a cash prize, the managers of the
venues did it for the ticket money, and the spectators of the fights They bet money on the
winners. In this way, boxing went from being something for amateurs as entertainment to a
profession for those who competed because there was a lot of money involved. Later and as
we will see in another section, in 1904 it became an Olympic sport.
• In professional boxing, rounds are limited to 3 or 4, the winner of the fight will always be
obtained through the points that the boxers have achieved through clean blows.
• In this way, once boxing is professionalized, the rest of the fights become
somehow illegal and we have to go to places like Cuba or the former USSR to find amateur
boxing.

• Normally, professional boxing matches last a little longer than amateur boxing matches,
taking into account that years ago they were held with unlimited rounds ending when one of
the boxers decided to surrender. Later the international limit was set at 15 rounds until the
1980s when rounds became a maximum of 12. In this way, the boxers' lives were more
protected and they ran fewer risks.
• One of the most curious rules of professional boxing is that head protectors are not
allowed in professional boxing, although it is true that the referee, when he sees any danger or
a dangerous blow, even if the boxer is receiving too much punishment, can stop the fight at any
time. This is used especially in cases where one of the rivals cannot defend himself because he
is injured by a blow he has received during the fight.
• When a knockout is determined it is because one of the boxers has received a blow and it
has caused a cut that the doctor supervising the fight calls dangerous. Each boxer has a doctor
who helps him with punches and determines whether he can continue the fight or not. When
this knockout occurs in professional boxing fights, the rules determine that the opponent is the
winner.
• Another basic rule of professional boxing is that boxers must be bare chested when
competing.

THE RULES OF OLYMPIC BOXING

Olympic boxing basically follows the same rules as professional boxing. This type of boxing
emerged after amateur boxing became an Olympic sport in 1904. In the Olympics, the rounds
are usually limited to three or four rounds and the winner is also determined by points and,
unlike professional boxing, boxers can and are required to wear head protection to avoid major
injuries. number of wounds and also preventing knockouts and demolitions from occurring.
THE RULES OF AMATEUR BOXING

• Amateur boxing is also close to Olympic boxing because one arose from the other,
however, in Olympic boxing other rules are applied so that the protection of athletes is greater
and there are fewer risks. In this way, amateur boxing can be found both in the Olympics and in
the Pan American Games, in world championships, in the Commonwealth Games, in the Odesur
Games and also in other smaller boxing associations where they are also governed. by the rules
of amateur boxing.

• Amateur boxing is also carried out through points which are achieved through clean
blows, leaving aside the physical damage that these cause to the rival. There are always four
rounds of two minutes each, except in the national level meeting of the Amateur Boxing
Association or ABA (Amateur Boxing Association), which is three rounds also of two minutes
each and leaving one minute of rest between the end and start of new assault.

• Just like in the Olympics, amateur boxing must also wear head protection and gloves with
knuckle protection. When do we consider a hit as a point? when a punch or blow connects with
the white part of the gloves. Afterwards, all blows to the head or torso are also scorers. It is up
to the referee to ensure that the two boxers respect the rules and only deliver legal blows (no
blows can be given below the belt). Boxers who do not comply with these rules will be
disqualified.
• The referee must also observe that the boxers do not use techniques that we can call
"clinching" that prevent the opponent from being able to articulate blows. When this occurs,
the referee must separate the two fighters. It is also penalized to grab the opponent or if the
fight continues when the opponent is seriously injured.

• However, as for the scoring of the blows, it is not governed by the referees but is a
decision that concerns five judges (in some smaller fights there can be three judges).

THE RULES OF WOMEN'S BOXING

Finally, we wanted to teach you the rules of women's boxing, we have to go back to its
antecedents during the 18th century, which, although it has taken many more years to be
accepted and popular, there were already boxing fights between women. This sport was the
cause of several trials that were organized to decide whether women had the right to practice
it or not.
Most of the rules of women's boxing are very similar to the rules of men's boxing, despite
the prejudices and discrimination that this women's sport suffers.

This sport became Olympic at the 2011 Pan American Games and was also part of the 2012
London Olympic Games.
Boxing categories by weight
In boxing, since its professional beginning, a classification system was established to make it
a fair discipline, this is how boxing categories by weight are created. (See Article: Punching bag)
In particular, what is fair is so that both opponents do not have a visible advantage between
them, the weight must be equal, so whoever wins will depend directly on their skill and perfect
technique in executing blows.
In the beginnings of boxing, when it was not yet a sport, the categories did not exist, and
the fights were carried out between individuals who had a great difference in weight between
them, which is why the one with the greatest weight usually won, due to having greater
strength, which is directly related to the weight ratio.
Professional boxing categories
There are a total of 27 professional boxing categories, which shows that it is a fairly inclusive
sport and that it has a place for everyone who wants to practice it and trains properly for it.
(See Article: Benefits of boxing)
Many categories have a fairly recent history, since for different reasons they have been
added to the professional regulations of the discipline. Each category has its average weight to
regulate that the fights are between boxers from each category and not crossed.
• Minimum: weight less than 47.7 kilograms.
• Mini fly: established weight of 49 kilograms.
• Fly: average weight of 50.8 kilograms, cannot exceed 52 kilograms.
• Super fly: average of 52.2 kilograms.
• Rooster: no less than 53.5 kilograms and no more than 55.
• Super bantamweight: cannot be less than 55.3 kilograms or more than 57 kilograms.
• Pen: average weight of 57.2 kilograms, cannot exceed 59 kilograms.
• Super featherweight: no less than 59 kilograms and no more than 61 kilograms.
• Light: no less than 61.2 kilograms, and no more than 63 kilograms.
• Junior Welterweight: weight between 63.5 kilograms without exceeding 66 kilograms.
• Welterweight: 66.7 kilograms without exceeding 69 kilograms.
• Super welterweight: 69.9 kilograms without exceeding 72 kilograms.
• Medium: weight between 72.6 and less than 76 kilograms.
• Super middleweight: weight between 76.2 kilograms and less than 79 kilograms.
• Medium heavyweight: between 79.4 kilograms and less than 81 kilograms.
• Cruise: weight greater than 81 kilograms and less than 91 kilograms.
• Heavyweight: greater than 91 kilograms, has no weight limit.
Women's boxing categories
The categories of women's boxing differ from men's by not having cruiserweight, and the
heavyweight limit is lower, here are just some of them: (See Article: Women's boxing)
• Minimum: less than 47 kg.
• Fly: 50 kg limit.
• Rooster: 53 kg limit.
• Boom: 57 kg limit.
• Lightweight: 61kg limit.
• Welterweight: limit of 66 kg.
• Heavy weight: greater than 79.5 kg.

Definition of a boxing ring

A boxing ring is the quadricular delimited area, which is used for two fighters to face each
other, composed of a tatami that is normally one meter high from the ground and with three or
four ropes that mark the limit, indicating to the boxers the end of the ring and protecting them
from possible falls.
It is totally prohibited to leave the ring once the fight has started. If one of the two
opponents leaves by their own decision, they will automatically be assigned a loss.
It has four perfectly visible corners, where two of them will be the fighter's refuge during
the break between each round and where he must wait until the round or assault begins,
always by a bell.
Only the two combatants can be inside the ring during the fight and the referee, whose role
is to ensure that all the rules are followed, and with the authority to end a fight if he sees
danger due to any circumstance.
What are the measures?
The measurements of a professional boxing ring come in the regulations and must always
be followed. The length must be a minimum of 4.90 meters and a maximum of 6.90 meters,
and in all cases the four sides must measure the same.
The height of the ring is also regulated, with a minimum of 0.91 meters and a maximum of
1.22 meters. The reason a ring is located high up is for a much better visualization of the
attendees, from the ground to the stands.
And finally, the ropes cannot be of any thickness, being a minimum of 3 centimeters and a
maximum of 5, they must be resistant, and never made of any material that could cause friction
or cuts to the boxers, safety must be ensured. take precedence over anything else.
Why is it called a ring?
In the beginnings of boxing, any fight was held almost anywhere, whether indoors or
outdoors, and a white hoop, ring in English, was drawn that surrounded the two fighters,
delimiting the fighting area.

guard position
This stance begins by standing sideways, so your front shoulder will be facing your
opponent (right-handed wrestlers will put their left shoulder forward). Have your feet
shoulder-width apart, with the heel of your back foot aligned with the ball of your front foot.
Turn your feet to reach a 45-degree angle toward your opponent, while bending your knees
and hips slightly while keeping your back straight. Tuck your elbows to your sides and position
your arms so that they protect most of your torso. Tilt your head down, so that your hands
protect your cheeks and chin. Turn your palms inward

SPECIFIC BLOWS:
Therefore, in our boxing terminology we use specific blows that, although very similar, some
of them differ due to their trajectory, their execution or their application, they are:
– JAB: used to: maintain distance, to start a combination, as a deception blow for another
subsequent action, to “worry” the rival… It is ultimately a slightly “accentuated” direct. Lower
impact force and usually left in right-handed or orthodox guard fighters.
– DIRECT: from the left (always the other way around for left-handers) it is a more forceful
blow than the Jab, the fighter who executes it has to be well supported on the ground and with
greater momentum from the hip, shoulder and body turn .
It is used to stop the rival who "enters", to destabilize him, to hit hard. Many technicians,
boxers and fans confuse both. However, in English they perfectly differentiate (those who really
know) a “jab” from a “straight-left”.
– CROCHET: it is a lateral blow with a trajectory parallel to the ground that is directed at the
opponent's face.
– UPPERCUT or HOOK: it is a blow that is directed from bottom to top looking for the
opponent's chin.
– HOOK or “stab blow” as the Cubans say. It can be considered as a blow that, being similar
in its execution to an uppercut that is applied to the chin, is a variant of this applied to the
body. It can also be applied to the chin with an oblique upward trajectory.
– SWING: it is a long crochet in which the fist is rotated to impact the knuckle area.
Right-handed boxers position themselves with their left foot and glove closest to their
opponent. Those who do it with the right foot are left-handed or have an inverted guard.
Certain boxers master both forms.
Differences between amateur/Olympic and professional training
To understand this, it is necessary to understand each activity within the same discipline
and know its main differences, since by knowing the objective of each one we will know what
to focus the training on in each of its phases.
The substantial difference and the one that matters to us at this moment lies in small details
that make a big difference. First of all, the boxer uses a headrest, which serves to absorb the
forcefulness of the blows. In turn, the weight and composition of the gloves is different, which
would translate into lower efficiency in terms of power. In the background, there is the number
of rounds in which one competes, with an adult male boxer generally being 3 rounds of 3
minutes, with 1 minute of rest, and the female boxer is 4 rounds of 2 minutes each. 1 rest.
Finally, it is necessary to understand that it also differs when it comes to scoring; While in
professional boxing efficiency and aggressiveness tend to be the most outstanding factors, in
amateurism a continuous attack generates more chances of victory. That is, connect a greater
number of blows throughout the 3 rounds. The most recommended thing in this case is a good
continuous and subaerobic training, the so-called "functional training", all its variants are
necessary since from the continuous improvement of the athlete we will be increasing intensity
in all its aspects, weight relation speed, strength, and resistance, resulting in an athlete who,
when practicing technicalities, only worries about improving his or her learning performance.
In professional boxing, all the factors and physical skills that we will obtain in the general
physical preparation will be decisive when it comes to having a boxer who makes the difference
in their competitions, since their speed, their strength, their power, or all of them combined. It
will give an athlete who will be able to develop his technique with more fluidity, and will be
able to resist at high intensity each of the rounds that he has to play. We must also take into
account the physical factor of the athlete and his style, if he is aggressive, if he is powerful or
"stylist", another consideration is also to take into account the weight at which he is since, this
factor will determine the type. of preparation on which we will have to focus

Summary
 Boxing is a sport that requires great aerobic power (VO2max), and in addition, they
are imposed on strict diets or have to follow specific dietary-nutritional strategies to enter
their weight category. This makes this sport very demanding taking into account the psycho-
physical-biological factors. For maximum performance, it seems that anthropometric
characteristics are of great importance, however, having to give a certain weight 12-24 hours
before the competition is very important, since depending on how the weight loss is done in
the last moment, will have direct consequences on the boxer's final performance. For this
reason, this article aims to provide more information so that physical trainers as well as
dietitians-nutritionists can take it into account when designing the strategies to follow.
 Round 2

BOXING ANATOMY

To understand this, it is necessary to understand the importance of the MAIN muscles to be

used, their collaborators and the ALTERNATE/SMALL muscles, which are those that are
attached to the activity but have greater predominance when it comes to statics, stability, and
time of guard positioning. The training of each boxer will also depend on their somato type,
their fighting style and the category in which the athlete develops.
The Most Important Muscles for Fighting
I will explain the role of each muscle in fighting and how they are used in boxing. Everyone
knows that training a muscle is an advantage compared to not training it. If boxing were that
simple, then training your entire body would give you the best advantage, right?
The problem is that no one has the time to work every muscle. Many of the small muscles
offer only a small advantage if any.
Many of the physical aspects of boxing such as balance, strength and movement will come
from the lower body. The more technical aspects of boxing such as precision, defense and
landing punches will typically come from the upper body. Depending on what you feel your
style needs, you can either decide to focus on more strength, hand speed, endurance or all of
that.
The key to effective boxing training is to understand how your muscles are used in boxing
and can decide how to train them for that purpose. Smart athletes know which exact muscles
should take priority over others.

Legs (Strength-speed-endurance)
By “legs,” I am referring especially to the quadriceps (knee extensors) and the hamstrings
and hamstrings (knee flexors). THIS is something that should be within anyone who wants to
learn how to do something strong with the body. ALL the force comes from below, because
your legs are connected to the floor, they are more responsible for transmitting force from the
floor generating force throughout your body. Your legs are also the largest muscles in your
body, which is because proper boxing punches are typically thrown with the legs pivoting and
turning.
 Knee extensor complex
Muscle: Quadriceps (rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, and vastus
intermedius)
Located in the front part of the thigh, its name is due to the fact that it has four muscular
heads; the rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus internus and crural (or vastus medialis). With
different origins but that converge in a single large insertion tendon. The portion of the rectus
femoris has a different origin, being located in the iliac crest of the hip, which is why it gives it
an important action together with the psoas in hip flexion, however the other three portions
have their origin in the upper area of the femur. , having only a knee extension function. All
heads join together in a single, thick and powerful tendon that inserts into the patella and
continues in a tendon-ligament (patellar tendon) to the anterior tuberosity of the tibia.
Sports actions
The quadriceps is responsible for knee extension, therefore it is involved in any moving or
jumping action.
Indicated
Their work is necessary in any athlete, although they can work on machines in isolation,
their work in not so analytical exercises is very important and necessary within the field of
sport.
Better options are working with squats, lunges, snatches, multi-jumps or polymetry.

To strengthen
Knee bend
Kneeling, perform a unique knee flexion and extension movement.
In addition to strength development, there is significant eccentric stretching.
 Lunges/Lunge on one leg:

Although it is a general exercise, the quadriceps is the one that receives much of the extension
of the front leg.

To stretch
The most comfortable and safest exercise is lying prone, bringing the heel towards the buttock.
 On a more active level, there is the exercise where through a retroversion of the hip we
manage to stretch the most tonic portion of the quadriceps, the rectus femoris that inserts into
the hip.

The most advanced and active exercise is to perform an eccentric contraction stretch. A very
effective position but one that requires a certain level of strength, stability and postural control.
With your legs apart, bend your knees while trying to touch the heel with the opposite hand.
 knee flexor complex
The semitendinosus, semimembranosus and the long head of the biceps femoris muscle are
known as true hamstring muscles; The short head of this muscle is not considered a true hamstring
muscle, since it inserts proximally into the posterior aspect of the femur, along the linea aspera.1
and not into the coxal bone.
The semitendinosus and semimembranosus are known as internal hamstring muscles, which
insert, proximally, into the ischial tuberosity, and, distally, into the medial side of the tibia
immediately below the knee.1
The biceps femoris is known as the lateral hamstring muscle, whose two heads are inserted
below the knee into the posterior lateral aspects of the fibula.
Among its main functions is to restrain the tendency to flex the hip that the body produces
during the stance phase of walking. They are essential for running, jumping, dancing and extending
the hips. They act primarily as hip extensors and knee flexors. The short head of the biceps femoris
muscle acts only in the knee, and is mainly a flexor. With the knee flexed, the semitendinosus and
semimembranosus also help internal rotation of the knee (of the tibia, by pulling on the area of its
insertion), while both heads of the biceps femoris contribute to external rotation
 Hips (Balance and Core of the Lower Body)
The hips hold your bottom and legs together. They also generate great force by pivoting their
body when they need to. Another important function is that your hips have to do with how well
you are balanced. Since your hips are very close to your body's center of gravity, having strong hips
means you will have better control of your balance. I shouldn't even say that balance is one of the
most important factors in controlling your balance. Balance determines the efficiency and
effectiveness of your offense, defense, movement, and overall fighting ability.
You can also think of your hips as your body weight. By using the muscles in your leg to move
your hips into each swing, you will be able to position your entire body into each swing maximizing
your strength.
In this area we will specify the gluteus muscles, more precisely the gluteus maximus, and the
lumbar muscles (multifidius) and spinal erectors.
The gluteal muscles comprise four major muscles including: gluteus maximus muscle, gluteus
medius muscle, gluteus minimus muscle and tensor fasciae latae muscle.
The gluteus maximus is a structural muscle of great strength and resistance that is widely
related to the bipedal position and the erect posture of the human, related to other factors such
as the evolutionary modification of the pelvis.
It is located in the posterior region of the pelvis. Its fibers are arranged descendingly. It consists
of two planes, one superficial and one deep. Below we find mainly the gluteus medius. It has a
thick and wide, rhomboidal shape. It is one of the largest and strongest muscles in the human
body. It belongs to the skeletal system
Function
When the gluteus maximus takes its fixed point from the pelvis, it extends the femoral
acetabulum joint and brings the thigh bent into a line with the body.
Taking its fixed point from below, which acts on the pelvis, the support and the trunk on the
head of the femur; This is especially evident when standing on one leg.
Its most powerful action is to cause the body to regain an upright position after bending over,
by drawing the pelvis backwards, being assisted in this action by the biceps femoris (long head),
semitendinosus, semimembranosus and adductor.
The gluteus maximus is a tensor of the fascia lata, and due to its relationship with the iliotibial
band, it stabilizes the femur on the articular surfaces of the tibia during standing, when the
extensor muscles are relaxed.
The lower part of the muscle also acts as an adductor and external rotator of the lower
extremity. The upper fibers act as abductors of the hip joints.
Lateral extension and rotation action

• With the iliacus fixed: Create hip extension and external rotation. The lower fibers also
exert some hip adduction. On the other hand, the superior ones perform abduction, mainly in
synergistic collaboration with their antagonist tensor fascia lata. The set of these two muscles
together with the fascia lata itself is called gluteal deltoid.2
• With the femur fixed: With both sides at the same time, perform a retroversion of the
pelvis. It is a key muscle in stabilizing the pelvis in the erect posture. With only one side it moves
the iliacus in retroversion, internal rotation and internal lateral inclination. In antagonistic synergy
with the iliopsoas it stabilizes the pelvis to maintain the erection of the spine.
 Lumbar and spinal area
We have several muscles that intervene in this place, but we will focus precisely on two
muscles: multifidus and spinal erectors.
The multifidus muscle is a set of fibrous muscle fascicles, which fill the grooves on both sides of
the spinous processes of the vertebrae, starting from the sacrum and reaching the axis; This
muscle is very thin. It stabilizes the movements particularly of each vertebra.
The erector spinae muscle (erector spinae) is a group of muscles in the back. It is also known as
sacrospinal in older texts. A more modern term is spinal extensor, although this is not in
widespread use.
It is not just a muscle, but a set of muscles and tendons. They combine and extend more or less
vertically. They extend throughout the lumbar, thoracic and cervical regions, and are found in the
lateral grooves of the vertebral column.
Erector spinae covers the lumbar and thoracic regions with the thoracolumbar fascia, and the
cervical region with the nuchal ligament.
This large muscle and tendon mass varies in size and structure in different parts of the spine. In
the sacral region, it is narrow and pointed, and its origin is mainly tendinous in structure.
In the lumbar region it is larger, and forms a thick fleshy mass that, when followed upwards, is
subdivided into three columns, which gradually decrease in size as they ascend by inserting into
the vertebrae and ribs.
The erector spinae arises from the anterior surface of a broad, thick tendon, which is attached
to the median crest of the sacrum, the spinous processes of the lumbar region and the eleventh
and twelfth thoracic vertebrae, the supraspinous ligament, the posterior of the inner lip of the iliac
crests and the lateral crests of the sacrum, where it joins with the sacrotuberous ligament and
posterior sacroiliac ligaments.
Some of its fibers are contiguous with the fibers that give rise to the gluteus maximus muscle.
The muscle fibers form a large fleshy mass that is divided, in the upper lumbar region, into
three columns, namely: a lateral one (the Iliocostalis), an intermediate one (longissimus) and a
medial one (spinalis).

Abdominals (Front Body Core)

The abdominal muscles are a powerful set of muscles that hold your entire body together. Each
part of your body generates a certain force individually but it is your abs that allow you to combine
the force generated by each part of the body into a total force. Simply put, your abs allow you to
connect the force generated by all your parts into a powerful blow. In addition to connecting your
entire body, your abdominal muscles help you breathe and allow you to take frontal body blows.
 External oblique , superficial that in height goes from the sixth rib to the pubis and in width
from the latissimus dorsum to the linea alba, covers the other lateral muscles of the abdomen, the
last eight ribs and the intercostal muscles.

O : Lower edge of the ribs V to XII by fingerings that mesh with those of the serratus anterior
and latissimus dorsum.
I : Lower half of the external lip of the iliac crest, anterior superior iliac spine, fusing with the
fascia lata. Inguinal ligament and linea alba.
The oblique aponeurosis is strong and has an inferomedial direction.
A : Accessory trunk flexor, lateral trunk inflexor, heterolateral trunk rotator and abdominal
pressure control.
Internal oblique , located under the preceding one, extends from the lumbar region to the last
ribs to the pubis and the linea alba. It is included between the latissimus and the transverse.
O : Costiform processes of the five lumbar spines, through the thoracolumbar fascia, anterior
two-thirds of the iliac crest, lateral third of the inguinal ligament.
I : Inferior edge of costal cartilages IX or X to XII, linea alba and inguinal falx.
The aponeurosis of the internal oblique becomes narrower as it descends.
The cremaster is a dependency of the internal oblique. It originates from its lower edge and
neighboring part of the inguinal ligament. The fibers surround the spermatic funiculus and descend
to form the erythroid tunic of the testicular sacs.
 A : Accessory trunk flexor, lateral trunk inflexor, ipsilateral trunk rotator and abdominal
pressure control.
Transverse , like a semibelt that runs from the vertebrae to the linea alba on each side.
Covered by the preceding muscles, it is separated by the peritoneum by the transversalis fascia.
O : Internal surface of the XI and XII ribs and costal cartilages VII to inguinal.
1: Linea alba and inguinal falx.
The transverse aponeurosis is wider towards its middle part.
The upper three quarters pass behind the rectus, fusing with the posterior lamina of the
internal oblique.
The fibers that originate in the inguinal ligament continue with aponeurotic fibers that have a
course similar to the internal oblique, constituting the inguinal falx to end in the pecten, tubercle
and pubic crest.
A : Abdominal pressure control
Rectus abdominis , a ribbon-shaped muscle that runs from the pubis to the middle ribs, is
covered by an aponeurotic sheath (sheath of the rectus abdominis) that separates it, in front, from
the skin, and behind, from the fascia. transversalis. Its medial edge is separated from the opposite
side by a fibrous raphe called the linea alba. The lateral border in thin or muscular people creates a
delimitation in the skin called the semicircular line.
O : Pubic crest and tubercle, superior pubic ligament intersecting with fibers on the opposite
side.
I : External surface and lower edge of costal cartilages V to VII, anterior surface of the xiphoid
process.
A : Flexor of the trunk and pelvis, lateral inflexor of the trunk and indirect control of abdominal
pressure
Pyramidal of the abdomen , small, located above the pubis and in front of the rectus femoris, it
is contained in the sheath of the rectus femoris. It has no known special action.

