Boxing is a unique way to work out, but it can be highly beneficial. Due to the many benefits of a boxing workout, a lot of people are starting to adopt the sport as a way of staying in shape. However, despite the sport’s positives it does have a steep learning curve and can potentially be dangerous.
So, if you’re considering picking up boxing, what benefits can you look forward to, and are they worth the potential detractors? Let’s take a look.
Muscle Gain
Muscle gain is just one of the benefits of a boxing workout is muscle gain. The act of punching builds muscle in almost your entire body, making boxing a great way to bulk up. In order to have a good punch, you need to have a firm stance, use your lower body, activate your core, and strike with your arms.
Activating your entire body in this way builds muscle, especially if you do it repeatedly during a training session. While boxing may not build as much muscle as lifting weights, it still is a fantastic way to activate your whole body and add some accessory muscle training to your regimen.
Weight Loss
One of the biggest benefits of a boxing workout is the weight loss that comes with it. Boxing is an activity that involves burning a lot of calories, making it much easier to lose weight. If you burn more calories than you take in, you’ll enter a caloric deficit and start losing weight.
There’s even equipment such as smart punching bags, tracking your physical activity during your boxing training. With tools such as these, you can create specific boxing workouts that are designed to burn calories and shred fat. If you’re looking for a fun way to get active and lose weight, boxing might be one of the best ways to do it.
Improved Balance
Boxing is a very movement-intensive activity, requiring you to have coordinated footwork to throw and dodge punches. When boxing you need to position yourself in a way where you can punch with the proper footwork, something that requires balance.
Additionally, when sparring other boxers, you’ll have to constantly dodge punches and then quickly reposition yourself in order to punch back. In fact, boxing is so good at improving balance that boxing training is even used as a treatment for some disorders that affect the body’s movements.
If you always wanted to improve your balance, perhaps skip the yoga and start boxing.
Increased Discipline
Another of the benefits of a boxing workout is increased discipline. Boxing is an extremely difficult sport to get into and stick with. Not only do you need to train hard to get your body in peak physical shape, but your body will also take a beating if you decide to spar or box competitively.
Due to the amount of training and endurance required to box, it is a great way to improve your discipline. The hard work and discipline that you use in boxing can be easily translated to other areas of your life, having a positive impact. After adopting boxing, you’ll likely find it much easier to stay disciplined in other areas of your life such as work.