| Muhammad Ali is recognized as one of the greatest | | | | characterized by his ability to maintain the three above |
| boxers of all time. This is worthy tag given Ali's | | | | listed attributes over a long period of time during the |
| achievements inside the ring being a four- time | | | | course of a fight, making them even more significant. |
| universally recognized Heavyweight Champion of the | | | | But after his three year forced layoff due to rejecting |
| World. But Ali's eventual popularity was gained primarily | | | | drafting into the United States Military to fight in the |
| for his accomplishments outside of the ring; coming | | | | Vietnam War - and the subsequent legal proceedings, |
| from a minority and demonstrating an individualism and | | | | it was Ali's resilience in absorbing punishment from his |
| self-belief which was unprecedented. Ali transcended | | | | opponent which stood him apart. For good or bad, it |
| sport in the same way of a Michael Jordan, or a Tiger | | | | was this endurance that allowed Ali to still implement |
| Woods. | | | | the great speed and coordination he still showed, even |
| However, given Ali's overall portrait of a person, one | | | | in stationary positions and after receiving such |
| must not forget what a great athlete this man was. I | | | | punishing blows from his opponents. The classic |
| personally have never seen a natural heavyweight | | | | example of this was his bout against the feared |
| with the athletic capabilities that a prime Ali possessed. | | | | George Foreman, labeled as the Rumble in the Jungle, |
| Roy Jones Jr may have had superman athletic abilities | | | | taking place in Zaire, Africa. Ali surprised all by laying on |
| at heavyweight; however he was undersized and | | | | the ropes against the power punching and much larger |
| coming from an initial natural weight of 160lb | | | | reigning champion Foreman. Fighting in sweltering heat |
| (middleweight). It has been said many times that Ali | | | | Ali wore out Foreman who was unable to stop Ali, |
| possessed the power and size of a heavyweight, with | | | | despite a large overall punch volume. In the eighth |
| the speed, movement and agility of a lightweight. What | | | | round Ali was able to come back and eventually |
| a sight it was. When taking a look at a prime | | | | display a smooth and beautifully coordinated |
| Muhammad Ali one can pencil in his four main athletic | | | | combination of punches which dropped Foreman to |
| attributes as being agility, speed, coordination, | | | | the canvas. Foreman was counted out, and Ali - |
| endurance and power. | | | | thanks to his great endurance - was able to reclaim |
| Agility | | | | the title. |
| Ali possessed a valuable asset for a heavyweight in | | | | Power |
| the ability to avoid punches by keeping a comfortable | | | | Ali's power was generated through a combination of |
| range from his opponent. This was done in the form of | | | | speed, coordination and strength. Ali was trained by |
| lateral and in and out movement, with changes in | | | | legendary trainer Angelo Dundee, and was heavily |
| direction within a split second. Ali was also able to | | | | influenced early in his career by Sugar Ray Robinson, |
| move remarkably well for a man his size from the | | | | consequently Ali was an exponent of what we now |
| waist, bobbing a weaving away from punches. With | | | | term as old school training; long early morning runs, high |
| large men trying to chase him down, many times Ali | | | | volume of sparring, heavy bag work and body weight |
| was able to wear his opponent down from the mere | | | | exercises. We now know through modern science |
| hunt. Additionally, much of Ali's reaction time - an | | | | that neural and therefore muscle strength is gained by |
| important athletic quality - was made possible due to | | | | lifting a progressively overloaded weight (changing |
| his great agility. | | | | frequency, intensity, time or type) with compound or |
| Speed | | | | multi-joint movements in the repetition range of 1 to 6 |
| Undoubtedly Ali's most recognizable attribute was his | | | | at moderate to slow speed with breaks between sets |
| hand and foot speed. Given Ali's ethnic background as | | | | of up to five minutes. This training structure allows for |
| a black African American he had a genetic | | | | the body to make adaptations in the increased |
| pre-disposition towards fast twitch muscle fibers; | | | | efficiency of fast twitch muscle fiber recruitment. Ali |
| therefore giving him the ability to create tremendous | | | | completed none of this style of weight training, and the |
| hand and foot speed. Given that Ali was a | | | | body weight exercises he would have completed |
| heavyweight, a man who weighted over 200 pounds, it | | | | would have achieved nothing more than increased |
| was of significant advantage to have such speed | | | | muscular endurance - despite at the time popular belief. |
| against the much slower opponents. Additionally, it | | | | It could be stated that Ali's strength was primarily |
| must be noted that Ali's hand speed was both in the | | | | genetic, however I believe that much of his strength - |
| form of the sniper like one to three punch | | | | and therefore power - was gained from using the |
| combinations, as well as the nonstop punching of a | | | | heavy bag. Utilizing the heavy bag is not seen as an |
| sustained attack. Ali's hand speed was the combination | | | | efficient way to increase strength in modern training; |
| of a Roy Jones Jr meets Jeff Fenech. | | | | however I believe that Ali is a classic example of the |
| Coordination | | | | strength and power - not to mention chiseled physique- |
| An asset often over looked in many sports is | | | | that working the heavy bag can achieve. |
| coordination; the ability to process movements with a | | | | Muhammad Ali can be considered one of the greatest |
| signal coming from the brain which is then sent to the | | | | athletes across all sporting genre in modern history. His |
| skeletal muscles to create the required movement. | | | | achievements inside the ring undoubtedly characterize |
| Coordination is the symmetry of movement. | | | | this, especially a three year lay-off in the middle of his |
| Recognized by golfers - although labeled as touch and | | | | career which could have been seen as his best years |
| feel- coordination is often what sets apart elite athletes | | | | as an athlete. |
| from the 'also rans', especially boxers. Ali had | | | | I personally consider Ali to be a benchmark of what |
| tremendous coordination. He could be mistaken as a | | | | makes a supreme athlete. His athletic attributes lay the |
| competition dancer in the ring, with movement seemly | | | | platform for athletes and coaches - across all sports - |
| scripted. This great neural efficiency made all the | | | | to design and implement programs which create |
| necessary required movement easy for Ali to attain | | | | superior sporting performance. Additionally, these same |
| victory on many occasions. | | | | athletic qualities can be applied to fitness enthusiast |
| Endurance | | | | seeking weight-loss and improved general conditioning. |
| At the start of Ali's career his great endurance was | | | | |