Can Sparring make you stronger?

The reason I ask is because of the effect of my pounches last night.
Having sparred much heavier opposoition for a couple of weeks I returned to sparring my own weight.

In doing so I was never forced back by any punch and accidently I caused a huge swelling on a sparring partners face.

I also found that having sparred the heavier guys and struggled to get through 3 minute roiunds because of their physical strength, I cruised through 2 minute rounds with ease.

could be any number of things, better technique leading to improved power, whatever exercise regime you're on having an effect. I do know several years ago one or two of the guys whom I hadn't sparred with for a few weeks would comment now and again I was punching stronger.

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

The reason I ask is because of the effect of my pounches last night.
Having sparred much heavier opposoition for a couple of weeks I returned to sparring my own weight.

In doing so I was never forced back by any punch and accidently I caused a huge swelling on a sparring partners face.

I also found that having sparred the heavier guys and struggled to get through 3 minute roiunds because of their physical strength, I cruised through 2 minute rounds with ease.

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Maybe your fighting style is evolving as well as improved confidence? I mean if you know you can take a punch from a guy a few weight classes above you, your less likely to shy away from guys your own weight. Also with the bigger guys you might set your feet better in order to defend and retaliate, instead of chasing guys round the ring all the time. But either way it sounds like it has done you good.

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Originally Posted by Salty

Maybe your fighting style is evolving as well as improved confidence? I mean if you know you can take a punch from a guy a few weight classes above you, your less likely to shy away from guys your own weight. Also with the bigger guys you might set your feet better in order to defend and retaliate, instead of chasing guys round the ring all the time. But either way it sounds like it has done you good.

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Well I can understand an d comprehend that I throw more power shots in sparring bigger guys, but it does seem that I can really bully down at my own weight now having becoming accustomed to shouldering off bigger guys.

At 6'1" and very slim at Light Middle I feel a lot more solid than my shorter and stockier counterparts at 154

You are very lucky to have that sort of variety Donny, of quality. I am near positive I pick up bad habits fighting some of these much bigger, older and really inexperienced brawler types. The one very good fighter I do spar with regularly, I am very used to his style now and feel I am getting close to learning about all I can from him.

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Originally Posted by Youngblood

You are very lucky to have that sort of variety Donny, of quality. I am near positive I pick up bad habits fighting some of these much bigger, older and really inexperienced brawler types. The one very good fighter I do spar with regularly, I am very used to his style now and feel I am getting close to learning about all I can from him.

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I think variation is the main key.

When you get used to sparring one guy, you eventually....sooner or later...master his style (while your on the way up anyhow.)

When your constantly switching styles, you maste yourself andexpand your repotoire.
Like just last night I invented a new defence for one twos where I can counter hard.

Ali did a lot of sparring from being 12 look how strong he was at 23 ;D;D;D;D;D;D;D

Care to share Donny? I'm always looking to improve my defence.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Ali did a lot of sparring from being 12 look how strong he was at 23 ;D;D;D;D;D;D;D

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Ha I realise that growth has a part to play at my age.
Sparring at my age, will it actually cause me to become stronger than if I were to abstain from sparring?

There are plusses and minuses to having everybody spar everybody.
Ill use some of Feurs sparring as an example
Keeping in mind Feur is 6'0" 160

The one gym Im hooked up with,had this girl that came in to spar with her,Feur decked her in twice in a minute,I mean flat out decked her. But she stuck with it,realised this isnt a game,and there is no room for error in this,learned to let her hands go for power,and try not to get bulled. She ended up winning Rough N Rowdy

The downside,you occaisionally discourage the little guys,I used to send her to this gym in Welch to spar,she beat a guy there so consistently who was about 5'5",nobodies seen the guy in forever

Yeah mentality has a lot ot do with it.

But I've seen some huge physical improvements since I started roughing it with the pros.

I would assume so. But too much is not always good though.

Its the finest conditioning exercise there is end off. I had 7 champs in the gym and mixing them up under control was awesome they got everything. Had the feather spar the middle and play games like Cowboys and Indians.;D;D

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Yeah mentality has a lot ot do with it.

But I've seen some huge physical improvements since I started roughing it with the pros.

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See thats were I was going,if your going well and not respecting your opponents power,all boxers do this,you get a tendency to sod off and not throw your shots exactly correctly.
Theres a reason trainers will get up your bum about proper form on your punches,the power is completely different,as is the speed.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Its the finest conditioning exercise there is end off. I had 7 champs in the gym and mixing them up under control was awesome they got everything. Had the feather spar the middle and play games like Cowboys and Indians.;D;D

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Ya Scrap. Since I moved gyms where no one was sparring, to a gym where we spar 2-3 times a week, usually 10 + rounds at a time, everything has improved for me. A lot.

The only thing I wish is we had more depth and variation in partners so I could learn more.