In addition to being an intensive combat sport, boxing is an aerobic exercise that builds endurance by keeping the heart pumping for an extended length of time. While less consistent than repetitive aerobic sports, such as tennis or swimming, boxing requires bursts of strength movements and long-term exertion from its athletes. For best results, measure your heart rate while taking interval breaks to make sure it is elevated to the point of achieving aerobic exercise.
Aerobic Boxing
According to Medline Plus, aerobic exercises are defined by their ability to accelerate the heart and respiration rates. The wide variety of punches, blocks and footwork performed by boxers constantly keeps their heart rate at an elevated level for the duration of the round -- generally three minutes. Although a complete 12-round fight includes 36 minutes of high-impact aerobic activity, a significant workout also can be achieved in shorter fights.
Calories Burned
Aerobic exercises generally are categorized by how many calories they burn per hour. According to the Nutristrategy online calorie chart, boxing athletes competing in a ring can burn between 708 and 1,117 calories per hour, depending on their body weight. Boxing training and bag-punching can burn between 354 and 558 calories per hour, roughly the equivalent of bicycling at a speed of 10 to 11 mph for one hour.
Boxing and the Body
Despite the rest intervals between rounds, boxing still is a considerable aerobic workout. By constantly engaging large muscle groups in quick, sudden motions, the heart rate spikes and elevates to high rates. According to MayoClinic.com, for a sport to be considered vigorous exercise it must reach 70 percent to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate. To determine your maximum heart rate, subtract your age from 220; multiply the result by .7 and .85 to determine your target heart rate.
Safety Considerations
Boxing is considered high-impact compared with other aerobic sports such as swimming. The physical toll and risk of injury make boxing more dangerous than many other aerobic sports. Talk to your doctor before engaging in a boxing match and always wear proper headgear and mouth protection before squaring off against an opponent in the ring.
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