8 Benefits of Boxing
TOP 8 BENEFITS OF BOXING
1. Fat Burning
Did you know boxing can burn as much as 300 to 700 calories per session? Here’s another fact you’ll appreciate even more: When performing high intensity training, you not only burn heaps of calories during the session, but for hours after the training session has ended. Typical cardio exercise does not have this post training calorie burning effect. That’s why boxing is your best friend when it comes to losing weight.
2. Increased Muscle Tone
A typical boxer’s physique is toned and defined without a lot of bulk and that’s why it’s perfect if you want to really tone up. This is because punching is a fast repetitive action that produces toned muscles, in contrast to the slow, controlled, very heavy movements involved in body-building or weight lifting that produce size or bulk.
3. Build Strong Bones and Ligaments
Resistance training strengthens your bones and reduces the progression of osteoporosis. In boxing, focus pads and punching bags provide resistance as does your own bodyweight when you perform push ups, pull ups, lunges, burpees and various other exercises. Your joints, tendons and ligaments will also get stronger in response to working against resistance.
Using your bodyweight as can also help you maintain or increase your lean muscle mass which is absolutely critical to keeping your metabolic rate burning at maximum capacity. This is of utmost importance if you are trying to lose body fat.
4. Increased Cardiovascular Fitness
Boxing is a full body movement so when you throw punches a huge number of your body’s muscles are contracting at the same time. This makes your heart and lungs work overtime to pump blood containing oxygen all around your body.
Boxing will test your cardiovascular system to the max, forcing your body to adapt by making your heart and lungs better at delivering oxygen. This means that you can train at a higher intensity, giving an even greater fat burning effect.
5. Better Muscular Endurance
Boxing requires your muscles to contract repeatedly causing the muscles involved to fatigue. With training, your muscles can keep contracting for longer durations without getting tired, allowing you to train harder for longer and ultimately burn more calories.
6. Improved Core Stability
Anything that causes your body to become unstable requires your core muscles to work harder to keep you balanced. Boxing requires lots of fast rotational movements and these core muscles will develop to allow you to punch hard without losing your balance.
7. Increased Strength and Power
Boxing is the ultimate full body workout. Correctly thrown punches use your legs, hips, glutes, core, obliques, back, shoulders, chest and arms. Punching against resistance causes all of these muscles to contract with more force and speed, developing further your strength and power.
8. Stress Relief
Sure, boxing is a fantastic physical activity that can help you get in shape, but it has psychological benefits too. Hitting stuff can make you feel really good! Take out the stresses of your normal life in a safe, controlled environment. It will leave you calm and relaxed and ready to tackle whatever curveball life throws at you next!
Conclusion
If you haven’t already tried boxing or at least the training that comes with it, you may want to give it a shot, literally and metaphorically! Punching away at a heavy bag, sparring, and all of the other training aspects that come with the great sport of boxing will have you in amazing bodily shape in no time at all, plus it’s a good way to get rid of some pent up rage too. The benefits of boxing far outweigh any negative consequences that may come with this sport, especially if you don’t box competitively so you should really give it a go!