What is your perception of boxing? Most of the people think it just gives your upper body a workout and not an intense one. But the reality is fairly opposite. Just to give you an idea, just 15 minutes into the training, i.e. hopping on your feet you will be out of breath. Recently boxing has emerged as a popular workout regime. Either it is fitness you are looking for or want to learn self-defense boxing is a great place to start. Don’t wait for anything else, get your boxing gloves, headgear, other required gear and get started.

Boxing will build up complete body strength and improve your mental health as you will be learning skills to defend, concentrate, focus, discipline and more. The training is intense but don’t worry if you aren’t strong and tough because you will be there gradually. Let’s have a look how you can improve your physical and mental fitness with boxing.

A killer leg workout

Boxers need strong legs. Just to move like a boxer you need to work on your legs. Try getting into a boxer’s stance and hop back, forth, and sideways and see how much your legs get tired. Here are some of the leg workouts for boxers you can have a look at, it will give you a fair idea of what the training consists of. Even to bring power in your punches you would require good leg strength. Because the power in your punches is increased by turning your core and hips with the punch.

Strengthens the core too

Throwing a combination of different pitches left and right doing shadow boxing you will then move on to training on the heavy bag. And if you have enough training, then you will move to the speed bag. This might not seem like much, but when you are throwing punches with full power for more than an hour straight, the core is being seriously worked on. Remember the power in punches comes from rotating your hips and core with it.

This simple workout will make your core part burn. Continue with it and you will build immense core strength. This is not just it, there are other core workouts too like Russian twists and planks. Depending on your trainer and goals there will be more exercises and different variations of each.

You’ll get a complete body workout

Of course in boxing you are only allowed to punch with your hands. But instead boxing is more about speed rather than arm strength and power. Here you let the speed do the work. But that does not mean you don’t strengthen the arms and shoulders.

Moving on the head movement is one of the main things in boxing. Evading a punch by ducking your head and moving it to left and right is most common. So the power and speed in your neck is important. Legs and a complete upper body aids you with this.

Further on, it sharpens the mind too along with the body. Anticipating the opponent’s moves and reacting on time to evade or block. Then follow it with your attack is possible when your mind is focused, reacting fast, concentrated, and thinking what to do next.

Burn fat and build lean muscle

Boxing is great for fitness because it helps burn the fat and build lean muscles at the same time. It will get you in prime shape with toned muscles and defined body in a short while. If you are already skinny, then don’t worry. The training will be the same . All you have to do is follow a diet plan eating more than you will be burning.

Regardless of your current fitness level, boxing will get you into great shape. Just make sure you are training well, following proper diet plans, and getting plenty of rest. Having trouble sleeping? Read how you can improve your sleep and get better rest. At the end you will be a better athlete, know self-defense, have burnt a lot of fat, got a great lean body, and great confidence.

Build endurance and strength

In boxing training there is no true rest in between. If you think 10 to 15 seconds are enough to catch your breath then go for it because you will get that much, not actually though. During the rest period you will either be doing shadow boxing or doing a boxer’s stance bouncing on balls of your feet.

The training is to keep you going and give your full even when you are tired. Making the muscles keep on going without giving up. This is important because the boxing matches are just like that. This training will build up your endurance and strength like nothing else.

Make the ligaments and bones strong

Boxing training is one of the efficient methods to make your ligaments and bones strong. Which becomes helpful at an older age and percents problems like osteoporosis from happening. Think of a punch, it is working on joints, muscles, and bones, simultaneously making them stronger.