Tyson Fury isn’t just a supreme boxing talent – he’s also no stranger to the weights room.

After ending his 16-month retirement to beat Arslanbek Makhmudov, before immediately calling out Anthony Joshua, the 37-year-old is now focused on returning to peak condition.

That means most of his time is spent in the ring – sparring and refining technique. But strength training still plays a key role, with twice-weekly gym sessions alongside long-time strength and conditioning coach Kristian Blacklock.

Blacklock keeps things simple but intense, programming full-body sessions built around movements that directly transfer to boxing. The focus is twofold – developing power through explosive lifts, while building strength to make Fury’s punches land harder.

That requires a mix of heavy and light loads. Heavier weights build raw strength, while lighter loads allow Fury to move faster and train the explosiveness needed on fight night.

Landmine presses are a staple.

‘I don’t like to go too heavy on it though, as you need to have a bit of snap,’ Blacklock told the Daily Mail. ‘Sometimes I’ll put 60kg on it, other times 20kg, but ask for more speed. Closer to a fight, I don’t want it heavy – I want it really explosive.’

With Fury throwing up to 50 punches per round, upper-body endurance is just as important as power. Explosive push-ups help build that capacity, while core work remains essential – both for absorbing shots and maintaining stability when throwing punches.

Lower-body strength is just as critical, even if it’s less obvious.

‘Everyone looks at Tyson and doesn’t think he has strong legs. I think it’s because he has such long legs,’ Blacklock says. ‘But he does loads of leg work. His legs are really strong – his quads are big – people just don’t see it.’

His numbers back it up.

‘He can deadlift around 220kg. Proper deadlifts – from the floor, with an Olympic bar. For his length of leg, that’s actually really impressive.’

With much of Fury’s punching power generated from the ground up, he also ‘swears’ by lunge variations. The split stance closely mimics positions in the ring, helping to build strength for both striking and movement.

Trap Bar Deadlift

Position yourself inside the trap bar, with your shins aligned with (or just in front of) the centre of the bar. Push your butt back as far as possible, bend your knees, and reach down to grip the handles. Grip as tightly as possible.

Keep your head in a neutral position, keeping your gazed fixed at something in front of you. Squeeze your shoulder blades to create tension, and turn the pits of your elbows forward, facing out. Make sure your hips are lower than your shoulders, then prepare to initiate the lift. Push your feet through the floor to stand straight up, squeezing your glutes at the top. To finish the rep, push your butt back as far as you can, then bend your knees to set the weight down.

Landmine Press

With your barbell anchored at one end and loaded at the other, lift the loaded end onto your shoulder and step backwards with your leg which is on the same side as the barbell into a reverse lunge. With the opposite foot from the barbell forward, knee high, squeeze your empty hand, contract your glutes and brace your core to create tension through your entire body.

Take a deep breath, filling your torso and push the barbell away from your shoulder explosively, following the natural arc that the barbell will create. Keep your torso upright throughout and resisting any twisting motion. Slowly lower the weight back down to your shoulder under control, but don’t let your shoulder dip, maintain an upright upper body. Repeat for as many reps as prescribed before standing up, switching arms and repeating with the opposite side.

Bulgarian Split Squat

Stand 2-4 feet in front of a bench (depending on your height), facing away. Have one leg resting on the bench behind you, laces down, with your feet in line with your hips. Sink your body down until the knee of your back leg almost touches the floor. The front knee should be at a right angle. Push up through your front foot to return to the start position.

Explosive Push-Up

Get in a press-up position, with your hands shoulder-width apart and back straight. Lower until your chest almost touches the floor then push up explosively, bringing your hands off the floor before going straight into the next press-up.

Squat Jump

Stand tall, core engages and chest lifted. Squat down, keeping your back straight, until your thighs are at least parallel with the floor. Jump upwards explosively as high as you can, let your arms travel slightly behind you. As you descend, continue into your next rep, directly into the squat position ready to repeat.

Ab Wheel Rollout

Start in a standing position, with your feet flat on the ground. Reach down and place your ab roller (or swap in a barbell) on the ground in front of your body, holding both handles. Roll forwards on the wheel, attempting to keep your torso rigid throughout. Fully extend, with your arms outstretched, upper and lower body almost touching the floor and core tight.

Contract the muscles of your trunk and back (and honestly, nearly every muscle in your body), to reverse the movement, rolling the wheel back towards your feet and returning to a standing position.

Ryan is a Senior Writer at Men’s Health UK with a passion for storytelling, health and fitness. Having graduated from Cardiff University in 2020, and later obtaining his NCTJ qualification, Ryan started his career as a Trainee News Writer for sports titles Golf Monthly, Cycling Weekly and Rugby World before progressing to Staff Writer and subsequently Senior Writer with football magazine FourFourTwo.

During his two-and-a-half years there he wrote news stories for the website and features for the magazine, while he also interviewed names such as Les Ferdinand, Ally McCoist, Jamie Redknapp and Antonio Rudiger, among many others. His standout memory, though, came when getting the opportunity to speak to then-Plymouth Argyle manager Steven Schumacher as the club won League One in 2023.

Having grown up a keen footballer and playing for his boyhood side until the age of 16, Ryan got the opportunity to represent Northern Ireland national futsal team eight times, scoring three goals against England, Scotland and Gibraltar. Now past his peak, Ryan prefers to mix weightlifting with running – he achieved a marathon PB of 3:31:49 at Manchester in April 2025, but credits the heat for failing to get below the coveted 3:30 mark…

You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan.dabbs or on X @ryandabbs_