Are 'punchers' born or made?
Everybody likes a puncher, don't they? The sort of guy who can take out an opponent with one punch? However, not every fighter is blessed with concussive punching power.
Teddy Atlas has often stated that punchers are born not made. If punchers are born then what exactly is a fighter born with that gives him the power to turn his opponents lights out? I discussed this question with Dr Charlie Simpson, a senior lecturer in Exercise and Sports Science at Oxford Brookes University.
Before we delve into the science of power punching let's have a look at some of the biggest punchers in boxing history. A boxers knockout percentage is a good indicator of punching power, although I will only count boxers who have fought at a high level. There will be a lot of fighters out there with 100% knockout records who have only had a couple of fights against low standard opposition.
Edwin Valero (pictured) is the only fighter to have had an 100% knockout record and held a world title. 27 knockouts out of 27 fights including 19 in the first round would indicate impressive punching power. Valero was not a one punch knockout artist but instead overwhelmed his opponents with clusters of solid blows. This is highlighted by the fact that 21 of his stoppages were TKO's as opposed to clean knockouts. (Ed. writes - there is an anomaly with 'TKO' wins though. For example, if a boxer is basically knocked out before he hits the deck and the referee rightly dispenses with the count - - it is classed as a TKO rather than a KO. This is something which should be addressed in record keeping.)
Heavyweight Vitali Klitschko has the best knockout to fight ratio in heavyweight boxing history with 88%. If you discount his loss to Chris Byrd due to a shoulder injury and the cuts stoppage to Lennox Lewis his KO percentage comes in at 92%. The opposition has been decent but not exceptional; no fault of Vitali's of course.
Rocky Marciano has one of the highest career knockout percentages of any boxer with 87%. There is no doubt Marciano was a ferocious puncher although his record is a tad padded. He fought two legends at the end of their careers, retiring both Joe Louis and Jersey Joe Walcott. In his 32nd fight he disposed of 8-8-1 Keene Simmons in eight rounds, his next three opponents all had losing records. In his 36th fight he was the underdog against Rex Layne. A solid Marciano right hand to the temple knocked Layne out in the sixth.
Fast Twitch Muscles - News
When they engineered mice to lack that protein, all the muscle in their body converted any fast twitch muscle (which is more powerful, but fatigues quicker) to slow twitch muscle fiber, which provided endurance gains. But these behavioral quirks
With sustained training, it is possible to shift to more fast twitch or slow twitch but the changes are relatively minor". So regarding muscle fibres, a fighter born with a higher percentage of fast twitch muscle fibres is better suited to power
He is all confidence, swagger and fast-twitch muscle on the field. As much as soccer was an outlet for the turmoil that swirled around him, it also is a showcase for his unending joy and thankfulness. It's how he expresses himself, like with the
The depth of his interest in fitness became apparent when he started to talk about the difference between slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. Fast-twitch fibers are the ones that generate massive power and are used in feats of strength.
Georgia said decathletes use explosive muscles, strength muscles and fast-twitch muscles in their events. "They are pretty impressive," he said of the wide amount of skills required. "He gets the bonus that he can hurdle," said Georgia.
Fast Twitch & Slow Twitch Muscle Fibres | NORTH BEACH ATHLETICS
What Are Fast Twitch & Slow Twitch Muscle FibresEach type of athlete usually has a predominant muscle fibre type, that being the type that best suits their sport. Bodies are composed of many different groups of muscles. Each individual has a unique muscle tissue composition. The Three Different Types Of Muscle Fibres are Type I fibres, Type IIa fibres and Type IIb fibres. These fibre types can also be classified by their contractile and metabolic properties, thus dividing them into slow and fast twitch fibres.
Type I: Slow Twitch Muscle Fibres – These are slow to contract, and can sustain muscular contractions for an extended period of time. This factor makes them ideal for endurance exercise. Physically, these fibres are red in appearance, due to their iron containing cytochromes, Endurance athletes often possess up to 90% slow twitch fibres. Type IIa: Fast Twitch Muscle Fibres – Fast twitch fibres generate an explosive burst of power for a short period of time. This makes them most suitable to stop and go activities such as weightlifting. Type IIa fibres are in the middle of the muscle fibre spectrum, as they are less fatigue resistant, produce more muscular force, and contract at a faster speed than slow twitch fibres. Type IIb: Fast Twitch Muscle Fibres – These are the most fatigable out of all the fibres but also generate the most power and force, and therefore are the fastest twitch muscle fibres. These types of fibres are recruited in activities that require an all out burst of power and only act for an extremely short period of time. They are also the last to be recruited. During normal activities, slow twitch fibres are recruited first, then type IIa when the type I is no longer sufficient, and finally the type IIb type is recruited for maximal strength. Difference Between Fast & Slow Twitch FibresIn regards to physical appearance, type IIa are pink in colour, have an intermediate diameter, capillary level and mitochondria volume. The type IIb fibres are white, have the largest diameter and have a low capillary and mitochondrial volume. Most strength athletes possess a higher percent of fast twitch fibres. Fast twitch fibres are not resistant to fatigue because they rely on anaerobic glycolysis to produce ATP, whereby lactic acid accumulates and a acidosis occurs bringing about muscle fatigue.
@ On second thought, give me Rondo at CB. 6'1" 175lbs with huge hands, great speed, and great fast twitch muscles & very good hips!
I think we have a good example of fast-twitch and slow-twitch muscles, which is perfectly represented by Mark Cavendish and Andy Schleck.
Plyometrics are great for strengthening fast twitch muscles, also an incredible enhancement to your cardio!
Get on that treadmill, go 12.5 miles/hr for 15-20sec increments. This will get your fast twitch muscles right.
Just thought bout how our generations fast-twitch/reflex muscles in our hands r prob so much better than our parents'. See texting isnt bad!Fast Twitch Muscles - Bookshelf
Maximum Muscle, Minimum Fat, The Secret Science Behind Physical Transformation
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Fast and Slow Twitch Muscle Fibers
Fast and slow twitch muscle fibers (or Type I and Type II fiber types) may determine what sports athletes excel at or how they respond to training. ...
Fast Twitch Muscle | LIVESTRONG.COM
Some muscles do not need to be as precise, but need to provide raw power and greater force. These latter muscle fibers are called fast-twitch muscle fibers. ...
fast-twitch muscles
Fast-twitch muscles - Increase your strength speed and stamina for free at the amazing new Peak Performance sports science Library
Muscle - Wikipedia
Hyperlinked overview of the contractile form of tissue with information on types, diseases, control, and online resources.
Fast Twitch Muscles | LIVESTRONG.COM
Fast Twitch Muscles. When we ask a bodybuilder to make a muscle, few of us realize just how much is going on underneath the skin. Muscles are made up of bundles of ...