You love boxing, you always have and now that it has become a popular form of working out, you have probably asked yourself several times “does boxing training burn fat?”. The quick answer is that yes, it does, but keep reading because we are sure that you want to know why.
One of the reasons why boxing can help you eliminate the excess fat in the body is because it works both the anaerobic and the cardiovascular system during training which causes you to burn a lot of calories in a short period of time.
This sport is not only about punching a bag or someone else, but during practice you do all sorts of exercises, including skipping, running, weights, squats, push-ups, sit-ups and more. You receive a complete body work out when you are boxing, and if you have not exercised for a while, you will feel sore and fatigued after a boxing session, meaning that you used your muscles in a positive way.
EMF Health Clubs say on their website that in as little as four weeks you can begin to see results in your body, which is a very short period of time! On top of this, you will also be relieving stress and anxiety, especially after punching the bag.
How many calories can you burn in boxing?
According to the aforementioned website, if you work intensively in boxing you can burn from 500 to 600 calories in an hour-long session. Additionally, you will be building muscle mass, which also helps burn fat.
“When you are hitting the punching bag, you are actually performing resistance training. When you create muscle, your metabolic rate increases, which in turn burns calories after the workout”, you can read in EMF Health Club’s article.
Why use boxing training to lose fat?
Boxing is an excellent way to lose fat because you can get so much out of it. Especially for those that get bored in the traditional gym or hate running or taking walks, this sport is an unconventional option to lose fat and get fit. You may want to read some more about boxing and fitness on this post that we published a few weeks ago.
Every day, people love to try new things for working out and many have found in martial arts and boxing the perfect way to get and stay in shape. You will not only exercise your body, but you can also have fun and learn self-defense.
In addition, here are four reasons you need to know why boxing training can lead to fat loss:
- Intense cardio workout
If you want to lose weight, cardio is what you need to do and you can get the right amount of it in boxing training. Moreover, boxing will help you work out both your lower and upper body by training cardiovascular strength and endurance.
As Evolve Daily says, boxing has the power to condition the human body into an energy-efficient machine. Think about it, a boxer needs to learn how to get energy from the floor, through his feet, legs, hips, back, shoulder all the way to his hands to do powerful punches. What other workouts out there teach you how to do this?
When you are doing intensive pad work exercises in boxing, with fast-paced repetitions, you are developing enhanced aerobic and anaerobic respiration.
2. You use your entire body
If you have asked yourself “does boxing training burn fat?” and doubted when someone answers “yes”, then keep reading.
When you are boxing you need to use your entire body. You learn head movements, footwork, defensive techniques and how to develop speed and power. According to Evolve Daily, after you train for a while you eventually discover strength and explosion you didn’t know you could have. This is because the muscles you use in boxing workouts are fast-twitch muscle fibers that are rarely used in traditional workouts.
3. You build lean muscle
Since you will be both losing extra weight and building muscle, sooner rather than later you will see changes in your body and you will start to look like a conditioned athlete. If you combine your training with a proper boxer’s diet, you will see even better results.
The movements that you do in boxing allow for you to build lean muscle that will make you look extra cut and ripped. Since this sport can help you with every aspect of your physical ability many athletes like to use it for cross-training, such as football players, for example.
4. A fun workout
Boxing is fun and that is what will make someone stick to a sport or exercise regime, or a weight loss routine. When something is boring we can’t wait until it is over so we can go home and do another thing. Workouts become a struggle and the idea of quitting is appealing.
Boxing, on the other hand, is entertaining. You will learn self-defense, you will exercise your mind as you learn strategies, you will be interested and engaged for as long as you are practicing boxing. So, if you have the opportunity to exercise, burn fat and have a great time all at once, why wouldn’t you?
What do you need to lose weight with boxing?
To be successful in using boxing as a way to lose weight you need discipline. Yes, showing up and doing what the trainer asks you to will have positive effects on your body, but you still need to watch your diet.
We have a dedicated article about this, but we will remind you here that it is important to eat several times a day (from five to six small meals). Include proteins in each meal to help your muscles grow and be sure to eat appropriate snacks.
In addition, creating a routine will help. Make time in your schedule for boxing training and stick to the plan. Beginners should be boxing two to three times a week and the sessions need to be about 30 to 60 minutes long.
Set concrete goals you want to achieve if you are pursuing boxing training as a weight-loss tool. Do not skip meals, especially breakfast! Drink plenty of water throughout the day and take measurements to monitor your progress.
Boxing exercises to burn fat
Men’s Journal has published on its website a workout for boxing aimed to help lose weight and burn fat. To do it you need hand wraps, boxing gloves, focus mitts, jump rope and a set of dumbbells (two 5-10lb).
Start with a 15-minute warm-up session. You can check out some tips for warming up before boxing, or you can do Men’s Journal suggested warm-up exercises.
First part:
- 30 seconds – light bouncing on the balls of your feet
- 30 seconds – jumping jacks
- 30 seconds – high knees
- 30 seconds – nonstop punches while in a squat position
- 5-second rest
- Repeat 3 times
Second part:
- 30 seconds – jumping split squats
- 30 seconds – cross jacks
- 30 seconds – hook punches in a squat position
- Rest 10 seconds
- Repeat 3 times
Third part:
- 60 seconds – mountain climbers
- 60 seconds – squat to high knees
- 150 rope skips – with a jump rope
Get some water, catch your breath and continue with the workout. This one suggested by the aforementioned website lasts 50 minutes and it consists of:
- Shadow boxing for 10 minutes
- Focus mitt work for 20 minutes
- Additional work:
- 150 rope skips
- 60 seconds – mountain climbers
- 30 – power jacks
- 50 – pushups
- 50 – dumbbell squat curl press
Finally, cool down for five to ten minutes and you are done for the day!
We hope to have successfully answered your question “does boxing training burn fat?” and if we still have not, we invite you to read some of our other posts about boxing and the benefits of this sport to your physical and mental health. Also, please tell us about your boxing journey in the comment sections, we would love to read about it! And don’t forget to share!
