Sparring Is The Best Training Tool

You run, lift, hit the back, swing the kettle bells, flip the tire, etc. What will get you most prepared for your sport? How about drilling your technique 1000 times or shadow boxing for an hour? All of these are good to do and the supplement what you do, but your training must be specific to what you do. A basketball player does not practice with a soccer ball. He doesn't shadow shoot. He uses the right equipment and most of his practice is through scrimmage games. I've seen world class boxers who looked horrible hitting the speed bag, but once the got in the ring hit somebody in the body, WOW. You have to spar to get better at your sport. I can lift more weights than some of the guys I do judo with, but their functional strength in judo makes me feel like an ape just grabbed me. One of the hardest punches I received was from a guy who weight 125lbs.