You could post this on the "Do you keep a weapon by your front door?" thread.

Interesting stuff, I know you are up on the fighter training methods. Body weight circuits are still resistance training but obviously higher rep with conditioning in mind as well. There is also the point of slow twitch and fast twitch fibers which I know little about but could make a difference to a fighter ?

Either way, I think as long as people train for their goals then the info is out there.

Most research that I've read - usually involving different protocols on two or three matched test groups and measuring the impact on force production, through vertical jumps, throws etc - suggest that very high % of 1 rep max low rep sets (around 3 reps) is best for developing the fast twitch muscles.

That this leads to speed strength not just static strength and that if periodised transfers even more benefit if the athlete then moves to lighter weights for very fast reps - not necessarily high as the focus is still on rate of force production/explosiveness - and ballistic med ball throws, plyo work etc. then finishing a training cycle with higher rep work for strength endurance.

The experts in this suggest that medium reps of 8 to 15 done slowly, as a bodybuilder might, are the worst possible things to do as they will add bulk and weight with little speed benefit or, possibly, actually make the fighter slower.

This seems to have taken hold more in MMA circles but some boxing coaches like Peterson's, Marquez latest S&C coach and David Haye's conditioners (one now with Amir Khan) are also working more like this. Barry McGuigan's son is getting a good reputation for this and interestingly he's been to the USA and qualified under Poliquin.

A PT told me he was able to beat some basketball players (pros) in their vertical jump by doing some close to 1RM squats just before his jump attempt, to help his motor unit recruitment in the legs. They were pretty impressed that he stomped them. He didn't tell them about the heavy squats.

Some high level sprinters have been doing this for a while now too.

Actually it might be similar to some plyometric routines like the ones where a heavy low rep bench set is followed by hand clap press ups?

I sometimes do weighted 'things' before hitting the bag without weights which feels fast, even if it doesn't last! Tomorrow I have two boxing only routines planned, one will involve timed sets of various punches with hand weights and cable resistance followed by explosive punches (single shot) at a speed ball. I love that type of session.

This is interesting, have read similar stuff before- Confirms my thoughts that the best way to gain 'good' size is to do a mix of reppy and low rep strength stuff.

When I started reading about motor activation and the PT told me his story, first thing I thought of was Yo Elliot's methods to make a boxer more powerful. 3RM combined with plyometrics. Stuff that is known, but not by your average gym goer.
Like you say, if I had someone telling me this stuff 20 years ago (and I believed them), it would have been awesome.
I want to get my hands on some young boys now [/hoofy] to train them!


I don't want to come across as a 'I've just read all this stuff and want to come across like I know it all' type. There is enough of that on here already!. But learning the basics is really good..

First pre breakfast session

5 mins running

1 x 20 minute non-stop round on wrecking bag, fast multi-punch combinations and technique drills for particular patterns.

Hampered by stiffness ans soreness from the weights, esp. delts, but worse thing was I've given myself tooth ache!

Have you been keeping active with press-ups and planches and stuff?