Is it bad for your muscles to hit the heavy bag when you're sore?

[Hellbore]

I started lifting weights Monday for power training. My arms are still VERY sore, especially my biceps. They are stiff and sore so that it hurts to straighten my arm. It was 3 days ago I lifted, and we did heavy weight, low number of reps.

Is it OK to hit the heavy bag while my arms are stiff and sore like this, or will it cause harm? Would it be better if I wait until my muscles recover before I do impact training?

I am just starting to lift, I remember when I used to lift weights a few years ago my muscles didn't get as sore and they recovered faster... I think I need to get used to it again...

[YounGun]

I would recommend rest.

However you could go on the bag lightly, and go more for cardio. That, combined with jogging and stretching can help reduce the lactic acid build up, therefore getting you ready to lift sooner.

[Hellbore]

I was gonna ask about stretching... I was told the way you build muscle is when you lift, tiny tears occur when then heal stronger than they were, making your muscle bigger and stronger... If you stretch while your muscles are healing, will it tear it back apart and make you not get as strong? Or is it totally OK to stretch while you're sore? Even though it hurts?

As for the workout, how about if I go a few rounds on the bag just kind of tapping it lightly to try and practice hand speed and specific punches, without even trying to hit the bag with any force? Would that be safer and help me improve my speed and form?

I do need to know what I shoudl do when I'm super sore because I'm going to be sore on a regular basis since I am lifting again. Then on the days when my muscles are recovered, before I lift again, should I use those days to hit the bag hard and get impact training?

[magnum]

I was gonna ask about stretching... I was told the way you build muscle is when you lift, tiny tears occur when then heal stronger than they were, making your muscle bigger and stronger... If you stretch while your muscles are healing, will it tear it back apart and make you not get as strong? Or is it totally OK to stretch while you're sore? Even though it hurts?

As for the workout, how about if I go a few rounds on the bag just kind of tapping it lightly to try and practice hand speed and specific punches, without even trying to hit the bag with any force? Would that be safer and help me improve my speed and form?

I do need to know what I shoudl do when I'm super sore because I'm going to be sore on a regular basis since I am lifting again. Then on the days when my muscles are recovered, before I lift again, should I use those days to hit the bag hard and get impact training?

for boxing always always do light weight and high reps. the way you are doing it builds bulk.

[Hellbore]

Also you mention that running and cardio can help get rid of the lactic acid and help muscles recover.

Well, when I run I currently can do 2 miles if I pace myself without stopping, but I don't run very fast. That's about my limit right now.

When I jump rope, I can do 3 rounds of 3 minutes each, with a couple minutes of rest in between rounds. After doing that I am extremely tired and almost ready to pass out.

What I am wondering is, which of these 2 are better to lose weight and get in better shape, the running 2 miles (which takes me longer but isn't as intense) or the jump rope (shorter but very intense)?

Keep in mind I'm really out of shape so I'm not exaggerating when I say how tired it makes me. I know I'm a mess that's why I'm working on it :P

[Hellbore]

for boxing always always do light weight and high reps. the way you are doing it builds bulk.

Hmm I probably don't need any bulk. I'll start doing more reps less weight.

But my nephew has very skinny arms and chest, not muscular at all, wouldn't it be good for him to try and build some bulk? He's pretty weak right now.

[magnum]

for boxing always always do light weight and high reps. the way you are doing it builds bulk.

Hmm I probably don't need any bulk. I'll start doing more reps less weight.

But my nephew has very skinny arms and chest, not muscular at all, wouldn't it be good for him to try and build some bulk? He's pretty weak right now.

boxers who do weight lift do it very minimally. especially the smaller guys.
depending on his body type and his diet that reall determines how big he is going to get for the most part.

have him do push ups and situps and lift weights at high reps and low weight.

