Ny, Maunsell Training On Lydiard Method

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30880, 13 October 1965, Page 21

Ny, Maunsell Training On Lydiard Method

[By Our Boxing Reporter] Laurie Ny and Brian Maunsell are the first professional boxers in New Zealand to use the Lydiard system of training to get fit for fighting.

They are both fitter than they have ever been for their contests against the Australians, Lionel Rose and Brian Larsen, at Canterbury Court tomorrow night.

Boxers traditionally do road running as part of their training, but Ny and Maunsell

have applied the system advocated by Mr A. L. Lydiard (trainer of P. G. Snell, M. G. Halberg and W. D. Baillie) and described as the “creation of stamina as the basis of speed.” Applying this theory to boxing, Ny and Maunsell have made road running a regular feature of their programme in the preliminary stages of training as a basis for sharpening up with faster running and skipping as the fight has drawn nearer. “Once a man has learned to box, the business of winning a fight is 75 per cent fitness,” said Mr Martin Maunsell, trainer of both boxers. Seven Days A Week Both Maunsell and Ny train seven days a week. For Maunsell, the routine of running has been of double value. As well as making him fitter, it has enabled him to get down from light welterweight to light-weight (9st 91b) —a weight at which he will be a most formidable opponent in his coming bout against Manoel Santos (Auckland) for the vacant New Zealand light-weight title. Maunsell, too, has held a New Zealand championship in Irish national dancing—a

factor contributing to his fast footwork in the ring. “I have based my fitness training on running,” said Ny. He has often gone for runs after his daily session of gym work, as well as sharpening-up with repetition sprints over three miles before breakfast each day. No Sign of Tiredness

The effect of this running has been evident in the last few weeks in their gym work. Neither Maunsell nor Ny has shown any signs of tiredness after a full hour of punching the heavy bag, skipping and sparring.

They have skipped against the clock and steadily reduced the time taken to complete a set series of exercises—to get speed after acquiring stamina. The crashing force and explosive impact of both boxers’ punches has been seemingly undiminished after prolonged sessions in the gym.