Leg strengthening excercises. Power and strength, not bulk.

Hi, im a boxer. I need some leg strengthening excercise. I want power but i do not want to bulk up. Right now
DB Lunges - 5 sets of 10 reps in each leg(10kg db) Single leg power
Lying Leg Curls - 5 sets of 5 reps each(40 pounds) Hamstring
Leg Extensions - 5 sets of 6 reps each(60 pounds ) Quads
Seated Calf Raises - 5 sets of 15 reps each(70 pounds) Calves
1 min rest in btwn.

How is it? i guess i want to gain strength and power rather than bulk and muscle. Hows is it. Should i tone up or something cause i just want to strengthen my legs.

My coach gave me a kettlebell and asked me to do lunges but i wanted to further strengthen my legs. Any suggestions for reps,sets and rest period?

Leg Extensions and in particular leg curls are HORRIBLE exercises.

Your leg muscles work in synergy with each other, isolating any area is a can of worms... especially in the case of leg curls, you're tightening an already over active muscle... kinetically your hamstring doesn't work that way and you'll end up putting a lot of tension on to your lower back.

leg Extension can also disagree with a lot of people's knees and again the position that the machine outs you in can aggrevate a lot of people's lower backs.

Those are bodybuilding isolation moves

If you're looking to increase the strength,power and functionality of your legs then I would try -

low rep (6,4,2,1)
Squats (with correct form!!)
Dead Lifts
Cleans

don't shy away from using heavy weights. you won't get bulk from lifting heavy... quite the opposite. You'll just get strength. As long as you're not over eating you won't gain bulk.

low to moderate reps (up to 8)
Bulgarian Split Squat Jumps
Scissor Lunges (or lunge jumps) up to 12 reps in this case as the exercise isn't symetrical
weighted squat jumps
Cleans

Aim to move quickly and explosively...

You could even try and super set these movements... for example do a set of 5 heavy dead lifts, followed by 8 cleans right afterwards. the heavy exercise will overload your nervous system allowing your to move faster and recruit more muscle fibres when you clean with a lighter weight.

You can do the same with squats/squat jumps etc.

and don't forget your sprint work and footwork drills... having powerfull muscles is one thing... but if you can't activate them quickly they're useless.

you'll also find that back bridges etc will teach your body to fire up your glutes correctly, they're the powerhouse of your legs

For sheer leg strength? Squats (back or front) are better alone than all the other stuff one can do combined.

But if you're training to be a fighter sheer leg strength isn't all that meaningful.

Walking up steep hills over and over again (or stadium steps) twice a week might get you where you need to be as a fighter.

I need a coach then but he comes once a week. How?? Lunges, somemore what excercises?

Sorry could you repost that? I don't understand what you just said. :)

As the other posters have said...
Squats!
Squats are your key exercise for leg strength. Don't be worried about bulk. Contrary to popular belief, weightlifting will not on its own make you big. It's eating that does that. As long as you don't increase your energy intake you're not going to get huge by accident.

My son went from football to boxing. Squats and deadlifts were definitely the best for football but I don't love either for boxing.

Resistance band training is interesting for boxing. Chad Dawson was doing quite a bit of that. Also there are some videos on the internet showing a series of exercises with a 45 pound bar with mostly Olympic style lifts in series.

I know a lot of trainers advocate heavy squats and deadlifts but in my experience the quick feet required for boxing are different than the explosive push you need for football.

In Boxing as Football, the main player in the legs is the Posteria Chain. Quads are for show, Posteria Chain is for Go. There are numerous exercises that can Help. Big isnt a good way to think, as regards size of muscle, it has to be fed, there lies the problem its a balancing act.

Scrap could you post some exercises to improve the posteria chain please.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2j0As1L7QM Heres a routine

Talking Football ;D, Heres a kid I work with, Useless ;D http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieOAiQVnE6Q

Thanks Scrap great workout i'll try that out now. P.S That kid is awesome, is he with a club yet?

OK realise now how fit the guy in the video is. Did it but WOW what an exercise, What colour woody was you using in the video? Looked like a blue from what I could see I could only manage it with the red ;D

They are the Greens, the kids at Man City

hey Scrap. good to see you. Saw you on tv this weekend on the big card. tough luck to Terry. was really rooting for him.

What i was saying was, If i were to do deadlifts, squats, there will be a coach always coming once a week. Lets say i do the dealifts,squats etc. one a week would it still be effective to strengthen my legs?

Years ago, we use to run up and down stadium steps carrying two small pails of water in each hand or a small log across our shoulders with our arms draped over it. As you ran up and down the steps, you had to lift your knees up high. It was a killer exercise on the legs, and you eventually got to the point that you could not even walk. But it worked. You built up stamina and leg strength. Don't take on to muich weight---trust me, you will feel your leg muscles burning and giving out. The more you do it, the stronger the legs will get....(add in recovery time). One night, we were in a city, and ran the steps of a thirty story building not just once..but until we reached the point that we could not take another step up. Another old favorite was to lie on the back, and someone heavy would lean forward into your feet. You did leg pushups with him. Lying on your back totally isolated the leg muscles doing all the work. Today, people have access to gyms with all kinds of equipment. Back then, we had to be inventive sometimes.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Hr9

What i was saying was, If i were to do deadlifts, squats, there will be a coach always coming once a week. Lets say i do the dealifts,squats etc. one a week would it still be effective to strengthen my legs?

---

Yes, if you're going heavy enough and supplimenting this with technique work, speed work and road work.. Like scrap says don't worry too much about your quads. Your posterior chain is the power house. Most people are quad heavy in terms of strength, muscle activation and flexibility.

I don't box but for legs I pretty much do a variety of squats, lunges, calf raises and box jumps. In the gym I use either kettle bells or a straight bar for lunges but at my last duty station I used to take the guys for a run until we got to a pretty good hill and we did lunges up and down the hill with some sprints and high knees mixed in. The run back was pretty painful after several trips up and down the hill. I've found mixing in box jumps with my leg days has been very benficial. I think you said you are doing deadlifts but if not I would definately add them. A strong back and legs is the foundation for just about everyting you do. You do not need to go real heavy for deadlift either. 185 pounds at 4 sets of 10-15 reps is the most I currently do and when I am working a circuit I go down to 135 pounds. Kettlebell swings are also a good combo for legs and back.

Fore kettlebell. 5 rounds, 30 secs rest in btwn. Change w/ lunges,lunge jumps.
swings-35reps
clean and press-11 reps on each hand
Push ups-15 reps
Burpees-10 reps