Is boxing good for weight loss?
Is boxing good for weight loss? This is a question that a number of people have asked and the answer is fairly easy to get. Just look at the famous boxers you see on TV. Do they have great bodies? Yes they do and it’s the mental and physical training of boxing that allowed them to become as fit and as strong as they are.
If this is the type of physical development you’re after then you’re in for some intense drills and workouts. But don’t fret. You’ll learn to enjoy them and as you continue to train and who knows, learning how to box might just change your life.
Let me just jump into the main reasons why the sport is great for weight loss. Here are 5 reasons why boxing workouts are great for getting you into the best shape of your life both physically and mentally.
#1 You get a personal trainer who sticks with you all throughout your drills
People who enrol in boxing classes are normally assigned a trainer. This is already included in your initial payment for the class and you don’t have to hire the trainer separately.This alone is a big boost to your weight loss efforts because there will always be somebody there motivating you to push yourself and workout harder.
Getting a personal trainer is also great from a cost benefit point of view. You get personalized training for less than what you’d have to pay at a regular gym.
#2 Boxing workouts are composed of intense drills that burn TONS of calories
A normal boxing training session is composed of several boxing drills that you’ll be asked to do one after another. Each drill lasts for 2, 3 or more rounds depending on your level of fitness. Each round is 3 minutes long just like it is in boxing matches. You get a 30 second break in between each round, again, just like in a real boxing match. This whole system is designed to mimic the intensity of an actual fight.
These drills also alternate between easy and hard ones. So if you’re told to start with the speedball for example, you’ll most likely do mitt hitting afterwards. Hitting the mitts is exhausting so your next drill should be an easy one like weaving or the double end bag. This way your body will be able to recover a bit after intense boxing workouts without you having to completely stop moving. This is amazing for stamina development and calorie burning.
But don’t worry about not being able to perform all the drills. The pace that you’ll be set on will be based on your level of fitness. So just follow the instructions of your trainer and you should be fine.
#3 Boxing is an addicting sport
It’s a difficult sport and after your first session your body will probably ache. But give it some time and it’ll grow on you. One of the reasons why boxing for weight loss is so awesome is because it’s actually a lot easier to do than regular gym workouts. Once you start noticing your own growth in skill, you’ll want to train more often. It becomes easier and easier to do motivation wise as you become better and better.
#4 Boxing is not only great for weight loss but it’ll also allows you to develop functional strength
If you follow the sport on TV, you’ll notice that a lot of the really famous boxers today like Manny Pacquiao are small. But get hit by these awesome athletes and you’ll feel the power of a punch that’s seemingly just too much for something that comes from boxers with such small frames. That’s the amazing thing about boxing. Power doesn’t just come from size, although it’s still a factor. Technique and speed are just as important as mass when it comes to how strong your punch is.
Boxing teaches you the value of proper form and execution. Having started lifting weights early in my life, I originally thought that power was all about how big I could become and how much I could lift. I was shocked to find out after only a couple of days boxing that my size and muscle mass only served to slow me down. It took me a while to throw a decent punch with proper form. Even just getting my arms to relax when I threw a punch was difficult because I had gotten so used to constantly producing strain on my muscles to balance dumbbells and barbells.
Now though I really see the value of having done thousands of one-two punches (a jab and a straight). The power I’m able to produce today is just incomparable to what I was able to do then. It’s the type of punching power that I’d never be able to develop with just weight lifting and making my arm bigger.
#5 Boxing for weight loss is not only great for developing an awesome figure, it’ll give you an amazing confidence boost as well
Boxing is awesome because it actually enhances your self confidence and it’s not only because of the sexy and powerful figure you’ll get. You’ll also be a lot more sure of yourself because of your ability to defend yourself should the need arise.
You may not be the type to get into fights, but the knowledge that you can take care of yourself if you do is a big ego boost. You can walk into any bar a lot more confident and it’s this type of primal confidence in ones physical abilities that draws the attention of the people around you. You’ll exude that alpha male/female effect that is so attractive to many.
So if you haven’t started boxing yet then now’s the time to start. I’ll try my best to update this blog with a lot of useful articles so come visit to check them out from time to time.