Core Muscles
 Back (back of body & impact recovery)
The back also functions as a core muscle of the body supporting your body and combining the
force generated by all its parts. Another not-so-well-known (BUT VERY IMPORTANT) fact is that
your back helps a lot in hit recovery – which is the speed at which you can take your hit back after
a hit.

Many fighters are busy building their upper body with push-ups and hitting the punching bag
but very few are focusing on building the back of the body like the shoulders and back. I'm going to
explain something very important to you, when you spend all your time hitting the hitting bag, you
won't realize that the bag is bouncing back towards you in the recovery phase. By refusing to train
your back and posterior shoulder muscles, you will have weak muscles to recover your punches.
The moment you start missing punches during a real fight, your arms will be tired because your
gloves become heavy as you have to pull your punches with your own muscles instead of having
them bounce back at you.

Shoulders (Arm Resistance)

The shoulders are most important for the stamina needed to throw punches. Yes, the
shoulders generate force for punches but for me, they are more important for physical endurance.
Typically when boxers' arms get very tired from punching or headcovering, it's usually because
their shoulders are tired! Think about if, when your arms get tired, it is almost always the
shoulders which are the first part of the arm to get tired. From a physical point, it makes sense
since it is a relatively small muscle that has to support the entire arm. From a physical point of
view, it is not difficult to see why the shoulder tires so quickly.
So if you want to be able to throw more punches and keep your arms up longer, you better
start training your shoulders for endurance. Don't worry about making your shoulders stronger,
they just have little punching power compared to your leg muscles.
The muscles help support the shoulder and allow mobility of the joint in all directions. The
most important for shoulder function are:
 • The supraspinatus muscle . Perform abduction or separation of the arm.
• The subscapularis muscle . Perform internal rotation.
• The infraspinatus muscle . Perform external rotation.
• The teres minor muscle . Contributes to external rotation.
• The teres major muscle . Contributes to extension.
• The deltoid muscle . Performs extension, flexion and abduction.
• The pectoralis major muscle . It intervenes in adduction or approximation, flexion and
extension.
• The latissimus dorsi muscle . It intervenes in extension and adduction.
• The coracobrachialis muscle . Adducts the humerus.
• The trapezius muscle . Elevates, retracts and externally rotates the scapula.
• The serratus anterior muscle . Rotates the scapula and pulls it anteriorly against the chest
wall
rotator cuff
The rotator cuff is the group formed by the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, teres minor and
subscapularis muscles, as well as their corresponding tendons. These four muscles start from the
scapula and are inserted into the head of the humerus very close, although in reality each of them
is independent. Injuries frequently occur in this area, especially tendonitis, which is sometimes
generically called rotator cuff tendonitis, while on other occasions the specific muscle affected is
specified, in which case it is named supraspinatus tendinitis, which is the most common or of any
of the other three muscles that make up the cuff.
Biomechanics
The shoulder joint has a great capacity for movement in all directions (in the three axes and the
three planes of space). The main movements are listed below with their limits under normal
conditions:

Flexion. It is done by raising the arm forward. Its amplitude is from 0° to 180°. The main
muscles that perform this action are the deltoid and pectoralis major. The accessories are the
coracobrachialis, subscapularis and biceps.
Extension . Opposite movement to the previous one. Amplitude from 0º to 50°. The main
muscles that perform it are the pectoralis major (from flexion), latissimus dorsi and teres major.
The accessories are deltoids and triceps.
Abduction or separation . It is done by moving the arm outwards, its amplitude is from 0° to
90°. The main muscles are deltoid and supraspinatus. The accessories are subscapularis and
biceps.
Adduction or approximation . It is the opposite movement to the previous one and has the
same amplitude. If the subject is in a reference position, that is, with the arm next to the trunk,
adduction will be impossible. The main muscles are pectoralis major, subscapularis, latissimus
dorsi. The accessories are the coracobrachialis, subscapularis, biceps and triceps.
Internal rotation . This movement can be executed by bringing the hand inward with the elbow
flexed at 90º. The main muscles are the coracobrachialis, latissimus dorsi, teres major, and
pectoralis major. The accessories are the deltoid, supraspinatus and biceps.
 External rotation . The opposite of the previous one, it is done by bringing the hand outward
with the elbow flexed at 90º. The main muscles are infraspinatus and teres minor. The accessory is
the deltoid.
Circumduction: are all the movements described above done in a single action.

Arms (delivery force, speed and snap)

The arms are the completion of the blow that was generated from the lower area, it is the
delivery of force, which means that the most important function of the arm is to connect the force
with the opponent. The arm is not responsible for generating force, that's what your legs are for.
All your arm needs is to connect your force generated by your body into your opponent!

Then all your arms really just need to reach out and touch your opponent, nothing more! Now
you notice that your arms seem to land punches and NOT generate force, you will see that it is
more important to have fast arms than powerful arms. Fast arms give him speed. Speed helps him
connect and beat his opponent's defense. The snap helps you recover your arm quickly to defend
yourself after throwing punches.
More specifically, triceps are for speed and straight punches. The biceps are for the speed of
your hooks and hooks. Don't try to pack on muscle in your arms for strength, keep them lean and
fast so those quick punches and quick combinations connect! Let the lower body provide power
and the arms can add speed.
In human anatomy, the arm is the second segment of the upper limb, between the shoulder
girdle (which fixes it to the trunk) and the forearm. It articulates with the first in the scapula and
with the second in the ulna. Below we will mention the muscles where this joint and muscle
complex takes predominant action.
pectoral muscles
• Pectoralis major.
• Pectoralis minor.
• Subclavius.
• Serratus major.
Dorsal muscles . (They connect the arm with the spine)
• Trapeze (superficial).
• Broad dorsal (superficial).
• Levator scapulae (deep).
• Rhomboid major (deep).
• Rhomboid minor (deep).
Shoulder muscles . (They originate in the scapula and end in the humerus)
• Supraspinatus.
• Infraspinatus.
• Teres minor (teres minor).
 • Teres major (teres major).
• Subscapularis.
• Deltoid.
Arm muscles. Anterior group (elbow flexors):
• Brachial biceps . It has two portions, long and short; It is the flexor muscle of the forearm.
The biceps movements are:
1. With the elbow fixed: acts on the shoulder girdle.
2. With the elbow free: they produce supination of the forearm.
3. With the forearm fixed: they produce elbow flexion.
4. In shoulder external rotation it is the primary motor in abduction.
5. In a neutral position of the shoulder it is the primary driver of anterior flexion
Anterior brachialis.
• Coracobrachialis . The musculocutaneous nerve passes through this muscle.
Posterior group (extender):

• Triceps brachii . It has three portions, long, external or vastus externus and internal or vastus
internus; It is the extensor muscle of the forearm. It is the main extensor of the forearm at the
elbow joint, so it can also extend and adduct the humerus. On the shoulder it performs a
synergistic extension action, because it is located on the back of the arm. The relevance of the
triceps brachii in the posterior region of the scapula lies in the fact that its vertical arrangement
between the teres minor and teres major muscles, together with these muscles and the humerus,
forms spaces through which nerves and vessels pass from one region to another. Resists descent
of the humeral head.
• Anconeus . Proximal insertion: posterior surface of the lateral epicondyle of the humerus.
Distal insertion: lateral surface of the olecranon.

Chest (the upper core of the body)

The chest muscles are the core of your upper muscles. Its most important functions are to
connect your shoulders, arms in a combined force. They also generate more strength in your
upper muscles.
Pectoralis major: Among its functions we can find medial rotation of the shoulder, flexion of
the shoulder, extension of the shoulder from flexion and adduction of the shoulder, the latter
being its main function. Furthermore, due to the arrangement of its fibers, through a passive
action it can take an accessory breath, when raising its arms.
The remaining muscles, such as the subclavius, pectoralis minor and serratus, are taken into
account as accessory muscles and of second importance. Since they have greater influence on the
postural part and defensive position, less so on the serratus , where its main function is to stabilize
the scapula. Its basal tone guarantees the correct application of the scapula to the thorax and
prevents the medial edge of the scapula from separating posteriorly. If the muscle fails due to
weakness or paralysis, the winged scapula sign is observed.
 Its upper part elevates the scapula, its middle part lowers it, as well as its lower part lowers the
scapula and rotates its lower angle externally to allow the elevation of the arm beyond the
horizontal together with the trapezius muscle.
On the thorax with the scapula as a fixed point, raise the ribs (inspiration).
Its function in the open kinetic chain is scapular abduction (rotation with the lower vertex
laterally) and scapular adduction, and in the closed kinetic chain it is the anteriorization of the
thorax with respect to the arm and the scapula itself.
Due to these functions, this muscle is of great importance, especially in sports involving
throwing, pushing and hitting over the shoulder. When faced with these types of actions, we must
be very aware of the importance of maintaining a stable shoulder, since the lack of stability in this
joint when performing this type of sports specialties is postulated as a risk factor for injury to take
into account.
Small Muscles
The neck is for hit resistance. You will see many fighters strengthening their neck so that their
head does not get crushed and is left in a more vulnerable position when hit. The forearm muscles
are to make your fist stronger when you punch. A stiff fist means your hand will hit more solidly. At
the same time, a stiff fist means your hand is less likely to be injured since the bones don't have
much room around them to move out of alignment. The most relevant being the
sternocleidomastoid muscle, where its main function is to provide stability to the neck, and the
stabilizing muscles of the neck.
Importance of muscles to work in boxing
First of all, we must know our athlete, especially his category, his ideal weight, as well as his
body type. Knowing this data, we will be able to optimize his sports performance and we will be
more effective and efficient when preparing him; as much as for a fight, where set-up will be
fundamental and will be decisive when it comes to performance. As well as throughout the
periodization of the sports calendar. This point is key, because different organizations have their
calendars and each sporting level for each athlete is different, their preparation will be affected.
Making rest and recovery periods key, and trying to ensure that the boxer does not stray too far
from the weight of his category.
Here we have to make a salvation, the ideal weight and the category of the boxer, most of the
time they do not coincide, especially at the professional level, this is produced by an increase in
muscle volume during training and its preparation, making the most of the athletic resources of
whom we prepare, where arriving at the moment of weighing we will not focus on a progressive
caloric deficit, (this allows us to continue having an athlete without suffering this effect as much),
this effect is known physiologically as DEPLETION (Exhaustion or decrease in reserves, either
carbohydrates, or directly available fats, fatty acids, among others.) thus giving their category and
having a weight more in line with their ideal (real weight of the boxer) having more advantage and
feeling more comfortable at the time of weighing .
Muscle group and fiber type
Beyond the training of this type of athletes, the activity carried out and the health, if you want
to obtain muscle gains, optimal performance, constant evolution and sports maintenance. We
must take into account the type of fibers that predominate in each muscle.
 Not all muscles respond the same to a type of training and a range of repetitions. Thus, for
example, training movements where calf work predominates is not the same as training
movements where trapezius work predominates.
Below I present the percentage of fibers that predominates in the main muscles where we
work in this physical preparation.
Muscle %ST% FTa % FTb Muscle %STl%FTa% FTb
SUPERIOR MEMBER
Broad back 50 50 Brachial biceps 50 50
Trapeze 54 46 Brachioradialis 40 60
rhomboids 45 55 Triceps brachii 33 67
Supraspinatus
60 40 Forearm Thunderers 50 50
Deltoid 60 40 Forearm supinators 50 50
pectoralis major 42 58
pectoralis minor 51 49
LOWER MEMBER
adductor brevis 45 15 40 Tensor fascia lata - 10 20
adductor longus 65 15 20 Popliteal 50 15 35
adductor magnus 55 15 30 Quadriceps: Vastus 50 15 35
Abductors (set) 50 20 30 intermedius
Quadriceps: Vastus lateralis 45 20 35
Buttocks
50 20 30 Quadriceps: Vastus medialis 50 15 35
Psoas 50 20 30 Quadriceps: Rectus femoris 45 15 40
Femoral biceps 65 10 25 Soleo 75 15 10
Semimembranous
50 15 35 Twins 50 20 30
Semitendinosus
50 15 35 Tibials 70 10 20

• ST = Slow fibers (type I)

• FTa = Fast oxidative-glycolytic fibers (type IIa)
• FTb = Fast glycolytic fibers (type IIb)
How to work each muscle or type of fiber in boxing?
Muscles with a predominance of ST fibers will respond better to slower repetitions (eg: 3
seconds eccentric + 2 seconds concentric + 1 second stop). In addition, they respond better to high
numbers of repetitions.
Muscles with a predominance of FTa fibers will respond better to medium-high pace
repetitions (e.g.: 3 seconds eccentric + 1.5 seconds concentric + 0.5 seconds stop). In addition, they
respond better to intermediate repetition numbers.
(In the case of boxing, it must be taken into account that we must pay more attention to the
slow fibers st, and explosive or glycolytic fibers ftb. However, since this type of fibers can be
transformed into ST or FTb, it is recommended to work on a model closer to ST.)
Muscles with a predominance of FTb fibers will respond better to explosive repetitions (e.g.: 3
seconds eccentric + 1 second concentric + 0 seconds stop). Additionally, they respond better to
low repetition numbers.
If the muscle in question has balanced percentages between ST and FT fibers, they will respond
similarly to both types of work, however, it must be remembered that FT fibers have a larger cross
section than ST fibers, so if you want to increase muscle mass, one should work in ranges closer to
the FTb type.
 Types of muscle fibers and their relationship with boxing
Muscle fiber types are the primary factor in determining the performance capacity of any
skeletal muscle.
Composition of muscle fibers
When we think about muscles, we tend to think of each of them as a single unit. This is natural
because a skeletal muscle appears to act as an independent unit, but they are much more complex
than this.
When dissecting a muscle, first the connective tissue that covers it on the outside would be cut,
and then inside, the muscle fibers, which are the individual muscle cells, would be located.
A motor unit is a single neuron and the muscle fibers it innervates. The neuron determines
whether the fibers are slow or fast. In a slow motor unit, the neuron innervates a group of
between 10 and 180 muscle fibers. In contrast, a fast motor unit innervates between 300 and 800
muscle fibers.

Such an arrangement of motor units means that when a single slow

neuron stimulates its fibers, many fewer muscle fibers contract than when a
single fast neuron stimulates its fibers.
 Types of Muscle Fibers
The human body has three main types of skeletal muscle fibers:
• Fast fibers.
• Slow.
• Intermediate.
These distinctions appear to influence how muscles respond to training and physical activity.
And each type of fiber is unique in its ability to contract in a certain way.

Fast Fibers or Type II-B Fibers

Most skeletal muscle fibers in the body are called fast fibers because they can contract in 0.01
seconds or less after stimulation.
Fast fibers are large in diameter. They contain dense myofibrils, large reserves of glycogen, and
mitochondria are relatively scarce. The tension produced by a muscle fiber is directly proportional
to the number of sarcomeres, so muscles dominated by fast fibers produce strong contractions.
Regarding fatigue, fast fibers are exhausted quickly because their
contractions require the use of ATP in massive quantities, such prolonged
activity is supported mainly by anaerobic metabolism.

Slow Fibers or Type I Fibers

Slow fibers are only half the diameter of fast fibers and take three times as long to contract
after stimulation.
Slow fibers are designed so that they can continue to work for long periods.
Slow muscle tissue contains a more extensive network of capillaries than fast twitch muscle
tissues and therefore has a much higher oxygen supply. Additionally, slow fibers contain the red
pigment myoglobin. This globular protein is structurally related to hemoglobin, the pigment that
carries oxygen in the blood.
Both myoglobin and hemoglobin are red pigments that bind reversibly to oxygen molecules.
Although other types of muscle fibers contain small amounts of myoglobin, it is more abundant in
slow fibers. As a result, slow fibers contain important reserves of oxygen that can be mobilized
during a contraction.

Because slow fibers have ample capillary supply and a high concentration
of myoglobin, skeletal muscles dominated by slow fibers are dark red.

They are also known as red muscle fibers, slow-oxidation twitch fibers, and Type I fibers.
To make oxygen reserves and blood supply more efficient, the mitochondria of slow fibers can
contribute more ATP during contraction. Therefore, slow fibers are less dependent on anaerobic
metabolism than fast fibers. Part of mitochondrial energy production involves the breakdown of
stored lipids instead of glycogen, so the glycogen stores of slow fibers are smaller than those of
fast fibers.
 Slow fibers contain more mitochondria than fast fibers.

This is a type of sport where the athletes of lower categories, the athletes
stand out for the majority composition of Type I fibers are those of a resistive
nature and long duration, such as marathon runners.

Intermediate Fibers Type II-A

The properties of intermediate fibers are a combination of those of fast fibers and slow fibers.
In appearance, intermediate fibers resemble fast fibers, since they contain little myoglobin and are
relatively clear.

They have a broader capillary network around them, however, they are
more resistant to fatigue than fast fibers. Intermediate fibers are also known
as fast-twitch oxidative fibers and type II-A fibers.

In muscles that contain a mix of fast and medium fibers, the ratio can change with physical
conditioning. For example, if a muscle is used repeatedly for endurance testing, some of the fast
fibers will develop the appearance and functional capabilities of the intermediate fibers. The
muscle as a whole therefore becomes more resistant to fatigue.

Genetics and Arrangement of Muscle Fibers

The characteristics of slow and fast muscle fibers are determined early in life, they are
genetically determined.
The genes we inherit from our parents determine which motor neurons innervate our
individual muscle fibers. After innervation has been established, our muscle fibers differentiate
(specialize) according to the type of neuron that stimulates them.
The percentages of slow and fast fibers are not the same in all muscles of the body. Generally
the muscles of a person's upper and lower extremities have similar fiber compositions.

Types of muscle fibers from parents to children

Differences between slow and fast fibers
The main difference concerns the type of fiber and its impact on physical performance: Our
type of muscle fiber can influence sports performance to determine whether a person is naturally
fast or strong.

Olympic athletes tend to excel in sports that match their genetic makeup. Olympic sprinters
have been shown to have about 80% fast-twitch fibers, while marathon performers tend to have
80% slow-twitch fibers.
Slow-twitch muscle fibers are good for categories whose characteristic is endurance (long
contested fights or reaching the last round without losing intensity). You can work for a long time
without getting tired.
Having faster twitch fibers can be an asset for a boxer whose style is more knockout, as she
needs to quickly generate a large amount of force. They contract quickly, but they tire quickly,
because they consume a lot of energy.

Boxer success according to fiber type

Knowledge of the composition and use of muscle fibers suggests that athletes who have a high
percentage of slow-twitch fibers may have a certain advantage in prolonged rounds where
endurance is key, while those who have a predominance of slow-twitch fibers fast may be better
suited for short, explosive activities.
The muscles of the lower extremities of long-distance runners, which depend on their
endurance capacity, have a predominance of slow fibers. In long-distance runners, their
gastrocnemius muscles (located on the back of the leg) have more than 90% slow fibers. The
gastrocnemius muscles are mainly composed of fast fibers in boxers between 65 and 75 kg, since
they depend on speed and strength.

Fast fibers and sports results

HEAVY VS LIGHT BOXERS
The fiber composition of the muscles is noticeably different in each category, but we will
classify them into two large groups (light up to 75kg and heavy from 75kg and up).
The lightest world champions have 93% to 99% slow fibers in their gastrocnemius muscles. The
world's medium and heaviest have only about 25% slow fibers in this muscle.
However, it may be a bit risky to think that we can select champion light and/or heavy boxers
based solely on the predominant muscle fiber type.
Other factors, such as cardiovascular function and muscle size, also contribute to success in
these endurance, speed, and strength tests. Sports success is a complement of several factors,
among which is, in an important plane, the type of muscle fibers that the athlete has.

Competition system and performance limiting factors

Boxing is a sport where aerobic capacity (Individual Anaerobic Threshold, UANI) and
especially maximum aerobic power (maximum oxygen consumption, VO2max) are very important.
A relationship has been found between aerobic metabolism expressed in VO2max and sports
performance in these athletes, although the most recent studies demonstrate the increasing
importance of anaerobic lactic metabolism (Guidetti, 2002). Boxers in general do not take into
account that heavyweights have little aerobic capacity, although in recent years physical
preparation has improved a lot, the heavyweight categories benefit exclusively from their power
and anaerobic capacity.
However, it is important to analyze boxing competitions; in which different rounds of 2
minutes duration are carried out with a recovery of 1 minute between 8-12 rounds (depending on
category and weights). This justifies that aerobic power and recovery capacity must take
precedence over training anaerobic metabolism, since it would be of no use to have strength in
the first 3 rounds and then plummet. It is an interval sport of aerobic power, in which recovery
capacity takes precedence over any other quality, this being a limiting factor in sports
performance.
Competition characteristics Observations
Total rounds 12 There are many assaults and many blows, in
which a great tolerance to pain and
inflammation processes is needed.
Duration per round 2’ Variable intensities with VO2max peaks.
Recovery between rounds r You rest sitting and there is support from the
staff. Possibility of hydration and nutrition
Maximum competition time 24’
Maximum total duration of a combat 36’ High aerobic power and recovery capacity are
required to withstand the full high-intensity
aerobic load of combat.

Table 1. Characteristics of the boxing competition, physiological requirement and

physiological profile of elite boxers (men) (own elaboration)
On the other hand, boxing is competed by weight categories, which are very important to
know, since we have to adjust the weight of the competitions depending on which category we are
interested in competing in.
Weight categories (male)
Table 2. Weight categories in men's boxing, according to light, medium and heavy weights (own
elaboration)

The functional assessment and physiology of boxing

The functional assessment carried out at different stages of the training macrocycle requires
the recording and measurement of one or more physiological variables, which allow the biological
changes induced by the sport to be demonstrated. One of the most useful ergometric parameters
for functional evaluation in boxers is the Oxygen Pulse (VO2 /HR) (Gastin, 2001), which is the
amount of oxygen consumed during a complete cardiac cycle.
This term was developed by Astrand in 1948. This parameter is closely related to the systolic
function of the heart and cardiac dimensions. It is modified with training, reaching its highest
figures when VO2max is reached. Because its value depends on both VO2max and the HR with
which it is achieved, it is considered an adequate indicator of cardiovascular efficiency. However,
when VO2 is determined by indirect methods that take into account the body weight of the
subjects, this can cause errors when interpreting the results, especially in sports that compete by
weight categories, so its standardization based on to this anthropometric variable, may be useful.
In this case it is better to measure the maximum oxygen pulse per kg of body weight
(VO2max/HRmax/kg).
Boxers show absolute VO2max values of between 2.9-3.7 VO2l/min although it would be more
appropriate to use the relative VO2max value (VO2l/min/kg) and also the pulse oxygen per kg
(ml/kg). lat/kg) (Gonzalez, 2002).

