A large part of the training camp, of course, takes place in the gym, between sparring sessions and technical work with his coaches, but physical preparation also plays a major role. Take a look at Christian Mbilli and you’ll see what I mean.
“One thing that sets him apart from other athletes is his willingness to work through discomfort. When people get tired or give up, Christian always finds a way to motivate himself, push a little further and maintain the pace,” Philippe Gougeon, Christian Mbilli’s strength and conditioning coach, told us.
According to him, that could make all the difference during his fights. He is obviously facing an opponent, but deep down, his motivation to push himself and perform better also plays an important role.
Photo: Virginie Assaly – Christian Mbilli
But what sets him apart from many athletes is his remarkable cardiovascular capacity, which is combined with exceptional physical strength, according to his strength and conditioning coach.
“Usually, it’s one or the other. Sometimes neither one is particularly strong, but Christian has a good combination of both,” he says.
That is precisely what allows him not only to put so much pressure on his opponents, but also to really hurt them.
Competition as Fuel
“This morning was one of the big training sessions of camp because Christian is going to start his 10- and 12-round sparring sessions next week, so we’re trying to get his big workouts in before that so we don’t tire him out. But this morning, he and Jhon Orobio were really competing against each other. They were teasing each other a little, and they always want to beat each other, for example in sprints. This morning, Jhon said he was going to beat Christian, but every time, Christian responded by holding his own and beating him,” Philippe Gougeon adds.
Photo: Vitor Munhoz – Christian Mbilli and Jhon Orobio
We already knew that Christian hated coming in second, and his training partners pay the price, at least according to what his strength and conditioning coach suggests.
He even says that Christian performs better when faced with adversity.
“The other day, Christian was on his eighth sprint repetition. He looked exhausted, but he set a personal speed record,” he shares.
And according to Philippe Gougeon, Christian is fully aware of the importance of his physical conditioning and the impact it will have on his boxing performances.
The French boxer recognizes the value of lifting heavy loads at high speed, doing repeated sprints and training in difficult conditions.
Photo: Philippe Gougeon – Philippe Gougeon and Christian Mbilli
A Champion’s Mindset
“And it’s really an advantage to work with a guy like that, because when fight night comes, we already know that regardless of the outcome, it will never be a question of whether he didn’t try,” Philippe Gougeon believes.
While it’s true that a poor performance can sometimes be explained by a lack of commitment in training, that is something that has never been held against the Montreal-based boxer.
It’s kind of like a coach’s dream. Christian always does everything he needs to do to put the odds in his favor, according to his strength and conditioning coach.
“For Christian, once the work is done, he tells himself that we’re definitely going to win. He goes in because he sees himself winning, and that’s a quality that great athletes have. No matter who he faces, he has an ego that pushes him to believe that he’ll be able to do it,” he adds.
But an athlete who doesn’t start with that mindset is an athlete who starts with two strikes against him, Philippe Gougeon believes.
Photo: Virginie Assaly – Philippe Gougeon, Marc Ramsay, Christian Mbilli and Luc Vincent Ouellet
