Boxing is a demanding sport that will challenge your muscular strength, power and endurance as well as your aerobic and anaerobic fitness. According to combat fitness expert Martin Rooney, boxers are among the fittest sportsmen. Because of the large variety of physical demands in boxing, there are numerous exercises you can use to improve your sports-specific fitness.
Burpees
Consisting of squats, pushups, squat thrusts and squat jumps, burpees are an all-round exercise suitable for boxers. Burpees will develop your muscular endurance, fitness and power, all of which are vital for boxing. You can perform your burpees for time, a set number of repetitions or as part of a circuit. To perform a burpee, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands by your sides. Squat down and place your hands outside your feet. Jump your legs back into the pushup position and perform one pushup. Jump your feet back in so they are next to your hands and then dynamically leap into the air. This constitutes one rep.
Pushups
Pushups will develop your punching muscles: the pectoralis major of your chest, the anterior deltoid of your shoulder and the triceps of the back of your arm. There are a variety of pushup variations you can choose from, all of which will affect your body in slightly differing ways. Clapping press-ups will develop power, hand stand pushups will develop strength and high-repetition sets will develop your endurance. If you perform your pushups with your hands wider than your shoulders, you emphasize your chest muscles while a narrower, less-than-shoulder-width hand position emphasizes your triceps.
Jump Rope
The cornerstone of many boxers' training, jumping rope will develop your footwork, agility, aerobic fitness and leg and shoulder endurance. To make your jump rope workouts more effective, you can perform a variety of drills including knee lift sprints and double-unders, which are two turns of the rope per jump. Minimize the risk of foot injuries by always wearing supportive, well-cushioned sports shoes when jumping rope.
Rubber Band Punches
This boxing-specific exercise will improve your punching endurance. Anchor two medium-strength rubber bands behind you and hold one in each hand. Throw a variety of punches either for time, repetitions or as part of a circuit.
Shadow Boxing
Used as a warmup before sparring or as a stand-alone workout, shadow boxing is as traditional as jumping rope in boxing training. Using timed rounds, fight an imaginary opponent. Throw punches, defend and counterattack either randomly or at the command of a trainer. When shadow boxing, you should focus on speed and technique rather than power as throwing hard punches that don't make contact with anything may injure your elbows or shoulders.
V-Sits
A strong midsection is vital in boxing. Punches are initiated from your waist and you will need to use your abdominals to absorb the impact of your opponents' blows. V-sits, sometimes called pike sit-ups, work your major abdominal muscles as well as your hip flexors. If you find traditional V-sits too demanding, you can perform them with bent knees, which will make them easier. To perform a V-sit, lie on your back with your legs straight and arms extended above your head. Dynamically pike your body and lift your upper and lower body simultaneously--you should be balancing on your tailbone--and reach toward your feet to make a V shape. Return under control to the starting position and repeat.
References
- "Training for Warriors: The Ultimate Mixed Martial Arts Workout"; Martin Rooney; 2008
- "Boxing Fitness: A Guide to Get Fighting Fit"; Ian Oliver; 2007
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