Cardiovascular Light Weight (<48- Medium Weight (60- Heavy Weight (81-
physiological parameters* 60 kg) 81 kg) 91-kg)
VOzmax (VO21 min) 2,9 3,2 3,7
HR max (lat min) 172-179 170-174 172-175
Mlat. 17.5 19,0 21,5
(maximum values)

MlatKg 0,318 0,287 0,217-0, 237

(maximum values) 0,329 0,295

Table 3. Cardiovascular physiological parameters of international male boxers, according to

weight categories (González, 2002).
These parameters could be used to create a range scale of ideal cardiovascular efficiency
parameters (VO2/HR/kg) for elite boxers who undergo an EPIM test on a cycle ergometer, as well
as to detect sporting talents.
The improvement in pulse oxygen per kg in light and medium weight boxers is usually very
pronounced due to the improvement in VO2max due to training, however heavy boxers do not
usually improve much in VO2max and even less so in cardiovascular efficiency, by tending more. to
gains at the level of strength-resistance or explosive-strength.

Anthropometric characteristics
The anthropometric study of the body shape in elite athletes in combat sports such as boxing
allows us to predict the morpho-functional potential of the transitive aspect of the technical
movement of the performers or the detection of sporting talents.
The relevance of aerobic metabolism and the kinanthropometric point of view is given because
there is a statistically significant relationship between VO2max and wrist circumference, being
decisive in this sport to compare these values with isokinetic studies that measure the
proportional strength of said joint and strength of hand. Wrist circumference also shows statistical
significance with performance, but incomprehensibly the competitive advantage is not
proportional to the circumference of the arm and forearm, nor to the skin folds of the triceps and
forearm. This means that the strength of the arms would not be a determining variable of sporting
success, as demonstrated by biomechanically examining the technical gestures typical of boxing,
which indicate a practical immobility of the triceps muscle, with the force exerted by the shoulders
being more important than the arms, curiously, the trapezius is the most used muscle in this sport
(Herrero, 2009).
According to the data of the Spanish Boxing team, the athletes show the following basic
anthropometric data measured by bioelectrical impedance (BIA) (Ubeda, 2010) and similar data
have also been shown in other teams (Andreoli, 2003). However, in the data obtained by
anthropometry, the percentages of body fat have been higher than those found with the BIA
(Cabañas, 2009). The latest studies show that the most reliable and feasible tool to use is
anthropometry to measure body composition in athletes and BIA to measure the amount of body
water.

Basic anthropometric characteristics

BMI (mk m2) 20,6(18,6-28,3)
Body fat (%) 8,0 (6,0-12,0)
Light weight Weight Weight
(Navarrete, 2007 and Ubeda, 2010) MEDIUM HEAVY
8,4 8,7-9,2 13,9-14,5
Lean Mass (%) 52,6-54,3
Cabañas 2009 and Ubeda, 2010)
Body Water (%) (Ubeda, 2010) 66,0 (61,3-69,7)

Somatotype 2,4 -3,2- 4,2

In d om orphia-Me s omorphia-Ectom
(Cabins, 2009) orphia (Meso-Ectomorph)

Table 4. Anthropometric characteristics of the athletes belonging to the National Teams

At the same time, in boxing, the length of the upper body levers and the perimeter of the wrist
are of vital importance (Herrero, 2009), which can be very important anthropometric parameters
for maximum sports performance.

Body measurements (cm)

Weight (p) (kg) 77,40
Height (h) 177,10
Biacromial diameter (db) 45,20
Biileoscretal diameter (dbc) 27,50
Biepicondyle diameter of the humerus (dh) 8,90
Biepicondyle diameter of the femur (df) 10,10
Axillary thoracic perimeter (pt) 90,30
Umbilical perimeter (pu) 69,70
Relaxed arm perimeter (pbr)
Contracted arm perimeter (pbc) 38,20
Forearm perimeter (pa) 29,30
Wrist circumference (pm) 17,60
Thigh circumference (pml) 55,40
Leg perimeter (pp) 35,20
 Table 5. Body measurements of senior international middleweight boxers (men) (Cabañas,
2009)
The ideal morphotype of boxers, both in the junior and senior categories, is unusual for elite
athletes, since athletes are sought with a broad and long trunk and upper body, however, with a
short lower extremity. These characteristics lower the center of gravity, increasing the boxer's
stability, while a very long upper limb allows the opponent to be hit more easily.
From the point of view of body composition, the fat percentage has to be as low as possible to
avoid excess weight, since we compete for weight. Logically, another of the determining factors of
sports performance is muscle mass, especially in the upper limb. Due to the importance of aerobic
metabolism, to the extent possible, VO2max measurements should be made adjusted to weight
and muscle mass, since VO2max is measured in VO2/kg of body weight and it would be more
accurate to measure per kg of body weight. muscle weight.
Throughout the sporting career of a boxer there is a tendency towards an increase in the
muscle mass of the arms and trunk, decreasing the lean mass in the legs, therefore, the sooner we
work on these kinanthropometric characteristics, the sooner we will achieve or maintain success.
sports.
Light weights tend towards Meso-Ectomorphy, medium weights towards Meso-Ectomorphy or
balanced Mesomorphy, while heavy weights would be Endo-Mesomorphs, although as we have
explained previously it would be necessary to observe their evolution in recent years, to verify
Indeed, the performance of this somatotype coincides with this shift to the left, based on the
increasing importance that anaerobic metabolism is acquiring (Ramírez, 1999).

Weight categories Weights (kg) Morphotype

Mini Fly, Fly, Rooster, Feather, <48-64 Ecto-Mesomorphy
Light, Light Welter
Welterweight, 64-75 Meso-Ectomorphy
Balanced Mesomorphy
SuperWelterweight,
Light Heavy, Heavy 75-91 Balanced Mesomorphy
Super Heavy >91 Endo-Mesomorphy
 Figure 1. Distribution of the average somatotypes of elite boxers (black dot), compared to
references of youth international boxers (Navarrete, 2007)
However, in boxing in different categories the somatotype changes, in lightweights a Meso-
Ectomorphic profile is observed, just as it happens in taekwondo and not in other sparring
modalities (Betancourt, 2009). The differential management of the combat distance of these
sports such as boxing or taekwondo makes this somatotype characteristic of these sports, which at
the same time have long levers (long arms and legs) would be a beneficial anthropometric
characteristic to give a greater performance. Other combat sports such as judo, wrestling and
Greco-Roman; activities that involve gripping in their technical procedures, we do not find a
somatotype since it does not require having long levers, being characterized by having a greater
amount of weight in relation to height, being more Meso-Endomorphic.

Somatotypic categories elite boxing

Meso-Endomorphic 19,3 %**
Ecto-Endomorphic -
Endo-Mesomorphic 10,5 %**
Meso-Ectomorphic 47,4 %*
Balanced Mesomorphic 15,8 %*. ***
Mesomorphic-Central Ectomorphic 5,3 %
Central 1,8 %
'Low middle and middle weight categories. "In higher weight classes. '“Youth.

Table 7. Somatotypic categories observed in elite boxing (Betancourt, 2009)

A Meso-Ectomorphic boxer (muscled and defined), with a lower weight for his height may be
an essential condition for maximum performance, since he would have a more effective hitting
potential at medium distance. However, this somatotype can
be variable in 45-50% of cases depending on the weight being competed, since those in the high
weight category have a more Meso-Endomorphic tendency (Betancourt, 2009; Carter, 1984).
Dietary-nutritional habits in combat sports
The information available about common dietary practices and factors that influence food
selection in combat athletes is scarce despite their importance in optimizing nutritional status.
In a study carried out on Spanish international elite male combat athletes (judo, taekwondo
and boxing), they showed that 38% of taekwondo practitioners, 25% of judokas and 83% of boxers
were above their competition weight at the time they were evaluated; in the tapering phase, 1
week before the international competition (1, 4.5 and 2 kg, respectively) with the excess being less
than 2 kg in 70% of these individuals (Ubeda, 2010).
It is important to mention that it is a common practice in combat sports to train with a weight
above the competition weight and lose this excess in the days before (0 7) to the same (Palacios,
2004), which can be a limiting factor in sports performance, dietary-nutritional advice in the
development of these athletes and requires a dietician-nutritionist specialized in these modalities.
The usual diet of the boxers and combat athletes evaluated in a concentration of the Spanish
National Team (Ubeda, 2010) followed the same trends as the Spanish diet, according to the food
consumption panel (Ministry of the Environment, 2008). In general terms, an excessive intake of
food groups that provide more proteins and lipids and low intakes of the main food sources of CH
and fiber are observed, as described by other authors for similar population groups (Juzviak, 2004;
Nogueira , 2005).
Proteins I ask Carbohydrates Fiber
% % % %
Meat 82 Sweets 46 Pasta 86 Cereals 32
Breakfast
Fish 50 Pastries 35 Rice 41 Vegetables 18
Eggs 18 Oils 9 Cereals 14 Whole-grain 18
Breakfast foods
Legumes 9 Fried 9 Fruit 14 Fruit 14
Butter 9
Table 8. Percentage of combat athletes (n=22) who point out different foods
Most elite combat athletes are aware that to lose weight through dietary modifications for
competition, the most appropriate thing to do was to reduce consumption or eliminate sweets,
pastries and fatty foods from their diet. Meanwhile, they identify foods from the group cereals,
bread, rice, potatoes and pasta as good food sources of HC (especially pasta) (Ubeda, 2010).

However, it is observed that the majority of combat athletes have a deficiency in terms of fruit
intake, and this aspect can be improved since these, in addition to providing carbohydrates with a
medium glycemic index, can be very suitable for proper hydration. these more than 85% water
content. This is important, since the hydration guidelines in amateur combat athletes, it is
common to observe cases of dehydration (saunas, doing sports before with non-breathable
clothing, not drinking water since the day before...) to enter certain categories of weight, studies
carried out in sports concentrations with combat athletes affirm that they tend to be very well
hydrated both during training and during competitions, maintaining adequate hydration in
accordance with the Consensus Document of the Spanish Federation of Sports Medicine ( Palacios,
2008).
 Last conclusions
It will be very important to have muscle glycogen deposits full, since it is a sport that is
competed at VO2max, anaerobic glycolytic system, and there will be a large production of lactate.
This means that during the 2' series, they use up the deposits and reduce the intensity of the
effort.
The somatotype in boxing, especially long levers in the upper body and a thick perimeter of the
wrist will be vital, which we have to take into account to detect sporting talents.
Achieving an adequate weight and body composition is one of the main objectives for most
athletes, especially for those who compete in disciplines grouped by weight categories, as occurs
in boxing. These athletes often resort to inappropriate dietary practices, such as severe calorie
restriction and voluntary dehydration in the days before the competition, with the aim of adjusting
their weight to the category in which they intend to compete.
These strategies can lead to physiological, metabolic and immunological alterations that put
your health at risk (Smitch, 2001). Furthermore, decreased food consumption combined with
intense training increases protein catabolism and decreases muscle glycogen concentration. This
limits the ability to perform maximum efforts and affects both muscle strength and power (Rankin,
2002), decreasing sports performance.
Self-induced dehydration can have even more serious consequences, as it leads to loss of
electrolytes, compromises thermoregulation and blood flow, and increases susceptibility to heart,
muscle, or kidney damage (Sawka, 2007).
Achieving an optimal nutritional state that allows you to get the most out of training,
accelerate recovery and optimize weight and body composition is the result of correct eating
habits practiced regularly (Rodríguez, 2009).
The information available about common dietary practices in combat athletes is scarce.
Furthermore, we are not aware of any study in which the factors that influence food selection or
the strategies that these athletes consider most appropriate for dietary management of their body
weight have been analyzed.

MUSCLE BIOMECHANICS

There are three types of muscles in the body, depending on the type of fibers: cardiac muscle
(the heart), smooth muscle (organs) and striated or skeletal muscle. Cardiac and smooth muscles
are involuntary, while skeletal muscle is voluntarily controlled by the central nervous system. In
this section, only the striated or skeletal muscle will be studied, because it is the only one that
voluntarily participates in the joint movements of the body.
Composition

- contractile elements
The contractile apparatus of each muscle fiber is subdivided into myofibrils, formed by bundles
of thick and thin filaments, and which, oriented longitudinally, are composed of contractile
proteins. The thin filaments are made of actin, while the thick filaments are made of myosin. The
structure located between two consecutive Z discs is known as the Sarcomere, which should be
considered as the unit of contractile action (figure 1.2.1b).

Figure 1.2.1: Structure of the skeletal muscle on a) macroscopic and b) microscopic scale where
the minimum unit is observed: the contractile component formed by myosin and actin. [OpenStax
College, 2013d, OpenStax College, 2013e]

Mechanical properties
The fundamental biomechanical indicators that characterize the activity of the muscle are: the
force that is registered at its end (this force is called tension or muscle traction force), and the
speed of variation of the length. When the muscle is excited, its mechanical state varies; These
variations are called muscle contraction. Contraction manifests itself in the variation of muscle
tension or length (or both), as well as other mechanical properties (elasticity, rigidity, etc.). When
the muscle is in a resting state, there is moderate overlap of the myosin cross-points on actin. In
the state of elongation, the overlap decreases and may become zero. Finally, during contraction,
the overlap or superposition is maximum. The overlap limit is given by the contact between the
thick filaments and the Z disks.

- Tension vs. muscle length

The overall behavior of the muscle is due to both active and passive components. Active
tension represents the tension developed by the contractile elements of the muscle. Passive
tension reflects the tension developed when a muscle exceeds its resting length and the non-
contractile portion of the muscle belly is stretched. When the muscle belly contracts, the
combination of active and passive tensions produces the total tension exerted (figure 1.2.2).
 Figure 1.2.2: Muscle tension Vs relationship. muscle length. Total muscle strength is the sum of
passive force plus active force. [HCA, 2008]
Passive elements
The entire muscle is surrounded by sheaths or fascia of connective tissue (mainly collagen I).
The epimysium surrounds the muscle and extends into it forming perimysium, which in turn
divides the muscle into a series of fascicles, each of which contains several muscle fibers. Within
the fascicle, muscle fibers are separated from each other by the endomysium. All these elements,
with variable proportions of collagen and reticular and elastic fibers, constitute the elastic
component parallel to the fibers (figure 1.2.1a)

Figure 1.2.3: In pennate muscles the angle of pennation is the angle of inclination of the muscle
fibers with respect to the axis of action of the muscle. [Sharkbait517, 2012]
 - Load – speed relationship : A muscle contracts very quickly when the load is low. However,
when the load increases, the speed of contraction decreases, becoming increasingly slower the
greater the load. When the load is equal to the tension that the muscle can withstand, the velocity
becomes zero, that is, the muscle contracts isometrically. When the load is increased further, the
muscle lengthens eccentrically. This elongation is faster with greater load.

- Latency period : As the load increases, the latency period increases. This period of time is
related to the time needed to distend the elastic components until the traction force exceeds the
magnitude of the resistance.

- Time-force relationship: The force exerted by a muscle is greater when the contraction time
is longer, because time is required for the tension to be transferred from the elastic components
parallel to the tendon.

- Series and parallel organization: Consider a muscle made up of three muscle fibers, with two
possible organizations, series or parallel:
- Series arrangement: promotes a greater range of motion and a greater shortening speed.
When the muscle is activated, each muscle fiber undergoes a change in length Δl in response to
the activation. In this muscle type, the total change in length
- will be equal to the sum of the individual lengths, ΔL= 3Δl. The tension that can be
developed is equal to the average of the tensions generated by the three fibers.
- Parallel arrangement: optimizes the maximum tension that a muscle can generate. The
tension is equal to the sum of the individual tensions of each fiber. However, the length and speed
of shortening of the muscle will be equal to the average shortening of each of its fibers.

Observation: Although the fibers of the penniform muscle contribute to a lesser extent to the
total force (multiplied by the cosine of an angle) compared to the longitudinal muscle, more
fibers can be located in the penniform muscle than in the longitudinal muscle in the same
volume (14 fibers compared to 9), therefore, the penniform muscle is designed to produce force,
while the longitudinal, speed.

Types of muscle contraction

The term contraction means development of tension within the muscle and not necessarily a
visible shortening of the muscle itself. The tension generated by the muscle can generate a static
or dynamic contraction, without movement or with joint movement respectively.
In isometric or static contraction (BPxP = BRxR) , there is no change in muscle length since the
resistance equals the contraction capacity. Since there is no displacement, theoretically and in
terms of physics, no mechanical work is produced and all the energy consumed is transformed into
heat. However, physiologically, there is work expressed by the isometric force or tension
developed during a certain time, with energy cost, heat release and fatigue. In practice, there is no
pure isometric contraction since although the muscle insertions remain fixed and there is no
movement, the muscle fibers shorten by around 7% at the expense of the series elastic component
of the tendon that yields at the beginning of the contraction. .
In isotonic or dynamic contraction (BPxP ≠ BRxR) , the muscle changes length and external
work is produced that is measurable from the force and distance traveled. Likewise, not all the
energy consumed is converted into effective work, since part of it is necessary to neutralize the
passive forces of shortening. That is why the maximum load in isotonic contraction in shortening is
only 80% of the maximum tension reached in isometric contraction. Depending on the direction of
muscle length change, isotonic contraction can be:
Concentric or shortening , with positive work when the torque generated by muscular power is
greater than that generated by resistance: BPxP > BRxR.
Excetric or lengthening , with negative work, when the torque generated by muscular power is
less than that generated by resistance: BPxP < BRxR.
 Figure 1.2.4: Types of muscle contraction. [OpenStax College, 2013f]

Physiology of muscle contraction

Muscle tissue is extremely important for man's life. This tissue offers the possibility of
performing movements that serve to carry out daily activities, work and relationship life. Like all
tissue, it is made up of cells, which constitute its fundamental unit. These cells have the ability to
produce a shortening known as contraction, but, at the same time, they are also elastic, which
allows stretching, and this is what is called relaxation. To achieve these muscular reactions, the
body has created its own system of chemical reactions, which are those that, according to their
existence inside the cells, cause these actions.
The presence of different chemical components in muscle cells and their connection with
oxygen is what is known as muscle metabolism and in this chapter we will study those chemical
components that cause muscle contraction and their manifestations. However, we must point out
that the nervous system plays a predominant role, because thanks to the stimuli received from the
environment and voluntarily, the nervous impulse is carried to produce the muscular response
and, therefore, movement.
At birth, the child has muscular, polyneuronal innervation, but gradually this manifestation
begins to disappear, so that the muscles are definitively innervated by a neuron, which will be
responsible for guaranteeing the motor unit in each muscle.
As man needs to execute a movement, the biochemical changes that occur in muscle cells are
very varied and complex, but not impossible to understand. This chapter is precisely about
bringing to students in a simple way muscle contraction, the modifications and changes that occur
in the elements found inside the cell, when stimulated by a nervous impulse.
Muscle contraction is always a voluntary act, which is executed when the man needs to take or
approach an object or due to a defensive reaction. On many occasions, when the reaction is
defensive, the act is reduced to the action of reflex mechanisms; But when the muscular action is
carried out by the desire or need to take or approach objects, people or for work reasons, this
activity is directed and controlled by the brain. When repetitive acts are performed, such as
driving, walking or simply in a job that requires the same activity, these movements can become
automated; However, the nervous energy of the stimulus for the response will always be present.
The biochemical changes that occur in the muscles are precisely stimulated and controlled by
nervous action. This is why the motor unit is of great importance in the development of
movements. On the other hand, the coordination of the activity requires the active participation of
the cerebellum, which guarantees the speed, direction and distance to travel. If the cerebellum is
injured, the previously mentioned elements of movement will not be present and therefore,
energy expenditure occurs far above what is actually needed. Even when the child is in the period
of learning to write, he consumes much more energy than when he already performs this activity
fluently, since the nervous mechanisms are regulated and controlled, resulting in substantial
energy savings.
In all processes of man's life, energy saving is present as a basic principle and for this,
coordination in motor activity is an essential factor. One of the most important substances for
achieving muscular activity is Adenosine Trisphosphate (ATP), because in correspondence with its
modifications in the process of cellular metabolism at the muscle level, muscle function will be
efficient.
The biochemical changes that occur in muscle cells are directed and controlled by bioelectric
impulses and biochemical effects. When we want to physically prepare a high-performance
athlete, in addition to preparing and developing their physical abilities based on the programmed
activity (SPORTS), the subject must be subjected to a diet that corresponds to the interests of
muscular activity. that you will perform, to obtain a protein balance appropriate to the demands of
that physical activity.
Regarding rehabilitation, we can point out that it is also necessary to establish a dietary
regimen that corresponds to the pathology, to avoid disorders or complications resulting from
certain functional deficiencies that characterize said pathology.

BIOMECHANICS OF BOXING

• Guard position: it is the optimal biomechanical position for carrying out any technical-tactical
boxing action, maintaining a defensive condition.

• Movements: these are leg movements in the form of flat steps, diagonal steps and pendulum
steps, which a subject executes to move in different directions when carrying out any technical-
tactical boxing action.

• Turns: are the movements executed with the legs to make sudden changes in direction when
carrying out any technical-tactical action in boxing.

• Straight blows: these are offensive movements that are executed both to the head and the
abdomen, describing a linear trajectory in the shape of a straight line.

• Hook blows: these are offensive movements that are executed both to the head and the
abdomen, describing an angular trajectory in the shape of a hook.

• Cross blows: these are offensive movements that are executed to both the head and the
abdomen, describing an angular trajectory in the shape of a cross.

• Defenses with the upper extremities: these are the movements executed with the hands and
forearms, with the aim of nullifying the offensive actions (attacks) of the opponent, through stops
or deflections.

• Defenses with the trunk: are the movements that are executed with the trunk, with the
objective of nullifying the offensive actions (attacks) of the opponent, through flexions, twists and
circumductions.
•Defense with the lower extremities: these are the movements executed with the legs, with
the aim of nullifying the offensive actions (attacks) of the opponent, through steps and turns.
 Round 3

Types of physical preparation

• General
• Specify

General physical preparation

This refers to the development of all physical qualities, such as strength, endurance, speed,
flexibility; which are necessary in the practice of any sport, as well as the development of all
muscle groups, all muscle groups, all energy systems and varied movements. In this way we will
obtain the necessary conditions for the subsequent phase (specific physical preparation), since
some qualities acquired in this stage, such as strength and resistance, will result in the
development of other skills such as speed, coordination, flexibility, and THE SKILL.
This develops at a specific time called the preseason or preparatory period, since it requires
the body to adapt, generating a compensatory period that ranges between 4 to 8 weeks.
The function of this stage is:
• Develop, restore or consolidate the physical bases that guarantee the execution of special
and competitive exercises
• Transfer positive effects from analogous structures or that serve as a basis for a specific
special activity.
• Contribute to maintaining a high capacity for physical and mental performance when
objective conditions hinder the use of special means (weather factors, injuries, etc.)
• Continuously participate in the recovery process and remove the monotony of training.
• Purify and cleanse the cardiovascular system during the incoming mesocycles, eliminating
harmful substances accumulated in its systems (such as the increase in adipose tissue that is
obtained during the transit period) and possible injuries that may accumulate from the cycle
that has just ended. conclude.

• Strengthen the muscles and systems that the specific activity does not contemplate,
avoiding the delay in the functioning of certain organs or systems, which is why, for example,
the work of muscular planes of great importance for movement and that generally in daily
practice do not develop with the same magnitude, such as the abdominal muscles and the back
 • Deepen the work of aerobic type sources with long and short duration and low intensity
loads as a regenerative base for other energy sources.

