Performance Aspects and Physiological Responses in Male Amateur Boxing Competitions: A Brief Review

Abstract

Slimani, M, Chaabène, H, Davis, P, Franchini, E, Cheour, F, and Chamari, K. Performance aspects and physiological responses in male amateur boxing competitions: a brief review. J Strength Cond Res 31(4): 1132-1141, 2017-Boxing is one of the most popular striking combat sports in the world. The aim of this review was to present data concerning performance analysis (time-motion and technical-tactical analysis) and physiological responses (i.e., blood lactate concentration [BLC], heart rate, and oxygen consumption) during novice and elite male simulated and official amateur boxing competitions in any age category. The present review shows that boxing competition is a high-intensity intermittent striking combat sport. Typically, the activity-to-rest ratio was higher in elite (18:1) than in novice (9:1) boxers and significant differences were observed between rounds (first round = 16:1, second round = 8:1, and third round = 6:1) in novice boxers. Thus, total stop-time and total stop-frequency increased over subsequent rounds in novice boxers. The technical-tactical aspects in elite and novice boxing bouts were different between rounds and dependent on the match outcome (i.e., winners vs. losers). Particularly, the current review highlights that triple-punch combinations, total combinations, block- and counter-punch combinations, total punches to the head, technical performance effectiveness, and defensive- and offensive-skills effectiveness may have contributed to win in novice and elite boxing competitions. Higher frequencies of technical movements were also observed in elite compared with novice boxers. From a physiological point of view, BLC increased significantly from postround 1 compared with postround 3 in novice boxing match. BLC was also higher in official than in simulated elite boxing matches in senior compared with junior boxers and in medium heavy-weight category compared with light- and medium-weight categories in junior boxing competition. A higher percentage of maximal heart rate (%HRmax) and maximal oxygen uptake (V[Combining Dot Above]O2max) were reported in round 3 compared with rounds 2 and 1 in elite boxing competition. In conclusion, these data are useful for both technical-tactical and physical conditioning sessions. Coaches and fitness trainers are encouraged to adjust their training according to these particular characteristics, specifically in terms of age, participants' level, weight categories, and combat contest type.

Quantifying the Physical Response to a Contemporary Amateur Boxing Simulation

“…The fighter's pacing strategy during a 2 minute round would most likely be higher, and the near maximal effort punch routine used by some previous literature (19) would elicit a higher physiological response. The consistency of the V O 2ave and V O 2peak data recorded in the current study also demonstrates the importance of high levels of aerobic fitness in maintaining workload during boxing specific activity (32). The current V O 2ave data was also similar to that reported previously from a 3x3 minute pad routine (35) completed with similar standard boxers.…”

“…The current protocol allows for the assessment of additional physical parameters and enables increased mechanistic rigour when compared to previous boxing-specific literature. The dependant variables were chosen to quantify and validate the physical response to the protocol by using contemporary measurements, which are regularly used in an applied setting, and that have been previously used in boxing-specific literature (32). The use of GPS-based triaxial accelerometry also offers a novel method of assessing the mechanical demand of Boxing-specific activity.…”

“…To monitor the internal response to boxing specific activity, previous literature has typically analysed physiological measures including oxygen consumption (VO2), heart rate (HR) and blood lactate (Blac) (32). The physical response could be extended to include an assessment of biomechanical efficiency, with contemporary measures of tri-axial accelerometry.…”

40 anos da Pós-graduação da EEFE-USP: contribuições para o avanço do conhecimento em Treinamento Esportivo

“…O processo de organização do treinamento esportivo por si também é bastante complexo e pode ser otimizado se conhecimentos de diferentes origens forem incorporados e integrados Em decorrência da impossibilidade de mensuração de respostas siológicas em situação de competição o cial, alguns estudos objetivaram realizar a análise técnica e tática destas modalidades, o que permitiria inferir sua demanda siológica, bem como estruturar mais adequadamente o treinamento técnico e tático destes atletas. Inúmeros trabalhos foram desenvolvidos sobre esta temática, especialmente nas duas últimas décadas, com destaque para investigações sobre a estrutura temporal e fatores discriminantes de desempenho no boxe [90][91][92] , na esgrima 93 , no judô [94][95][96][97][98][99] , no karatê [100][101][102] , na luta olímpica 103 e no taekwondo 104 . Além destas potenciais aplicações, o conhecimento gerado a partir da análise técnica, tática e de estrutura temporal, juntamente com aquele oriundo de investigações sobre a demanda energética da luta, tem permitido a elaboração de processos de avaliação mais especí cos. Neste contexto, vale destacar o processo de avaliação física de atletas do boxe 105 , da esgrima 106 , do judô [107][108] -incluindo atletas paralímpicos 109 , do karatê [110][111][112][113][114] e do taekwondo [115][116] , com utilização de testes especí cos -inclusive com a elaboração de tabelas classi catórias [117][118] e análise discriminante entre diferentes testes 119 e/ou em situações especí cas das diferentes modalidades [120][121][122] .…”

Effects of Boxing-Specific Training on Physical Fitness and Punch Power in Korean National Boxers

“…For the quality punches and in return to avoid getting punches, boxers require technical and tactical skills and high levels of physical fitness [3]. Therefore, to achieve high performance in boxing, it is necessary for boxers to present high aerobic fitness, anaer-obic threshold, strength and power as well as technique [4][5][6].Boxing is aimed to deliver a clean and correct punch to the opponent without being punched in return [4]. The accuracy and strength of punches are strongly related to win in a boxing competition [7].…”