Just been reading one of Ross' books and he says for boxers it is best to do 8 - 12 reps with 3 sets for the first 3 weeks of a 12 week cycle to build up to a fight. Just wondering what you guys think about that seeing as 99.9% of the combat sport population hate 3 x 10 type routines.

His reasoning is that you need to do it to build up the muscle endurance and strength to do circuit / complex based stuff for weeks 5 - 12, I kind of agree with that I mean circuits are difficult and you certainly need strength for them to make them worthwhile, but I would have thought the best way to build up your main muscle groups would be 5 x 5 type routines... but I am nout compared to ross I guess...

Here is the routine he gives in his book to do twice a day:

However Ross basically tells us that as long as we do this:
Day 1: Plyometrics
Day 2: Weight Lifting
Day 3: Neither
Day 4: Plyometrics
Day 5: Weight Lifting

We are working both our strength and speed enough that they will balance out and the strength training only lasts 4 weeks anyway, then it goes on to complex circuit type training. So I thought I’d give it a go and man it damned near killed me!!!

<strong>Lower Body</strong>

3 x 8 - 12 Dumbell Lunges @ 30kg + bar
3 x 8 - Calf Raises @ 30kg + bar
3 x 8 - Drop Touch
3 x 8 - Dumbbell Step-Ups @ 30kg + bar
3 x 8 - Dumbbell Toe Touches @ 30kg + bar
Finish with 100 Sledge Hammer Swings - not today, no hammer
<em>3 sets of each</em>

<strong>Upperbody</strong>

Bench Press x 8-12 @ 20kg + bar (I know, weak as shit)
Shoulder Press x 8-12 @ 13kg + bar
Bent Over Row x 8-12 @ 40kg + bar
Barbell Bicep Curl x 8-12 @ 20kg + bar
Triceps Extension x 8-12 @ 15kg + bar
Straight Arm Raise and Hold x 5-10 seconds x 8-12 @ just light weight
3 sets of each

The straight arm raise and hold near killed me and I found the dumbbell step ups difficult too… All in all it wasn’t bad, fuck I need to work on my Bench Press though, that has really, really fallen, I used to be able to do 30ish with little trouble, although that was before I dropped weight class, still… 4 weeks of 2 x this and then I’ll move on… not too excited about it to be honest, I hate weights, haha.

Weights next to it are what I did today, thought I would give it a go as the gym was closed =/ Was fucking hard work, but I don't see how you would do it two days in a row, because tomorrow I am ready for some serious pain

Think I'll give it a go for the 4 weeks and then it becomes irrelevent anyway because we move on to circuits... I'll give it my best :O I need to make a strong 70kg fighter i.e. why I am doing weights btw, I am coupling it with plyometrics and bodyweight circuits too.