Basic contents of physical preparation in general

Among the basic contents it uses are physical exercises without implements, with devices
and that add the contribution provided by complementary sports (swimming, tennis, ping-
pong, among others, in this case those used by our boxers). They are divided into three:
1. EG1= Physical exercises with selective influence towards an energy substrate, or group
of muscular planes . They are those that have the structure of giving it functionality in order to
give it structural support, which will allow the development and strengthening of a body sector,
an organic system, a functional direction or a combination of all. These are those that are
extracted from individual disciplines (weightlifting, athletics) and their form of execution and
their respective training. We also add forms of stretching with and without help (stretching and
PNF). Here we try to influence the preset neuro-muscular activity based on what each athlete
proposes as a basis.
2. EG2= Exercises with duplication of tasks. Here we will develop a duplication of tasks, in
order to develop neuro-motor abilities, this will guarantee the positive transfer of the different
improvements we obtained.
3. EG3= Exercises with active pause. An active rest is that period in which you rest from
your usual exercise, but continue training, that is, an activity with a lower intensity, frequency
and effort. (functional training, and its variables, HIIT, AMRAP, etc.)

Specific physical preparation.

This refers to the development of physical qualities, muscle groups, energy systems, organic
functions, special movements and adaptations of work to the particular need of a certain
sporting activity. Without good physical preparation in general, it is impossible to achieve an
adequate specific one, since it is based on the basis proposed by the first. It is carried out at a
stage close to the competition. It is about developing those special qualities required by the
techniques and tactics of the sport, performing exercises similar to the gestures and
movements typical of the activity that allow the body to adapt to the sporting reality that is
practiced. Here qualities such as coordination, skill, balance, speed, flexibility, explosive
strength, etc. are developed. That allow us to be transferred and applied to the specified
technique and tactics of the chosen sport, with greater effectiveness.
This has as its basic content the use or not of devices in physical training. Currently, trainers
have electronic devices that simulate sports situations and these provide complementary
assistance that allow different muscle planes to be modeled. (they can be isokinetic,
mechanical, electronic,)
Different elements must be taken into account for the dosage of specific training:
• Characteristics of the selected sports modality (if it is cyclical, a cyclical, variable effort)
• Physical, technical, and tactical level of the athlete
• Planning model used (periodization, pendulum, blocks)
• Age, sex, motor experience
 Guys Objectives and main tasks Contents

Accumulation Elevation of technical and motor Training with relatively high

potential volumes and moderate intensity
• accumulate the technical and for strength capabilities ,
motor skills that must be aerobic endurance; basic
basic for the specific technical and tactical
preparation; preparation, error correction .
• expand the repertoire of
technical elements , etc.

Transformation Training with optimal volume

Transformation of the potential of and increased intensity for
motor and technical abilities in specific endurance, strength,
specific preparation and speed capabilities ;
* transfer the most generalized concentrated strength exercises
motor skills in specific ways
within the structure of basic
according to technical and
technique.
tactical demands;
• emphasize fatigue tolerance and
stability of the technique.

Realization Achievement of the best results Modeling of competitive

within the available margin of activity, competitive exercises
preparation (Test pace), optimal use of
• use as completely as possible exercises with maximum
possible the
intensity (competitive strength,
capabilities motor and competitive resistance,
techniques within the
specific competitive activity. competitive speed); training in a
* obtain the readiness for the well-rested state.
competition competitions

Table 1. Example that we will develop below and which most combat sports are based on.

Strength training according to the preparation phase

As we have said previously, in preparation for competition we seek to develop the strength
training process, going from maximum strength to maximum speed. We will apply this process
in the different mesocycles of the plan, under a training frequency of 3 to 5 weeks, depending
on the case.

Strength training according to each mesocycle

Accumulation: in this mesocycle, traditional weight exercises are used to develop resistance
strength. The following exercises are recommended: bench press, rowing, lats and shoulders as
main exercises and pronation, supination and flexion-extension exercises as accessories. the
wrist with dumbbells. Work to stimulate strength in the lower body can be half squats, front
lunges, lateral lunges and calves.
It is important to understand that strength work is a complement for boxers, and under that
approach they must train, which is why they should not be transformed into central work that
exceeds in volume and time the stimulation of specific tasks, thus harming technical
development – tactical athletes
Transformation: in this period, traditional exercises are used in the implementation of the
complex method and derivatives of Olympic lifting, such as snatch, and clean starting from the
hanging position to strengthen the power in the upper trunk (55-80%) and thus also strengthen
erector and stability muscles, also transferring them to explosive and/or ballistic exercises (25-
55%), these used to improve hitting. These exercises can be: hitting the bag, medicine throwing,
hitting the bag with a bat. Spin throws, etc. Obtained greater development in explosive force
when performing technical gestures.
Implementation: in this period, exercises typical of combat sports must be used, such as fist
blows and performed at maximum speed and power, thus developing rapid strength and
objective strength in the exercise of mitts.

The force
Strength as a basic physical capacity is defined as the ability to generate intramuscular
tension in the face of resistance, regardless of whether movement is generated or not.

Periodic and systematic strength training allows various adaptations to be obtained such as
hypertrophy (muscle enlargement), increased energy consumption and control/reduction of
the proportion of muscle mass and body fat, favoring the increase in the mineral content of the
bone and making it more strong and resistant, it increases the strength of non-contractile
structures, such as tendons and ligaments, helps prevent bad postural habits, enables
important neuromuscular adaptations, improves sports performance and is an essential
component of any rehabilitation program.

Both men and women, in their evolutionary development, seem to have the ability to
increase their strength during puberty and adolescence. It reaches a maximum level between
20 and 25 years, from then on it decreases considerably. Thus, at age 25, a person loses around
1% of their maximum strength each year, so, at age 65, a person will only have 60% of the
strength they had at age 25, approximately. This means that, if we do not work on our strength
adequately, when we are 75 years old, our legs and arms will be so weak that it will be difficult
for us to even get up from the chair or bed, which means that we will not be able to take care
of ourselves. themselves. Loss of muscle strength is related to individual levels of physical
ability and personal habits. More active people or those who continue to do strength training
have a lower tendency to lose muscle strength.

We have biomechanical factors that condition the development of strength, related to the
person's constitution. On the other hand, there are physiological factors that will also influence
its development, such as muscle length, muscle tone or neuromuscular efficiency. Two other
conditioning factors to take into account, and which we previously mentioned, are age and sex.
From the moment we are born we are forced to overcome a force, that of gravity, in order
to move. Strength is absolutely essential for human beings, because in addition to helping us
maintain body posture, it allows us to perform a multitude of daily actions: lifting objects,
squeezing, stretching, pushing, twisting...

There are other reasons, apart from those expressed in the previous paragraph, to develop
strength: it makes it easier for us to practice physical activity, it allows us to carry out heavy
work more easily, it gives us aesthetic beauty thanks to the muscular development that
occurs...

During growth, strength increases as bones and muscles grow.

To improve muscle strength, the muscles must be subjected to work that mobilizes loads
greater than those they normally support. The weight of a mass is called loads. The force can be
worked with two different kinds of loads:

Natural load: refers to the weight of the body itself.

Overload: This can be the weight of another person, the weight of light materials, weights,
machines, etc.
Concept of strength.
The concept of strength, understood as a functional quality of the human being, refers to
the “capacity that allows us to overcome resistance or oppose it through muscular
contractions.”
Our muscles have the ability to contract, generating tension. When this muscular tension is
applied against a resistance (a mass), a force is exerted, and there are two possibilities: that it
exceeds it (force>resistance) or that it cannot overcome it (force≤resistance).

When talking about force, a terminology that comes from Physics is actually used, which
defines it as the product of a mass and an acceleration.

F=ma

This is important to understand that, if you want to achieve an increase in muscle strength,
there are only two ways to work:

Increasing the mass or resistance to overcome.

Increasing the acceleration of the mass by making the movement at a higher speed.
Factors on which muscle strength depends.
There are two types of factors that determine the strength of the muscles and the degree of
muscle tension that a person is capable of:

Intrinsic factors. They are factors of internal origin. Within them three types can be
differentiated:
Neurophysiological factors. There are many factors of this type that influence the muscle's
ability to contract and, consequently, the development of strength. The cross section of the
muscle, the arrangement of the muscle fibers, the type of predominant fiber, the length of the
muscle, the number of fibers used, the intensity and frequency of the stimulus... are some of
them.
Biomechanical factors. They condition the effective strength of the muscle and are basically
related to the person's skeletal system. The main ones are the length of the muscle levers, the
angle of traction of the joint and the moment of inertia of the load.
Emotional factors. The maximum muscular force that is developed voluntarily is 60-70% of
the actual maximum capacity. Emotional factors can increase the level of force used by
mobilizing muscle fibers that are not normally stimulated. Among them are motivation,
attention, fear, the capacity for sacrifice, concentration...
Extrinsic factors. Strength also depends on various external factors, the most important of
which are temperature, diet, training, climate, age and sex.
Evolution of strength with age.
Strength doubles between 11 and 16 years old.
At 16 years of age, strength reaches 80-85% of its maximum.
Maximum strength is reached between the ages of 20 and 25, once muscle development
has been completed.
From the age of 30, if this quality is not specifically worked on, a slow but progressive
decline occurs.
Between the ages of 50 and 60, gradual atrophy of muscle mass begins to occur.
Differences in strength depending on sex.
The differences between men and women begin to be seen from adolescence, around 14-14
years of age, when boys develop strength more quickly.
Men have more strength than women because they have a greater amount of muscle
tissue: 36-44% in men compared to 25-29% in women.
A man's capacity for muscle development is double that of a woman.
After the age of 30, strength decreases equally in men and women.
Types of muscle contraction.
Depending on the resistance that opposes the force being exerted, different types of muscle
contraction can be carried out, depending on whether or not there is movement of the
muscles.

Isotonic contraction. It originates when the muscle contracts and causes a change in length
in its muscle fibers. This can be done in two ways:
Concentric isotonic contraction. It occurs when the length of the muscle decreases and it
shortens, for example, when the arm is flexed with a dumbbell on the biceps brachii.
Eccentric isotonic contraction. It occurs when the length of the muscle increases and it
lengthens, for example, when you hit a soccer ball with your foot on the biceps femoris.
Isometric contraction. It occurs when the force exerted cannot overcome the resistance and
the length of the muscle does not change. It is a static force exerted against an immovable
resistance, such as when pushing against a wall.
Auxotonic contraction. In this case, an isotonic contraction and an isometric contraction
occur simultaneously. At the beginning of the movement, the isotonic part stands out and, at
the end, the isometric part is accentuated, as happens, for example, when an extensor is
stretched.
Isokinetic contraction. It occurs when the force is performed at a constant speed, which
forces the muscle to work with the same intensity throughout the entire path, as, for example,
when rowing. It can only be worked with specific machines.
Strength classes.
To differentiate the different types of force, we must take into account the ways in which it
manifests itself. From a training point of view, three types can be distinguished:
Maximum strength. It is the ability of the muscle to develop the maximum possible tension,
for this, large loads are mobilized regardless of the acceleration, as, for example, in
weightlifting. The speed of the movement is minimal and the repetitions performed are few.
Speed strength. Also called explosive strength, it is the ability of muscles to give a load the
maximum possible acceleration. The speed of movement tends to be maximum. This type of
strength determines performance in activities that require explosive speed in their movements:
volleyball when jumping and shooting, handball when throwing at goal, athletics when
sprinting, soccer when hitting a ball...
Resistance force. It is the muscular capacity to withstand fatigue caused by prolonged effort
in which many repeated muscular contractions are made. In this case, since neither the load
nor the acceleration are maximum, the speed of execution is not very great and a high number
of repetitions can be done. It is the type of strength necessary for activities that require long
and continuous effort: long runs, rowing, swimming, cross-country skiing...
Strength training systems.
There are many methods to develop muscle strength. Which one should be used depends
above all on the kind of strength you want to work on and the objectives to develop. Among
the work systems most used for the development of strength are the following:

Weightlifting. It is basically aimed at working on maximum strength and mobilizes large

loads, although it can also be used to work on the other two types of strength. The load
percentage is taken based on the maximum load intensity for each specific exercise. This is
found by performing a maximum strength test: you can perform a single repetition or several
and calculate the approximate maximum force using an equation.
Isometry. Training system for maximum strength work. It is based on very short exercises (4-
12 seconds) that are studied so that the muscle performs an isometric contraction against
immovable resistance. You work with 10 or 12 exercises and each of them must be worked at
three angles: 45º, 90º and 135º. This system is widely used in the recovery of people who have
been inactive for a period of time due to injury or illness.
Fitness. Training system that allows you to develop maximum strength and strength-speed
through the use of weights and machines for strength work.
Isokinetic method. Due to its particular characteristics, when working on isokinetic
contractions, it uses special machines. This training system serves to jointly develop maximum
strength and strength-endurance.
Body Building. It is a strength-speed training system that is developed in circuit form. It
consists of 10 or 12 exercises that are worked with 60% loads. 6 or 8 repetitions of each
exercise are performed and the recovery between them is two minutes. The circuit is done 2 to
4 times, and recovery between each lap lasts 5 minutes.
Polymetry. It is a specific training system for improving explosive strength, generally of the
legs. It is based on the fact that a muscle that is subjected to eccentric concentration
subsequently has a greater capacity to develop its concentric explosive strength. It consists of
jumping repeatedly (between 4 and 8) from different heights, and after falling to the ground
you have to jump non-stop, upwards, as much as possible; It is a high jump preceded by a fall
(downward jump). The minimum height is usually 40 or 50 cm. multi-jumps are a gentler form
of polymetry work.
Circuits. They are used for the development of strength-resistance. A series of localized
exercises are performed (arms, trunk, legs) in which small loads are used: the weight of one's
own body, that of another person or light weights. The number of repetitions ranges between
10 and 15 and the speed of execution is moderate.
Exercise sessions. They are used in strength-resistance work. As in the previous system, very
low loads are used, such as the weight of one's own body or that of a partner. Its duration
ranges between 30 and 60 minutes. You can perform up to 30 exercises and for each of them a
certain number of repetitions are done, interspersed with rest.
The use of strength training systems produces effects on the body and has a direct influence
on the subject's muscular development:

Muscle hypertrophy: muscle mass develops and muscle volume increases.

Improvement of muscle metabolism: there is an increase in the muscle's energy reserves,
which facilitates its work capacity.
Improved neuromuscular coordination: excitability and nerve conduction speed increase,
allowing you to work with less effort.
Weight gain: as the muscle hypertrophies, its weight increases and the bone becomes
denser, which means an increase in the density and weight of the subject.

Strength training and explosive strength

GENERAL PREPARATORY PERIOD
This period is where we focus on overall muscle strength gains.
our competitor, and this is where we must use the general complete joint movement
exercises. For clarification, we are not training a fitness client, we have to create an athlete
capable of supporting, hitting, having the ability to win by KO at any time during the fight, etc.
To achieve this, it is necessary to do a period of maximum strength where our competitor
reaches the optimal levels required for the sport, for example: he can lift one and a half times
his body weight in deep squats, be able to do pull-ups with hanging kilograms, do a power
snatch with your body weight, if you cannot, do a hanging power clean, be able to do a power
push, lying rows with a bar, etc.
We also have to take into account the large amounts of muscle imbalance that we can find
in this type of sports. For this reason we must first of all do an analysis of the athlete who
comes to us. Once this is done we begin to work with him, for example: he has a noticeable
difference between his working leg and the other, in this case it is unnecessary to use squats,
because it is a bilateral exercise, and we have a unilateral problem, this is here where the entire
battery of exercises appear that come to replace a squat, but in those cases we must use some
accessory exercise to achieve activation similar to a squat, for example if we do lateral rises to
the bench with a bar, we add kicks to the sky or deadlifts to one foot, because no exercise
recruits as much as deep squats.

Beyond the fact that they are sports that use “separate” body segments, for the common
people who do not practice them, the basic general exercises are the basis for the subsequent
uses of the exercises on one hand or even the foot, for the sole The fact that with a squat we
manage to recruit all motor units in a synchronized manner and once the optimal levels of
strength are achieved, only then can we direct it to unilateral gestures specific to the sport in
question; The same thing happens to us with pushing and pulling exercises, except that in these
sports, due to the large number of pushing gestures, the routines must have one and a half
times the volume of the back than that of the pectorals or shoulders.
Now, how do we start?
For the most basic and simple thing in the world, DO NOT rush to add FASHIONABLE or NEW
exercises just because they appear in internet videos, for these exercises to be useful you must
have a solid base of well-acquired strength, our goal in The general period is to gain STRENGTH
and this is gained with kg on the bar, these opinions are personal, but if our fighter is starting to
compete and is an amateur (in the case of boxing, the minimum number of fights is 40), this is
where we must take advantage to achieve a solid base of strength and general aerobic capacity,
precisely because amateurism is to learn and develop "except in the cases of Olympic boxing",
that is another objective and above all to be an Olympic boxer you must have a lot of amateur
experience and a lot of ring…
In short, what exercises do we use in this period?
• Power Start Strung up
• Loaded with Power Strung up
• Deep Squats
• Takeoffs
• Force pushes
• Pull-ups
• Oars
• Etc..
 What distribution?
Minimum of 3 weekly stimuli, no more than 6 repetitions (5 for the legs) and 5
series per exercise and always trying to increase the loads, without reaching failure.
What do we use for transfer?
Particularly, I lean towards the basics that have already been studied, box jumps, ladder
coordination exercises and if the athlete has good levels of strength, drop jumps, I do not use
plyometrics level 0, 1,2, etc. But I am guided by the evaluations on the jumping plate and above
all because these sports have a lot of prior work, a clear example is that any boxer does a
minimum of 5' of rope to warm up, any taekwondo player begins barefoot and with jumping
gestures in actions of combat and techniques and any kickboxer does both, that is, continuing
to use this at high volumes is unnecessary and potentially injurious.
It is often said that knee, ankle or periostitis pain is the fault of racing work, but no one
notices that they are doing 1000 jumps per week and they do not count the sporting actions
that already have them, let's see, all the greatest champions of these sports they run; Are they
ignorant? Did they go down in history by chance? Do they remain at the top because they are
the most alive? NO, it is because they do things as they should; Each person may or may not
like how this or that athlete trains, but we cannot say that it does not work for them or that we
have the absolute answer. In particular, I believe that there is a lot of research that I have
invented. I do not believe that the solution is for me to invent. something new, but knowing
how to use what there is, at the right moment in sports planning.

What do we do with career jobs?

We start with the same criteria, that is, from the general to the specific, personally, I start
with the interval sub aerobic, 3 weekly stimuli, after generating adaptation, I move on to the
interval super aerobic and distances from 300 to 600 meters depending on the modality, age ,
sex and their previous experiences, from here we go to the fartlek and the Vo2, yes, the fartlek
now? Why? Because it is the racing style that most closely resembles the metabolic dynamics
during combat and they are The interval ones help us remove during the pause.

What technical physical jobs do we do?

In these periods they are general stock or focus jobs, simple and basic. In other words, we
start by doing, for example, triple the number of rounds of bags at medium and low intensities.
If we fight in 3 rounds, we do 9 but at low intensity and as we approach the specific periods we
lower the number of rounds, we increase the intensity. and we add the lights.

Everything I just wrote are basic things, but they are rarely used. I believe that before using
one planning model or another, using one or another new form of physical work, "you must
first generate solid foundations."
RESISTANCE TRAINING
In the context of sports training, resistance has a broad scientific foundation thanks to the
considerable volume of studies that have been developed from the various sports sciences.
Even so, the concept of this physical quality is still not universal, mainly because it is a very
general term that covers various types of human performance. In the area of knowledge of
training theory we find several definitions applied generically to sports performance. Let's look
at some of the proposals made by the main authors:
•Bompa (1983), “The time limit over which work can be performed at a given intensity”
• Harre (1987), “Athlete's ability to resist fatigue.”

•Weineck, (1992), “Physical and psychological ability to resist fatigue.”

•Manno, (1991), “Ability to resist fatigue in long-duration work.”
•Martín et al. (2001). “It is the ability to sustain a given performance for the longest
possible period of time.”
•Platonov, (2001), “Ability to perform an exercise effectively, overcoming the fatigue that
occurs.”
•Bompa, (2003), “It refers to the time during which the subject can carry out work of a
certain intensity.”
As can be seen, the common factor in these definitions is the association of resistance with
the ability to withstand fatigue and the execution of efficient long-term work. Regarding this
last aspect, duration, we must comment that in this module we will refer to efforts ranging
from 20 seconds to hours. Efforts less than 20 seconds will be studied in the speed module.
As can be seen, the vision offered of resistance is generated within the context of individual
sports and, specifically, those of resistance provision. This fact is logical since individual sports,
perhaps due to their lower intrinsic complexity, have been studied and researched by sports
science for many more years. In individual endurance sports, the athlete must maintain a high
percentage of their maximum aerobic power for a certain time and stably. For example, a
3000m athlete who has a mark of 8' maintains 100% of his aerobic power throughout the test.
On the other hand, in team sports, we observe a totally different behavior. In this case, the
player does not maintain a certain percentage of his PAM stably over time, but rather it varies
depending on the technical-tactical demands of his game system and the actions of the
opponent. We see, therefore, that a definition of resistance more applied to these situational
sports is needed, which allows an analysis and study from another perspective. Along these
lines, we propose as the definition of resistance that best suits the interests of collective sports,
the one formulated by Massafret et al. (1999), who define this quality as:
“The ability to withstand the physical, technical and tactical demands established by a
certain game system during the match and throughout the entire competition.”
This new approach tells us that in team sports, resistance does not make sense as an
objective in itself, but rather is a function of the characteristics of the game system pre-
established by the coach. The player must be prepared to be able to resist the physical
demands that this entails and, evidently, this requires, in a certain way, a molding of resistance.
OBJECTIVES OF RESISTANCE TRAINING.
The formulation of objectives is one of the most important phases of the sports training
process, and they will vary depending on the training environment. For example, the general
objectives of resistance training in the health field could be:
•Achieve and maintain ideal body weight.
•Prevent the appearance of pathologies in the cardiovascular and respiratory system.
•Increase resistance to fatigue in the practice of one's work activities. On the other hand, in
the field of education it could be:
Collaborate in the maturation process of the cardiovascular and respiratory system.
Develop the various manifestations of resistance respecting the sensitive phases that this
quality presents.
• Promote the acquisition of training habits.

• Enhance certain psychic abilities that develop the capacity for sacrifice, self-improvement,
etc.

And finally, focused on the area at hand, performance, we propose:

• Maintain a certain work intensity for the duration of the competition.

• Increase the ability to withstand the loads of training and competition.

• Promote rapid recovery after efforts.

• Stabilize sports technique and ability to concentrate.

As you can see, these objectives are very general and often relate to individual sports. For
example, a 1500m swimmer should try to “maintain a certain work intensity for the duration of
the competition.”
As is evident, in sports like boxing this could not be an objective, since they are
characterized by changes in intensity depending on the fight strategy, boxing style and the
behavior of the opponent. In our field, the general objectives that resistance training should
pursue are:
1º Enduring both physical and mental fatigue during an action of the round, the fight and
throughout the season.
2º Accelerate the recovery process between drops in pace, between micro- and macro-
pauses of each round and throughout the fight, and between training sessions.
3º Maintain the optimal level of performance of the boxer in the execution of the technical
gesture and in decision making.

CLASSIFICATION:
Within the context of training theory, various classifications of this physical quality are
described that allow it to be analyzed from different perspectives in greater depth. For
example, Zintl (1991) and García Manso (1996) present the following taxonomies based on
different criteria:
-Depending on the duration of the effort:
 • Short-term resistance.
• Medium duration resistance.
• Long lasting resistance.

