Welcome to this installment of Balazs Boxing's newsletter. This month, Andy and Jamie teach the basics of hitting a speed bag- a true test of coordination and upper body endurance. They continue educating us on how to stay fit and healthy, delving into muscular fitness. Finally, in the "Ask the Trainer" section, they help a reader understand aerobic vs. anaerobic training.

The Balazs Team

For conditioning, the speed bag is a great tool for improving muscular endurance in your shoulders and arms. Once a certain level of skill and proficiency is achieved cardiovascular benefits, are also bonuses. Start out with one 3 minute round, working your way up to three 3-minute rounds. After working out on the heavy bag, skipping or target mitts try doing a final round on the speed bag, maintaining the same pace as your first round on the bag.

Click here for Speed bag basics - http://www.balazsboxing.com/thegym/boxingbasics_speed.htm

Hitting the speed bag initially may be very frustrating, but ultimately is a fun and worthwhile part of your fitness boxing routine. Mastering the speed bag has many benefits that will carry over to other sports that require fast, efficient hand speed, such as squash, tennis, softball, volleyball and hockey, to name a few.

Speed bag Drill

Here's a new twist: For a total body workout, try hitting the speed bag while riding a stationary cycle. Position the bike dead center, so your arms are at equal length when contact is made with the speed bag. This will certainly challenge your hand-eye coordination! Punch and ride at the same time. Try three rounds of cycling while hitting the speed bag with a 1 min. rest between rounds. Boxing and spinning…

Muscular strength is the greatest amount of force a muscle or muscle group can exert in a single effort.

Muscular endurance is the ability of a muscle or muscle group to do repeated contractions against a less-than-maximum resistance for a given period of time.
Although muscular endurance and strength are separate fitness components, they are closely related. Progressively working against resistance will produce gains in both of these components. To work specifically on muscular strength, perform exercises with a heavy weight load, lifting 2 to 6 repetitions to reach fatigue. To develop muscular endurance, work with lighter weights, lifting 8 to 15 repetitions to fatigue.

Aerobic exercise is any activity that increases the working heart rate 60 to 75% of the maximum heart rate. This type of activity uses oxygen as a source of fuel, thereby burning the fatty tissue. An overall improvement to the cardio-vascular and respiratory systems will be accomplished. To ensure the best results, you will need to workout a minimum of 20 minutes and up to 50 to 60 minutes for great fitness results. To ensure that you are working at the appropriate level, use the 'talk test'. While you are working out, you should be able to talk normally, without getting out of breath. Aerobic activities involve a steady, rhythmic motion of large muscle groups like running, cycling, power and brisk walking, jumping rope and length swimming. Different types of aerobic exercise may be performed five to six days a week.

Anaerobic exercises are activities that demand energy faster than the cardio-vascular system can deliver. These exercises are short-term, very intense activities that lead to rapid muscular fatigue and an elevated heart rate. The fuel source, glucose and glycogen, are available in limited quantities, thus these activities can only be performed for short periods of time, and usually only two to three times per week. Weightlifting, sprinting, speed sprints and plyometrics are examples of anaerobic activities.

 - Andy Dumas

Send your questions for Andy to info@BalazsBoxing.com

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Always consult your physician before starting any physical exercise program. Balazs Inc. and Andy & Jamie Dumas assume no responsibility for the improper use of information contained within this e-newsletter.