Why Boxing is Fantastic
Boxing is one of those sports that by its very nature, puts a lot of people off. Most people watch brief clips and think something along the lines of “Wow, that looks extremely brutal. Not for me.” I felt the same until a friend put me in touch with a local amateur boxer who was setting up his own coaching business and I went for a taster session.
Right from the very first session I loved it - it was a type of workout that I’d never had before - cardio without feeling like a typical cardio/HIIT session and an adrenaline rush like nothing else. I trained twice a week with the boxing coach for 6 months and the more I learned about the techniques and strategy, the more I enjoyed my training sessions. I got to a level where I started sparring with his other clients - an experience that was initially terrifying but then incredibly informative and rewarding.
I started boxing training because it was something I had always been intrigued with (but scared by); my secondary thought was that there might be elements of the training that I could use for my own PT business and clients.
My new boxing client
I’ve recently taken on a new boxing client who is absolutely smashing it. My client hasn’t enjoyed previous types of exercise but despite having never done any boxing before, he’s making amazing progress and most importantly, loves his boxing training.
Seeing my client’s progress and enjoyment made me think a bit more about boxing and why it is such an incredible type of training. Based on my clients’ experiences, my experience teaching them and my own boxing journey, below are the reasons why boxing is such a fantastic type of training:
Boxing is the ultimate form of cardio for people who don’t like cardio
If you’re looking to get fit and lose weight but hate the idea of cardio, boxing is the perfect workout. Boxing is a full body workout: it combines high intensity activity with core, shoulder, leg and arm training. However, as you’re so focused on technique and movement and hitting the target, it never feels like you’re just doing cardio. As basic as it sounds, when you punch something, adrenaline kicks in and you don’t think of it as a workout.
Boxing is a mental challenge
The more you learn about boxing, the more you realise it’s about tactics and strategy, not just throwing punches. Boxing engages your brain and body - you need to judge distance; track opponents down; identify when to strike (if you’ve got the upperhand or are counter-striking) and constantly assess your opponent for weaknesses, strengths and their fitness. (That you’re burning a huge number of calories whilst doing it, is an additional bonus)
The more you learn, the more fulfilling it is
From my experience boxing and teaching the basics of boxing to clients, it’s one of those sports that becomes more enjoyable and fulfilling as you improve. Boxing is a constant learning process - there’s always something to learn and improve and master and that’s what keeps it interesting and fulfilling.
Getting started
Boxing can be a pretty intimidating thing to get started with so I’m going to add a few video clips on my site showing examples of various sessions with my boxing clients…
…In the meantime, if you’re curious about learning the basics of boxing, head over to the page on my site when I outline how my ‘Introduction to Boxing’ programme works and read testimonials from a few of my lovely clients.