Does boxing training get you fit? It is a good question and we are happy you are trying to find an answer to it because boxing will not only get you fit, but rather it will give you many other benefits to your health you may want to know about! Keep reading!
According to Men’s Journal, boxing is going through a renaissance period, however not in the ring but in gyms instead. Since people have become more aware of the importance of living a healthy lifestyle that includes exercising regularly, the fact that boxing combines all the biggest fitness trends makes the sport appealing to many.
Men’s Journal considers that the largest fitness trends in today’s world are “functional training, intervals, total-body routines” and boxing has them. So, does boxing training get you in shape? The answer is yes. Even models like Gigi Hadid are using boxing fitness as a way to be healthy and stay in shape.
“Because of both its feistiness and reputation for being the ultimate workout, boxing has always appealed to me. But as much as I love the idea of picking up a pair of gloves I was always intimidated by the prospect of jumping into a ring. I’ve always been overtly girly and while I hate to play into stereotypes I think this has left me with little confidence in my physical ability. Boxing for me would prove that I could be both badass and feminine (think Miss Congeniality meets Rocky),” Hadid told Healthista.
The explanation as to why does boxing training get you fit has to do mainly because of the physical and mental demand the sport has for the athlete. It is a discipline that will increase the person’s stamina, build strength, speed up the metabolism, burn calories and improve cardiovascular endurance. According to Fitness Health Zone there is a study done by Harvard Medical School that says that a 185 lb. person could burn up to 400 calories in 30 minutes.
Benefits of boxing workouts
There are many positive things involved in boxing in general as well as benefits of boxing for weight loss. We will name here a few so that you can get the idea of what you are ready to experience as soon as you start boxing. If you have ever asked yourself “will boxing training get me into shape?”, here we tell you why it will:
- Better cardiovascular health
You do not need to hop on a treadmill every day to do cardio so that you can prevent heart disease, burn calories or lose weight. It’s boring. That is why boxing is here for you, to give you that cardio you need in your life. Boxing workouts will keep your heart rate up while training which will also be beneficial for your lungs.
2. More body strength
After punching, kicking and jumping in a boxing workout you will definitely become stronger. Most heavy bags weigh at least 100 lb. so imagine punching that over and over again. And in boxing, it’s not only about punching, but there is also much more involved in a workout, such as jumping rope, footwork, shadow boxing, pads, abs, pushups, crunches, squats and even running.
3. Improved hand-eye coordination
Hand-eye coordination is essential for a person’s fine motor skills, reflexes and reaction times. As we age, we have a tendency of becoming more uncoordinated and unbalanced which increases the risk of falls. Boxing can help in a great manner, every time you punch a speed bag, for instance, you have to be able to see the target, react and hit it while it’s changing position and moving. This will improve your hand-eye coordination.
4. Less stress
We have written before about how boxing can help decrease anxiety and for some, it can even become a form of meditation. This is all possible because of the moderate and intense physical activity involved in boxing, as well as the endorphins your body releases while it is exercising (this is the happy hormone).
Almost any physical activity will help you reduce stress but sometimes just going out for a walk will not be enough. When you are boxing and are concentrated only on what you are doing, and your mind does not have the energy or the time to wander around thinking about the stressful things in life or worrying about other issues.
5. Improved body composition
Boxing can be used as a workout for weight loss but even if you are not focusing on this like a boxer you will achieve an improved body composition because this discipline combines muscle-building, strength and calorie-burning drills. If you combine a regular practice with a nutritious diet, you will see changes in your health and also in your body weight. Check out this article where we explain how to eat like a boxer!
Boxing training routine for fitness
Since you got here asking “does boxing training get you fit” we assume that it is because that is something you are interested in as a boxer. For this reason, we will share right here a boxing training routine that you can do 3 or 5 days a week. It consists of a 3-minute intense activity, followed by a 1-minute rest period, simulating boxing’s 3-minute rounds.
- Stretch and warm-up
Before starting any work out your muscles need to be loose, relaxed and warmed up to avoid getting injured and also to pump blood into them. Stretch your legs, arms and shoulders for at least 30 seconds each and then, you can try some of these tips for an effective warm up for boxing.
2. Jumping rope
Jumping rope is one of the best workouts boxers can do which is why it is common in this sport. It will increase your heart rate in seconds, warming you up immediately. Plus, you can do it anywhere, a jumping rope takes literally no space. You can do 2 or 3 rounds of different drills and don’t forget to read about some of the benefits of jumping rope in boxing.
3. Shadow Boxing
There are many ways you can practice shadow boxing: In a ring; in front of a mirror; anywhere you want to. This exercise consists of throwing punches in the air and perform footwork at the same time. It helps practice the fundamentals involved in boxing and also cardio training.
4. Heavy Bag
Heavy bag work is the most important part of boxing training. You develop strength and power and if you practice while moving around the bag you will be getting a very complete workout from it. Do it for three rounds of three minutes each as we explained above and rest for a minute in between.
5. Double End Bag
This is the bag that is connected from the ceiling to the floor and it is perfect for practicing hand-eye coordination since it moves back at you after you hit it. You can practice dodging punches and how to move your body after you throw a punch.
6. Cooling down phase
Before going home, it is very important to cool down and do a little more stretching. Many people hate to stretch after they have worked out but if you do it your muscles will recover faster and it will help you also to get back into a calmer state of mind.
How long have you been boxing? Have you felt any changes in your body and in your levels of stress or anxiety? Tell us about your experience in the comments below!
