This document provides an overview of the physiology of professional boxing through a series of slides presented by Alan Ruddock. It discusses how the scientific method is applied to understand factors influencing boxing performance, including observation of techniques, data collection, and conclusion drawing. Key physiological determinants of boxing intensity are identified as cardiovascular/muscular adaptations, capillarization, and mitochondrial/oxidative capacity. High intensity interval training is presented as an effective training method to induce physiological adaptations specific to boxing demands.

1. @alanruddock - Physiology of Pro
Boxing
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2. Alan Ruddock CSci MSc BSc (Hons.)
Chartered Scientist
BASES accredited sport & exercise scientist
Doctoral researcher
Academy of Sport and Physical Activity
Sheffield Hallam University | Faculty of Health and Wellbeing
A016 Collegiate Hall, Collegiate Crescent, Sheffield S10 2BP
email: a.ruddock@shu.ac.uk | Telephone: +44 (0) 114 225 4439
@alanruddock
#bxar
@alanruddock - Physiology of Pro
Boxing
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3. Sport and Exercise Science
The scientific study of factors that
influence our ability to perform
exercise or physical activity
@alanruddock - Physiology of Pro
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4. Physiology
of Sport and
Exercise
The scientific
study of how the
body responds
and adapts to
exercise...
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5. ...to enhance performance
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6. @alanruddock - Physiology of Pro
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7. Scientific Method
Observation
Broadcast
Conclusion
Systematic
Enquiry
Data Collection
Research question
Hypotheses
Experimental method
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8. Observation:
How to win a boxing match
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9. Knockout
Failing to continue with
the contest after a boxer
goes „down‟ after a
legitimate blow.
British Boxing Board of Control rules 3.32 & 3.33
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10. Cerebellum
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11. Technical Knockout
If at any time during a Contest the Referee
decides in his complete discretion that
one contestant is outclassed or is unable
to continue as a result of injury, or is not in
a position to continue boxing or, at the
conclusion of any round, is ten points or
more behind his opponent, he shall stop
the Contest and declare the opponent the
winner.
British Boxing Board of Control rule 3.34
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12. Potential neurological trauma
Three primary manifestations
1) Acute neurological injuries (causing knockout)
2) Persistent groggy states and post-concussion
syndrome
3) Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, “punch drunk
syndrome” or “dementia pugilistica”
The American Medical Association, Australian Medical
Association, and World Medical Association have provided
position statements opposing boxing and recommending that
boxing be banned
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13. Ethical?
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14. Knowing these risks would our ethics
committee approve such activity?
I must abide by BASES code of conduct
Professional and personal code of conduct
7 a) Members paramount concern is the well-being of their clients
7 g) Members must ensure, where appropriate, the highest standards of safety
and working practices and research both in respect of work undertaken by
members themselves or by others under their supervision.
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15. Points system
For “attack” – direct clean hits with the knuckle part
of the glove of either hand to any part of the front or
side of the head or body above the belt.
For “defence” – guarding, slipping, ducking or getting
away from an attack.
Where contestants are otherwise equal the majority
of points will be given to the one who does most
leading off or displays the better style
British Board of Boxing Control rule 3.31
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16. Are boxers malicious thugs who
intend to put their own and
opponents life at risk?
No…
The majority intend to display their physical, technical
and tactical skills within the rules of the sport.
“I’m not in this sport to get hit.”
- Kid Galahad
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17. Safety aspects
Positive aspects
Medical examinations
Doctors present before, during and
after contest
Referee’s experience
Trainers duty of care
Health benefits
Cultural traditions
Economic opportunities
Informed
decisions
Trainers
Boxing commissions
Promoters
Medics
Scientists
Boxers
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18. @alanruddock - Physiology of Pro
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19. Performance indicators
Defence
Attack
Jab
Rear hand cross
Lead hook
Rear hook
Lead uppercut
Rear uppercut
Inverted jab
Lead hand feint
Rear hand feint
Head/body feint
Foot feint
Block both arms
Block rear arm
Block lead arm
Clinch
Duck
Foot defence
Lean back
Push
Slip left
Slip right
Roll clockwise
Roll anti-clockwise
Footwork + precise jab + intensity = contest control
J Sports Sci. 2013;31(5):516-28
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20. Number of punches
Punch stats
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Round
Mean ± SD number of punches per round 34 ± 3
Mean ± SD time between punches 5 ± 0.5 s
Often attacks are sustained clusters. Particularly before TKO
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21. Offensive Punches
(n=336)
Successful
(n=94, 28%)
Unsuccessful
(n=242, 72%)
Jab
(n=51, 54%)
Jab
(n=185, 76%)
Hook
(n=18, 19%)
Hook
(n=30, 12%)
Uppercut
(n=11, 12%)
Uppercut
(n=7, 3%)
Combination
(n=12, 13%)
Combination
(n=15, 6%)
Cross
(n=2, 2%)
Cross
(n=5, 2%)
@alanruddock - Physiology of Pro
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70% punches = jab
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22. 26 kph 40 kph
Jab
Reverse hook
0.6 s
0.2 s
Jab
Jab in combo
High intensity neuromuscular action
Sports Biomech. 2011 Mar;10(1):1-11 @alanruddock - Physiology of Pro
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23. PEAK IMPACT FORCE
= 2000 to 5000 N
= 2.5 to 4.5 of body mass
PEAK IMPULSE
18.3 ± 2.3 N·s-1
Reduction in
momentum of
punching arm
explained 95% of
variance of the
J Sports Sci. 2014 Jan 10. [Epub ahead of print]
@alanruddock - Physiology of Pro
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impulse of
impact force
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24. F·t=m·v
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25. Simple approach
Energy production  Force production  Force transmission
= Mechanically effective punches
Winter D. Biomechanics and motor control of human movement
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26. Force production
Punches:
•delivered at high velocity
•from action to contact >200 ms +
•require rapid rate of muscular force development
•must be impulsive
• Increase strength =
Increase rate of force development
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2006 Jan;96(1):46-52.
