How Does Boxing Get You In Shape?

So you are considering Boxing as your fitness routine and want to know more about the gains. This article will uncover some surprising benefits explaining how Boxing gets you in shape. We will provide some recommendations and give you a suggested home boxing programme. If you feel inspired to get your own kit to have a go, consider Mirafit Boxing Equipment because they even have speed ropes and mats. 

How Boxing keeps you fit

Boxing Fitness is a growing trend for gyms and home users because it is a great way to burn fat and tone muscle. It is well known that Boxing is 70-80% aerobic exercise, so it is essential to get your general fitness levels up and train regularly to improve stamina. Especially should you ever decide to take your boxing fitness passion to the next level. Most just use it for fitness and do not take it further for health benefits and enjoyment.  

Here are seven ways Boxing can get you in shape. 

1. Burns Fat

Boxing as an exercise burns a high number of calories, which results in a fast fat burn. It is a varied exercise, so it interests both experienced and novice fitness enthusiasts. It is recommended that you work on your coordination. But even the most uncoordinated can learn the routines, so give it a go. If you are looking for weight loss and abs, we cover tips on how to get abs and hasten the process here. 

2. Tones Muscle

Repetition and speed of movement in boxing result in toning muscle by building muscle and burning fat. It is especially good at reducing the wobble of the triceps, commonly referred to as bingo wings. The tricep muscle is worked by extending the arm to strike the punch bag. Muscle tone contributes to efficient muscle function and helps avoid pulls. 

3. Functional Muscle Groups

With the bobbing and weaving you do with boxing exercises, you are using your legs, back, core, shoulders, biceps, triceps and other muscles, including your lower back and stomach, which all contribute to your functional fitness, which means exercises that assist with everyday movements, such as bending, lifting, etc. 

4. Improves Heart Health

Boxing fitness is high-intensity interval training. Most of it is aerobic; this increases your heartbeat and gets your blood pumping for sustained periods. When you are boxing, these bouts of activity are brilliant at strengthening your cardiac muscles. A strong heart makes for an effective circulatory system. It can help with concentration and memory. 

5. Enhances Full-Body Strength

Because of the volume of muscles used and worked, Boxing builds strength across your whole body. Virtually every muscle in your body can be worked with a boxing workout, and this is a superb full-body workout. If you want full-body exercise, you cannot go wrong with Boxing. 

6. Reduces Stress

The energy release and endorphins hormone generated by exercise make this a fantastic stress reducer. Endorphins are the body’s natural pick-me-up and give a sense of well-being. This is commonly referred to as runner’s high. Anyone can experience this after a certain amount of physical exertion and exercise. 

7. Improves Suppleness 

Bending, ducking and diving, stretching and pulling during a boxing exercise routine make this a great way to increase movement, and a byproduct of this is improvement in suppleness, thanks to building muscles and over-extending movements. 

What kind of exercises do you perform in a boxing workout? 

According to Glove Worx – “More often than not, you’ll hear boxers say they prefer the old school strength-based exercises, instead of hitting the weight room. Rather, their regimen will include the classic bodyweight exercises: push-ups, sit-ups, crunches, plyometrics (jump rope, for example), and burpees.”

Weights are great for strength but not the aerobic stamina that you require to box. Even class-based boxing exercises focus on exercises like, high-knees, squats, press-ups, sit-ups, crunches and lunges to build strength and stamina. With Boxing exercises, you will be encouraged to jab and duck, hook and cross in an exciting sequence of fast-paced exercises to take your muscles beyond their daily limits. So if you are looking to bulk up, there are better choices than boxing fitness. In fact, Boxing is more focused on tone, weight loss and general health. Hence its popularity in fitness circuits and gym classes.  

Using a bag is great fun and satisfying. The punch bag builds up your resistance to the shock of a bag strike strengthening your joints, forearms, shoulders and chest. All of the muscle fibres in your functional movements will be worked, and why for most, sit-ups are suitable for your lower back and stomach. 

Here are some typical boxing exercises:

• Running – Intervals, shorter runs and high knees. 
• Skipping – Using the speed ropes and skipping. 
• Shadow Boxing – Practicing your moves without the bag.
• Heavy Bag – Resistance from the heavy bag work.
• Pad Work – With a sparing partner or using a bag
• Strength Training – 
• Calisthenics – Focused on body weight exercises, push-ups, and pull-ups.
• Resistance – Working on the pads or against body weight helps you to strengthen muscles 
• Isometrics – Push-ups, lunges and other contractions) of a specific muscle or group of muscles. 
• Plyometrics and explosive movements – Jumping, mountain climbers, ducking and diving quickly etc. 
• Supplemental exercises like a speed bag, reflex bag, double-end bag etc.

Get your kit and get fit!

We hope that this article has inspired you to go out and consider Boxing as a great way to keep fit either at the gym or at home. We highly recommend reading more articles like this one on practising punches to give you tips on the benefits of boxing fitness and what you need. 

Boxing is a superb exercise to tone, strengthen and improve your stamina. You can do it at home, so even if you are not confident, you can still enjoy boxing fitness from the comfort of your own home. Floor-mounted and ceiling-mounted bags make this very accessible, and some gyms and organisations are still running virtual boxing classes, so look out to see if this is a better fit for you and your needs, but in any case, give it a go.