You don’t need to float like a butterfly or sting like a bee to get one of the best full body workouts. Boxing circuit training is one of the best full body exercises and you never have to take a punch. Whether you train at a boxing studio, gym or your home garage, boxing circuit training will burn calories, give you a full body burn and pose little risk of injury.
History
The history of boxing goes back thousands of years to when slaves and criminals would fight to win freedom or gain their independence. The sport of boxing has supplied us with some of the most memorable sports figures of all time. Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao are well-known figures, but they had to take a many hits to earn their fame.
Function
An hour of hard boxing will burn 500 to 700 calories. Whether actually sparring with another boxer or shadow boxing, no other anaerobic activity will burn as many calories as boxing. A simple warm-up should consist of two to three minutes of jumping rope followed by a series of body exercises to prepare or loosen the body up for exercise. These exercises should consist of abdominal crunches, push-ups, pull-ups, walking lunges and wall squats.
Types
Other than simply shadow boxing or sparring, other forms of boxing circuit training include hitting the heavy bag, speed bag, double ended bag or mitts with a partner or coach. The exercise you choose will take on a personality of its own. The heavy bag weighs more than 200 lbs. No matter how hard you hit the heavy bag, it will always come back for more. The speed bag will frustrate the best of the best when it comes to boxers as it will always test your coordination and ability to stay focused. The double-ended bag will hone your hand-eye coordination while keeping you light on your toes. For the more advanced boxer, the mitts offer the best of all the exercises because it incorporates all the above bag exercises and improves breathing, balance, core and stamina.
Benefits
Boxing requires a strong body foundation and composition. Boxing uses the entire body and challenges every muscle. Boxers are never far from a jump rope because it helps develop foot-to-eye coordination and keeps them light on their feet. The midsection is a boxer's power house. This is where strength begins to form your punch, so a strong core and sense of balance are critical. Like swimming, it’s not important to have an overly developed upper body, but it is necessary to have a toned chest, back and arms because they are key to punching.
Significance
In addition to the anaerobic workout you'll receive from circuit training, your aerobic fitness will be challenged, too. Like any other sport, breathing is a must and if you don’t have strong lungs, your boxing training will derail. Controlled breathing is necessary with each punch. For every punch, you should have an exhale, which in turn will force you to inhale on each retraction. All too often, beginners hold their breath, causing fatigue. Most boxing training requires lungs that have been strengthened by running, swimming, boxing or yoga.
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