How many days a week on treadmill for boxing?

Intensity · 23-Feb-04, 09:24 PM

If I am getting in shape so I can return to boxing in 2 months, how many days a week should I run the treadmill? Also I am fairly new to running so what mileage should I start at? Also what pace? I was thniking of starting at 1 mile at 5 mph. And than adding .25 miles and .2 mph every two weeks. At the end of 8 months I should be up to 4 miles at 8 mph. I really have never ran before. I am 6' 212 with a gut and I'm 24. I also have only been into lifting for a couple weeks. I used to box years ago.

Also, I have been lifting 3x a week with a rep scheme of 10,8,6,4,2 (or to failure for the last set) while increasing the weight each set. I am very sore and I feel my technique is off. Would it be better seeing I am just starting lifting again and that I am trying to lift to get ready for boxing, that I should go lighter and change my rep scheme? Maybe 15,12,10 while increasing weight each set? Also would it be wise to only lift 2x week when I start boxing again?

Basically I need to lose my gut (I know it's diet and I just changed my diet for the better) and I need to get my lungs back and I need to get some hardness back so I can start boxing agaain.

Can anyone help me with my questions?

CJNY · 24-Feb-04, 07:53 AM

Your 8 month goal of running 4 miles in 30 minutes is not unreasonable and that running schedule might work for you. Then again, it might not. The biggest problem that new runners experience is over-use injuries from doing too much too fast so closely monitor how your body is adapting to the stress. Carrying extra weight around with you makes it that much more stressful. Be content with slow progress as long as it is progress.

Heres a link to a plan that works well for new runners:

http://www.discussfitness.com/forums/showthread.php?t=8143

Literally thousands of folks have successfully started running following this plan. I always recommend that complete beginners start by walking. Build up to 20-30 minutes of brisk walking at least 4 days per week before beginning the program in the above link. This probably seems excessive conservative to you right now, and it might be so for you, but I've seen too many people fail by trying to do more.

ajarvis · 24-Feb-04, 08:25 AM

Running is great!

I don't know your level right now but you could try something like this to start running.
Try running for one minute and then walking for a minute. After one week, move to running for two minutes and walking for a minute. Increase the running component by one minute each week after that, until you are up to twenty minutes of running.

Beginner's Running Program

Week 1- Run 2 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 21 minutes total.

Week 2- Run 3 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 20 minutes total.

Week 3- Run 4 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 20 minutes total.

Week 4- Run 5 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 24 minutes total.

Week 5- Run 6 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 21 minutes total.

Week 6- Run 7 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 24 minutes total.

Week 7- Run 8 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 20 minutes total.

Week 9- Run 10 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 22 minutes total.

Week 10- Run 11 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 24 minutes total.

Week 11- Run 12 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 26 minutes total.

Week 12- Run 13 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 28 minutes total.

Week 13- Run 14 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 30 minutes total.

Week 14- Run 15 minutes, walk 1 minute -do this for 16 minutes total.

Week 15- Run 16 minutes.

Week 16- Run 17 minutes.

Week 17- Run 18 minutes.

Week 18- Run 19 minutes.

Week 19- Run 20 minutes.

This of course is a beginner program. You can always modify it if it's too easy. Skip the first two weeks if you can already do that for example. For example from week 15 - 19 you may be able to just push yourself to run the 20 minutes instead of adding one minute a week. It also depends on how often you run. Start out with 3 days a week. Once you can run for 20 minutes you can start adding in HIIT training. INcreasing the speed slowly like you said is a great idea. Just be careful starting out running is a great form of cardio but it is also easy to injure yourself if you do too much too soon. Your body and joints need to get use to it.

Good luck

:

**Firehawk** · 24-Feb-04, 10:08 AM

Boy it takes special peopel to be running 4 miles a day. I wish I could run 1/4 mile without having to stop for fear of suffocating lol.

I think if theres any of you high school coaches out there, or high school P.E. teachers out there, id like to state a beef with you.

I was like 285 lbs in 9th grade. I was FORCED to run a mile. I could not run more than 1/4 mile without stopping , and literally my heart was beating out of my chest, and i could barely even breathe. HOW CAN THIS BE HEALTHY? For all you coaches out there, id ask, DO NOT push overweight students to this kind of limit. This is more dangerous than good, and not many coaches seem to get it. This creates more pulmonary strain which is bad for your cardio system than it does to help it by forcing someone to get out there and run a mile when they arent conditioned for it.

SOrry, ive always wanted to state my beef with that

. Im still pissed off about it, and here it is, 11 yrs since ive been in 9th grade.

Intensity · 24-Feb-04, 02:59 PM

What pace should I start at? Should I start at 5 mph or is that too slow a pace. I'm interested in cardio as a fat burner as well as a means for my endurance.

Also how many days a week should I be running?

Bvlgari · 24-Feb-04, 03:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intensity

What pace should I start at? Should I start at 5 mph or is that too slow a pace. I'm interested in cardio as a fat burner as well as a means for my endurance.

Also how many days a week should I be running?

Like the dude said, man.

I run a bit, so I tell you what I do:

It all depends on what your goals are. But I think most people agree that interval training is probably the best there is.

5 mph is really slow. I'd push myself a little more. Run twice the distance of your interval, your interval being the period where you jog slowly or medium-slow. The reason you jog in this interval is because of the lactic acid build-up in your muscles from the running phase. My calves were always killing me, but they eventually get used to it.

If you have a track you could run on, that'd be perfect. Running 400 meters (440 yards), then jog 200 (220 yards) is a good way of doing it. Without knowing any better, I'd say 3-4 intervals was adequate for you. Every couple of weeks, add an interval. When you reach a point, where the distance you actually "run", is good enough for you, start cutting down the length of the intervals. If an interval used to last 60 seconds, than take of 5 seconds every week.

For instance, if you were doing 8 bouts of running, equivalent to 3200 meters (2 miles), and 7 intervals, each lasting about 60 seconds, than in a period of 12-15 weeks, you ought to be able to run those two miles in no time.

And MOST IMPORTANTLY. WARM up and COOL down each time. And stretching can keep you from being sore the next day, trust me.

Hope that helped a little.

ajarvis · 25-Feb-04, 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Intensity

What pace should I start at? Should I start at 5 mph or is that too slow a pace. I'm interested in cardio as a fat burner as well as a means for my endurance.

Also how many days a week should I be running?

When I started I started at 6 mph, I'm 5'3 and was 163 lbs. So for someone 6'2 5 mph may be a bit slow. It's a bit of trial and error to find the pace that fits you. Start at 6mph if it's too fast/slow adjust. As for how many days, that is up to you and what your body can handle. A good place to start would be 3 days. One at a higher intensity, one longer run than the other days, and one easy run.

eg.
Monday - Long run (whatever that is to you, if it's increasing the walk/run intervals or running and extra mile)
Wednesday - HIIT
Friday - Short easy run (this would be slower, more of a recovery run. say your long run is at 6.0 you might run this one at 5.5 for example.

I'd like to stress listening to your body again. If something is aching (knee, ankle don't push it. Let it rest and recover.

Intensity · 26-Feb-04, 04:45 PM

Is it ok to run when you're sore?

ajarvis · 27-Feb-04, 06:47 AM

It is ok. But you wouldn't want to go all out. It's better to do a nice light easy run on those days. Today I am very sore from my leg workout yesterday so I'll do an easy run on 5.5mph for about 1/2 an hour to 45 minutes. It's shorter than my normal cardio sessions and not as intense.