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27. Force transmission
Effective summation of segmental forces ~ Energy flow
Winter D. Biomechanics
and motor control of
human movement
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28. Energy production
Activity (e.g. punch)
Result from excitation-contraction coupling
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29. Sparring
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30. Footwork + precise jab + intensity = contest control
Capacities set upper
limit to performance...
120
Intensity
100
80
60
Cumulative fatigue
40
20
0
A
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B
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31. Physiological determinants
HRmax
Capillary density
SVmax
Oxidative enzymes
Hb; %SaO2
COmax
(Ca - Cv O ) max
2
Boxing intensity
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32. Additional considerations...
Front Physiol. 2012 Apr 11;3:82
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33. Cardiac (central) adaptations
Maximal stroke volume is a limiter to boxing intensity
Mechanical overload of the heart caused by reaching and maintaining
an elevated cardiac filling is the main stimulus for myocardial
adaptations associated with the enhancement of maximal stroke
volume (and cardiac output).
Intensity of exercise =
Cardiac output (heart
rate x stroke volume)
Sports Med. 2007;37(10):857-80
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34. Muscle capillarisation (angiogenesis)
The network of capillaries supplying blood to the exercising muscle is a
limiting factor to boxing intensity
Possible stimuli causing skeletal muscle angiogenesis
•
•
•
•
•
Exercise induced increases in blood flow
Shear stress
Muscle 'stretching' - structural disruptions
Lowered oxygen tension (PaO2)
Metabolic alterations (caused by oxygen demand)
Intensity of exercise =
Blood flow, shear
stress, structural
disruption, changes in PaO2
and oxygen demand
Biochem Soc Trans. 2011 Dec;39(6):1628-32
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35. Mitochondrial biogenesis and
oxidative enzyme capacity
@alanruddock - Physiology of Pro
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The number of mitochondria and associated oxidative enzymes is a limiter to boxing
intensity
Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1-alpha (PGC-1α) and
its binding partners are responsible for many training adaptations and in particular
mitochondrial biogenesis.
Intensity of exercise =
Mechanical stretch & tension
Increase in reactive oxygen species
Increase in muscle calcium concentration
Altered energy status (ADP, AMP)
= PGC-1α , number and size of
mitochondria and aerobic capacity
Sports Science Exchange (2013)
Vol. 26, No. 115, 1-5
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36. What type of training induces
appropriate physiological strain, in a time
effective manner and is specific to
boxing?
High Intensity Interval
Training (HIIT)
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37. High energy
demand &
calcium
release
High blood
flow
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Cardiac strain
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38. HIIT Meta analysis
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Bacon AP, Carter RE, Ogle EA, Joyner MJ (2013) VO2max Trainability and High Intensity Interval Training in Humans: A MetaAnalysis. PLoS ONE 8(9): e73182. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0073182
http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0073182
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39. "There is more than one way to skin the cat"
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2010 Oct;20 Suppl 2:1-10
Sports Med. 2013 May;43(5):313-38
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40. Skin it this way?
Sports Med. 2013 May;43(5):313-38
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41. Skin it this way?
Sports Med. 2013 May;43(5):313-38
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42. Even longer?
Scand J Med Sci Sports. 2013 Feb;23(1):74-83
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43. Even longer...?
Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013 Feb;113(2):385-94
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44. Sports Med. 2013 May;43(5):313-38
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45. Train hard. Fight easy.
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46. Typical 10 week training plan
FIGHT
0 – 6 weeks
6 – 9 weeks
Development of physical
capacities
Technical training
& sparring
9 - 10 weeks
9.9 weeks
Taper & cut
Make weight, rehydrate & refuel
9.99 weeks
Optimised warm-up strategy
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47. Coaching
opinion &
perspectives
Regular trend
analysis of
collated data
Habitual objective
& subjective
monitoring
Training direction & decision- making
Int J Sports Physiol Perform. 2012 Sep;7(3):242-50.
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48. Acknowledgements
Many thanks to
Dave Hembrough @dwhembro
Centre for Sport and Exercise Science, Sheffield Hallam University
Dominic Ingle, Ian Grant - Ingle gym @dominicingle @grant_i @inglegym
www.inglegym.com
Dave Stache @totalbd - Nourish restaurant
Edward Winter - Professor of the physiology of exercise @winteredward
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