-Depending on the number of muscle groups involved:

• General resistance. More than 2/3 of the muscles.
• Local resistance. Less than 2/3 of the muscles.
-Depending on the predominant energy system:
• Aerobic resistance.
• Anaerobic lactic resistance.
• Anaerobic alactic resistance.
-Depending on the relationship established with other physical qualities:
• Force resistance.
• Speed resistance.
-Depending on how the muscles involved intervene:
• Static resistance.
• Dynamic resistance.
-Depending on the level of specificity with the sports discipline practiced:
• General resistance.
• Specific resistance.
Generally, in individual sports, the taxonomy used to study and develop resistance is a
function of the energy system that predominates, and is also complemented by the
classification based on the duration of the effort. For example, in the case of 100m front crawl,
we see that it is a short duration test where the energy system that is mostly involved is the
lactic anaerobic system. As you can already begin to observe, this taxonomy does not seem the
most appropriate to study team sports because, as we have commented in the previous
section, the resistance needs are variable since they depend on the game system of our team
and other changing aspects. For this reason, we think that in situational sports the most
appropriate taxonomy to analyze resistance is the one based on the level of specificity with the
sports discipline practiced, where a difference is made between general and specific resistance.
But in our opinion, this proposal is still too general to be the starting point for structuring
resistance training in this type of sports. Specifically, it would be necessary to describe the
specific resistance section in greater depth because this would facilitate the subsequent
systematization and programming of this quality in this sporting context. Along these lines, we
present the classification formulated by Massafret, et al. (1999). It is important to clarify that
the degree of specificity is always raised from a holistic philosophy and for this reason it is not
only contemplated from the conditional perspective but also from the coordinative and
cognitive perspective.
 The classification that we will use in this module for the systematization of resistance
training has the following characteristics:
1st General Resistance:
They are endurance activities that have little or no relationship with the specific technical
gestures or with the decision-making of the sport itself. Thus, through the coordinating
structure of these activities, two levels are differentiated.
• First level: It is characterized by the use of content that has no relation to technical
gestures, such as: swimming, pedaling, skiing, rowing... Generally, they are used during the
vacation period.
• Second level: It is characterized by the use of content with little relation to technical
gestures, such as the race. Regarding the conditional structure, the aerobic energy pathway is
mostly involved using low percentages of the player's maximum aerobic power (in the context
of individual sports, these percentages of the MAP are identified with the concept of aerobic
efficiency).
2nd Specific Resistance:
They are resistance activities that are related to the technique of each sport and the basic
game concepts used in the training stages or the more advanced tactical concepts applied in
the high performance stage. Within this taxonomy, different categories of specific resistance
are established.
• Resistance in technique:
Resistance activities with basic technical elements of the sport already automated by the
athlete with non-specific decision making. Its main objective is to train the technique in
different stages of fatigue. The conditional structure is characterized by promoting and insisting
on the manifestations of resistance most typical of collective sports in particular. For example,
small field sports have a higher level of intensity than large field sports.

• Resistance with decision making:

Resistance activities with technical elements and decision-making specific to the combat
tactics to follow. The conditional structure of this section adheres to the physical characteristics
of the game system itself, combining the different energy systems in an iterative way.
• Round resistance:
They are real and reduced fighting exercises. For example:3x3, 2x1,x5
 Speed: Concepts and classification

DEFINITION OF SPEED :
Ortiz (2004) comments that speed as a motor capacity covers essential issues inherent to
physiology, energy metabolism, psychic behavior and the biological development of the human
being. That is why we find different opinions about speed:
• According to Grosser et al. (1989), speed as a complex capacity is defined as “the ability
to react with maximum speed to a signal and/or to perform movements with maximum speed.”
• Later, Grosser in 1992, based on a more detailed analysis of human mechanisms,
defined it as “the ability to achieve, based on cognitive processes, maximum volitional strength
and functionality of the neuromuscular system, a maximum speed of reaction and movement in
certain conditions.” established conditions.”
• Zatsiorski (1994) defines the physical quality of speed as “the ability of an individual to
perform different motor actions under certain conditions in a minimum time.”
• García Manso et al (1998) introduce speed within the purely sporting and motor field,
and define it as "The ability of a subject to perform motor actions in a minimum of time and
with maximum efficiency." It determines that it is a hybrid capacity that is conditioned by all
other conditional capacities (strength, resistance and mobility).
However, we will focus on Ortiz's (2004) definition, which defines speed as “the ability to
react and perform movement in the face of a specific stimulus, in the shortest possible time,
with the greatest efficiency and where fatigue has not yet taken effect. of presence.” Therefore,
the intervention of the neuromuscular system will be decisive, both the nervous system as the
receiver and transmitter of different stimuli and the muscular system as the executor of
mechanical work.
Ortiz (2004) explains that speed is not a separate and independent quality, but is subject to
other components and intrinsic characteristics of the individual, such as:

• The genetic component

• The proportion of the type of muscle fibers (the higher the percentage of fast fibers,
the greater the possibility of developing high speed).

• The ability to express explosive force.

• The ability to recruit motor units (intermuscular coordination) throughout the body.

• The synergy between the agonist and antagonist muscles, which requires not
neglecting the latter in any aspect (strength, flexibility, elasticity, both for the muscle groups
that intervene in movements and for those that act in technical actions).
 • Residual flexibility and dynamic muscle elongation, with emphasis on the development
of elastic capacity (dynamic flexibility), without suppressing the effect of the myotatic reflex,
since this would be detrimental to the muscle-articular contractile capacity, causing damage to
the actions of a explosive-reactive.

• Anaerobic metabolic power.

• The specific motor technique in terms of movements and technical gestures specific to
the sport (lateral movements, sliding...)

Concentration, anticipation, motivation and effort capacity of the individual .

“Speed is the queen of physical qualities although it depends, in turn, on others, such as
strength or endurance. However, behind the specific manifestation of speed (in addition to
natural talent), there remain many hours of work in perfecting sports technique and developing
other qualities that are the basis of speed” (Ortiz 2004).

SPEED RATING:

Aparicio (1998) details that depending on both the time spent, the space to be traveled and
the type of movement to be performed, among other factors, speed is classified as follows:

1. Reaction Speed : It is the ability to act in the shortest possible time when faced with a
stimulus. Also known as reaction time or motor reaction latency. Simple reactions and
discriminative reactions are differentiated.

2. Accumulation speed : Ability to increase the speed from the minimum to the maximum
level in the shortest possible time. It is completely related to the ability to express explosive
force. They can be cyclical or acyclical.

3. Maximum travel speed : Also known as the speed of locomotion. It is the maximum
movement capacity of a subject, maintaining the maximum speed, in a given space and in the
best possible time.

4. Maximum cyclic speed : It is the ability to perform the same movement as many times as
possible, consecutively and without interruption, in a unit of time.

5. Maximum acyclic speed or speed of movement . It is the ability to perform an isolated

movement in the minimum amount of time. It also includes the concatenation of several
different movements into a single action.

6. Gestural speed : It is the speed with which a specific sports movement or gesture is
carried out. It is directly related to the subject's ability to express explosive force.

According to Grosser (1988) “the speed and speed with which tennis players' movements
occur will have a decisive importance in sports performance. However, the final result of the
manifestations of speed will depend on a chain of actions in which different types of speeds are
manifested.”

• Reaction speed : It is the time that passes from the emission of the stimulus to the
appropriate muscle contraction. It is also called motor reaction speed and reaction time.
• Speed of action : It is the ability to perform acyclic movements at maximum speed
against low resistance. They are synonyms: simple movement speed or motor coordination
speed.
• Gestural speed or frequency : It is the ability to make cyclical movements that are
repeated at maximum speed. Other commonly used terms are: maximum frequency or
movement frequency.
• Acceleration speed : It is the ability to reach maximum frequency speed as soon as
possible. In this sense, explosive force is of great importance. They are synonyms: acceleration
capacity or rapid force capacity.
• Locomotion speed : It is the gestural speed applied specifically to running. It is
associated with maximum running speed. Other terms are: maximum speed and sprint
capacity.
• Endurance speed : It is the ability to maintain maximum speed for as long as possible.

Types of speed and methods to train them

1 .- Reaction time or speed : this is the time that passes from when you receive a stimulus
until you start the movement (until it becomes visible). Five phases are distinguished (Weineck,
1994):
• Reception of the stimulus (excitation of the receptors).
• Afferent transmission (from the receptor stimulus to the Central Nervous System, CNS).
• Decision: stimulus processing and response formulation.
• Efferent transmission (of the CNS response to the muscle).
• Execution of the gesture (neuromuscular activation and execution).
Training means : starts in different positions and with different stimuli or relays with
running partners - with or without obstacles - over short distances, preferably.

Training methods : it is possible to differentiate between methods for training simple

reaction (stimulus and known response) and complex (several stimuli and associated
responses). This method is aimed at coaches who want their athletes to give an appropriate
response to the stimulus presented. Among the methods for simple reaction training, we find:
Repetition method : given the same stimulus, give an automated response. For example,
series across outputs using the same auditory stimulus;
Varied method : it affects perception, varying the conditions and situations where the
stimulus appears. For example: exits with a visual stimulus, in different positions, etc.
Sensory method : learning to count small spaces of time with the aim of anticipating the
appearance of the stimulus. For example: countdown exits.

2 .- Gestural Speed : it is the ability to perform an acyclic movement in the longest possible
time.
Training means : gestures or facilitated tasks; agility circuits or through exercises with small
overloads: multi-jumps, drags, pushes, short slopes or through acceleration or deceleration
work.
Training methods :
• Collapse: it is about creating “the trace” of a speed by performing it artificially,
recording it in the memory of the gesture with the purpose of automating it. For example, using
external artifacts such as rubber bands or using contrast methods combining uphill or downhill
slopes.
• Extinction: in order to create new conditions in your speed based on the initial
conditions, it is based on abandoning speed training to start training other basic elements of it,
such as strength, technique or coordination.
• .- Travel speed : this is the ability to travel a short distance in the shortest time possible.
It is the product of frequency times stride amplitude. Three phases are distinguished (Padial,
2001):

Acceleration speed : it is the ability to reach maximum speed in the shortest possible time.
Maximum speed : it is the capacity to travel at maximum speed.
Endurance or deceleration speed : it is the ability to maintain the maximum possible speed
(limited by energy factors).
Training means : movements at maximum speed, games of pursuit or relays with other
fellow runners, running technique and coordination exercises, progressions, multi-jumps and
plyometrics.
Training methods: at a general level, they correspond to the same methods of developing
coordination and developing explosive strength and maximum strength.
Specifically, there are means and methods for each of the components of travel speed. The
methods used to develop acceleration speed focus on improving propulsion capacity through
multi-jumps, crawls, short uphill slopes. To develop maximum speed, methods will focus on
maintaining stride length, increasing movement frequency through assisted running
(downwind) or developing super speed with downhill slopes. Finally, to develop deceleration
you will have to use a speed resistance training method, such as interval training, series or
fartlek.

FACTORS THAT DETERMINE SPEED:

According to Ortiz (2004) there are a series of factors that influence the physical quality of
speed:

Speed: Strength and composition of Muscle Fibers:

According to García et al. (1998) speed is conditioned by strength, resistance and mobility.
However, the conditional capacity that determines expression to a greater extent is, for several
authors, strength (Dintiman et al., 2001; García et al., 1998; Jaric et al., 1995; Grosser., 1992;
Harre and Hauptmann ., 1990: Grosser et al., 1998). However, although without opposing
them, Verjoshanski (1990) shows that, more than strength, speed is conditioned by
physiological, genetic and neurodynamic factors, that is, by the composition of the muscle
fibers (contraction fibers). slow twitch or red cells and fast twitch fibers or white cells) and by
the organization of the locomotor system (relationship between the neurons of the spinal
reticulum, the frequency of nerve impulses and intermuscular coordination.

This leads us to think that anyone who is gifted with the ability to speed, regardless of the
amount of muscle strength they have, can improve their performance. The players who achieve
higher speed rates are those who are genetically endowed with a higher percentage of fast-
twitch fibers. Great sprinters have around 80% fast and mixed fibers, contrary to endurance
athletes, who have around 80% slow twitch fibers. However, it is extremely important to have a
high level of intermuscular coordination to be able to put the entire body structure involved in
actions that require high speed into operation. Ortiz (2004)

Speed and Endurance:

When the speed requirement has exceeded certain time limits, it is the resistance capacity
that determines whether the athlete can continue to maintain an optimal level of speed in the
execution of an action. Resistance to speed manifests itself with gestural speed and rapid force
when we need to execute short, explosive and repetitive actions.
Speed conditioned by flexibility, elasticity and joint mobility (FEM).
The muscle-articular elongation capacity is also an influential factor in the development of
speed. An optimal degree of muscle elasticity and joint amplitude is necessary to allow better
intra- and inter-muscular coordination, obtain a better pre stretching in elastic-reactive actions
and facilitating better energy use. On the other hand, we must keep in mind that both a deficit
and an excess of flexibility can be equally counterproductive to carry out explosive and fast
actions.
 What is functional entreitenement?

We can understand how that physical activity based on certain exercises and/or materials
that carries out a specific working method with movement patterns that can be extrapolated to
have a place in our daily lives.
This training arises as a rehabilitation mechanism for people who had suffered some injuries
and needed to be able to recover lost mobility again and, of course, accelerate the process or
recovery phase, to continue performing their tasks at home or at work. .
Looking for exercises that require the activation of the stabilizer muscles to emphasize the
rectus abdominis muscles, hip abductors and scapular rotators and stabilizers, would be
performed through harmonious compound movements and a selection of workloads that will
maintain high heart rates, thus adding the cardio component.
Functional training session where the use of various materials, stabilization of work and the
use of light loads are appreciated

Functional training goals

The main task or objective it is seeking is to produce an adaptation to improve our daily
habits through exercises designed to resemble the gestures we are accustomed to.
Gaining maximum strength in the deadlift is totally advisable, however it arguably has little
practical application for most of us as we will never work with that much weight on any given
day.
However, going up and down stairs carrying bags, not lifting heavy objects above your head,
removing items from the shopping basket and placing them on a treadmill... are actions that
are normally carried out and that we can promote better postural behavior, even reducing the
risk of other important point injuries.
A unilateral deadlift can lead to a stimulus to improve our balance and stability, and whose
practical application is to be able to resolve any action-reaction action, such as avoiding a fall.

Benefits of functional training.

It is the type of training that prepares your body for various forms of daily activity and
therefore maintains body strength and endurance that can be applied in all areas.
With an emphasis on strength, breathing capacity, and flexibility, the benefits of functional
training differ from other workouts because of the way they target your body.
By incorporating the best of each field of physical activity and taking into account the
physical laws applied to daily body movements, functional training is aimed at improving your
overall health and well-being.
Improve your quality of life
By improving your body's overall function, increasing muscular endurance and endurance,
and developing muscle and body stability, daily activities can be completed with greater ease.
Compared to conventional training, the benefits of functional fitness tend to outweigh
everything else because they're actually targeted at the movements we're doing every day.
 Greater muscle memory
The more your body performs a particular movement or exercise, the faster and more
sensitive you will be able to repeat the movements in the future. This can be especially good for
sports-specific exercises.
By performing regular, functional physical exercises, you not only build muscle and core
strength, but you also exercise the brain, which increases brain memory.
Low impact
Because functional training implements low-impact exercises, it is a great starting point for
anyone at any fitness level to try.
For beginners starting out with a different workout or exercise style, it can be very difficult
to know what will work best for your needs, but functional training will help improve all of your
physical capabilities without causing stress on your body and joints.
Increases flexibility and coordination
Despite common misconceptions floating around, that functional training only leads to
bulking and can cause you to lose your flexibility, the opposite is actually true. Since the range
of motion of functional exercises is quite large, meaning you need to start and finish in the
position where the muscles are stretched, it is very difficult to create volume.
One of the main objectives of functional training is to offer resistance. Implementing their
exercises and programs works to increase your body's functional strength by increasing
flexibility and overall coordination. As your range of motion improves, you will find that daily
activities become easier.
Improves balance and posture
Exercises implemented through functional training use multiple muscles to improve your
strength and balance, effectively improving overall posture.
Most functional training exercises are not stabilized and require you to work other small
muscle groups to help support larger ones, which will help prevent overtraining one muscle
group and incorrect posture.
Being able to target specific muscles on a cable machine can also help prevent those
postural imbalances and prevent pain in some of the most common areas, such as the hips,
lower back, and shoulders.
Helps reduce joint pain
For those who suffer from back, muscle and joint pain, functional training can be very
beneficial.
Best known for bridging the gap between personal training and physical therapy, functional
exercise is designed to restore your body to the way it is designed to move.
Because of this, chronic back, knee, neck, and joint pain can be significantly reduced by
getting your body back to basics.
It is an ideal workout for ordinary people who want to move as comfortably as possible.
Whether staying away from exercise due to arthritis or chronic back and knee pain, the
exercises used in functional training can make daily tasks that were previously difficult much
more possible.

For example: a person suffering from chronic back pain may have to bend down to pick up
something very difficult, but with functional training, the body will soon adapt to this daily task,
making the task easier.
Reduces risk of injuries
In the same way that functional exercise works to improve chronic back, muscle and joint
pain, it can also reduce the risk of injury.
Everyday movements can leave runners and fitness lovers wilting with soreness on a bad
day, and that's why the exercises behind functional training are so important.
By mimicking the movement patterns of everyday life, your body is more likely to be able to
withstand daily stress. Functional training stands out from conventional training because of the
way it reduces the risk of injury and stress on your body.
When training functionally, not only are the muscles strengthened but also the surrounding
ligaments, which is the area that can often be injured.

Functional Training Exercises

Movements through each plane of motion are essential to any exercise program.
Biologically we have evolved to move in multiple directions. If we analyze how muscular
anatomy works by observing most athletic sports, you will see that we are supposed to
challenge ourselves on all levels, not only to improve in our discipline but to maintain correct
integration and function of the main structures of the body. . Functional Training aims to avoid
a lack of movement and request greater demand for different angles or planes. These plans are:
Sagittal plane: It is the most common plane of movement performed in all training
programs. They are movements that are executed forward and backward. Ex: squats, bicep
curls, abdominal crunch, etc. It is usually an over-requested plane and one that we should use
less of.

Frontal plane: This is the plane of movement where the exercises are performed from side
to side. Ex: lateral lunges, lateral shoulder raises, lateral trunk flexion, etc. This plane provides
great stability to joints and main body structures.

Transverse: movements executed through body rotation. For example, technical boxing
work, abdominal rotations with cables or rubber bands, etc. We tend to have a great lack of
training under this plane and at the same time we could say, given our anatomy, that it is the
one that governs the main functions of our body the most and best.

How to plan a Functional Training routine?

Just like when we are going to carry out any other type of physical and/or sports activity, we
must keep certain aspects in mind. Previously we will be familiar with the functional training
routine or circuit that we are going to practice. Since this activity will be of a medium-high
intensity, the duration will not be very pronounced. In general, each training session,
depending on the experience of the participants, can last about 15-30 minutes, or even longer.

Warming up: Before starting, we spend some time “warming up,” allowing the heart to
begin pumping greater blood flow to the extremities, and preparing our tissues. We start with a
light intensity, gradually increasing our heart rate, and adjusting to a moderate intensity, but
for a short time. Here we can use machines, such as the treadmill, stationary bike, elliptical,
rowing machine.

Development: Examples of Functional Training*

Return to Calm: Just the opposite, we are going to return little by little to our initial state,
and cooperate to make it easier for the body to excrete metabolic waste substances produced
during exercise.

Examples of Functional Training

They are quite short training, but very intense, and as mentioned, below we show all the
types of exercises that the 10 functional training sessions will consist of:
Training 1:
AMRAP 20 min.
This first workout consists of this intense exercise routine:\r\n

• 10 push-ups.
• 15 abs.
• 20 double jumps with the rope (Don't worry if you don't get it, if you don't get the
doubles
You can do 60 simple jump ropes.
Training 2: By Time.

• 50 Burpees
• 10 double jumps / 30jumpssimple with the rope.
• 40 burpees
• 20 double jumps / 60jumps simple
• 30 Burpees
• 30 double unders / 90jumps simple
• 20 Burpees
• 40 double unders / 120jumpssimple
• 10 burpees
• 50 double unders / 150jumpssimple
Training 3: By time.

• 400 meters continuous running

• 50 double jumps / 150 single jumps
• 800 meters of running

• 50 double jumps / 150 single jumps

• 1,200 meters of running

Workout 4: 5 Sets, For Time.

• 400 meters ofcareer keep going

• 20 Push-ups
• 40 Squats
• 50 double jumps /150 jumpssimple
Training 5: AMRAP 15 min.
• 10 Push-ups
• 20 Lunges
• 60 double jumps camber/ 180 Simple jumpscamber
• Training 6:3 Series, For time.
• 20 walking meters Doing the pin
• 30 lunges
• 60 double jumps camber/ 180 Simple jumpscamber

Training 7: EMOM 7 min.

• 25 Double Rope Jumps / 75 Single Rope Jumps
• Sprint 1200 m at 90% maximum speed.
• Workout 8: 10 Sets, For Time
• Maximum number of double rope jumps in 1 minute
• Rest 2 minutes
• Training 9: 21-18-15-12-9-6-3, For Time.
• double jump rope
• Burpees
 • Training 10: By Time.
• 100 Double rope jumps
• Run 5 km
• 100 Double rope jumps
(OPTIMAL FOR AMATEUR BOXERS, IT IS ESSENTIAL TO PLAN YOUR PREPARATION FROM
THIS POINT)

Somatotype and energy resources

Surely you have observed how some people have a tendency to gain weight if they neglect
their diet a little while on the contrary there are people who stay thin no matter what they eat
and without doing any type of exercise. What is the explanation for this?
Around 1940, William Sheldon established a division of human body types into three
categories, based on their ability to accumulate fat and synthesize muscle. These categories are
Ectomorph, Mesomorph and Endomorph. Sheldon's "somatotypes" and their supposedly
associated physical characteristics can be summarized as:
Ectomorphic:
This somatotype is characterized by:
•Long, thin muscles and limbs.

• Little stored fat.

• They have a hard time gaining weight.

•Training is intended to gain muscle mass.

• Usually called thin.

•Ectomorphs do not have a predisposition to develop muscles or store fat.

Mesomorphic : Etymologically, “meso” means “middle”; Precisely this somatic type is a
midpoint between the other two somatotypes. Its main features are:

• They are people with naturally athletic bodies.

• Bones of average dimensions.

• Solid torso.

• Low levels of fat.

 • Wide shoulders with a slim waist.

• Usually identified as muscular.

• Mesomorphs have a predisposition to develop muscles, but not to store fatty tissue.

Endomorphic: Characterized by
•Greater fat storage.

• A thick waist.

• They are rounded in appearance.

• Your training is intended for cardiovascular exercises.

• Bone structure of large proportions.

• Usually referred to as obese.

• Voluminous abdomen.

• Short and almost always flaccid limbs.

How to determine the somatotype?

