Two of Scotland’s top boxers are acting as guinea pigs for a team of Abertay University researchers.
World champions Hannah Rankin and Dean Sutherland are working with a top team of scientists to improve their traditional training regimes.
The research is exploring, for the first time, the impacts that pad work, bag work and sparring can have on boxers’ bodies.
Led by PhD researcher Andrew Usher, the studies will use Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIR) as a non-invasive way of measuring muscle oxygenation levels whilst athletes undertake commonly applied training methods.
Hannah has also undergone Windgate Testing which uses a special bike to measure anaerobic power and has had her movement analysed using Abertay’s newly installed motion capture camera rig, recording in high definition around 360 degrees.
World Boxing Association and International Boxing Organisation double-title holder, Hannah. will defend her belts against Mexico's Alejandra Ayala on 13 May at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow.
She has been delighted with the progress she’s made.
She said: “It’s rare to be able to access this type of top tier lab analysis in women’s boxing, so it’s been a real boost to work with Andrew and the Abertay University team.
“At the level I’m competing at now, any edge I can gain in my training is going to have a positive benefit in the ring, so to have the opportunity to do this kind of analysis work is really worthwhile and plays an important part in my preparations.”
While World Boxing Council silver title holder, Dean, added: “Getting into the lab gives me time and space to take a real, in-depth look at my performance and a data set that can help me drive improvements.
“I take anything that can advance boxing training techniques as a positive and being part of this study has given me a fresh perspective on some of the things I had been taking for granted over the years.”
Andrew Usher, who’s leading the research team, said: “Having access to two elite boxers for this work has been fantastic and I’m delighted that we’ve been able to enhance their training and performance, while also gathering the data we need for the studies.
“For generations, boxers have trained using the same tried and tested techniques, and while there’s no doubt that these are successful and will continue to be used, we want to better understand if there are ways to improve them, or the frequency of their use, by analysing the impact they are having on our professionals.
“Having access to Abertay University’s facilities and the support of their academic team has been crucial to our project and we are already seeing the benefits of working collaboratively in this way.”
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