Anthony Joshua is one of the world’s best heavyweight boxers holding the IBF, IBO and WBA heavyweight titles and also having won gold at the 2012 Olympics in London.
Joshua trains really hard to stay on top and sacrifices a lot to make sure his diet and training are on point. He does hire some of the best coaches, trainers and nutritionists in the world. However you can still emulate his training routine and diet plan. He is a very explosive and exciting boxer having knocked out all of his opponents faced so far.
In this article we will detail what Anthony Joshua’s training is like and what his diet is like.
Mindset
Before even starting any training routine or beginning a diet plan it is vital you get your mindset right. This will help you cope with expectations and get your head right for training.
When it comes to training Anthony Joshua is extremely disciplined and dedicated. If you want to get stronger and become a better boxer then you need to have the same discipline and dedication that he has. Anthony Joshua is extremely dedicated and disciplined because he has a goal and vision in mind. He knows what he wants to achieve and he will do what it takes to accomplish that goal.
You need to set out your goals and make sure they are important enough to you that you want to accomplish them. Set out your priorities on what you really want. Write them down with an actual deadline but make sure that your goals are realistic. If you have a deadline it makes the goal much more urgent so you will work harder to achieve the goal.
Anthony Joshua Training Routine
Anthony Joshua uses mostly bodyweight resistance training mixed with compound weight training like the deadlift, squat and clean and press. These compound movements target a number of joints including the muscles that Joshua needs strengthening like his legs, back and shoulders. He also adds in the more traditional boxing training like heavybag or speedbag training.
The clean and press works a multitude of muscles and is a full body exercise. It works the legs, back and shoulders. This is a great exercise for boxers and will definitely help you to get stronger.
The trap deadlift is another exercise that is a full body exercise and is very powerful. It works a number of muscles as well and can be very effective. Full body exercises are the best for building strength in the whole body and building explosiveness.
As you can see from the above video, Anthony Joshua works damn hard. This is only a fraction of his training. But you can see he works a lot on his agility and strength. He mixes his training up by doing boxing training, bodyweight resistance training, cardio while also playing sports.
Training regime
Morning: Cardio work involving either sprints, running, bike work, or swimming.
Afternoon: Strength and conditioning.
Evening: Sparring and boxing training in the boxing gym
Diet and Nutrition
Anthony Joshua does eat a lot of food during the day. In total it all adds up to a whopping 4,500 calories. For the average person to eat that it would take them ages to burn that off. But Joshua is an exception due to being 6″6 and weighing at around 17 stones. Also his training is very demanding and he trains numerous times a day so naturally he burns the calories off. He can train up to 30 hours a week leading up to a fight.
You really don’t need that many calories a day unless you train a lot. He eats that much because he needs to refuel himself and keep his energy up.
Diet
Breakfast: Two slices of wholemeal bread, one banana, five raw eggs, one pot of Greek yoghurt and one serving of apple juice.
Lunch: Two fillets of raw salmon, two baked potatoes (skin removed), bean salad and water.
Afternoon snack: Greek yoghurt, fruit salad and muesli.
Dinner: Chicken (no skin), white pitta bread, mashed potatoes with butter, mixed vegetables, orange juice.
Diet supplemented by regular energy drinks and water for hydration.
Total calories: 4,500
As you can see from his diet it consists of a lot of protein with the eggs, salmon and chicken. He needs that for muscle growth maximise his potential. Protein promotes muscle growth and it is vital for any boxer or athlete to consume. He aims for 1 gram of protein per pound of weight. So daily he would consume over 200 grams of protein.
He also includes plenty of carbohydrates in his diet such as potatoes to refuel himself and for additional energy throughout the day.
Also included in his diet are fruits and vegetables with give him vitamins, minerals and potassium.
Joshua says himself he doesn’t strictly follow the diet to a tee and does have the odd occasion where he enjoys a meal at Nandos. But he makes sure he eats enough protein and carbohydrates on a daily basis.
His diet is made by world class nutritionists but there is no reason why you cannot emulate his diet. It is best to include protein from meat and fish. However if you don’t eat meat there are still alternatives you can eat to get your protein intake. You can eat quorn and tofu – which are great meat alternatives and also high in protein.
Aim to get 1 gram of protein per kg of bodyweight.
Another thing you’ll notice with Anthony Joshua’s diet is that he doesn’t include any sugary soda drinks. He drinks only fruit juices and water as they provide energy and the fruit juices provide added fiber and vitamins.
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