Soviet school of boxing

[Mike_Erm]

I have studied the Soviet athletic system for about 5 years now, simply the biggest difference I can see for Soviet v. American boxing is that Soviets think "Athlete first, Boxer second". What I mean by that is that they focus on developing an athlete and then working on tuning that athlete to be a boxer, this ensures that the athlete will convert to the specific sport (boxing) most clearly. Its kind of hard to explain in one post.

Most Soviet boxers were great athletes, most American boxers were and MAY not necessarily great athletes. Any boxer that went to a Soviet Sports School most likely also did weightlifting, gymnastics, soccer, ect in preparation for specializing in boxing, most American boxers just box.

Think about it, it's 2014 and boxing trainers in the USA STILL think lifting weights is bad for you! In the Soviet Union not only did boxers lift weights they did so in the same complex as Olympic Lifting champions, not only did the Soviet boxers have strength and conditioning programs they also had dietary programs and sport psychology programs. The way athletes trained in the Soviet Union was sooo advanced compared to what we do here even today.

Great Post

[frosty-g]

I have seen a lot of southpaws, someone can tell me if exist any special reason?

i'm not sure there is any special reason as such.
i've heard rumours that boxers in cuba are trained as southpaws regardless of which is their preferred hand in day to day life. i have not seen any evidence of this though at all.

one thing i can think of however is that because boxers from cuba and russia are trained to be very technical i think that they can really take advantage of being a southpaw, and so for a start if you are from those systems you will be technical and difficult anyway but the highly developed southpaw stance on top of that just makes it real hard to figure out
hence there aren't necessarily more southpaws but they rise to the top when it comes to using them in international competition

my coach in cuba was very interested in training southpaws, really enjoyed it as there are very different things you can teach them. things guaranteed to screw up the head of an opponent from somewhere else!

[Cuauhtémoc1520]

I have studied the Soviet athletic system for about 5 years now, simply the biggest difference I can see for Soviet v. American boxing is that Soviets think "Athlete first, Boxer second". What I mean by that is that they focus on developing an athlete and then working on tuning that athlete to be a boxer, this ensures that the athlete will convert to the specific sport (boxing) most clearly. Its kind of hard to explain in one post.

Most Soviet boxers were great athletes, most American boxers were and MAY not necessarily great athletes. Any boxer that went to a Soviet Sports School most likely also did weightlifting, gymnastics, soccer, ect in preparation for specializing in boxing, most American boxers just box.

Think about it, it's 2014 and boxing trainers in the USA STILL think lifting weights is bad for you! In the Soviet Union not only did boxers lift weights they did so in the same complex as Olympic Lifting champions, not only did the Soviet boxers have strength and conditioning programs they also had dietary programs and sport psychology programs. The way athletes trained in the Soviet Union was sooo advanced compared to what we do here even today.

You make some good points but also some big generalizations.

American boxing has now developed a very unique weight lifting and training regimen for boxing. In the past, I would agree most trainers didn't want weight lifting.

Now they employ strength and conditioning coaches to better the boxer. I still think that heavy weight lifting is not good for boxing. Saying that, I think weight lifting for specific movements and keeping flexibility is most beneficial.

You don't have to be a great athlete to be a great boxer. Boxing is a skill at the end of the day and I still believe that American trainers are the best in the world and the reason many pro's from Eastern Europe come to America and train WITH American trainers.

[datastream]

Now they employ strength and conditioning coaches to better the boxer. I still think that heavy weight lifting is not good for boxing. Saying that, I think weight lifting for specific movements and keeping flexibility is most beneficial.

What do you think about cycling the weight lifting and the boxing? Like doing a heavy weight lifting routine through May, June, and July. Then taking up a strict boxing regimen the rest of the months? That way you build up some big strength. Then focus on boxing mechanics through your drills.

[frosty-g]

American boxing has now developed a very unique weight lifting and training regimen for boxing. In the past, I would agree most trainers didn't want weight lifting.

Now they employ strength and conditioning coaches to better the boxer. I still think that heavy weight lifting is not good for boxing. Saying that, I think weight lifting for specific movements and keeping flexibility is most beneficial.

do they do this for grass roots level or just pros & established amateurs though?

