Q/A: Why Not To Develop Sacroplasmic Hyperthrophy In Your Boxing Strength Training.

This was a good question asked to me about developing sacroplasmic hypertrophy in your boxing strength training.

In Joe Defranco's WS4SB, it has a lot of hypertrophy related work. In one of his articles he points out that over 10 reps would be sacroplasmic, and less, myofibrilar. Would his repetition work (8-12 reps x 3 sets), on the supplemental exercises, be "detrimental" to my training? I say detrimental in the sense that I want to be as quick and powerful at a certain weight as is possible, rather than adding muscle "just" for the sake of it.

Should I follow that program, but use less reps, like limit them to 5-6?
I plan to follow this plan along with conditioning days and daily boxing training.
Am I better off just doing the standard Westside Barbell system? I understand that a lot of Joe's athletes are NFL guys who might need the extra size.
Please help,
Charis Louca

Charis, Joe has written sample workouts he uses for fighters and they differ from his WS4SB articles as both needs are different.

You are answering your own questions, Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy will be detrimental to your training. I'm telling you through experience. Mybofibrilar hypertrophy is far more functional, I mean it won't alter performance to the degree of Sacroplasmic..

Well Charis if you want to stay at a certain weight division don't lift your way out of it. Right, just adding muscle for the sake of it doesn't do much in improving the qualities that you need to end fights quick.. Explosive power/speed. If you want to add more size you have to educate that muscle with speed/power training in the movement patterns of boxing when putting it on to transfer for improved performance.

The standard Westside system was created for building up the big 3 lifts of a power lifter, not a boxer you really have to modify it. Search Joe's article archives on his site he has a good modified template for fighters.

Structure your training for YOUR needs as a fighter.If you don't want to add muscle for the sake of it then don't train that way. Using 10-12 reps on supplementary exercises will do that.

Focus more on developing max strength and power.Your max strength rep bracket will depend on your training age/experience with max work. 5-6 if you have a younger training age, 3-5 as you mature. Add plyometric work when you achieve a max strength base. You can add those before your Max effort days or on another day. You can however add plyometic progression training in your program now building your way to true plyometrics.

Now it's not like I don't ever use higher rep brackets of 10-15. I will use them for smaller muscles and problem areas,( injury prevention work) or when adding some size to the neck.

I don't know without assessing you what you need Charis. I will say though that for strength training use exercises like Front Squats, dead lifts, lunges, step ups, rows, chins, pull-ups, posterior chain work, rotational core work, reverse crunches, face pulls, L-lat raises, scare crows.

Keep the volume low performing 3-4 exercises that address your needs per workout so you can recover and focus on boxing and you'll be fine.

Good Luck with your boxing.

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