14 reasons why boxing should be part of your weekly workout
Boxing is a popular way for many people to integrate strength and cardio into their workout routines.
This is because boxing has a range of benefits for your body and mind. As a form of aerobic exercise, boxing is a good way to get your heart pumping, get your muscles and bones moving, improve coordination as well as relieve stress.
But how is boxing different from other sports? Well, it all comes down to what it does for your body. So here are 14 reasons why you should pick up some gloves and incorporate boxing into your weekly exercise routine …
1. Improves your cardiovascular fitness
Boxing is an aerobic, or ‘cardio’, form of exercise – meaning as your heart rate increases and you breathe heavily as more oxygen is pumped into your blood. This is beneficial for your cardiovascular health as it builds up your fitness and exercise tolerance, reduces body weight, lowers blood pressure and bad cholesterol levels.
2. Helps you keep the weight off
The more you move and exercise, the more likely you are to lose weight. With the range of movements associated with boxing it not only stimulates weight loss but if maintained can build muscle and keep unwanted fat off.
3. Improves your overall body strength
Boxing is a great way to build strength. By strengthening your muscles and bones you increase your ability to do activities and exercise, reduce risk of injury and help maintain a healthy body weight.
4. Increase your hand-eye coordination
Having good hand-eye coordination is crucial not only when it comes to exercise but in everyday life. Boxing puts a major focus on hand-eye coordination by incorporating focuses on a range of combinations which encourage your muscles to move and your mind to focus.
5. Increases your muscle mass
By relying on body weight and movements, boxing engages a range of muscles throughout the body and helps stimulate a growth in muscle mass. Greater muscle mass means you are stronger and have greater mobility.
6. Improves your stamina and endurance levels
Stamina and endurance are two key factors when it comes to exercise. Not only does boxing regularly help your ability to box for longer periods or more intensely, it helps your ability to do so with all other forms of physical activity too.
7. Decreases your stress levels
By punching it out in a solid boxing session, you are likely to release a lot of stress you may have been holding throughout the day. It can help you let go of the negative and make you feel more positive.
8. Helps you to sleep better
As a form of aerobic exercise, boxing can help you sleep better at night by keeping you active during the day. A better night’s sleep will help you exercise better and by exercising regularly you are likely to have a better sleep. They both influence each other.
9. Helps build and maintain your confidence
The more you box the better you get, and the more your confidence grows. Whether that’s confidence with your boxing ability or the way you look and feel, confidence is key to feeling good and staying motivated.
10. Creates new neural pathways improving the functioning of your brain
When you exercise your brain creates new neural pathways, which ultimately improves your learning and memory. So that means, when you box you are actually improving the function of your brain!
11. Improves your memory and concentration
As mentioned, your brain creates new neural pathways when you box which improves your memory and concentration. This is key to keeping your mind active as well as improving your hand-eye coordination.
12. Boosts those happy hormones!
Exercise encourages the release of happiness hormones like endorphins and serotonin, which improve your mood as well as decreasing stress and anxiety levels. The more you move, the more you’ll feel happy.
13. Reduces anxiety
A good way to reduce anxiety is to encourage the release of the above mentioned, happiness hormones that are best felt when doing high intensity aerobic exercise.
14. Helps you to feel energised
Boxing keeps a range of areas in your body moving, meaning you feel more energetic. By keeping boxing as part of your regular exercise routine you can beat those sluggish feelings and stay motivated to keep going.
Need somewhere to kick-start your boxing journey? Why not check out Hannah’s boxercise session to get your great rate up, or Rada’s shadow boxing video as a way to add something new to your current fitness schedule.
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References
Harvard Health Publishing: https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/punch-up-your-exercise-routine-with-fitness-boxing
Harvard Health Publishing: https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/preserve-your-muscle-mass
Circulation Journal: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.CIR.0000048890.59383.8D
The Mayo Clinic: https://diet.mayoclinic.org/diet/move/cardio-101
The Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/exercise-and-stress/art-20044469
HealthLink BC: https://www.healthlinkbc.ca/physical-activity/muscular-strength-and-endurance
Perea Clinic: https://pereaclinic.com/improving-coordination/
Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6509468/