[frosty-g]

What do you think about cycling the weight lifting and the boxing? Like doing a heavy weight lifting routine through May, June, and July. Then taking up a strict boxing regimen the rest of the months? That way you build up some big strength. Then focus on boxing mechanics through your drills.

lot more complex than that but that is kinda the basic idea of periodisation training methods applied to boxing

[alextheassassin]

nice post, interesting stuff. I know quite a lot about the Cuban system, which developed from the Soviet system, though I don't know much about the Soviet side of things specifically.
But yes, the fact of the matter is that there IS A SYSTEM (unlike in most countries) which youngsters get channeled into and developed through. This is a comprehensive system with all the things you mentioned but also most of the time includes education.
The other thing that really sets such systems apart is the methodologies that they use, just like weightlifters use training and peaking, but also for the very basics right through there are systems to develop the athletes/boxers, all well-rooted in science and experience. Not to say this is the only way to do things but it sure is a method of quality control. Different trainers and gyms have a different slant on things of course but there is a real solid core of shared knowledge and experience used as a foundation for the teaching and coaching methods, if you read about some of the old American trainers you may hear of a bar called the Neutral Corner where loads of them used to go plus fighters, matchmakers, the lot and that was a real hotbed for exchange of information and had great results, similar principal but in Cuba for example that is all formalised and is ongoing.
I have a good old Soviet textbook on boxing by Degtariov if I remember the name correctly (don't have it to hand), translated into Spanish for the Cubans.

Ya the Soviets help develop most sports programs for everyone under the communist umbrella this includes the well known Chinese and Bulgarian weightlifting programs as well as the Cuban Boxing system. The Soviet system is very similar to what there is in Cuba except the Soviets had WAY more money and resources. Where a Cuban academy may have 4 coaches for a whole boxing school the Soviets had at least 4 coaches for each age grouping as well psychologist, doctors, strength and conditioning coaches, and academic tutors. I know in Moscow in the golden days the elite level boxers met with a sport psychologist at least once a week, and on top of their boxing they had year round strength and conditioning programs. Way more of a SYSTEM then we have here.

[alextheassassin]

You make some good points but also some big generalizations.

American boxing has now developed a very unique weight lifting and training regimen for boxing. In the past, I would agree most trainers didn't want weight lifting.

Now they employ strength and conditioning coaches to better the boxer. I still think that heavy weight lifting is not good for boxing. Saying that, I think weight lifting for specific movements and keeping flexibility is most beneficial.

You don't have to be a great athlete to be a great boxer. Boxing is a skill at the end of the day and I still believe that American trainers are the best in the world and the reason many pro's from Eastern Europe come to America and train WITH American trainers.

I agree I definitely made generalizations. I think I said "most" coaches don't like weight lifting and that is probably still true, even the ones that do use it probably don't know how to properly, again a generalization, I know there are some out there that do. Not trying to talk s**t but for instance you say "heavy lifting is bad", but did you know heavy lifting is the most efficient way to develop fast twitch muscle fiber and the development of RFD (rate of for development), also heavy lifting known to develop ligament strength, that said I think it should be periodized correctly so the boxer isn't maxing out unnecessarily because there are of course negative effects such as cns fatigue and risk of injury. Also I do agree there should be programmed lifts to help develop flexibility and health of the boxer.

[alextheassassin]

do they do this for grass roots level or just pros & established amateurs though?

exactly!!!!

[frosty-g]

Ya the Soviets help develop most sports programs for everyone under the communist umbrella this includes the well known Chinese and Bulgarian weightlifting programs as well as the Cuban Boxing system. The Soviet system is very similar to what there is in Cuba except the Soviets had WAY more money and resources. Where a Cuban academy may have 4 coaches for a whole boxing school the Soviets had at least 4 coaches for each age grouping as well psychologist, doctors, strength and conditioning coaches, and academic tutors. I know in Moscow in the golden days the elite level boxers met with a sport psychologist at least once a week, and on top of their boxing they had year round strength and conditioning programs. Way more of a SYSTEM then we have here.

thanks, interesting stuff!