Limerick boxing coach enjoying his role helping to rehab Munster rugby players

THE sport of boxing is known for being one of the most physically demanding sports in the world.

Having to be quick on your feet while also being aware of what your opponent is doing takes an incredible amount of skill and agility for any athlete, but what happens when these skills are used to help players from other sporting backgrounds.

Ken Moore, from St Francis Boxing club, which is the longest running boxing club in Ireland established in 1928, has worked with athletes from all disciplines and most recently Munster Rugby players RG Snyman and Jack O’Donoghue.

Earlier in the year, Ken got a call from the Strength and Conditioning coaches at Munster Rugby enquiring would he help RG Snyman out as he was a long-term injury.

Ken continued by saying “Obviously RG couldn’t do all the running work out on the pitch so they wanted something different for him. We had two stints of it as he had a recurrence while rehabbing but he thoroughly enjoyed it and it was fantastic to work with an athlete of his stature”.

It can be very easy for athletes to be pigeonholed into a sport from a young age and Ken believes that trying a sport completely different to their own helps immensely.

Boxing is estimated to be 70-80% anaerobic and 20-30% aerobic with athletes requiring to sustain power at a high percentage of VO2 max, making it incredibly difficult on the body.

Ken said “I think boxing helps athletes from other sports because it is so different to what they are used to. The anaerobic levels are huge in boxing so they get a fantastic workout, one that they might not be used to as its sports specific. If you are doing the same thing in the same sport for so long it’s nice to do something different as it’s a new learning experience while also being enjoyable.”

With such high profile athletes coming to Ken for help with their pre-season or rehab it can be difficult to fit everything in but he said his priority is the boxing club.

“The club itself has 70 members with two Irish champions already this year and we are not finished yet. Champions or not, we have so many kids training and learning new skills whether they make it or not, which is the most important thing.”