Below is a brief test to determine the somatotype key. This must be answered by each
athlete.
Is my Structure boney?
• Very large 3 points
• Medium large 2 points
• Small or fragile 1 point
My body tends to:
• Accumulating too much fat 3 points
• Be lean and muscular 2 points
• Being too skinny 1 point
My body looks:
The men answer:
• Round and smooth 3 points
• Square and rigorous 2 points
• Long and wispy 1 point
The women answer:
• Pear-shaped 3 points
• Like an hourglass 2 points
• Very straight and elongated 1 point
When I was a child
• Chubby 3 points
• Normal 2 points
• Too skinny 1 point
My body tends to:
• Sedentary 3 points

• Quite active 2 points

• Hyperactive 1 point
My approach to life is
• Rested 3 points
• Dynamic 2 points
• Worried 1 point
My metabolism is:
• Slow 3 points
• Exactly 2 points
• Too fast 1 point
If you circle your wrist with the middle finger and thumb of your other hand:
• Hefinger middle and the thumb 3 points do not touch
• Hefinger middle and the thumb 2 points barely touch
• Hefinger middle and the thumb 1 point overlap
Regarding my weight, I:
• I gain weight easily, but it costs me 3 points to lose it
• I gain and lose weight quite easily. I almost always stay the same 2 points
• I have problems gaining weight 1 point

To determine the results of this test, the following table is presented:

Points Somatotype Type

32-37 Pure endomorph

 27-31 Combination of Endomorph and
Mesomorph

22-26 Pure mesomorph

17-21
Combination of Ectomorph and
Mesomorph
12-16 Pure ectomorph

Energy systems
When we talk about this we are referring to how the human body is capable of moving, or
staying alive. This is produced by a series of metabolic and physiological processes that we will
explain briefly for a better understanding and application in this particular preparation.
When talking about boxing and the sport itself, it is important to know what we use
throughout the event, we will always be using the three systems, but depending on the level of
the athlete, the number of rounds, one will be above the other. In this way, by knowing the
three types of somatotype and the three types of energy systems, we can have an optimal
preparation for each athlete in a particular way.
The human body has three main energy systems, or ways of producing energy: the
phosphagen system (or immediate), the oxidative system (or aerobic) and the glycolysis system
(or anaerobic).
This article is not intended to be a masterclass in biology or physiology, mostly because I am
not the right person for that. However, it is a topic that I find very interesting, and that has
helped me understand how my body demands and produces energy depending on the intensity
of the exercise. So I'm going to tell you what it's about, and if you want to delve deeper into the
topic, then all the better for you. Don't be overwhelmed if you read somewhat technical terms,
as I only include them to give the article a little more precision.

But why is it important to know what the three main energy systems of the human body are
and how they work? Well, for general culture, it never hurts to know how we function, but,
above all, to know how and where our body obtains energy when we exercise depending on its
duration and intensity. Energy systems, which are nothing more than the different ways in
which the human body produces energy, can also be trained to be more efficient. So if we know
how they work, our training plans will be better and more precise, since we will seek to
optimize them to obtain better performance. And in addition, we will be aware during the race
of how we are spending our body's available resources to obtain energy.

The human body is a wonderful and complex machine, that is clear to us. But like any
machine, it also needs energy to do work, technically speaking. Have you ever wondered where
the energy comes from so you can move your arm? Or take a step? Or scream? Well, it turns
out that the human body has three main energy systems, or ways of producing energy: the
phosphagen system (or immediate), the oxidative system (or aerobic) and the glycolysis system
(or anaerobic). First of all, it must be said that all these energy systems are always in operation,
although one will predominate over the others depending on the type of activity, duration and
intensity. That is, one does not stop working and another starts up.

But how do these systems produce energy? Well, they all use ATP, which comes from
Adenosine Triphosphate (or Adenosine Triphosphate), and which is a molecule used by all living
organisms as a primary energy source. The human body stores these ATP molecules, but in low
and limited quantities, so it has to constantly replenish them. The faster the replacement
speed, the more energy efficient we will be. In this article I am not going to explain in detail
how ATP is synthesized or used, I will leave that to you in case you want to delve deeper into
the topic. But broadly speaking, we can say that what happens in our body is a chemical
process on the ATP molecule called hydrolysis that releases energy, producing a molecule of
ADP (or Anedosine Diphosphate) as a result, which is then recycled by the body. to transform it
back into ATP. This process is known as the ATP/ADP cycle. But returning to the three energy
systems mentioned above, how and when is each one most relevant?

The phosphagen system, or immediate

It is the system used in explosive exercises such as jumping, or a sprint, or weight lifting. It is
what mainly supplies the energy that Usain Bolt needs when he runs 100 meters in less than 10
seconds. Or Lidia Valentín lifting weights. It is called an immediate system because the energy
obtained comes from the reserves of ATP and CP (Creatine Phosphate) stored directly in the
muscle. Since they are stored in the muscle, this system does not have to resort to or process
other slower sources, such as fats, to obtain ATP. The only problem with this system is that the
ATP storage capacity in the muscles is very low. Of course, we can generate almost all the
energy that is available at once in a high-intensity exercise of maximum 10 seconds.
This system does not produce ATP, but uses what is generated by the other two systems
that we will see below.
The oxidative, or aerobic, system
It is the main system that the human body uses to produce energy. It uses available
carbohydrates, fats and proteins as fuel. It is a very efficient system because it does not
produce waste during the process as does the anaerobic system, which we will talk about later.
Mitochondria – and this is when I put on my biologist's coat – are the cells that are going to do
the combustion, together with oxygen, to generate ATP. If you imagine mitochondria like in
Once Upon a Human Body, they would be like tiny power plants that are in the muscles.
Oxygen is the key for this system to work, hence its name oxidative. Surely you have heard
endurance athletes, such as marathon runners or cyclists, talk about VO2Max and other terms
related to oxygen consumption, and above all what they say that the greater the capacity to
consume and process oxygen, the better it will be for the body. runner performance. Well, they
are talking about neither more nor less than the efficiency of the oxidative system to meet the
energy demand without exceeding the lactate threshold, which we will talk about now. The
main objective in the training of endurance athletes is to increase the amount of oxygen that
their body can obtain and process, thus improving the efficiency of their oxidative system.
These workouts increase mitochondrial density, that is, the number and size of mitochondria.
And that makes sense, right? The greater the number and size of these tiny power plants, the
greater the amount of energy that can be generated per minute.
As we increase the intensity, this system will provide more ATP to meet the demand,
requiring an increasingly greater amount of oxygen. But, what happens when the energy
demand is greater than what the oxidative system can generate? Or put another way, what
happens when we cannot inject enough oxygen into the system for the oxidative system to do
its job? Well, we reach what is known as the lactate threshold, and the following energy system
comes into action. The anaerobic system.
The glycolysis, or anaerobic, system
When the oxidative system cannot produce more energy than is demanded due to lack of
oxygen, hence the name anaerobic for this system, the body uses a "shortcut" called anaerobic
glycolysis to satisfy that demand. Put simply, what it does is produce the necessary ATP by
converting glucose into lactate (or lactic acid). Under normal conditions, the body recycles
lactate at a certain rate that varies for each person. But when high-intensity exercises are
performed, above the lactate threshold, the rate at which lactate is created is greater than the
rate at which it is reabsorbed, and it ends up accumulating in the muscles and blood. When
lactate levels are very high, the muscle fibers acidify, which stops functioning correctly, limiting
their ability to perform the exercise correctly.
A difference between this system and the oxidative system is that it can only use
carbohydrates as fuel, and not fats or proteins. That's why you may have heard that to burn fat
you have to exercise below our lactate threshold, or anaerobic threshold. Although this
statement is not very precise, because as I pointed out at the beginning of this article, the three
energy systems are always in operation. Even when we exercise anaerobically we will be
burning fat because the aerobic system continues to function. On the other hand, it would be
correct to say that it is not advisable to exercise above the anaerobic threshold if the goal is to
burn fat. But not because fat is not burned, but because we will not be able to sustain the
intensity of the exercise for a long time. And the anaerobic system also has a limitation of
approximately one minute when providing energy in a high-intensity exercise, such as a 400m
race. From there, muscle fatigue due to lactate accumulation will limit the ability to perform
the exercise. That is why exercise below the anaerobic threshold is better for burning fat,
because we can do it for longer and, therefore, get the aerobic system to burn more fat.
First of all, we must comment that energy systems will be treated with the depth they
deserve in the module “Support physiology of the conditional area”. In this paragraph we
simply mention them in order to offer the reader a general overview that allows them to more
easily understand the following sections of these notes. As
As we mentioned previously, the player obtains energy from combustion for which he uses a mixture of
three fuels:
glucose
fatty acids
essential amino acids
In all cases, the mixture is very poor in essential amino acids, which are only used in small quantities.
On the contrary, the proportions of glucose and fatty acids in the mixture are more important, and vary
depending on the duration of the effort.
The shorter the duration, the greater the total power that can be developed. The greater the
predominance of glucose in the fuel mixture.
The longer the duration, the lower the total power can be developed. The higher the concentration of
fatty acids in the fuel mixture.
The following list lists the 8 main fatty acids, oleic and palmitic acids are the most abundant in the body
and are also the most used in low-intensity endurance activities.

• • Oleic acid
• • palmitic acid
• • myristic acid
• • Acidpalmitoleic

Finally, fuel is composed of amino acids, of which around twenty are known in the body. Not all of
them are an appropriate fuel for the musculoskeletal system, since it can only oxidize appreciable
quantities of three amino acids: Valine, leucine and isoleucine.

ENERGY AND ENERGY EXPENDITURE.

In order to carry out any of the above resistance activities, our body requires energy. In the context of
physics, a body has energy when it is capable of doing work. This capacity may be possessed by a body by
virtue of its speed, its state, or its properties. Thus, we talk about various forms of energy:

• • Mechanics.
• • Thermal.
• • Electric.
• • Nuclear.
• • Chemistry.

As we know, the muscle cell has different substrates from which to obtain energy. The combustion of
these involves the degradation of ATP into ADP and the subsequent release of energy that will be used for
muscle contraction. Thus, through energy of a chemical nature we obtain mechanical work, which in the
case at hand, manifests itself in the different technical-tactical actions carried out by the boxer.
Chemical energy -Muscular contraction -Mechanical work.
The total energy invested to perform a resistance activity is called “energy expenditure,” and it is one
of the variables frequently related to resistance training. Energy expenditure depends on these four
factors:
• • The distance to travel.
• • The speed at which the distance is traveled.
• • The body mass to be moved.
• • Technical efficiency.

Training type of a boxer

DAYS MONDA WEDNESD THURSDAY FRIDAY

MART
Y AY
IS
IS
HYPERTHR HYPERTHR
TRAINING FORCE HIIT/ AEROBICS
U U
EITHER FUNC. EITHER
CONJU FIA FIA
NTO CROSS
SUPERIOR LOWER
ADAPTED ROUTINE POST FIGHT OR AWAY/FROM A COMBAT (MAINTENANCE)

DAYS MONDAY TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY FRIDAY

BETWE RUN 10K RUN 10K RUN 15K RUN RUN

EN
10K 10K
NO
CIRCUIT/ DLP/TRAN
DLP/RESIST FUNCTIONAL/CR FUNC/STR
POWER
INC OSS E.C.H. SF.
RZA

TECHNICAL GUANTEO TECHNICAL GUANTEO TECHNICAL

TYPE ROUTINE FOR A BOXER STARTING A PREPARATION FOR A FIGHT, AS THE DATE OF THE FIGHT
APPROACHES THE LOADS WILL BE DIMINISHED AND THEY WILL FOCUS ON THE COMBAT STRATEGY
 Round 4

NUTRITION IN BOXING

Boxing is one of the most successful, transcendent and relevant sports in all of sporting history. The
importance of nutrition for the athlete lies in the fact that it helps achieve optimal performance when
practicing a sport through the selection of a balanced diet that includes all the nutrients that the body
needs to carry out all its daily activities, exercise routine. training and combat periods, where excess or
deficiency of nutrients is not a health risk.
Boxers, as high-performance athletes, must take care of all the details of their physical preparation,
including diet and anthropometric data; Despite this, many boxers make the mistake of resorting to
excessive or deficient calorie consumption as a method to have immediate results before going on the
scale. This type of methods can give rise to physiological, metabolic and immunological alterations that put
health and optimal performance at risk, since it limits muscle power, causes loss of electrolytes that can
lead to severe dehydration, compromises thermoregulation and blood flow. and increases susceptibility to
heart, muscle and kidney damage.
Adequate nutrition guarantees good physical performance, allowing boxers to give their best during
combat. This is why their physical preparation depends on their diet and training to guarantee optimal
performance, while avoiding health risks. medium and long term. For this reason, there is a need to carry
out research to determine the caloric consumption of boxers and its relationship with the physical activities
they perform, assessing the total energy allocated to this type of training. The purpose of this study is to
determine the caloric consumption and its relationship with the total energy expenditure of the boxers
under study. The development of this research promotes the importance of Nutrition in the sports field at a
national level and is a tool to understand the need to prioritize a balanced diet due to its impact on the
health and performance of athletes. It also serves as a basis for future studies focused on sports nutrition,
sparking scientific research in this area.
The diet of boxers is a fundamental link to achieve performance.

Optimal in moments of training and, especially, at the time of combat. Balanced nutrition goes hand in
hand with the pace of training they carry out; Despite this relationship, many boxers fail to have a normal
nutritional status, either due to inadequate eating habits, insufficient knowledge or lack of nutritional
evaluation that conceives satisfactory performance.

Nutritional condition
 Nutritional status is the physical condition that a person presents, as a result of the balance between
their needs and intake of energy and nutrients. Among the factors that affect nutritional status are:
education, food knowledge, eating habits, breastfeeding practices, availability of food, income level,
hygienic handling of food, use of food by the body, etc.
It is evaluated by measuring the weight, height or amount of fat in a person's body according to their
age and sex. These measurements, called anthropometrics, are useful and practical and, when compared
with a reference standard, allow us to evaluate whether the person has a normal nutritional status (weight
according to age or height), or has a deficiency, overweight or obesity (FAO , 2004).
Anthropometry
Anthropometry is a technique (…) to evaluate the size, proportions and composition of the human
body. It reflects the nutritional and health status and allows predicting performance, health and survival
(WHO, 1995). According to Robert M Malina (1995), it consists of a series of systematized technical
measurements that quantitatively express the dimensions of the human body. Anthropometry is often seen
as the traditional, and perhaps basic, tool of biological anthropology, but it has a long tradition of use in
physical education and sports sciences and has found increasing use in the biomedical sciences.
In sports sciences
Body size and proportions, physique and body composition are important factors in physical
performance and fitness. Historically, height and weight, both indicators of general body size, have been
used extensively with age and sex to identify some optimal combinations of these variables in groups of
children, youth and young adults, in various types of physical activities. Body size, particularly weight, is the
standard frame of reference for expressing physiological parameters, while skinfold thickness is often used
to estimate body composition. Anthropometry has long been used to identify overweight and obesity, and
to establish the relationship between overweight and health-related physical fitness and life expectancy.
Therefore, anthropometry is essential when it comes to physical activity and sports sciences.
Anthropometry involves the use of carefully defined body reference marks, the specific positioning of
subjects for these measurements, and the use of appropriate instruments. The measurements that can be
taken on an individual are almost unlimited in quantity. Generally, measurements are divided into: mass
(weight), lengths and heights, widths or diameters, depths, circumferences or perimeters, curvatures or
arches, and soft tissue measurements (skin folds). In sports sciences, circumferences and skinfold thickness
are used more frequently (Malina, 1995).
Body Mass Index
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the Body Mass Index (BMI) is a simple indicator of
the relationship between weight and height that is frequently used to identify overweight and obesity in
adults. It is calculated by dividing a person's weight in kilos by the square of their height in meters (kg/m2)
(WHO, 2016).
Skin fold thickness:
The thickness of the skin folds is an indicator of subcutaneous adiposity, the portion of the body's
adiposity located immediately under the skin. Skin folds are a double layer of skin and underlying
subcutaneous tissue in specific locations. The procedure for measuring skin folds is as follows: after having
located the site, and in some cases having marked it, the double layer of skin and the underlying soft tissue
are lifted, compressing with the thumb and index fingers of the hand. left, about 1cm above the site
(proximal). The gauge is then applied to the site. The space between the raised fold and the measurement
site prevents the effect of finger pressure on the gauge reading.
 The following skinfold thicknesses are relevant in physical activity and sports science:
The triceps skinfold is measured on the back of the arm, above the triceps muscle at the same level
used for the circumference of the relaxed arm, which is, midway between the olecranon (at the elbow) and
acromial (at the elbow) processes. in the shoulder). The biceps skinfold is measured at the anterior
protrusion of the arm, above the biceps muscle at the same level used for the relaxed arm circumference.
The subscapular skinfold is measured on the back, just below the inferior angle of the scapula.
The supraspinal fold extends the line of the iliac crest towards the anterior plane and marks the antero-
posterior iliac spine (abrupt descent towards the pubis), an imaginary line is drawn between this and the
anterior axillary line, marking the reference obliquely. .
Extremity skin folds are measured as vertical folds, subscapular and suprailiac skin folds are measured
following the natural cleavage lines of the skin.
Skinfolds are often used in physical activity and sports science to predict body density, and in turn
estimate relative adiposity (percentage of body fat). Many prediction equations are available, but they are
specific to a sample or population. (WHO, 1995).
The formula used in the present study uses body density (CD) and to calculate this, sex, the average of
the four skin folds previously exposed and age are used; The result obtained allows us to know the
individual's body fat percentage.
Total body fat percentage (%GCT)
%GCT = (4.95/ D^ - 4.50) ∗ 100
Body density (DC) , Siri 1956.
D^ = ^ - * m ∗ log 10 (∑
p lieguesmm )]
Note: c and m are constants according to age and sex.
Source: Ledesma, 2015 .
Skin folds can be classified as follows:
Sex Percentage Interpretation
Men
2 to 4 Essential fat
6 to 13 Athlete
14 to 17 Gym
18 to 25 Acceptable
≥26 Increased
Women
10 to 12 Essential fat
14 to 20 Athlete
21 to 24 Gym
25 to 31 Acceptable
 ≥32 Increased

Essential fat is essential for normal physiological functioning; it is stored in small quantities in the bone
marrow, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidneys, muscles and nervous system. In men, around 2 to 4% of body
fat is essential, while in women this percentage is higher (10 to 4%).
12%) since it includes the body fat contained in the breasts, pelvis and thighs, which supports the
reproductive process.
The athlete classification refers to those athletes who have very defined bodies such as bodybuilders,
who subject their bodies to intense and rigorous exercises. The gym category covers people who are
characterized by having worked bodies above that of a normal non-athletic person and who lead a healthy
lifestyle.
A person, who does not practice any sport in a disciplined manner, is classified within the “acceptable”
range when they have adequate but reasonable fat values, that is, without being careless; Normally most
people are in this range; Within the “increased fat” range are people who have very high fat levels, which
puts their general health at risk (American College of Sports Medicine, 2005). Athletes must fall within the
gym, athlete or essential fat categories.
weight control
In an attempt to maximize their performance, many athletes alter normal energy intake to gain or lose
weight. Although these attempts are sometimes appropriate, weight loss programs may contain elements
of risk. For some young athletes, achieving an illusory lightweight can jeopardize their growth and
development.
An athlete's weight loss goal must be achieved at the cost of excess body fat.
Sufficient time must be allowed to allow a slow and sustained loss of around 0.5 to 1 kg of weight per
week over several weeks. Weight loss should be done before the competition season begins to ensure
maximum power. Furthermore, exercise must be of moderate intensity because in this way the energy
consumed comes more from fat than from carbohydrates and exercise can be maintained for longer.
Weight gain should be achieved through a gradual increase in energy intake combined with a strength
training program to maximize muscle weight gain relative to fat (Mahan, Escott-Stump, & Raymond, 2012 ).
To achieve the necessary weight without negatively affecting the functioning of the body, it is essential
that boxers have nutritional support from a certified professional. A Nutrition professional will have the
ability to develop a plan adjusted to the boxer's time and will ensure that the drop is outside the training
season; will consider the athlete's competitive experience, their weight history and the regulations of each
particular sport; will design realistic weight goals based on body composition.
You will also evaluate with the trainer the possibility of adding aerobic exercise to the usual routines;
will ensure that the body weight during training is not greater than 2-3% of the desired weight for the
competition; will not use laxative or purgative foods to lose weight in the form of water, since passive
dehydration is the least influential alternative on sports performance in strength or power sports (Onzari,
2010).
Eating habits and calorie consumption
Eating habits
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines eating habits as “a set of customs that condition
the way in which individuals or groups select, prepare and consume food, influenced by the availability of
these, the level of food education and access to them.”
Adolescence and nutrition
The term “adolescence” derives from the Latin “adolescere” which means growth, change, maturation
(WHO, 1995) and reflects one of the most challenging periods in human development, due to the
significance of the physical and psychological changes that take place. in the individual, being a dynamic
stage in which nutrient needs increase. Proof of this is manifested in the fact that during this stage 50% of
the final weight, 25% of the adult height and 20% of the skeletal mass are acquired. According to the WHO,
pre- or early adolescence is from 10 to 14, corresponding to puberty, middle or proper adolescence from
14 to 18 years, and late adolescence from 19 to 24.

