The importance of strength and conditioning for boxers
It's hard for me to write this. Being part of the fraternity of strength and conditioning coaches, it pains me to hear Freddie Roach dismiss the effect of strength and conditioning on a boxer, saying they are “overrated” and “bring steroids to the sport”.
To be fair, Roach did say this a year ago, and it could have probably been just a reaction to Marquez's rapid muscle gain. Honestly, I think it was also a jab at Alex Ariza, Manny Pacquiao's former strength and conditioning coach who Roach also describes as just Manny's "stretcher". Then again, this is the same Freddie Roach who later is all praises for Manny's new strength and conditioning coach Gavin MacMillan. However, MacMillan just came into the picture barely a month before Manny's fight, and even if he's a good strength and conditioning coach, will four weeks be enough to make a difference?
My opinion will be biased. How can it not be? I’m a strength and conditioning coach. But along with that bias comes science. Science that has proven again and again that a proper strength and conditioning program will take the body to where it needs to be, physically and physiologically, come game day. Manny himself has proven it time and again, with his successful career.
All athletes will benefit from having strength and conditioning programs. In fact, ALL PEOPLE would. People have been so addicted to trying to lose weight and trying to look good that we sometimes overlook the real reason why people should exercise. That's to be in the best condition that they can be in regardless of what "shape" they are in. Of course, losing weight is good and can be beneficial to health but oftentimes people stop exercise because they think nothing's happening since they're not losing weight.
But enough of that, and back to the topic. Bottomline is, all things being equal, between two athletes that have the same weight, height, reach, training back ground, mental training, etc., the athlete who will have superior strength and conditioning will have the upper edge in any contest.
ALSO READ: Ex-Pacquiao strength coach Alex Ariza kicks Freddie Roach in gym altercation
Now, we have Alex Ariza jumping the fence and transferring over to the Rios side, bringing with him his expertise, and a little (not so little actually) bit of insider information on what goes on in Pacman’s camps. What I will be watching in this fight will be just how much speed, power and strength did Rios gain from having an Ariza in his camp, and will Manny lose some of it because he’s not there anymore? Now enters Manny's new strength and conditioning coach, Gavin Macmillan. He is a well-respected strength and conditioning coach. He is being touted as the one responsible for resurrecting Miguel Cotto's career. He will be on my spotlight in this match. Not much has been written about his methods and I haven't seen it first hand unlike Ariza. He actually integrated Manny's basketball addiction to his program which to me, is a smart move. Still, he came with barely a month to go before Manny's fight, a month won't do much in terms of progression, but this is Manny we're talking about, a guy known for his incredible work ethic. I just hope it's enough.
But of course, with any sport, it’s not all going to be about who has the strongest muscles and who has the quickest moves. That’s just one aspect of it. There's skills training, coaching, mental preparation, experience, even proper nutrition will be a factor. This is why I still think Manny has the superior team. Plus, he's got something to prove after two straight loses, he's going to be as motivated as he can be. I still think he's going to win this fight. I'm going for a knockout in the middle rounds. There's just too much riding on this fight, and our country could really use a win after all the things we've been through.
It's obvious now that the bad blood between Roach and Ariza is even worse than we thought. The video of the altercation between the two camps in the boxing gym of the Venetian in Macau has gone viral. In the video you'll see Ariza clearly kick Roach in the midsection after a couple of minutes of exchanging pleasantries. Ariza and MacMillan also exchange a few words, clearly emotions are running high, and this will be an explosive fight.
But I still think that Ariza will make a difference in this fight, and if Manny isn't careful and he gets hit by one of those heavy punches that will most likely pack a lot more heat now, then it's gonna be a long (or short) night for him.
But what do I know? I'm just an overrated strength and conditioning coach.
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Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.
