Most people have heard of Mohammed Ali and Mike Tyson. They are known for their boxing fitness, skills, and mental toughness. Boxing is now one of the sports that is becoming increasingly prevalent. Ask why? The answer couldnât have been simpler; it is the best-known workout because boxing requires agility, speed, strength, and, most importantly, mental toughness. To achieve this level of boxing fitness, boxers need to go through intense training that enables them to develop lean muscle mass and endurance. Additionally, going through boxing training improves your cardiovascular health, lowers blood pressure, reduces stress, and more.
What are you waiting for? Read the blog and start your boxing journey today!
Training Tips For Beginners
We have already mentioned the potential benefits of starting your boxing fitness journey. Apart from these, various boxers even claim that boxing makes them feel more alive, humble, and resilient. These are a lot of benefits for a workout, arenât they? One of the best ways to start your boxing journey is to learn boxing by following the footprints of boxers like Mart Kom, Mike Tyson, etc. Along with this, follow the tips below and begin your training today. However, before getting excited just by the benefits, remember that boxing is a brutal sport and can lead to physical injuries, even if you are a seasoned boxer.Â
Tip 1: Proper Stance
For the initials, it is important that you master the boxing stance first. Mastering this basic boxing stance will help you, as a newcomer, to land a punch and defend yourself effortlessly. Follow the below-mentioned tips to achieve optimum boxing fitness:Â
- Keep your front toe & back heel on the centre line and your dominant hand in the back.
- Stand with knees slightly bent to distribute the weight across both legs equally.
- Keep your feet diagonal, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, and raise your back heel.
- Keep your elbows down and hands up.
- Your head should be behind your gloves, keep your chin slightly down, and your eyes see over the gloves.
- Now, just try to keep your calm.Â
Tip 2: Start With Light Punches And Improve Quality Over Time
It is important that you hit the punching bag lightly in the beginning and gradually increase the strength of your punches. You might be tempted just like other players, but donât get carried away in your temptations and hit the bag with all your strength. This might cause injury and can even end the boxing fitness journey. Be mindful of this fact and follow the below tips to master punching tips:
- Rotate your entire body and pivot your feet with every punch.
- Keep your stance solid and balanced to enhance your power and movement.
- Ensure your non-punching hand guards the opposite side of your body.
- Exhale sharply with each strike.
- Remember, boxing punches come in straight (elbow straight), hook (elbow sideways), or uppercut (elbow down) variations.
Tip 3: Master Different Punching Combinations
It is generally observed that newcomers to boxing are in a hurry to master different punching combinations right from the start. This is not good practice; start your boxing fitness journey by mastering fewer punching combinations, just three or four, and slowly increase them as your skill level advances. For beginning, you can start with these punching techniques:Â
- Right Straight
- Turn your hips and upper body to the left while pivoting your right foot about 90 degrees.
- Breathe out sharply as you straighten your right arm from your chin.
- Turn your fist to land with your palm facing downwards.
- Make sure your head doesn’t lean beyond your front knee.
- Left Hook
- Rotate your feet clockwise (about 90 degrees) while dropping your right heel and lifting the left heel.
- When you pivot your feet, your whole body moves as one unit.
- Tighten your left arm as you swing your left fist towards the target.
- JAB
- Keep your body steady, then extend your left fist straight ahead.
- Breathe out sharply while punching, twisting your fist so the palm faces down upon landing.
- Quickly retract your hand after hitting it to protect yourself.
Tip 4: Drink Plenty Of Water And Master Breathing TechniqueÂ
Dehydration is one of the side effects of walking on the path of boxing fitness. Ensure you drink plenty of water to stay hydrated throughout the training sessions. These training sessions can be both mentally and physically challenging, and if you are dehydrated during the sessions, you may drain your energy quickly. Along with water, also try to master different breathing techniques to perform efficiently during the boxing match. Some of them are:
- Diaphragmatic Breathing
- Exhaling on Punches
- Breathing in Combinations
- Breath Control During Clinches
- Recovery Breathing Between Rounds
Tip 5: Increase The Intensity Of Your Workouts Gradually
It is important that you move slowly at the beginning of your boxing fitness journey. Pushing yourself too hard can wear you out mentally and physically, and you may even quit after a while. It is also important that you take it easy when starting a new workout routine. This will give your body and mind time to adapt to the new challenges, keeping you motivated and committed in the long haul. Boxing relies heavily on conditioning and cardio. Stick to bodyweight exercises for strength and add core workouts for better stability. In addition to beginnerâs boxing drills, remember to eat well for overall health.
Start Your Boxing Fitness Journey Today
If you are looking for a workout regime that burns calories and gives you toned muscles, boxing is one of the best options. However, before starting your boxing fitness journey, remember that boxing is a combat sport that can lead to physical injuries. It is advisable that you consult a doctor if you suffer from memory loss or any malfunctioning in your body for a long duration.Â
Frequently Asked QuestionsÂ
Is boxing better than the gym?
Yes, if you want to burn calories, boxing is better than going to the gym. An average boxing training session burns more calories than conventional workouts.
What are the side effects of boxing?
Boxing is a combat sport that can cause injuries like:
- Cuts
- BruisesÂ
- Broken teeth
- Dental problemsÂ
- Broken ribsÂ
- Internal bleedingÂ
- Damage to internal organsÂ
So, always perform under an expertâs guidance.
What are the benefits of boxing?
Doing boxing consistently leads to the following benefits:
- Improves heart health
- Aids weight loss
- Boosts whole-body strength
- Improves balance
- Decreases stressÂ
- Lowers blood pressure
Can you learn boxing in 3 months?
Boxing requires you to train for at least 4-12 months before going for a fight.Â