Do you know that boxers and bodybuilders have a few things in common like strength, endurance, and coordination?
But you did assume that they both have the same body physique.
Well, I may say that your assumptions are not right.
Both are two different sports. Bodybuilders cannot become boxers because they have stiff muscles, making it hard to give a punch.
They focus on improving their maximal strength, whereas boxers focus on reactive strength and explosive strength. Also, bodybuilders and boxers train for different performance goals to attain a target.
So if you are curious to learn how boxer physique and bodybuilder differ, continue reading this blog. I bet you will get a better understanding of why both are different.
What Makes The Boxer’s Physique Different From Bodybuilder’s Physique?
Competition
Bodybuilders give more importance to aesthetics, and it is defined as a cosmetic sport. Weight training and athletic conditioning are done to get a specific body composition. So they don’t do anything to improve performance.
Meanwhile, boxers train for a fight. They need to be fit. So they focus on improving skills and performance to beat their opponents in functional. So while training boxers do get in shape, however, improving their physical aspects is not the primary goal; rather, winning the game matters.
Muscle mass
Bodybuilders mainly focus on increasing muscle mass. This is because they must have the mandatory muscles, and competitors judge them based on the size and symmetry of their bodies.
So to do this, they lift heavy loads to build large symmetrical muscles. They don’t consider the functionality but focus on aesthetic presentation.
Meanwhile, boxers build muscle through high repetitions and low loads and focus on explosive strength. Also, boxers must possess lean muscles to carry out both offensive and defensive boxing tactics.
Cardiovascular Conditioning
Cardiovascular conditions improve the overall circulation, strengthen your heart and lungs, and build endurance and strength for the heart muscle.
Cardiovascular conditioning works in favor of boxing. Boxers have to practice many boxing drills like heavy bags, sparring, circuit training, and jumping ropes to survive a competitive match. So these drills help build muscular endurance and overall fitness.
Boxers lift weights but not like a traditional bodybuilder. They do it to improve their punching ability and power output while also building resistance and protecting themselves from injury.
Meanwhile, for bodybuilders, this conditioning reduces body fat and makes the muscle more visible, which doesn’t favor aesthetics, which they focus on. So bodybuilders reduce the running or similar exercises to reduce the risk of losing muscle.
Weight Management
If you have read the above points, it is evident that weight management is more crucial for bodybuilders than boxers. Though both sports compete in competitions in terms of weight, the reasons differ.
Let me state why.
Boxers fight based on weight classes to ensure a fair fight and prevent serious injury. A 45Kgs boxer can’t fight with a 75Kgs opponent. It won’t be fair.
Also, boxers focus on cutting weight and entering a lower division.
Here bodybuilders aim to gain more muscles to improve body aesthetics.
Despite this, proper nutrition is vital in both sports. Bodybuilders intake extra calories to support muscle growth, whereas boxers limit their food to maintain average body weight.
Final Words
I would like to conclude that boxing and bodybuilding are two different sports but with a few common things in terms of practice. However, both have different performance goals and work towards achieving them.
In simple words, boxing involves tackling the opponent, whereas bodybuilders focus on improving their body aesthetics. I hope now you understand the Boxer Physique Vs Bodybuilder topic clearly. Thanks for scrolling through.