If you are new to boxing then this article will be helpful for you, as boxing nowadays is the most preferable and growing sport in India. There are a few things you should know before opting for boxing. Boxing is a very incredible sport as it helps to build your confidence and focus along with self-defence. Besides all, it is also an excellent workout to shed extra kilos to get fit. Joining boxing will fulfil all of the fitness requirements that you are looking for. However, to get into this sport you need to first put yourself into a warm-up session. Warm-up exercises before boxing are highly needed, as it is the first step one should perform to excel in this sport.
Boxing is considered a high-intensity, heart-pumping, total-body workout that burn calories, build strength and flexibility, and tone the entire body. One of the best ways to get your body ready for any workout is to do some dynamic exercises. These active movements slowly warm up the muscles and joints while taking them through their full range of motion, increasing blood flow to the muscles, and getting them ready for intense activity. Throughout each of the warm-up movements, be sure to focus on controlling your breath. Controlled breath is key in the warm-up as it gradually increases the heart rate. With the help of this article, we will try to figure out some of the best warm-up exercises that you can incorporate before playing boxing.
How Boxing Improves Your Fitness
- Fat Loss – To increase your cardio endurance, boxing plays a pivotal role, as it uses a variety of muscles at one time to make a rapid movement. Well, in such a scenario problems of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and other health problems gets away with it. Opting for boxing burns anywhere between 400 to 700 calories, which seems best compared to any weight loss exercise.
- Builds Muscles – The time has come to strengthen your muscles and build a powerful core with the help of boxing. Joining boxing majorly allows you to use your upper and lower body muscles. With regular boxing, you not only increase your overall health but also improves your quality of life. Well next time when you flaunt yourself in the mirror, you will see a champion is born.
- Powerful Stress Buster- Well as everyone is a busy bee nowadays, stress seems inevitable. Various complication rises if we are stressed, as being under stress is a root cause of hypertension and depression, resulting in causing various diseases. Joining boxing will certainly put you off from stress, as every session of your boxing classes will elevate you naturally from stress. Hitting the boxing bag and letting it go will eventually improve your mindset no matter what might be bothering you. Studies say that any type of strenuous physical activity produces serotonin, which is a chemical in the brain that lets you make happy and relaxed.
- Enhances Joint Mobility – While blood flow and core temperature affect your muscles and connective tissues, they also affect the mobility of your joints. As every part of your body heats up, the increased temperature and blood around the body lubricate your joints and make you more flexible, faster, and stronger.
Best Warm-up Exercises Before Boxing
A dynamic warm-up before boxing is a sure way to wake up your body and get your workout started right. Warm-up exercises before boxing will increase performance and decrease the risk of injury. That’s why we always start our sessions off with a dynamic boxing warm-up to help you get the most out of your boxing session.
1.) Cardio Exercises – Cardio exercises is one of the best warm-up exercises before boxing. Start off with light cardio exercises, like jumping rope, shadow boxing, or jogging. These are familiar exercises for boxers and are all great ways to start elevating the heart rate, raising your core temperature, and getting you ready for more strenuous exercises. Start off simple and include more intermediate moves as you get warmed up. For example, if you jump rope, start with your feet together. When you feel ready, move on to alternating toe to heel action or other moves you want to include. It is to be noted that you should go on for 5-10 minutes altogether with your cardio warm-up.
2.) Shadow Boxing – Shadow boxing is one of the best warm-up exercises before boxing. Shadow boxing provides you with the opportunity to practice your boxing skills before throwing any punches against an opponent. Start off by throwing single jabs and crosses before adding hooks and uppercuts, it will help you to build up to throwing multiple punch combinations. Practice your footwork while throwing combinations as though you were attacking, evading and counter-punching a real opponent. Try to increase the speed of your punches. The real goal of shadow boxing is to practice ideal form and punching speed. For an added challenge, try holding hand weights as you shadow box. You will feel exhausted, but you will build strength in the muscles you use to land punches. You can also turn shadow boxing into a cardiovascular exercise by doing it while you run.
3.) Jumping Rope – Jumping rope is one of the best warm-up exercises before boxing. Jumping rope is a familiar exercise to most boxers. It raises your core temperature, elevates your heart and breathing rate and gets you ready for more strenuous warm-up exercises to follow. Start jumping rope with your feet together before progressing on to an alternating heel-to-toe action and running on the spot with high knees. Continue jumping rope for five to 10 minutes before moving on to the next part of your warm-up.
4.) Pad Work – Pad work is one of the best warm-up exercises before boxing. For some higher-intensity movements, finish off your boxing warm-up with pad work. Throw punching combinations into hook and jab pads held by your Gloveworx coach or sparring partner. Start off by making light contact with the pad and gradually increase your power and speed. You can do this for 3-6 minutes, depending on your fitness level. Remember not to use 100% of your effort, as you don’t want to tire out before your actual training session begins. You want to get your heart rate up, but not to the point where you can’t hold a conversation.
5.) Weight Training Exercises – Weight Training Exercises are one of the best warm-up exercises before boxing. Weight training helps to build strong muscles in your upper body, which will give you the necessary strength to land hard punches. Much of the power in your punches comes from your shoulders and back, and so do push-ups, pull-ups and shoulder presses to target these muscles. Strengthen your arms with bicep curls and target your chest with bench presses. Because your abs act as stabilizers, it is important to focus on these muscles by performing sit-ups and crunches. Work to stabilize your core which plays a key role in both punching and balance.
Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