[Craig Bellady]

Also you mention that running and cardio can help get rid of the lactic acid and help muscles recover.Â

Well, when I run I currently can do 2 miles if I pace myself without stopping, but I don't run very fast. That's about my limit right now.Â

When I jump rope, I can do 3 rounds of 3 minutes each, with a couple minutes of rest in between rounds. After doing that I am extremely tired and almost ready to pass out.

What I am wondering is, which of these 2 are better to lose weight and get in better shape, the running 2 miles (which takes me longer but isn't as intense) or the jump rope (shorter but very intense)?

Keep in mind I'm really out of shape so I'm not exaggerating when I say how tired it makes me. I know I'm a mess that's why I'm working on it :P

I have 3 different tracks to run on. The longest is roughly 4miles, the shortest is roughly 1mile and the middle around 2 miles.

When I run the shortest one I take turns at sprinting and jogging. e.g. when i run past a lamp post, I sprint for about 80m to the next one, then slowly jog 80m to the next one, then sprint againt etc etc.... This really helps my fitness and it gets you very tired but is effective.

For the other 2 I always make sure I sprint the last 100m as fast as possible

And I totally agree about the jumping. I do sideway jumps over my abdo board with my legs always touching and they get me very tired!

[YounGun]

I agree with the above poster about using weights minimally, and also high reps. You know that Roy Jones Jr, Muhammad Ali and quite a few other big names never touch weights? It's through eating right and working hard.

I am one of those 'smaller guys'. I'm 5'9, and fight at 140lbs. Generally 8 weeks before a scheduled fight I will do 4 weeks of weight training one day, boxing the next.

For the weight training it is very high reps. Also fast paced. In fact I'll even tell you my weight lifting program right now because I'm bored... and well... it might just help ya out. :P

*I do something called 'super sets'. Meaning you do a set for one body part, then right after do a set for another body part, no break.

*I only take 30 second breaks when lifting and boxing. This makes the 1 minute break in a fight seem like more than enough.

To start...

-Wide grip pull up. I do this to max... until I can't do another one. On my last I hold myself about half way down.

-Then I run to bench press bench and do a set of 40-50. (Kostya Tsu does 75 reps).

*30 second break. You can start with a minute or 45 seconds. But you DO NOT want to fully recover.

-Repeat the above.
-Repeat it once more.

-Chin ups to max.

-Then I either do inclined bench press, decline bench press, or flys. I alternate. Again high reps, aim for 25-50 reps.

*30 second break.

-Repeat Above
-Repeat once more.

-Then for shoulders I 2 light dumbells. Usually 10-15lbs for me. Not sure what this exercise is called but I'll explain it to you.

Stand straight, slight bend in the knees, feet shoulder width apart. Raise both arms with the dumbells so that they are straight infront of you, shoulder height. Bring them down, and now do the same except bring them up at your side... for both keep your arms straight or slightly bent. Keep doing this until you do 15 reps both infront of you, and at your side.

- Grab a barbell. Stand in the same position as above. We're going to shoulder press here, but behind the head to focus on the back of your shoulders. Grip the bar a little wider than shoulder width. Bring it behind your head (don't nod your head forward), and bring it up. Do this for 15 reps.

*30 second break

-Repeat
-Repeat again.

-Now for your traps/neck, you do shrugs. You basically grib the barbell shoulder width apart, one palm facing in, one facing out. You then shrug the weight with your shoulders. Find a weight that you can do 12-15 reps with.

-Then grab dumbells, sit down and shrug the weight. Do the same about of reps.

*30 second break

-Repeat
-Repeat again

-For biceps, begin with either a widegrip barbell curl, concentration curl, or a close grip barbell curl. Aim for 15-20 reps.

-For triceps, do dips. Go for your max!

*30 second break

-Repeat
-Repeat again

-Then 2 light dumbells (I don't know your strength so you'll have to experiment). You want to curl these dumbells for one minute straight, no stopping and at a fast pace, while keeping control and form.