• The changes caused by the ontogenetic development of the individual and produced during
childhood and adolescence generate an increase in nutritional energy needs, due to the high energy
expenditure that occurs to guarantee the synthesis of substances that sustain:
• Cell duplication that guarantees the growth and development of individuals.
• Hormonal synthesis and secretion increases during this period, especially testosterone, androgens,
follicle-stimulating and luteinizing.
• The appearance of sexual characteristics.
• Changes in body composition, especially in the growth and thickness of the skeleton, increase in
lean mass and differentiation in the distribution of body fat.
All of this, together with organic functioning, brings with it an increase in energy needs, both to carry
out cellular synthesis and to sustain the organic functionality itself, where the Basal Metabolism Rate
(BMR) that supports all these changes It is the main contributor to energy expenditure, and generally the
physical activity carried out in teaching, productive, sports, and recreational tasks is moderate to intense
(Pineda, 2005).
This requirement for a greater energy and nutritional demand during the ontogenetic development of
the individual, which ensures the acceleration of the growth rate, sexual and psychological maturation, and
the physical activity developed, requires a special balance between nutritional energy intake and energy
expenditure (Vidaillet , 2003).
Thus, during adolescence it is essential to guarantee a positive energy and nitrogen balance, especially
in children and adolescents subjected to physical stress such as sports training that alters the entire
physiology of the individual, so the diet must adequately satisfy their demands. . (Hernández Gallardo,
2013)
Importance of nutrition in boxing
The ability to perform well in a sporting event depends mainly on two factors: genetic load and training
status; the main one is the genetic load. The athlete must possess the characteristics necessary for success
in their chosen sport. For example, a world-class marathon runner must have a high aerobic capacity and
low body fat percentage in order to run more than 40 km. However, unless you undergo a strenuous
training program and maximize your genetic potential your performance will be suboptimal.
Training status is the most important factor that differentiates athletes with similar characteristics; The
best trained athlete has the advantage, no matter what level the competition is, the genetic load and the
degree of training are the two critical factors that determine success. However, the nutritional status of the
athlete can also have a significant impact on athletic performance; When everything else (genetics and
training) is equal, nutrition can make the difference between winning or losing. Malnutrition represents
unbalanced nutrition and can present as undernutrition or overnutrition, that is, an individual does not
receive an adequate intake (undernutrition) or consumes excessive amounts of one or more nutrients
(overnutrition), any of these conditions can hinder sports performance. .
The main functions of food are to provide energy, regulate metabolism, and build and repair body
tissues. Thus, inadequate intake of certain nutrients can impair athletic ability due to insufficient energy
intake, an inability to regulate exercise metabolism to an optimal level, or decreased synthesis of key
enzymes and body tissues. On the other hand, excessive intake of some nutrients can also modify athletic
ability, and even health, by altering normal physiological processes or leading to undesirable changes in
body composition.
Of the three basic purposes of food (providing energy, regulating metabolic processes, and assisting
growth and development), the first two are of vital importance during competition, while all three need to
be considered during the training period in preparation. for competition (Williams, 2005).
Nutritionally, breakfast, lunch and dinner are the main meal times that a healthy human being must
consume to maintain regulated blood sugar levels so that the body can continue to fulfill its normal
functions; There are also snacks, also called snacks, that complement the total energy requirement for the
day. For athletes, the consumption of snacks is very important since it avoids fasting and therefore the use
of catabolic routes that cause the body to use the reserves of carbohydrates, fats and muscle proteins,
causing the destruction of muscle mass. , an effect that is suffered by the transformation of amino acids
(Mahan, Escott-Stump,
& Raymond, 2012).
Food for competition
In competition an athlete uses specific body energy sources and systems, depending on the intensity
and duration of the exercise. High-energy components stored in the muscle are used during very short,
high-intensity exercise; carbohydrates stored in the muscle as glycogen can be used without oxygen for
intense exercise lasting 1 to 3 minutes; and the oxidation of glycogen and fat becomes increasingly
important in endurance activities that last more than 5 minutes, as in the case of boxing.
If an individual is well nourished, normal athletic competition will not place any special demands on
any of the six major types of nutrients. Carbohydrate and fat energy stores are adequate to meet the
energy demands of most activities lasting less than an hour. Protein is generally not considered a significant
source of energy during exercise. The vitamins and minerals contained in the body will be sufficient to help
regulate high levels of metabolic activity and the body's water intake will be adequate under normal
environmental conditions.
However, certain dietary modifications can increase performance when used before or during
competition. For example, the intake of CHO before or during long-duration exercise sessions of moderate
to high intensity and the adequate provision of fluids before or during similar resistance situations carried
out in warm or hot environmental conditions are two practices that have been shown in consistently
increase performance capacity (Williams, 2005).
Food for training
Proper nutrition during training is one of the keys to success in competitions. Because energy
expenditure rises during the training period, the caloric intake necessary to maintain body weight can
increase considerably (an additional load of 500 to 1000 kcal or more per day). To select these additional
calories intelligently from a wide variety of foods, you must obtain an adequate amount of all the essential
nutrients for the formation of new body tissues and proper functioning of the energy systems that work
most intensely during exercise. . A balanced intake of carbohydrates, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals and
water is all that is necessary. For endurance athletes, dietary carbohydrates should receive even greater
emphasis.
However, there may be some circumstances during sports training in which it is important to devote
particular attention to diet. For example, during the initial phases of training, the body will begin to make
adjustments to the energy systems so that they become more efficient. This is what is known as the chronic
training effect and many of the body's adjustments incorporate specific nutrients. For example, one of the
chronic effects of a distance runner is increased hemoglobin content in the blood and increased myoglobin
and cytochromes in muscle cells; These three components require iron to form. Therefore, the daily diet
will need to contain adequate amounts of iron, not only to meet normal requirements without or to make
effective the body's adjustments due to the chronic effects of training. (Williams,2005).
On average, each hour after exercise only 5% of the muscle glycogen that was used is replaced.
Therefore, for complete recovery after exhaustive exercise, at least 20 hours are needed, provided that
about 600 g of carbohydrates are consumed. The highest rates of muscle glycogen synthesis have been
described when large amounts of carbohydrates, 1 to 1.85 grams per kilogram per hour (g/kg/h), are
consumed immediately after exercise at intervals of 15 to 60 minutes. minutes and for a period of up to 5
hours, delaying carbohydrate intake for too long after exercise reduces new glycogen synthesis in the
muscles.
It also appears that consuming high glycemic index carbohydrates provides greater amounts of muscle
glycogen 24 hours after exercise compared to the same amount of carbohydrates consumed in the form of
low glycemic index foods. The addition of 5 to 9 grams of protein per 100 grams of carbohydrate taken
after exercise can further increase the rate of new glycogen synthesis, providing amino acids for muscle
repair and promoting a healthy profile. more anabolic hormonal.
Many athletes find it difficult to consume food immediately after exercise. In general, elevation of body
or core temperature reduces appetite, making it difficult to consume foods rich in carbohydrates. For many
athletes it is easier and simpler to drink their carbohydrates or consume foods rich in carbohydrates and
easy to eat such as banana, orange, melon or apple (Mahan, Escott-Stump, &
Raymond, 2012).
Nutritional requirements for athletes
Proteins: Factors that influence the protein needs of athletes are age, sex, mass, fitness level, training
program and phase. In nitrogen balance studies, ranges of 1.2 to 1.4 g/kg/day for endurance athletes and
1.2 to 1.7 g/kg/day for power athletes have been defined. and the highest values of each interval have
been recommended at the beginning of the season. Regarding protein in physical exercise at the training
stage, it can cause an elevated level of protein in the urine, a condition known as proteinuria. Proteins can
also be lost through sweat (Mahan, Escott-Stump, & Raymond, 2012).
Carbohydrates: Athletes undergoing moderate or high volume training require greater amounts of
carbohydrates and protein for their macronutrient needs. 60 to 70% of total calories should come from
carbohydrates (5 to 8g/kg/day or 250 to 1,200g/day for athletes weighing 50 to 150 kg).
The first source of glucose for the exercising muscle is its own glycogen store; When this is lacking,
glycogenolysis and gluconeogenesis (both hepatic) are what maintain the glucose supply. During resistance
exercises that last longer than 90 minutes, for example a marathon race, muscle glycogen stores decrease
until they reach a critical level at which it is impossible to continue maintaining the exercise. In practice, the
athlete becomes exhausted and must interrupt the exercise or drastically reduce his pace. Athletes often
refer to this situation as “hitting the wall.”
Glycogen depletion can also be a gradual process that occurs over several days of heavy training, in
which the breakdown of muscle glycogen exceeds its replacement, or also during high-intensity exercise
that is repeated several times during a period. competition or training. For example, a long-distance runner
who averages 15 kilometers (km) a day but does not spend time consuming enough carbohydrates in his or
her diet or a swimmer who completes several sets at his or her maximum oxygen consumption level may
deplete your glycogen stores quickly. A high-carbohydrate diet or glycogen overload (glycogen
supercompensation) can help athletes maximize their glycogen stores so they can maintain endurance
performance.
The amount of carbohydrates needed depends on the athlete's total daily energy expenditure, the type
of sport, sex and environmental conditions. It is preferable to make recommendations for daily
carbohydrate intake in grams per kilogram of body weight to meet these objectives within the framework
of energy needs and other dietary goals. Carbohydrate intake of 5 to 7 g/kg/day can meet general training
needs, and 7 to 10 g/kg/day will be sufficient for athletes practicing endurance sports. For example, a 70-
kilogram athlete should consume 350 to 700 grams of carbohydrates per day (Mahan, Escott-Stump, &
Raymond, 2012).
Fat: According to Mahan, Escott-Stump, & Raymond (2012) fat is the major, if not the most important,
fuel for light or moderate intensity exercise. Although it is a valuable metabolic fuel for muscular activity
during prolonged aerobic exercise and performs many important functions in the body, the consumption of
an amount of fat above the normal recommended 25 to 35% (0.5 to 1.5
g/kg/day).
Vitamins and minerals: Williams (2005) indicates that each of the organic substances that exist in food
and that, in very small quantities, are necessary for the perfect balance of the different vital functions. In
athletes there is usually no different requirement from that of the normal population, but in special cases
this requirement is covered in the same way with a balanced and varied diet.
Water: Recommendations for daily fluid intake for sedentary people vary greatly due to the great
diversity of daily needs derived from body size, physical activity, and environmental conditions. The RDI
(recommended daily intake) for water is 3.7 L per day for men and 2.7 L for women. About 20% of the
water needed comes from fruits and vegetables and the other 80% is ingested from beverages such as
water, juices, milk, coffee, tea, soup, sports drinks and soft drinks.
When a person works, trains and competes in hot environments, their fluid needs can increase to more
than 10 L per day. The water needed to excrete urea from protein metabolism and excess electrolytes
ingested increases daily needs. However, in active people, this volume is relatively small (130 ml/1000 kcal)
and has no consequences, since they usually drink more than 2 L per day.
(Mahan, Escott-Stump, & Raymond, 2012).
Hydration and dehydration of the athlete
Body water content remains relatively stable within an individual over time. Although loss may often
exceed intake, such imbalance is quickly adjusted with appropriate fluid intake to replenish body fluid
balance.
In general, a sedentary adult requires approximately 2 and a half liters of water at room temperature.
This water is supplied from three sources: from liquids, from food and during metabolism.
The normal person consumes an average of 1,200 milliliters of water per day, of course during exercise
or heat stress, fluid consumption can increase five to six times normal. Most foods, especially fruits and
vegetables, contain a lot of water. It can be calculated that the amount of water ingested daily through this
route varies between 700 and 1000 ml.
When food molecules are broken down to extract energy, carbon dioxide and water are formed. This
water is called metabolic water and represents about 15 to 25% of the daily water requirements of a
sedentary person. Water from the body is lost in urine, through the skin, as water vapor in exhaled air and
in feces. The factors that determine the dehydration of an athlete are: 1) exercise intensity. 2) duration. 3)
training level. 4) weather conditions. 5) altitude. 6) body volume (García
Rivera, 1999).
Dehydration
Dehydration is the result of intracellular and interstitial water loss. It can be acute, caused by diarrhea,
vomiting or practicing vigorous exercise, or chronic, reflecting loss in moderate exercise, with inadequate
hydration for a long time. Acute dehydration is seen when there is a loss of 1% of body weight.
Chronic dehydration can be observed as a loss of more than 1% of total body weight.
Hypertonic dehydration
When the water lost in the extracellular compartment exceeds the loss of electrolytes, the extracellular
fluid is hypertonic with respect to the intracellular fluid; It is evident that the osmotic pressure of the
extracellular fluid exceeds that of the intracellular fluid. As a consequence, water passes from the cell to
the extracellular space.
Causes: excessive loss of water due to perspiration or diarrhea and also due to deficiency in water
supply.
Symptoms vary depending on the degree of dehydration:
-Mild dehydration: Water loss is only about 2% of body weight. The first and only symptom of it is
thirst.
- Moderate dehydration: corresponds to a water loss of 6% of body weight.
Added to the thirst are dryness of the skin and mucous membranes, with little saliva secretion, so the
patient speaks with difficulty. There may be tachycardia due to a decrease in circulating plasma volume, as
well as fever due to dehydration. Oliguria is characteristic.
- Severe dehydration: water loss is greater than 7% of body weight. With aggravated symptoms, mental
disorders, personality changes, disorientation, delirium, coma and death are added. (García Rivera, 1999).
Hydration before, during and after exercise.
During physical activity, a considerable increase in heat is generated as a by-product of energy
metabolism; these substances result from the process of contraction and relaxation of active muscles. The
rate of caloric production by active muscles can be 100 times greater than that of inactive muscles. If the
body stored this heat instead of dissipating it, the internal temperature could rise 1° every 5 to 8 minutes
during moderate exercise; resulting in hyperthermia and collapse in less than 15 - 20 minutes. This of
course does not happen frequently because the body has a very sophisticated response system, activating
low reflexes to heat.
In a very hot climate, when skin and ambient temperatures are almost equal, heat transfer by radiation
and convection cannot occur and the only way evaporated heat is dissipated is through sweat, a high rate
of effective evaporation. It cools the body allowing exercise in hot weather to be prolonged, however an
inability to compensate for the loss of body fluid through sweat can limit the ability to exercise for very
short periods. Consequently, during exercise, the change in ambient temperature is to minimize
dehydration and the risk of excessive hyperthermia due to drinking fluids at frequent intervals.
To avoid thermal exhaustion, great care must be taken to ensure adequate hydration before, during
and after exercise in both training and competition. Nowadays, fortunately, many athletes and coaches
have understood the importance of replacing fluids and only rarely recommend water restriction, for
example in sports that compete by weight category, such as boxing, judo and wrestling. (García Rivera,
1999 ).
Hydration before exercise
It is obvious that the effects of dehydration will be postponed if one is well hydrated. Replacing fluids
before physical activity positively influences the athlete's performance. Maintaining body fluid levels during
exercise beginning especially when body water loss through skin and respiratory surfaces exceeds liters per
hour as generally occurs in hot environments; Replacing lost fluids and staying well hydrated is essential for
optimal performance. Hydration will occur more quickly when sodium, the major electrolyte, is contained
in oral rehydration formulas. A person who only hydrates before exercise will be able to thin the blood and
stimulate a urine disposal pathway.
Hydration during exercise
The most important factors in reducing heat tolerance and therefore performance during exercise in
hot environments are those that progressively accompany dehydration. Adequate hydration during
exercise depends on the
osmorality that manages for hydrating drinks that retain and maintain stable diuresis.
The most important point is that athletes cannot depend on the sensation of thirst during and after
exercise since water retention and sodium dilution occurs in the plasma removing thirst management.
Hydration after exercise
Thirst is an unrealistic indicator of fluid needs after exercise in a hot environment, partially because
water consumption immediately dulls the sensation of thirst. Additionally, rehydration with clear liquids
thins the blood quickly, stimulating and increasing urine production, which increases hydration.
Rehydration will occur more quickly when drinks contain sodium which allows the plasma level to be raised
during the rehydration period and helps maintain thirst while the stimulation of urine production is
stopped or delayed. The rehydrating drink should contain glucose or sucrose, since these carbohydrates
provide a source of energy for the muscles that are working, stimulating the absorption of liquids in the
intestine and improving the taste of the drink (García Rivera, 1999).
Fluid replacement in the athlete
Fluid replacement during exercise contributes to the maintenance of plasma volume during exercise,
helping thermal and cardiovascular homeostasis. Likewise, the ingestion of fluids during exercise provides a
source of energy with carbohydrates, completing spent reserves, and supplying water and electrolytes,
replacing losses through sweat. Thus, there are several easy-to-follow general rules for fluid replacement.
The generally accepted guideline for hot climates, for cyclists, is to drink two standard bottles of water (0.6
liters) per hour and have clear urine urination at least every hour and a half.
Inability to urinate or passing yellow urine indicates dehydration.
Brouns (1991) comments that during exercise, the body's hydration status can be influenced by several
factors such as fluid intake before the competition and during the competition in relation to losses. He also
recommends visiting the bathroom 30 or 45 minutes before the start of the test to urinate and defecate,
since both factors can influence the behavior of liquids during the competition.
In some sporting events, simple oral rehydration is not enough and alternative routes must be used.
Such is the case of Ironman triathletes, who on certain occasions must receive intravenous fluids to
rehydrate once they reach the finish line. This type of rehydration should only be used when there is clear
evidence that: a) the athlete has significant dehydration (characterized by dry mucosal membranes,
inability to spit, sunken eyeball, etc.); b) dehydration causes significant cardiovascular instability or other
specific medical problem; c) dehydration cannot be effectively treated by oral replacement; and d) if the
patient is unconscious and serum sodium concentrations are greater than 130 mmol/L (Herrero Alonso,
González Boto,
& García López, 2003).
Electrolytes lost through sweat can and should be replaced after exercise by drinking drinks that
contain the necessary electrolytes, whether commercial or not. Milk is a good source of sodium and
potassium, orange juice also provides potassium, and tomato juice is an excellent source of sodium and
magnesium. Furthermore, the ingested liquid must be absorbed quickly by the intestine, making rapid
gastric emptying essential, which, however, tends to be inhibited by exercise. Drinking inappropriate drinks
in terms of their concentration of salts and sugars can, in addition to greatly delaying gastric emptying,
cause a movement of liquids from the blood to the intestine (Veicsteinas and Belleri, 1993).
There is no ideal drink that meets the demands of all sports and is well tolerated by all athletes. What's
more, each athlete needs a drink and a specific concentration that adapts well to their demands and, most
importantly, that is to their taste. Studies indicate that most athletes prefer cold, slightly sugary drinks.
Prepared sports drinks can be diluted with water to adapt their taste and digestive tolerance to each
individual. The better the drink tastes, the more likely the athlete will be to drink it voluntarily (Helzer-Julin,
1994).
Dietary supplements
According to Chapter XVII of the Argentine Food Code, dietary supplements are defined as products
intended to increase habitual intake, supplementing the incorporation of nutrients in the diet of healthy
people who, not being in pathological conditions, present basic oral needs, must be presented in solid
forms (tablets, capsules, granules, powders or others) or liquid forms (drops, solution and others) or other
forms for gastrointestinal absorption, contained in containers that guarantee the quality and stability of the
products (Onzari, 2010).
The use of daily supplements has been popularized by advertising due to the immediate benefits they
promote, the best known example: losing weight by burning fat just by taking the product, increasing
muscle mass, increasing physical performance, defining muscles, improve concentration, oxygenate the
brain, in short a number of things that attract the attention of people concerned about improving their
state of health and especially athletes who are interested in increasing their performance.
However, Mahan, Escott-Stump, & Raymond (2012) mention that “the use of supplements of a given
nutrient does not significantly influence performance, unless there is a deficiency”; which means that what
the diet provides is sufficient and with respect to the proteins that cause controversy among athletes due
to their high consumption, they also allude to the fact that “it is not necessary, and should be avoided, to
consume an amount of protein greater than the one the body can use.”
The Australian Institute of Sport (IAD) provides athletes with a supplement program
 (2009) so that they have information and make rational use of supplements and foods formulated
especially for them as part of their nutrition plans. It is a classification system for sports supplements and
foods, based on a risk-benefit analysis of each product carried out by a group of scientific experts in sports
medicine and nutrition.
The IAD classifies supplements into four groups based on their effectiveness and safety.
• Group A: approved supplements
• These supplements have been scientifically evaluated and proven to be beneficial when used
according to a specific protocol in a specific sporting situation. Approved supplements are: antioxidant
vitamins C and E, bicarbonate and citrate, caffeine, calcium supplement, creatine, electrolytes, iron
supplement, multivitamins and minerals, glycerol, energy bars, sports drinks, gels.
• Group B: supplements still under consideration
• These supplements do not yet have substantial proof of effects on health or sports performance,
but they are still of interest to coaches or athletes.
• They either have only preliminary data suggesting possible performance benefits or are too new to
have received sufficient scientific attention. They can be provided to athletes in research studies with
appropriate supervision. The supplements are: colostrum, B-alanine, glutamine, ßhydroxymethylbutyrate
(HMB), probiotics, ribose, melatonin.
• Group C: supplements with limited evidence of beneficial effects
• This category includes most supplements and sports products promoted for athletes. These
supplements, despite enjoying a cyclical pattern of popularity and widespread use, have not been proven
to provide significant improvement in athletic performance. Although it cannot be categorically stated that
they have no beneficial effect, current scientific evidence indicates that either the probability of benefits is
very small or that the benefits produced are too small to make their use advisable. The supplements are:
amino acids (they can be perfectly provided by the daily diet), carnitine, chromium picolinate, coenzyme
Q10, cytochrome c, ginseng,
• inosine, nitric oxide, oxygen boosters, pyruvate, vitamin supplements when used in situations other
than those raised in group A.
• Group D: supplements that should not be used by athletes
• These supplements are prohibited or could be contaminated with other supplements putting the
athlete at risk of being penalized: strychnine, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
• androstenedione, androstenediol, ephedra, 10 norandrostenedione, testosterone (Onzari, 2010).

