Issue 145
September 2016
Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee, train to punch and move like Muhammad Ali
“I hated every minute of training, but I said, ‘Don’t quit, suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion.”’ The iconic training quote from boxing icon Muhammad Ali is a staple on the walls of training facilities the world over, painted as a reminder that even the greatest athletes in history had to put in the hours of toil to experience success and adulation.
Back in the 1950s, heavyweights didn’t move much. They relied on power, guile and heart honed by hitting the heavy bag, lifting weights and sparring. Speed, footwork and movement belonged in the lighter weight divisions. But Ali changed everything. He was the first in the weight class to train like a modern athlete.
But unlike he did with his prowess and dexterity inside the ring on fight night, Ali didn’t reinvent the wheel when it came to his training and nutrition. He used established strength and conditioning techniques alongside his regular boxing training to maintain his speed and athleticism. He avoided anything that could restrict his dancing around the ring.
Combined with a clean diet, Ali’s training regime ensured he could walked the walk as well as he talked the talk. That’s why he was ‘The Greatest’.
Sparring
Ali stopped heavy sparring once he became world champion and would instead use sparring sessions to sharpen his reflexes, often throwing little or no punches and asking his training partners to unload on him. Angelo Dundee was famously quoted as saying: “Ali never won a decision in the gym.”
Work out with The People’s Champion
Round 1: Boxing
Shadow Boxing
5 x 3-minute rounds with 30 seconds rest between
Bounce on the balls of your feet and throw combinations. Use leg strikes as well for MMA. Focus on movement, balance and throwing each strike with perfect form.
Skipping
20 minutes non-stop
There are many different ways to jump rope, so don’t just bounce in one place. Run on the spot, switch your feet, do one-legged hops, criss-crosses, side swings and double-unders.
Heavy bag
6 x 3-minute rounds with 30 seconds rest between
Ali used the bag to work on his footwork, simply by ensuring the bag was always swinging. Push the bag away from you then circle and strike in combination. You can also use kicks, knees and elbows for the full range of MMA striking. Finish each round with 30 seconds of knees or from the Thai clinch for an added cardio test.
Round 2: Floor exercises
A 15-minute abs-based routine, look to spend a few minutes on each exercise.
Med ball sit-up
Hold a medicine ball that’s a manageable weight in both hands and lay on the ground with your arms out in front of your face. Sit all the way up with your arms extended, then return to your starting position.
Leg raises
Lay flat on your back with your hands by your sides and heels together. Exhale as you raise both feet off the ground until they make a 90-degree angle with the floor. Hold for a second, then inhale as you slowly lower your legs.
Bicycle crunches
Lay flat on your back, raise both legs off the ground and bend them at the knee. With your fingers interlocked behind your head, contract your abs as you alternate touching your right elbow to your left knee, then left elbow to your right knee.
