20-minute boxing workout boosts strength and endurance – 06/22/2023 – Equilibrium

Entering a boxing gym can be an assault on the senses with the ringing of the bell, the smell of accumulated sweat and the sound of fast punches on the speed ball.

But if you stick around awhile, you’ll find that boxing provides one of the most complete physical workouts out there, fusing full-body strength training and cardiovascular endurance with exercises designed to improve balance, coordination and reflexes.

A boxing workout can strengthen your back, stabilize your shoulder muscles, and even work out parts of your legs you didn’t even know you had. The workout will challenge you mentally and physically, as well as fortify your body against injury.

“Boxing sessions keep you sharp,” says Dwight Pratchett, a boxing instructor at Main Street Boxing and Muay Thai in Houston. And you don’t have to hit anything (or risk getting punched) to reap the many benefits of the practice – although hitting the heavy bag will certainly help you release most of the accumulated stress.

Even if you don’t have access to a gym, you can still incorporate boxing into your regular workout. The equipment needed is minimal.

Why learn to box?

It’s no secret that boxing workouts can be tremendously challenging. Sports is one of the hardest. It requires a high level of agility, speed, strength, stamina and technical skill. Traditional training has been formulated over centuries to prepare boxers for the rigors of a fight in order to maximize their speed and power.

But what many don’t realize is that boxing workouts can also help non-boxers improve their balance and coordination. Compared to running, for example, boxing is a low-impact sport and requires a greater range of lower body motion, which builds strength and mobility. For this very reason, it is good for your health to include it in your weekly physical exercise.

How to begin

A traditional workout usually starts with jumping rope and shadow training, followed by exercises that utilize the heavy bag, double-ended bag, and speed ball. It ends with bodyweight exercises. Practices are often divided into rounds of three minutes of activity followed by a minute of rest — a pace that lends itself naturally to high-intensity interval training (HIIT).

Getting started can be as simple as doing shadow training at home and bodyweight exercises. There are a number of materials that can guide your training at home, including digital classes. A jump rope and treadmill are good initial investments to which you can add a punching bag later if you find you like boxing.

How to stand up

The power of a punch is generated in the lower body and transmitted through the torso to the arms, working the lower body, core, back and shoulder muscles, as well as the upper body. “Boxing is a sport that really starts from the bottom up,” says Justin Blackwell, Title Boxing instructor based in the Los Angeles area.

But it starts with correct posture. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your front shoulder facing your opponent (or a mirror) and both knees bent. Your center of gravity should be slightly toward your back leg, almost as if you were leaning against the edge of a bar stool.

“If you’re not in the right posture, you’ll feel off balance,” says Pratchett. If you’re right-handed, your left arm will be your front arm and your right leg will be behind. For left-handers, it’s the opposite.

Fists should rest against your face, with your front hand touching the cheekbone on that side and your back hand positioned against your jaw on the other side. Her chin should be tucked down, and her eyes should be looking straight ahead. Elbows should be touching her body. This is your stable boxing stance. Return to this position after each combination of punches.

how to punch

There are six main strikes: jab, cross, left and right hook and left and right uppercut. Many gyms classify these punches as punches one through six, in that order. For each punch, notice how your lower body moves with your hands, using your back foot to push yourself forward when you’re throwing the punch, or your front foot to push yourself back, always conserving an equal distance between the front and back feet.

This is known as footwork and is one of the most important aspects of boxing.

• To throw a jab, extend your left hand in one swift motion, fully extending your arm, then bring your hand back where it belongs against your cheekbone. Once you’ve mastered the standing jab, add forward or backward movement as you punch.
• For the hook, extend your right hand in a similar, quick, straight motion, twisting your body as you do, until your arm is completely straight. The power of a cross is generated by twisting the back foot and your torso. After the punch, bring the hand back to the side of the lower jaw and return to the stable stance.
• When throwing a hook, start by thrusting your fist towards the opponent’s head in an outward and forward motion, with the thumb pointed upwards. For the left hook, he leads in with his left hand, with his elbow following and his left knee turning inward, and lifting his heel off the ground. For the right hook, he turns his right knee inward.
• The uppercut is a quick upward and outward movement aimed at the opponent’s jaw or sternum. Draw your fist outward, away from your body and up towards the bottom of your opponent’s jaw, aiming for a point that mirrors the torso of his body. The knee and torso should also move slightly inward towards the center and the heel should lift slightly.

training example

Once you’ve mastered the punches, give this workout a try. Don’t forget good posture and keep your hands up at all times. The first time you practice boxing can be surprisingly tiring. So go at your own pace, taking care to observe good posture and form. Each round must last three minutes, followed by a minute of rest.

And don’t forget to put on some upbeat music. If you’re feeling energetic, try jumping rope in boxer mode instead of resting.

First round: jump rope.

If you don’t have a rope, try jumping jacks, jumping with your knees up, or boxer jumping. The goal is to increase lower body agility and speed.

Second round: jab and cross.

Work on making jabs, one at a time or one immediately followed by another, adding hooks afterwards. Alternate between slow, hard punches and fast, accurate punches.

Third round: jab, cross and hooks.

Do three- or four-hit combos, where a jab or cross is followed by hooks. It is possible to use a left hook, right hook or both. Alternate between fast low power punches and slower punches with as much power as you can.

Fourth round: jab, cross and uppercuts.

Do four-hit combinations where a jab or cross is followed by a left and right uppercut, like you did with the hooks in the third round. You can do one on each side or both.

Optional round of calisthenics

If you still have the energy for a fifth round, calisthenics are a traditional way to end a boxing workout, as they promote additional strength and conditioning. Aim to do three minutes of push-ups, triceps curls, with a jab or hook each time you lift your torso off the ground.

Translated by Clara Allain