calorie consumption
Caloric consumption is nothing more than the energy provided by food in the form of calories; This can
be measured through a dietary evaluation instrument, including the frequency of consumption, the 24-
hour reminder and the dietary record where food is weighed.
24-hour reminder: consists of collecting the most detailed information possible regarding the foods
and drinks consumed the previous day (type, quantity, method of preparation, etc.). Thus the accuracy of
the data collected depends on short-term memory. It is a technique that collects recent intake data and is
expandable in the sense that it allows the description of what was consumed to be deepened and
completed as the individual remembers it (Ferrari, 2013).
Among the strengths is that the interviewer asks the questions and records the answers, so it is not
necessary for the interviewee to be literate. Due to the immediate nature of the recall period, respondents
are generally able to remember most of their dietary intake. It usually only takes 20 minutes to complete
the survey. Among the weaknesses is that most people do not report the exact consumption of their meals
for various reasons related to memory and because most people can vary a lot from one day to the next it
is not appropriate to use the information from a single 24-hour recall to characterize a person's usual diet
(INCAP, 2006).
The information collected through this method may be processed through
NutrINCAP, a nutritional analysis software that allows you to know the caloric consumption of a person
and/or a group of people. This software was developed in 2014 by
Institute of Nutrition of Central America and Panama, INCAP.
Consequences of inadequate nutrition in boxing
The information available about common dietary practices and factors that influence food selection in
combat athletes is scarce despite their importance in optimizing nutritional status.
In a study carried out on Spanish elite international male combat athletes (judo, taekwondo and
boxing), they showed that 38% of taekwondo practitioners, 25% of judokas and 83% of boxers were above
their competition weight at the time they were evaluated; in the tapering phase, 1 week before the
international competition (1, 4.5 and 2 kg, respectively) with the excess being less than 2 kg in 70% of these
individuals (Ubeda, 2009).
It is important to mention that a common practice in combat sports is to train with a weight above the
competition weight and lose the excess in the days prior (0-7 days) to it, which can be a limiting factor in
sports performance and requires a nutritionist dietician specialized in these modalities. The usual diet of
the boxers and combat athletes evaluated in a concentration of the Spanish team followed the same trends
as the Spanish diet, according to the food consumption panel. In general terms, an excessive intake of food
groups that provide more proteins and lipids and low intakes of the main food sources of carbohydrates
(HC) and fiber are observed, as described by other authors for similar population groups.
Most elite combat athletes are aware that to lose weight through dietary modifications for
competition, the most appropriate thing to do was to reduce consumption or eliminate sweets, pastries
and fatty foods from their diet. Meanwhile, they identify foods from the group cereals, bread, rice,
potatoes and pasta as good food sources of HC (especially pasta).
However, it is observed that the majority of combat athletes have a deficiency in terms of fruit intake
and this aspect can be improved since these, in addition to providing carbohydrates with a medium
glycemic index, can be very suitable for proper hydration. these more than 85% water content. This is
important, since the hydration guidelines in amateur combat athletes, it is common to observe cases of
dehydration (saunas, doing sports before with non-breathable clothing, not drinking water from the day
before) to enter certain weight categories. Studies carried out in sports concentrations with combat
athletes affirm that they tend to be very well hydrated both during training and during competitions,
maintaining adequate hydration in accordance with the consensus document of the Spanish Federation of
Sports Medicine. (Morales, Sarola, & Urdampilleta, 2012)
Anemia in sports: Anemia in sports is a type of anemia that athletes sometimes develop during
resistance training; it usually improves after stopping training. Anemia in athletes is characterized by a
reduction in individual hemoglobin and hematocrit concentrations. Rarely do the values fall within the
deficiency range typical of clinical anemia, more usually, they present below the normal range. Anemia in
athletes is a normocytic, normochromic type of anemia with generally normal levels of serum hemoglobin,
total iron binding capacity (CTF) and ferritin. When multiple measures of iron status are determined,
anemia in athletes is rarely characterized as true iron deficiency.
Effect of hemodilution: The decrease in hemoglobin concentration is generally parallel to the
disproportionate increase in plasma volume in relation to total hemoglobin that occurs during training.
Therefore, while total hemoglobin can increase in real terms with training, without plasma concentration,
this phenomenon decreases. Some authors have called it hemodilution or athlete's pseudoanemia. This
increase in plasma volume can be beneficial for exercise, since it can reduce blood viscosity and increase
cardiac volume and therefore increases the distribution of oxygen to the muscles. fabrics.
Many athletes respond to training by retaining sodium, which results in an increase in the volume of
water in the blood; this expanded volume of plasma could serve to thin the blood, explaining the reduced
hemoglobin concentration. Not all athletes experience such a change in plasma volume and not all changes
observed in blood variables can be quantified by a simple dilution effect (García
Rivera, 1999).
Total energy expenditure
to. Total energy expenditure
According to Mahan, Escott-Stump, & Raymond (2012), energy expenditure is the relationship between
energy consumption and the energy needed by the organism. To maintain the body's balance, the energy
consumed must be equal to that used, that is, the daily energy needs must be equal to the total daily
energy expenditure.
Energy derived from food is used by the human organism to perform all its functions, including the
synthesis of tissues and various substances, the activity of cells and organs, movements and metabolic
processes. A certain amount of energy is stored as a reserve for use when energy expenditure demands
exceed the amount of energy ingested. This reserve is stored as body fat and its total amount must be
maintained within the limits consistent with a normal body composition (INCAP, 2012).
If the body, instead of being at absolute rest, develops some physical activity, the energy needs
increase. This factor is called “energy consumed by physical work” and in extreme situations it can reach
peaks of up to fifty times that consumed at rest (Anonymous, The energy value of food: the energy needs
of the human being, sf).
The energy needs of any living being are calculated as the sum of several components. The energy
required by the organism at absolute rest and at a constant temperature is called the Basal Metabolism
Rate (BMR), which is the minimum energy needed to maintain life. The metabolic rate depends on factors
such as body weight, the ratio between lean and fatty tissue mass, the external surface of the body, skin
type or even acclimatization to a certain external temperature, not to mention that there are diseases and
medications that increase or they decrease basal metabolism, such as thyroid hormones, to mention just
one.
It is important to keep in mind that strength exercise increases muscle mass and increases BMR
(although not exponentially). This is important in low-calorie regimens when there comes a time when you
cannot lose weight because caloric expenditure decreases. basal as an adaptation mechanism. There are
complex formulas that give the value of caloric needs based on height, weight and age (Palavecino, 2002).
Measurement of energy expenditure associated with different activities
The determination of energy expenditure associated with different activities has been the subject of
study for years. Almost a century has passed since Atwater and Benedict designed the first calorimeter for
this purpose, currently the most outstanding techniques for this are:
Direct calorimetry: It is based on the fact that the body's energy is ultimately released in the form of
heat. It is the most accurate method, although it is not widely used due to the drawbacks it presents: high
cost of the chambers, those associated with the small size of the chambers. same, slow response period,
etc. (Barr, 1987)
Indirect calorimetry: It is perhaps the most widely spread technique. Its basis is that energy
expenditure can be estimated from the determination of the oxygen consumed in metabolic reactions.
Measure the exchange of 02 and CO2, with the use of Respirometers, and urinary nitrogen to see the
amount of oxidized macronutrients. The complexity of its use, however, requires that its handling be
carried out by well-experienced personnel so that the results obtained can be considered reliable (Barr,
1987). Among the different types of respirameters, the most used are rooms specially designed for this
purpose, although they have drawbacks: high cost, slow response time, impossibility of measuring all
activities, etc. Other models of respirameters are: ventilated hood, Douglas bag and portable respirameter
(Brief Critical Reviews, 1989).
Non-calorimetric methods
Diaries and activity questionnaires : They use previously calculated energy expenditure tables. When
judging these tables, it must be taken into account, however, that the figures collected are only indicative
since the expense depends on numerous variables such as age, sex, weight, height, type of activity, practice
time, degree of training, temperature. environmental, individual peculiarities, etc. All these variables mean
that the caloric expenditure associated with sports practice is very variable, not only between different
athletes but from one day to the next, even between athletes who practice the same sport with a very
similar level of activity. Despite these limitations, which mean that they are not useful for measuring
expenditure on individuals in isolation, they are the method of choice in epidemiology (Washburn and
Montoye, 1986).
Double labeled water: This technique has recently been validated by some authors. It is based on the
fact that the difference in the elimination rate of the two administered isotopes is proportional to the
production of CO2, and energy expenditure can be calculated from said production. Despite the high cost
and difficulty in obtaining isotopes, it will probably be used to an increasing extent due to its high reliability
(Buskirk, 1994).
Others: heart monitors, pedometers, measurement of cumulative joint rotation, force plates in shoes,
etc. (Vega Romero, 1994).
Equations to estimate Total Energy Expenditure (GET)
• WHO/FAO factorial method
According to Onzari (2010), this method is very precise to determine the GET, it consists of determining
the basal metabolism (MB) according to age range, sex and body weight.
Age Men Women
00- 03 60.9 x kg - 054 61.0 x kg- 051
03 – 10 22.7 x kg + 495 22.5 x kg + 499
10- 18 17.5 x kg + 651 12.2 x kg + 746
18- 30 15.3 x kg + 679 14.7 x kg+ 496
30- 60 11.6 x kg + 879 8.7 x kg + 829
More than 60 13.5 x kg + 487 10.5 x kg +596
Source: WHO/FAO
• Values for physical activity (PA) according to the level of physical activity (NAF)
 These values allow you to calculate the energy expenditure for each type of physical activity carried out
for a day.
Activity
Men women
NAF AF NAF AF

Sedentary 1.0 to 1.39 1.00 1.0 to 1.39 1.00

Quiet 1.4 to 1.59 1.12 1.4 to 1.59 1.14

Asset 1.6 to 1.89 1.27 1.6 to 1.89 1.27

Very active 1.9 to 2.5 1.54 1.9 to 2.5 1.45

1.9 to 2.5 1.45

Source: American College of Sports Medicine, 2005
Category NAF Value
• Sedentary or lifestyle with light activity. People with a job that does not require much physical
effort. They do not need to walk long distances, they generally use motorized vehicles for transportation.
They do not exercise or participate in sports regularly. Most of their free time is spent sitting or standing,
with little movement, in activities such as talking, reading, watching television, listening to the radio or
using the computer . 1.40 to 1.69
• Active or lifestyle with moderate activity. People with occupations that are not strenuous, although
they require more expenditure and energy than that described for the sedentary lifestyle, may also be
people with sedentary occupations who usually spend a certain part of their time in moderate or vigorous
physical activities on a scheduled or scheduled basis. circumstantial (they use more or less an hour a day,
continuous or accumulated, to jog, run, ride a bicycle, dance). 1.70 to 1.99
• Vigorous or lifestyle with vigorous activity. People regularly engaged in strenuous work or sports
activities for several hours (non-mechanized agricultural activities, swimming or dancing for two hours a
day). 2.00 to 2.40
Source: American College of Sports Medicine, 2005
Metabolic Equivalent of Task: MET
Each athlete has a different body weight, which generates a different basal metabolism. Consequently,
the energy expenditure (kcal) of running one hour at 10 km/hour will be different for those who weigh
differently. One way to “normalize the cost of physical activity” that is, to eliminate differences due to
weight, is to express expenditure as a multiplier of each person's basal metabolism. For this, the MET
(Metabolic Equivalent of Task) was designed, which designates the value of 1 unit to the basal metabolism
and then physical activity is measured in multipliers of the basal metabolism.
The MET is a metabolic equivalent, defined as the number of calories consumed by the body per
minute in an activity, relative to the basal metabolism, which is equal to the oxygen consumed by the body
at rest, approximately 3.5 ml of oxygen per kilo and per minute. 1 MET is the caloric consumption at rest. In
general, the higher the intensity, the less time is required for health benefits. For practical purposes, 1 MET
is approximately equal to 1 calorie per kg of weight per hour. 1 MET = 1 kcal/kg/h = 3.5 milliliters per
kilogram per minute oxygen (O2).
 The energy expenditure of a given physical activity can be calculated in MET units using the following
formula:
MET = (Energy expenditure * weight in kg * time in hours during which said physical activity has been
carried out) * (Energy expenditure / weight in kg)
The energy expenditure to calculate the MET depends on the sporting discipline that is practiced; for
the purposes of this research, 12 METs were used, which is the equivalent established for boxers (Giannini,
sf).
Relationship between caloric consumption and energy expenditure
To have an adequate nutritional status, energy expenditure must be equivalent to caloric consumption.
If there is a greater caloric consumption, the excess is stored in the body as energy reserves, causing an
increase in fat that can lead to overweight or obesity; On the other hand, if energy expenditure is greater
than caloric consumption, the body obtains energy from reserves through different metabolic routes. By
exposing the body to this situation for a long time, the different reserves are depleted, until reaching
muscle depletion. This entire process tends to cause malnutrition and affect homeostasis. Due to this
relationship, it is very important for athletes to ensure that caloric consumption is in accordance with
energy expenditure, to promote adequate nutrition that allows optimal sports performance (Mahan,
Escott-Stump, & Raymond, 2012).
The percentage of adequacy between caloric consumption and energy expenditure of boxers can be
classified as adequate for the ranges between 90 and 100%, inadequate due to deficit for the ranges below
90% and inadequate due to excess for the ranges above 110%; This classification was used in the study
carried out in Buenos Aires Argentina with field hockey players; in which they used the following formula:
Adequacy = Caloric intake * 100%/ Energy expenditure
(Spirito, Garat, Rossi, & Bazan, 2008)
The following table shows the relationship in boxing and the variation in nutrients such as
carbohydrates, proteins and fats in the body:
sport of
Endurance
70 – 80 kcal/kg
56% CHO
17% CHON
27% Lipids
power sport
speed
63 kcal/kg for gymnastics
70 kcal/kg decathlon
52% Carbohydrates
18% Protein
30% Lipids
 Training routines for boxers
According to Matveiev (1985), the preparation of an athlete is a multifaceted process of rational use of
all the factors that allow a directed influence on the athlete's evolution and ensure the necessary degree of
his willingness to achieve high sporting marks (Quesada, sf) .
For a boxer to have real expectations of victory, he must follow a specific physical preparation system.
There are a variety of types of training for boxers. Among these systems are those that develop your
muscular fitness
(strength, power and muscular tolerance), speed or quickness (anaerobic capacity), mobility (flexibility)
and cardiorespiratory tolerance (aerobic capacity).
Some of the most relevant methods are detailed below:
Explosive training method: pursues the development of combined physical qualities, strength-speed
and uses three main groups of exercises such as overload exercises, exercises with medicine balls (heavy
balls) and acrobatic exercises. The elements of progression are an increase in the load, the number of
repetitions and the speed of execution.
Bodybuilder's method: first pursues the development of relevant muscles. Its characteristic feature
consists of the analytical training of the muscles, carrying out the exercises separately for each segment,
using the most varied action plans. This method is developed according to an annual plan.
Continuous method: it is based on a series of repeated and maintained actions at a uniform/stable
speed and without pause for a long period of time; It includes exercises performed at a constant/uniform
speed/rhythm, at moderate intensity until a certain time or a set distance is reached. These types of
exercises can include rhythm variations and sections at different speeds, or free-paced variations on varied
routes. It is a form of training identical to jogging exercise, a constant speed is maintained throughout the
entire training phase
(Quesada, sf).
Training durability for boxers
The training period of a boxer will be determined by his trainer according to his physical capacity and
resistance, adjusting the training according to the objectives to be achieved and depending on the type of
training.
Roberto Quesada, from the RQ Boxing Institute, suggests that you must consider the time you have to
work, because it is a decisive element in training planning. Once the objectives to be achieved and the work
to be done are known, it is important to know the real time available to carry out this task where a series of
circumstances come together:
The total time period.
The degree of dedication of the boxer, whether he is a professional or amateur.
Availability of facilities.
Competing commitments; the existence of various competitions (previous days,
days after the competition, travel days).
Travel, both to compete and to train.
The periods that cannot be trained due to extraordinary circumstances.
 Rest periods that are convenient for the benefit of the training itself.
Affects in contact sports
Sudden reduction in body weight
An obsession with reducing body weight, in order to improve sports performance, can have a
contradictory effect or result, such as fatigue in addition to being able to suffer from disorders in eating
habits (anorexia) or developing injuries more frequently. This is more common in those sports in which the
weight category, or in which a minimum weight is necessary, to compete.
It has been described in wrestlers that they begin to reduce weight from the age of 13 and that over
the course of a season they make about 15 sudden weight reductions of 3 to 7 kg to compete, achieving it
in less than 3 or 4 days, achieving it at the expense of food and fluid restriction and increased training,
together with thermal dehydration that seriously affects their performance and influences various
physiological and metabolic parameters, as warned by the American College of Sports Medicine.
If this situation becomes chronic, and the weight remains reduced below an optimal level, the athlete
has a high probability of falling into chronic fatigue (similar to fatigue syndrome).
overtraining) with daily worsening performance and increased susceptibility to illness and injury. This
chronic fatigue has been attributed to the continuous depletion of energy substrates, neural, hormonal and
hypothalamic alterations with imbalances in the vegetative nervous system.
REDUCTION INCREASE
Cardiac output and stroke volume
• Heart rate
• Blood and plasma volume Body temperature
• Water and muscle electrolytes Fatiguechronicle
• Sweat rate Dehydration
• Power and aerobic capacity Disorders food
• Muscle resistance and threshold
• anaerobic
• Menstrual dysfunctions
• Work done and time
• resistance until exhaustion.
Source: Palavecino
The relationship between sport, illness, health, physical activity, morbidity and mortality is almost
permanently present in all stages of development of both the health-disease circle and the activity-
sedentary lifestyle circle. This relationship can be divided according to the way in which each of these
stages influences the others as follows: diseases produced or triggered by sport and physical activity,
among them would be injuries, diseases in which physical activity or sport favors its development or
appearance, among them I would name athletic anorexia and the triad of female athletics. Finally, diseases
that worsen with sports performance and sometimes endanger the athlete's life, such as anorexia, bulimia
and eating disorders (Palavecino, 2002).
Wrong techniques to give weight.
According to Onzari (2010), it is difficult for many athletes to lose weight while carrying out their
training program, resorting to quick weight reduction techniques, including:
• Severe calorie restriction
 • Fast
• Dehydration (sauna, use of plastic clothing, exposure to the sun during
• very intense or long training sessions)
• Use of diuretics, laxatives, anorectics, induction of vomiting, salivation.
Some of the negative effects of reducing body weight are:
• Dehydration
• Greater susceptibility to heat pathologies
• Muscle glycogen production
• Loss of muscle mass
• Altered cognitive function
• Greater perception of effort
These regimens cause such large losses of body fluids and glycogen that it is impossible to adequately
rehydrate or refuel before competition (it takes several weeks, not a few hours). The maximum weight loss
that a person can aspire to without affecting fluids and glycogen reserves: is 1 kilogram per week. One of
the problems that arise when establishing a dietary regimen is that by restricting energy consumption, not
only fat is eliminated, but also glycogen, water and lean tissue (García Rivera, 1999).
The technique most used in Nicaraguan boxers is prolonged fasting, so it is important to delve into this
topic. Glucose is an essential nutrient for the brain and nervous system, erythrocytes, leukocytes and other
tissues that require glucose. To maintain function, blood glucose concentration must be maintained within
a normal range at all times.
During the first phases of fasting, glucose is obtained from glycogen through the action of the
hormones glucagon and adrenaline, although these deposits are emptied between 18 and 24 hours. At this
point glucose must be synthesized again using proteins as a substrate. The catabolic hormones adrenaline,
thyroxine and glucagon stimulate the release of muscle proteins and other substrates available for
gluconeogenesis.
When fasting is prolonged and the body adapts to the starvation situation,
Hepatic gluconeogenesis decreases from synthesizing 90% of glucose to synthesizing less than 50% and
the rest is supplied by the kidney. During prolonged fasting the kidney needs ammonia to excrete acidic
metabolic products. Muscle-derived glutamine is used for this purpose, and deaminated glutamine (a-
ketoglutarate) can be used to synthesize glucose. Therefore, during starvation, glucose synthesis by the
kidney increases and its synthesis by the liver decreases.
In addition to glucose, a reliable source of energy is necessary during fasting. The best source is fat,
which is stored in adipocytes and is used primarily by muscles, including cardiac muscle, to synthesize
adenosine triphosphate (ATP). The lipase enzyme activated by anti-insulin hormones hydrolyzes stored
triglycerides, releasing fatty acids and glycerol from fat cells. Fatty acids travel to the liver bound to serum
albumin and easily enter liver cells. Once inside the mitochondria, acetyl coenzyme A (CoA) is formed from
fatty acid CoA through the process of β-oxidation. During starvation, excess acetyl CoA molecules
accumulate in the liver, because the liver can obtain all the necessary energy from the β-oxidation process
and form ketones, which then enter the bloodstream and act as a source of energy for the muscles. thus
saving proteins.
Adaptation to starvation depends on ketone synthesis. As the blood concentration of ketones increases
during fasting, the brain and nervous system, although obligate consumers of glucose, begin to use ketones
as a source of energy.
 As the brain uses a fuel other than glucose, the demand for muscle protein for gluconeogenesis
decreases, which reduces the rate of muscle catabolism. Reducing muscle catabolism reduces the amount
of ammonia received by the liver.
Therefore, in a person who is adapting to starvation, protein losses are minimized and lean mass is
preserved. Although fat cannot be converted into glucose, it does provide fuel for the muscle and brain in
the form of ketones. As long as water is available, a person of normal weight can fast for a month.
Relatively normal values of nutritional indices, immune function, and function of other organs are
maintained. However, when fat deposits are depleted, proteins are used, and death is the ultimate
consequence.
Adaptation to starvation is also not possible in people who are protein malnourished because
carbohydrate intake stimulates insulin synthesis. Insulin is a storage hormone that prevents access to fat
stores for fuel. It also prevents the transformation of fat into ketones, which limits adaptation to starvation.
Insulin secretion inhibits muscle destruction; then proteins cannot be used to synthesize albumin and other
visceral proteins and edema occurs because albumin exerts osmotic pressure in the blood vessels. There is
also deterioration of neural function and digestive absorption, decreased cardiac output and function.
immune deficiency, asthenia and other symptoms of malnutrition due to inadequate protein synthesis,
inadequate ATP production and fluid accumulation in the tissues.
Malnutrition without adaptation is dangerous. Continued loss of protein can not only be fatal by
compromising the muscles of the heart and respiratory system, but can also impair the immune system.
The person becomes susceptible to a vicious cycle of infections, diarrhea, further loss of nutrients, further
weakened immune system, and eventually opportunistic infections and death (Mahan, Escott-Stump, &
Raymond, 2012).
Sports injuries.
According to Hernández García (2002), in sports, health problems are frequently experienced, the most
frequent are sports injuries, which are divided into acute and chronic and are classified as follows:
Acute ankle and leg injuries
• Sprains
• Fracture
• Calcaneal tendon strain
• Alkyl tendinitis
• tendon rupture rent
Acute leg injuries
• Bruises
• Strains
• Fracture Contracture
• Calf strain
• Chronic injuries of
• Ball joint
• Fracture
• Dislocation
• Chondromalacia
• Patellar tendonitis
Chronic muscle injuries
• Bruises
• Myosotis oscifilans
• Quadriceps injuries
• Hamstring injuries
• Femoral fractures
Chronic Abdomen Injuries
• Bruises
• muscle injuries
• ABS
• Hernias
• Blows to the solar plexus
Chronic chest injuries
• Breast problems
• Rib bruises
• Rib fractures
• External fractures
• Chondrocostal dislocation
Chronic back injuries
• Bruises
• Stretches
• muscle injuries
• Sprains - Discopathies
• Spondylolysis and listhesis
• Coccygeal lesions
Chronic neck injuries
• Tracheal bruises
• Acute torticollis
• Cervical sprains
• Cervical fractures
Chronic shoulder injuries
• Bruises
• Sprains
• sternoclavicular
• Dislocations
• Bursitis
• Clavicle fracture
Chronic arm injuries
• Bruises (biceps, triceps)
• muscle injuries
• Bicipital Tenosynovitis
 • (pitchers)
• Bicep tear
• Epiphyseal fracture
Acute elbow injuries
• Supracondylar fracture
• Olecranon fracture
• Sprain
• Dislocations
• Bursitis
• Triceps tendon rupture
• Acute injuries in
• Doll
• Fracture of the third lower
• of the radius
• Fracture of the scaphoid
• Sprain
• Dislocation
Acute knee injuries
• Bruises
• Bursitis
• Sprains
• Capsule injuries
• Miniscopathies
Acute injuries in
• Hand and Fingers
• Boxer's fracture
• Thumb sprain
• hammer toe
• Finger dislocation
Eating disorders
Much has been said and written in recent times about the importance of nutrition, not only for
athletes but for the general population, and the number of adolescents who engage in some undesirable
dietary practice that gradually leads them to contract an eating disorder (AD). In the case of adolescent girls
who practice sports, these behaviors can adversely affect performance and health.
It is more common to observe these eating disorders in those athletes who practice sports in which
weight is considered very important, facing the dilemma of the need to be strong but thin. They are aware
of the importance of adequate nutrition but have insufficient knowledge about it and at the same time
demonstrate little common sense. The term AD describes a group of diseases characterized by very
particular behavior that is sometimes incomprehensible, such as anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa
(BN) and unspecified eating disorders.
(TANE), to which is added athletic anorexia (AA) (Palavecino, 2002).
 Anorexia nervosa: It is characterized by the refusal to maintain body weight at minimum normal
values. An essential characteristic of AN and BN is the alteration of the perception of body shape and
weight.
Bulimia nervosa: It is characterized by binge eating and inappropriate compensatory methods to avoid
weight gain. In addition, the self-evaluation of individuals with this disease is especially influenced by body
shape and weight.
Athletic anorexia: It seems that adolescents who practice sports that require a certain leanness and
specific body weight, such as ballet, gymnastics and running, are the most likely to suffer from an eating
disorder. As these disorders could not always be included within the criteria for known AD, the term
“anorexia athletica” emerged, introduced by Puglise et al. in 1983 and whose criteria are described in 1993.
“Athletic Anorexia is an intense fear of gaining weight or becoming obese, even if that person is lean
(at least 5% less than the expected normal weight for their age and height, for the general female
population). The diagnostic criteria are similar to those already described for the other entities: weight loss
below expected, alterations in the progress of puberty and menstrual cycles and amenorrhea, distorted
body image, excessive fear of being obese, food restriction or compulsive eating, use of purgative methods,
very intense training, etc. The prevalence of this disorder among athletes varies in a wide range from less
than 1% to 39.2%, or according to other authors it reaches 20% of all athletes (Salgado Joya, 2014).
Personality characteristics are also a relevant factor for suffering from this disorder. Among others, high
self-expectation, perfectionism, persistence and independence stand out, which exert their influence both
for the individual to be successful in a sport and to subject them to a greater risk of acquiring an eating
pathology. A low-calorie diet, as well as a hydroelectrolyte imbalance, caused by this eating disorder, far
from improving the expected performance, results in suffering a series of negative effects for sports
practice such as a decrease in resistance and muscle strength. , decrease in speed, decrease in the ability to
concentrate and increase in reaction time (Palavecino, 2002).
 I hated every minute of training, but I said, “Don't quit. Suffer now
and live the rest of your life as a champion." - Muhammad Ali