Boxing for Fitness!
I remember watching the pre imprisoned Mike Tyson annihilate his opponents when I was a teenager. That was my first taste of boxing and after that I fell in love. Then after watching other great fighters like Floyd Mayweather, Oscar De La Hoya, and Manny Pacquiao and others fight for years, I decided to put the gloves on. These guys along with MMA fighters are the most conditioned atheletes around and boxing is an excellent way to shed body-fat and burn away the calories.
Boxing is an anaerobic sport that is is also a mental drain also. The act of throwing punches, round after round, while contending with an attacking opponent is a daunting task. Boxing is perhaps the most physically demanding sport of all. Since it is mostly anaerobic, boxers are stressing their muscles at a high intensity for short periods of time. Below is an example of an beginner boxing workout to help shake up your normal routine.
Using a Jumprope
Jumping rope may look fun for some people but it is a staple in a boxer’s conditioning program. Boxing champ Floyd Mayweather loves to skip rope and loves to show off when he has an audience. Jumpropes are pretty cheap and can be used whether you are at home or at the gym. It also helps your hand foot coordination and really gets the heartrate up if done properly. Even though you can do an entire workout by just skipping rope, the key is to not to wear yourself out in this case. Once you find a nice pace, try speeding up to increase the intensity. No one expects you to skip like Mayweather (just plain sick) but try to keep a steady pace.
Skip for 2 mins and rest for 2 min x3
Shadow Boxing
Shadow boxing is when you throw punches, e.g. jabs, straights, hooks, crosses, uppers and combinations of these, in the air. Manny Pacquiao is a site to see when he shadow boxes. It is also a way to perfect your form without worrying about an opponent. Back in the day, fighters who were not blessed with a environment where there was a mirror to look at their form, used their shadows to make adjustments to the form (get it?). When shadow boxing you also practice your bobbing, weaving, ducking, parrying and other defensive maneuvers as well as your footwork. A great workout.
Shadow box for 3 min rounds x3
Heavy Bag Training
Heavy bag training can be grueling but at the same time rewarding. Striking bags that can weigh from 60 to 125 pounds develops stamina and strength, while simulating the feel of a human opponent. It’s also a great stress reliever and with practice you will develop a stronger punch just in case you need it someday. It’s important to make sure you have the proper equipment such as hand wraps and heavy bag gloves before hitting the heavy bag. Bag gloves or hand wraps should also be worn to protect the hands while striking the bag because it is not a good feeling without them. Make sure to keep your wrist aligned with your forearm and to strike with the top two knuckles of the middle and index finger. You do not want to break a wrist or anything. Practice different combinations on the bag and its okay to grab the bag but the key is to keep throwing punches. Once you start to slow down (and you will) try to keep moving your body and head like the heavy bag is an actual human Maybe one day you will be able to work the bag like the “Pacman” (above).
Hit the bag 3 mins rounds x3
