Boxing is an explosive and powerful sport. To train and transfer the results of boxing in real life takes a great deal of combination exercises. The anaerobic style makes it a greater contender for a variety of workouts.  Creating and following routines that depend on an individual’s physical needs and level of involvement.

In this article let us explore how Boxing benefits the human body and mind. Remember, to build yourself to a level where your body and confidence can no longer be shattered is a painstaking process. It requires determination, a strong base, and an excellent coach. Consult a doctor before undergoing an intense physical program.

How Boxing works in a nutshell.

• It is a full body workout. It trains and defines every muscle in the body.
• Boxing strengthens and develops the core.
• Learn self-defense disguised as a combat sport.
• Pounding and punching heavy and speed bags relieves stress, anxiety, and aggression.
• Once a workout routine is set, and boxing comes to you naturally. To set up a few Boxing equipments at home is a good choice.
• Boxing is a high-calorie burner.
• Anaerobic workouts strengthen the respiratory and muscular systems.
• Boxing builds focus on performance instead of aesthetics.
• Makes you confident in the skin you live.
• Initiates sportsmanship, though is it a combat sport.

Boxing is demanding. To understand how it helps the body in various ways. We have compartmentalized the structure of the sport into four significant phases.

Phase 1: The Warm-Up.  

Warm-up is equal to a stepping stone. A kind greeting, before the actual training, leaves you lifeless. Only to make you stronger. Warm-ups focus on functional exercises that progressively increase joint movements and get them working. Always start slow. Do not indulge in passive stretching. Leave that for after you finish your work out. These activation exercises build a ground base for technical and strength training.

• Walking Lunges get the hip joints in motion.
• High Knee Walking does not stress the muscles, instead prepares the muscles for intense workouts.
• Fast High Knees help pump up the cardiovascular and nervous system, igniting them for the main workout.
• Walking Butt Kicks is reaching out to your butt. It relaxes and knee flexors and the hamstrings.
• Sumo Squats release the thigh tension. It Works on the core, abdominals and the lower body.
• Arm Circles is an upper body warmup to loosen the shoulders, forearms, and hands.
• Jumping rope is much more than a warm-up exercise. It builds focus, hand-eye coordination, balance and agility in footwork.
• Boxer Push-ups help strengthen the shoulders and chest
• Planks improve balance and help support the posture.
• Boxer Bicycle Crunches work on the abs, legs and improve body coordination.

These are just a few exercises to activate your body and fire up your core. Time to head to Phase 2.

Phase 2: Strength Training

Strength training is also known as resistance training. It builds a base for training the muscles and motor patterns. It conditions the body of a boxer for stronger, faster and powerful movements. These exercises can also be termed as functional exercises. More like performance centered and not just for show. These exercises are meant to boost an athlete’s body. It involves functional compound exercises to work multiple joints and muscle groups.

• Pull-Ups work on the posture, back, rear shoulders and biceps. To give you that vast space so you can cover from or hit your opponent.
• The seated cable row exercise work on the back muscles and forearms.
• Triceps Pushdowns are a great way to build and work the arms. If you have sustained a prior elbow injury, it is suggested you practice under supervision.
• Dips are considered superior to push-ups. You lift your entire body weight, unlike pushups. Building body mass and majorly improving your lockout strength.
• The Overhead press builds strong arm and shoulder muscles. To shower those iron fists at lightning speeds on the opponent.
• Shadowboxing: It may look like throwing punches in the air. However, results depend on the intensity of your workout. Shadow boxing improves boxing skills, overall body fitness, stance, and flexibility.
• Sparring: It helps develop speed, control and defense tactics. Sparring is an essential form of training to familiarise with real-life ring situations.
• Agility Ladder: This drill can have numerous variations and improves footwork tremendously.  

Boxers should indulge in free weight exercises too, as boxing is not a stationary sport.

Phase 3: Power Training

Power training requires swift and dynamic movements. It also adds the risk of injury. Strength training is to build that base and progress towards power training. The technique is of importance in this phase. Once you are aware of your body momentum and potential, the body adapts to the techniques and fluidity required. There is a science behind every movement in Boxing. Power training advances your level of speed, stability, and technique.

• Back squats: They strengthen the lower body. The correct technique where the hips extend and go lower than the knees transfer the force from the feet to the hips, the core and effectively when you launch up to punch. Back squats maximize the jump in return aiding the impact of your punch.
• Clean and Press: Lift as much weight as the body can take retaining its right position. It demands the tightening of the core and back, throughout. Hip extension plays a vital role in balancing the weight of your body. Keep the bar/dumbbells/kettlebells moving except for brief pauses between sets. Squats take power from the ground up to hand, as boxing requires.
• Kettlebell Training: Boxing requires ballistic movements.  The kettlebell exercises the muscles, its contractions, and speed. Generation of force after training is how boxers pack that powerful punch. Basic movements like one and two arm swings, clean, press and push presses are essential before moving on to more complex exercises.
• Resistance Bands: Core strength is a must for reliable and powerful movements.  It helps in rotational exercises.

These are just some sample exercises you can include in your routine. The purpose of power training is to workout with dynamic exercises that give your body a power boost and not tire you with exhaustion. Moving on to Phase 4.

Phase 4: Conditioning

Boxers are supposed to maintain an intense but rhythmic pace during a fight. Here, Conditioning comes into play. Conditioning imitates the demands of a boxing bout. It demands short bursts of high-intensity exercise. A few exercises that help Conditioning are bench presses, mountain climbers, burpees, and pushups. However, boxing requires more.

High-intensity interval training (HIIT), conditions the body through anaerobic activities. Alternating fast-paced exercises at short intervals with little or no rest.  

• Battle Rope: 30-40 seconds of intense waving works on the upper body. There are multiple variations to use ropes. Take breaks with light footwork and get back in action with flexible arm movements but a firm lower body and core. Repeat.
• Heavy bag: Work your punch combinations on the heavy bag for 30-60 with squats after each combo and repeat.

Incorporate your sets with sprints, slow jogs, high knee jump ropes and more. The circuits can vary according to your requirement and capacity. The best interval exercise is shadow boxing. Keeps you in the stance and hones your skills.  

After intense workouts always remember to relax your muscles to avoid cramps and muscle spasms. Gradually turn to passive stretching for up to 10 seconds to calm the body. These exercises include:

1. Neck Rotations
2. Hamstring Stretch
3. Thigh Stretch
4. Chest Stretch
5. Quadriceps stretch

Well, that is how you can achieve ultimate Strength and Conditioning through Boxing. Now grab yourself a hydrating calorie-rich drink and come to join us at KOS. No matter how bad things get, stay assured, boxing will always be there for you.