Women Weaken Legs? Olympic Medalist Dismantles Iconic Scene From Sylvester Stallone’s ‘Rocky’

He is a working-class man trying to strike a balance between his hands-to-mouth existence and aspirations to make it big in boxing. Getting up early, when half the world is still in bed, he pushes himself through the street, often with bricks in his hands. As the sequence rolls, fans of ‘Rocky’ get to hear Bill Conti’s Gonna Fly Now in the background. There’s not a man worth one’s salt denying doubling up the reps in the gym as Sylvester Stallone climbs up the stairs of the Philadelphia Museum of Arts.

Reportedly, gym attendance across the globe quadrupled after the movie’s release. The story remains cliched, an underdog chasing his dreams, razing an established world champion to the ground. However, the lion’s share of its popularity is attributed to the training montage. Rocky’s training program has been the subject of many discussions and reviews.

However, a few critical aspects, often points of heated debates, received a very systematic and exhaustive overview from an expert whose credentials speak for themselves.

Tony Jeffries reviews boxing’s most influential film

Thirty-seven-year-old Tony Jeffries took up gloves at ten. The six feet and two inches tall Englishman from Sunderland won nine national titles and represented his country in fifty-six fights. Overall, he fought one hundred and six times, out of which ninety-six were amateur bouts and the remaining, professional. In 2008, during the Beijing Olympics, he won the bronze medal. The following year, he embarked upon a professional career. However, he had to discontinue three years later because of frequent hand injuries and treatments and a string of failed surgeries and treatments. Jefferies owns and runs the Box ‘N Burn boxing gym in Santa Monica, California, along with Kevan Watson.

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Tony Jeffries analyses Rocky’s preparatory steps to determine if they are legitimate and if real boxers can use them. Per Jaffa, most of the movie’s training techniques come across as plausible and practical. But others, like punching animal carcasses, could be harmful.

Takeaways from Rocky’s rigorous workouts

Halfway through the clip, viewers revisit the sequence where Rocky Balboa’s coach Micky Goldmill shoo two young girls seeking the former’s autograph, shouting, “…women weaken legs.” Now proudly boasting more than a million subscribers, Tony raised the knotty subject of women’s presence during the training phase. 

The former Olympian explained what is unmistakably a matter of discipline. He said, “Women weaken legs nor s*x before a fight; this is something that’s been around boxing forever but I don’t think there’s actually any science behind it, what I think is behind it is more of the discipline…”

He admitted to having fallen for the age-old notion. But, Jefferies clarifies that often it kept a boxer retaining all the focus needed for an upcoming fight. Further, as the video progressed, he explained the benefits of cardio-based exercises, such as running and climbing stairs as Rocky Balboa did.

It has never been the critics’ favorite. But, as far as influence goes, no other movie on sports has had a far-reaching impact on athletes than Rocky. Moreover, it has left an enduring mark on generations of movie-goers. It shares the trademarks of any cinematic classic. Focus on believing in oneself and triumphing over one’s demons.

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