Acute and Chronic Effects of Muscle Strength Training on Physical Fitness in Boxers: A Scoping Review

Abstract

The aim of this scoping review was to compile the current evidence and provide a summary of the acute and chronic effects of muscle strength training on the physical fitness of amateur boxers and provide recommendations to optimize their physical performance. This scoping review was developed using guidance from the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR. The search was conducted in the Scopus, PubMed and Web of Science databases between December 2023 and June 2024. In total, 50 full-text articles were assessed to determine eligibility, while 15 studies met the inclusion criteria and were subjected to detailed analysis and assessment of their methodological quality. Our findings indicate that muscular strength training interventions can improve punching performance in amateur boxers acutely and chronically, in addition to improving their physical fitness and generating increases in the capacity to generate maximum force and improvements in RFD and the power production of the upper and lower limbs of boxers. However, this scoping review only included one study in female boxers, so we recommend that future studies contain muscular strength training interventions in females to analyze their adaptations in punching force and physical fitness.

Keywords

• boxing
• combat sports
• muscle strength
• post-activation performance enhancement