It is a very complete sport, in which your mind and body must be at 100% at all times.

Boxing is a very popular contact sport that consists of punching an opponent with your glove-protected fists above the waist. Boxing has gained a big following in recent years, partly because it has become the sport of choice for many film, music and fashion stars as they get in shape.

According to Harvard Medical School, this activity improves balance and hand-eye coordination, corrects body posture, strengthens the upper body and core, and enhances agility in the legs, among other benefits.

Workout routine

A boxing workout is made up of 3 phases:

1. WARM UP:

Before starting, take some time to warm up your muscles so they can better withstand the physical strain that will follow. The most typical exercises are: jogging, running up stairs, crunches and jumping rope (a boxing classic).

2. FITNESS BOXING:

This phase focuses on punching and fight moves. We recommend purchasing gloves that properly fit your hands. You can also wear fabric bandages to protect your wrists when it comes to punching. The main goal is to get the technique right as to avoid injuries due to poorly given blows. For this reason, it is not advisable to hit hard at first, but to focus on technique and speed. Once these variables have been mastered, it is possible to make your punches more intense.

Here are the commonly-used punches:

• Cross: consists of punching by quickly extending the elbow parallel to the ground and then quickly retracting it to the starting position. While you extend the elbow, you must slightly rotate the hip, which will give more force to the blow and help you aim towards the front.
• Uppercut: a punch that starts at the waist, going up to the chin of the opponent.
• Hook: is a lateral punch directed at the opponent’s head. It is a strong punch and is accompanied by a rotation of the hip. You can also punch towards the lower part of the body (towards the kidneys); for this it is important to flex the knees.
• Short straight-punch: without moving from the position, it’s a short, dry blow at hip level. You’ll propel yourself by rotating the torso with your hands in a defensive position.
• Sidestepping: to dodge a blow coming from the left, bend down, move your torso to the left and get up again, moving in the form of a downwards “O” If it comes from the right, make the same movement, but towards the right. This movement must always be made with your feet fixed to the ground so as not to lose balance at any time.

3. RELAXATION:

After activity, you should progressively relax your body. In this phase, you’ll be doing low-intensity exercises. For example, you can lightly pedal on a stationary bike. Then you should do some stretching.

A workout routine can be done in the following way:

Remember the importance of staying active and avoiding a sedentary lifestyle so your health doesn’t suffer. Take action with boxing! Sources:

• Harvard Medical School

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