[silversky]

Hey if i were to start taking some boxing/mma classes how would that affect my size? Would i gain size or decrease in size? im planning on still lifting 4 days a week but also taking 2 days out of the week to train in boxing or mma.Im not trying to compete but just learn the basics.

[U-GOD]

in boxing youll be doing a lot of areobic drills. like hitting the heavy bag for 15-20 mins which can be as demanding as jogging or similar exercises. plus you will be developing fast twitch muscle fibers as opposed to the slower but stronger ones associated with weightlifting. i dont think you will get smaller if you keep up your food intake, rest and what not. look out for overtraining, punching recruits so many muscles thoughout your body and if you couple that with some weightlifting could be a problem. usually fighters stay clear of the weights. 2 days a week shouldnt hurt though. good luck

[Diesel]

I use to box on my own time twice a week like you. aside from chest and shoulder movements everything else was fine. I would imagine martial arts would actually be beneficial to your program (depending on intensity, duration, etc). I mean look at Mariusz Pudzianowski, yea i know hes on AAS but hes really big with martial arts. I have plans on adding martial arts to my regime when im on summer break.

[Fry]

It really depends on you. If u get really sore and don't recover. You are going to have to decide which one to start to cut back.

If not continue with ur program as always

[Fry]

or you could create ur own onseason and offseason.

There are plenty of books that can give you weight routines for a fighter If that is your goal

[thedon]

i do boxing and some mixed martial arts and i found i haven't lost any mass because i go to the gym as much as i did before i started with that other stuff...i have way better flexiblilty now though

[PUMBA]

Fighters staying away from weights is old school crap.
Fibres from my knowledge do not transfer from fast twitch to slow twitch or vica versa you have what you have but can develop what you already have better (hope that makes sence).
The ONLY possible downsides if any is if you are worried by weight division limits and maintaining stretch and flexibillity is a must for MMA so extra attention would need to paid to that side of your training.

Evander Holyfield for example went from being an Olympic Light Heavyweight Bronze medalist (due to a crap fowl decision) to undisputed Cruiserweight Champion to a three time and Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. In his climb for the Heavyweight Title he was trained (in weights) by none other then the great multiple Mr Olympia Lee Haney.

Weight Training never hurt any of these guys in battle.

Evander Holyfield

Mike Tyson


MMA Guys
Kimo Leopoldo

Mark Kerr

BIG Bob Sapp

[Kungjohn]

If you eat as much food as you need you will not get smaler, but the boxing isnt goingt to make you any bigger, MMA on the other hand is one of the best muscle exercises you can get.

[U-GOD]

just to clear something up, staying away from weights may be old school but its not crap. the fact is there is nothing about a fight that requires you to lift weights. you can win and be successful by utilizing bodyweight exercises, sparring, running and bag work. thats how some of the greatest trainers such as angelo dundee taught. this is how i was taught.

but fighting and weight training(maybe some gear?) can help you develop a great physique like leopoldo and tyson.

[PUMBA]

Originally Posted by U-GOD

just to clear something up, staying away from weights may be old school but its not crap. the fact is there is nothing about a fight that requires you to lift weights. you can win and be successful by utilizing bodyweight exercises, sparring, running and bag work. thats how some of the greatest trainers such as angelo dundee taught. this is how i was taught.

but fighting and weight training(maybe some gear?) can help you develop a great physique like leopoldo and tyson.

Agreed to extent.
Alot of the older boxers did lift weights to an extent but times change, hell Evander used Haney, A ballet Instructor for balance and his trainers Lou Duva/ George Benton are not slouches as trainers with Champions Meldrick Taylor, Pernell Whittaker and Holyfeild to name a few.

No arguement from me about legends like Angelo Dundee trainer of Ali/Leonard pffft say no more Awesome. Modern techniques are coming into training these days. Fuck when I was fighting as a 15 yr old welterweight/junior middleweight I was told to rub BRINE on my face to toughen my facial skin to protect from cuts, I was also told to drag my right foot behind me everywhere I walked so I would have good balance in the ring (think my trainer must have been a Ken Norton fan loool).

But if you are of equal skill and fitness to your opponant then a bit more grunt never goes astray. Plus muscle is handy as it is a protective sheild, especially in MMA when things like the use of compliance/submission techniques are used.
Building up the neck (sternochlodomastoid) spell) and trapezius region creates a shock absorber and can also help protect from the whiplash type effect and/or bracchial stun (Vagas Nerve area) which brings on the lights out, knock out effect.

Kostya Tszyu and Tyson both both done alot of neck building exercises. Kostya also trains with Kettle Bells for his resistance training.

As for steroids they did not help Frans "white bufallo" Botha from S.A.

But Mark Kerr and Mark Coleman did quite well out of them

[canablistic_Turnip]

^^ U God and Pumba u are both right on this one. But I will add a little to this debate. If u are a fighter then you will condition with weights. Being Big has nothin to do with it as U god stated but speed and power are two elements that are vital to anyfighter. When weight trainning for fighting cleans and whole body movements done with speed and heavy weight (eg Power lifting workouts) are more benifical. Because that will enhance ur performance. A Bodybuilding program per say is not as conducive to a fighter as a modified version revolved around performance technique. A fighter has to be functional not just "Big" in a sense. Hell a boxer like Kyosta Tzsu who weighs nothing compared to someone like Ronnie Coleman would kick Ronnie's ass because that is what he's built his body to do. It's all to do with function over look in my OPP when it comes to fighting.

[PUMBA]

Originally Posted by canablistic_Turnip

^^ U God and Pumba u are both right on this one. But I will add a little to this debate. If u are a fighter then you will condition with weights. Being Big has nothin to do with it as U god stated but speed and power are two elements that are vital to anyfighter. When weight trainning for fighting cleans and whole body movements done with speed and heavy weight (eg Power lifting workouts) are more benifical. Because that will enhance ur performance. A Bodybuilding program per say is not as conducive to a fighter as a modified version revolved around performance technique. A fighter has to be functional not just "Big" in a sense. Hell a boxer like Kyosta Tzsu who weighs nothing compared to someone like Ronnie Coleman would kick Ronnie's ass because that is what he's built his body to do. It's all to do with function over look in my OPP when it comes to fighting.

Good post Turnip. Yeah for what he was asking a weight division was not mentioned so assume he is not concerned with his bodyweight, so in my submission I would sum it up in saying a "A good big man, will beat a good small man".
And guys do not assume that weights make a person slow, look at half of the worlds top sprinters and half of us would wish we packed that much meat on our frame. I think it was Levrone that shattered that big men are slow myth.