If you’re looking for a workout that targets strength, cardio and gives you a major mental release, look no further than boxing.
See you later stress, hello endorphins! : When you are pushing yourself through a couple minutes of high intensity punching, you don’t have much mental power to worry about any of your current frustrations. So whatever’s got you stressed out, boxing will calm you down.
Kiss your calories goodbye : When performing high intensity training, you not only say goodbye to a heap of calories during the session, but also hours after your class has ended.
Improve your total body strength: All that punching, jumping & kicking takes some serious strength. So combine that with weights and you’ve got yourself a strength building class like no other.
Jab/Cross
Set up your boxer stance. Step back with your dominant foot. Bend through your knees and bring your hands up to your face, tucking your elbows into your ribs.
The jab : using your front hand, fully extend that hand straight out towards your target.
The cross : using your back hand (dominant hand), you’re going to extend that hand straight ahead.
Hooks
Starting in your boxer stance, bend your left arm to a 90-degree angle and swing as if you are aiming for someone’s jaw. You want to make sure you are pivoting and rotating your body so that your knee and hips face to the right as you throw your hook.
Uppercuts
Find your boxer stance. Keeping your front hand on guard by your chin, rotate your back hip forward, pivoting on your back foot, start to loop and swing your back hand up. Think of aiming for someone’s chin.
Weaves
When it comes to boxing, constant motion to protect yourself is the name of the game. As soon as your opponent throws a punch, you want to bend at the knees, and move your head to the outside of the punch (like in a “V” shape motion).
Combat Sit Up
Lie on the floor, keep your feet flat with a bend in your knees. With your hands lightly touching your head and arms bent at the elbow, engage your core and exhale as you lift your upper body towards your knees. Inhale as you lower back down.
Jump Squats
Stand with your feet just outside shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly out. Squat down with your weight in your heels and knees tracking over toe. When you hit the bottom of your squat drive hard through your legs and heels as you launch straight up. Use your arms to load your body so that you can create power to explode upwards out of the squat.
After you jump, make sure to bend your knees on the landing. This will help you to land safely while also prepping you for your next rep.
Renegade row
Find a plank position, on your toes or knees. Using a dumbbell row the weight upward, driving your elbow up to the sky, keeping it nice and close to the body. Then slowly lower it back to the ground. Alternate between arms.
Shoulder Stretch
Relax your shoulders. Raise one arm to shoulder height, and stretch it across your chest. Pull the arm slightly toward you with your other arm to achieve a gentle but oh so good shoulder release and stretch.