-Then go to the cables and do high rep pull downs. I prefer to do this with the rope. Most gyms have this.

*30 second break

-Repeat
-Repeat again

-Finish off with some wrist curls, or that exercise where you have a bar, and a weight that hangs from a rope, and you have to wind it up, then back down.

-If you still got anything left... finish with some light skipping, or even some pushups.


If you want some help with some neck strengthening exercises or abs let me know. I'm not sure if you're looking to get into boxing competitively or not.

Hope that helps!



Josh

[magnum]

I agree with the above poster about using weights minimally, and also high reps. You know that Roy Jones Jr, Muhammad Ali and quite a few other big names never touch weights? It's through eating right and working hard.

I am one of those 'smaller guys'. I'm 5'9, and fight at 140lbs. Generally 8 weeks before a scheduled fight I will do 4 weeks of weight training one day, boxing the next.

For the weight training it is very high reps. Also fast paced. In fact I'll even tell you my weight lifting program right now because I'm bored... and well... it might just help ya out. :P

*I do something called 'super sets'. Meaning you do a set for one body part, then right after do a set for another body part, no break.

*I only take 30 second breaks when lifting and boxing. This makes the 1 minute break in a fight seem like more than enough.

To start...

-Wide grip pull up. I do this to max... until I can't do another one. On my last I hold myself about half way down.

-Then I run to bench press bench and do a set of 40-50. (Kostya Tsu does 75 reps).

*30 second break. You can start with a minute or 45 seconds. But you DO NOT want to fully recover.

-Repeat the above.
-Repeat it once more.

-Chin ups to max.

-Then I either do inclined bench press, decline bench press, or flys. I alternate. Again high reps, aim for 25-50 reps.

*30 second break.

-Repeat Above
-Repeat once more.

-Then for shoulders I 2 light dumbells. Usually 10-15lbs for me. Not sure what this exercise is called but I'll explain it to you.Â

Stand straight, slight bend in the knees, feet shoulder width apart. Raise both arms with the dumbells so that they are straight infront of you, shoulder height. Bring them down, and now do the same except bring them up at your side... for both keep your arms straight or slightly bent. Keep doing this until you do 15 reps both infront of you, and at your side.

- Grab a barbell. Stand in the same position as above. We're going to shoulder press here, but behind the head to focus on the back of your shoulders. Grip the bar a little wider than shoulder width. Bring it behind your head (don't nod your head forward), and bring it up. Do this for 15 reps.

*30 second break

-Repeat
-Repeat again.

-Now for your traps/neck, you do shrugs. You basically grib the barbell shoulder width apart, one palm facing in, one facing out. You then shrug the weight with your shoulders. Find a weight that you can do 12-15 reps with.

-Then grab dumbells, sit down and shrug the weight. Do the same about of reps.

*30 second break

-Repeat
-Repeat again

-For biceps, begin with either a widegrip barbell curl, concentration curl, or a close grip barbell curl. Aim for 15-20 reps.

-For triceps, do dips. Go for your max!

*30 second break

-Repeat
-Repeat again

-Then 2 light dumbells (I don't know your strength so you'll have to experiment). You want to curl these dumbells for one minute straight, no stopping and at a fast pace, while keeping control and form.

-Then go to the cables and do high rep pull downs. I prefer to do this with the rope. Most gyms have this.

*30 second break

-Repeat
-Repeat again

-Finish off with some wrist curls, or that exercise where you have a bar, and a weight that hangs from a rope, and you have to wind it up, then back down.

-If you still got anything left... finish with some light skipping, or even some pushups.


If you want some help with some neck strengthening exercises or abs let me know. I'm not sure if you're looking to get into boxing competitively or not.

Hope that helps!Â



Josh

jones used weight toward the end of his career
a very small % of young fighters use weights. the only big name small fighter that does is mosley (who was a high school weightlifter-on a team) and he has since laid off them since moving back down to welter

[bouncer]

depends on how sore you are.