EXCLUSIVE: Derek Chisora uses Pilates to improve his 'punching power'

EXCLUSIVE: Derek Chisora’s secret to success! The heavyweight explains how he’s been doing Pilates to improve his ‘breathing’ and ‘punching power’ ahead of Tyson Fury showdown… with his coach revealing the details of 30 minute sessions after sparring

  • Derek Chisora has been taking part in 30 minute Pilates sessions after sparring
  • They are said to have helped improve Chisora’s ‘breathing’ and ‘punching power’ 
  • Chisora, 38, has said he is feeling ‘freer’ than ever in his ‘upper body’ as a result
  • Chisora will return to the ring on Saturday night to face Tyson Fury at Tottenham 

Derek Chisora has been taking part in regular Pilates sessions to help improve his ‘breathing’ and ‘punching power’ ahead of his heavyweight showdown with Tyson Fury.

The British duo – who have shared the ring on two prior occasions – will square off again at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 3 in a bout that has drawn plenty of criticism.

Chisora is looking to dethrone Fury as the WBC champion on Saturday night and claim his 30 minute Pilates sessions will be the secret to his success as he is feeling ‘freer’ than ever in his ‘upper body’.  

Derek Chisora has been taking part in Pilates sessions to help improve his ‘breathing’ and ‘punching power’ ahead of clash with WBC champion Tyson Fury

The British duo – who have shared the ring on two prior occasions – will square off again at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on December 3 in a bout that has drawn plenty of criticism

Chisora says his Pilates sessions have helped with mobility, breathing and recovery. He told Sportsmail via Exhale Pilates London: ‘Doing Pilates twice per week has helped with my breathing as well as feeling freer in my upper body, especially after sparring. It’s also great for my recovery’.

Chisora’s trainer Don Charles also shared his thoughts on the 38-year-old’s unique training method. He said: ‘As part of Derek’s fight and recovery programme, we’re currently working with Exhale Pilates London. 

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‘We’ve seen massive improvement with both his punching power and overall performance in preparation for his big fight, all thanks to Pilates.’

Sportsmail spoke to Gaby Noble – who is Chisora’s Pilates teacher and the founder of Exhale Pilates London – exclusively to discuss the heavyweight’s training regime in more detail. 

Noble has revealed how Chisora would attend two Pilates sessions per week as a part of his recovery programme. She said his sessions last no more than 30 minutes and that they would take place immediately after his sparring sessions. 

She also explained how they would work on breathing exercises, movements to calm his central nervous system down and ways to release tension in his shoulders, arms and hips. 

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Noble exclusively told Sportsmail: ‘Derek has incorporated two Pilates sessions with me per week for the past eight weeks as part of his recovery programme. 

‘His sessions are no more than 30 minutes and they come straight after sparring. We predominantly work on breathing exercises, movements to calm his central nervous system down, and releasing tension in his shoulder girdle, arms and hips to reverse the signs of the continuous impact from being in the ring.’ 

When asked whether the Pilates sessions would give the 38-year-old an advantage over Fury, Noble said: ‘Chisora has a gruelling training regime so it’s important that if you train super hard, you must recover super hard too, and this is where his Pilates programme helps. 

‘Breathing exercises help muscles to recover and boost his stamina by increasing his lung capacity. Lengthening muscles in his arms from a strong core can also give him a longer and more connected reach. Let’s hope we can see the results on Saturday!’.

Gaby Noble – who is the founder of Exhale Pilates London – has been working with Chisora


Noble has revealed how Chisora would attend two Pilates sessions per week as a part of his recovery programme. She also said they would take place after his sparring session 

Noble went on to add: ‘Pilates gives the tools for a stronger foot to hand connection as Pilates teaches you how to use your whole body. It also helps with balance and control. 

‘A bit of history that few people know is that the main man Joseph Pilates was a professional boxer himself, so a lot of the exercises and apparatus he created was with boxers in mind. I.e. the Breath-A-Cizer and the sand bag.’ 

Noble is on a mission to recreate the original work of Joseph Pilates. His work combined a sequence of exercises that were designed to create strength and flexibility throughout the body and correct imbalances.

Noble uses a range of classical Pilates apparatus when training the likes of Chisora. Those include wunda chairs, pedi-poles, cadillacs and the well-known reformer.

Noble’s has previously worked with Brandon Lewis, Dennis Ballazhi and Jordan Thompson. 




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