Boxing Workout

Gone are the days when only men were able to put on the gloves and hit a bag. These days, it’s very common for women to attend a boxing class, or to see a personal trainer giving his female client a boxing workout. What a great way to burn some calories, release some tension, and get ripped, toned arms and shoulders!

Whatever your age, size or fitness level, anyone can box, and everyone enjoys the exhilarating feeling you get from hitting something!

Below is an easy boxing circuit that can be done at the gym, at home or even in the park, providing you have a training partner who has boxing pads.

But before we get to that, here are a couple of things you should know about boxing before you start.

A “jab” is a punch thrown with the arm while you have one foot forward of the other. If you are left handed, you will feel more comfortable with the right foot forward, and vice versa, but you should really train both sides.

A “cross” is a power punch; it uses your stronger arm, throwing it forward across the body into the target.

A “hook” is when the arm is bent, at eye level, and comes around the side of the face or head.

Always bring your hands back to your face/head for protection, and never drop your arms below.

Rotating through your shoulders will give you more momentum, as well as a workout through your abdominals.

Right, we’re ready to go! Rocky, look out!

 

Put some music on if you are able to (it always helps with motivation) and let’s begin our boxing workout.

1. Warm-up. Get a skipping rope, and start off with gentle skips, working up to slightly quicker skips for about 3 minutes. Next, do 10 push-ups, either on your knees or toes, to warm up the upper body. Repeat this 2-3 times, and you are ready to go.

2. Glove up. Start with a gentle jab cross. Do 20 on each side; a quick jab cross then back to face, and repeat. You can wear cotton inners or wraps to protect your hands

3. Next, a set of walking lunges in one direction; 15 reps, then another 15 back to the bag (or the person holding the pads).

4. Repeat the jab-cross combination and the walking lunges 2 more times.

5. The next combo is jab, cross, hook, hook. So if you had your right foot forward, you would go: right hand jab, left hand cross, right hand hook, left hand hook. Do this combo 15 times on one side, then swap sides and do another 15 on the other side

6. Squat/squat jumps. Try this; 1 body weight squat with 1 squat jump. Repeat 15 times.

7. Back to the jab, cross, hook, hook combo and squat/squat jump combo. Do that another 2-3 times.

8. For the next combo, try jab, jab, cross, hook, hook, hook. So, with your right forward that will be right jab, right jab, left cross, right hook, left hook, right hook. Get the rhythm going and then smash it out.

9. Alternate lunges or split jumps, 15 on each side.

10. Repeat 2-3 times.

11. Take your gloves off, lie on your stomach and hold a plank position for 30 seconds. Follow this with 30 sit-ups, and repeat 3 times.

12. Finally, stretch your shoulders, arms, triceps, legs and butt, and you’re done. Drink plenty of water after your workout, and don’t forget to give yourself a well deserved pat on the back. Think of all the calories you have just burned!