A 20 minute boxing workout to build strength and endurance

Walking into a boxing gym can be an assault on the senses, whether it’s the ringing of a bell, the smell of accumulated sweat, or the rapid rattle of the speed bag.

But if you stay for a while, you’ll find that boxing offers one of the most complete workouts available, mixing the whole body strength training and cardiovascular endurance with designed exercises improve balance, coordination and reflexes. A boxing workout can help strengthen your back, stabilize your shoulder muscles, and even work parts of your legs you didn’t know you had. It will challenge you mentally and physically while also strengthening your body against injury.

“Boxing workouts keep you sharp,” says Dwight Pratchett, a boxing coach at Main Street Boxing and Muay Thai in Houston. And you don’t actually have to hit anything (or risk getting hit) to reap the many benefits of boxing – although knocking over the heavy bag will certainly release any pent-up stress.

Even without access to a gym, you can still incorporate boxing into your regular workout routine, with minimal equipment. Here’s how to get started.

Why learn boxing?

It’s no secret that boxing workouts can be incredibly challenging. Boxing consistently ranked as one of the toughest sports, which require a high level of agility, speed, strength, stamina and technical skill. The traditional boxing workout has been created through the ages to prepare boxers for the rigors of a fight, with the aim of making them so fast and strong as they can be.

But what many don’t realize is that boxing workouts also help non-boxers improve their balance and coordination. Compared to running, for example, boxing is low-impact and requires one greater range of motion of the lower body, which develops strength and mobility. That makes it a healthy routine to combine with your weekly workout.

Boxing has been “healing” for Paul Pilibosian, 51, a lawyer based in Houston. Mr. Pilibosian regularly does CrossFit workouts and runs half marathons, both of which have caused pain. After starting boxing last year, “I haven’t really had any injuries,” said Mr. Pilibosian. “It’s a nice addition to running.”

For Rachael McGuinness, a physical therapist at Method Performance and Physical Therapy in Boston, boxing has relieved her pelvic floor problems and lower back pain. In boxing, she said, “you have to exhale with every punch, which teaches our body how to coordinate breathing.”

How to start

A traditional boxing workout usually begins with jumping rope and shadow boxing, followed by exercises that use the heavy bag, double bag, and speed bag; it ends with body weight exercises. Workouts are often done in rounds, with three minutes of work followed by one minute of rest, a rhythm that naturally lends itself to high-intensity interval training.

Getting started can be as simple as shadow boxing at home alongside bodyweight exercises. There are a number of at-home resources available, including digital classes such as Title Boxing, BoxUnion, and Gloveworx. A skipping rope and mat are good initial investments that can later be combined with a heavy bag if you find yourself into boxing. For a more comprehensive home setup, FightCamp offers a heavy bag, a punch tracker, gloves, wraps, and online boxing lessons.

How to stand

The force of a punch is generated in the lower body and passed through the midsection to the arms, working the lower body, torso, back muscles and shoulders in addition to the arms. “Boxing is a sport that really starts from the ground up,” says Justin Blackwell, a Title Boxing coach in the Los Angeles area.

But this starts with the right attitude. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your leading shoulder facing your opponent (or a mirror), and both knees bent. Your center of gravity should be slightly toward your back leg, almost as if you were leaning against the edge of a bar stool.

“If you’re not in that right position, you’re going to feel off balance,” Mr Pratchett said. If you’re right-handed, your left hand serves as your leading hand, with your right leg back; for left-handers it is the opposite.

Your fists should be placed against your face, with your lead hand touching your cheekbone on that side and your hindquarters touching your jaw on the other side. Your chin should be tucked down, with your eyes facing forward. Your elbows should be tucked in against your sides. This is your stable boxing base – return to it after every combination of punches.

How to punch

There are six main punches: jab, cross, left and right hooks, and left and right uppercuts. Many gyms label these punches one through six, in that order. For each, notice how your lower body moves with your hands, using the back foot to push yourself forward as you punch, or your lead foot to push yourself back, keeping an equal distance between the lead and back feet retains. This is known as footwork and is one of the most important aspects of good boxing.

• The uppercut is a quick up-and-out movement aimed at an opponent’s jaw or sternum. Bring the fist out, away from the body, and up to the bottom of the jaw, pointing it at a spot that reflects the center of your body. The knee and torso should move slightly inward toward the center of the body, raising the heel slightly.

Example workout

Once you’ve mastered your punches, try this workout. Make sure you have good posture and keep your hands up at all times. Boxing your first time can be surprisingly exhausting, so go at your own pace and make sure you stay in shape. Each round lasts three minutes, followed by one minute of rest.

And don’t forget to put on some music that will cheer you up. If you have the energy, try the skip boxer instead of rest.

Round 1: Skipping rope.

If you don’t have one, try jumping jacks, high knees, or the boxer kick. The point is to build lower body agility and speed.

Round 2: Jab/cross.

Work on throwing jabs, single or double, and add crosses after the jabs. Alternate between slow, powerful thrusts and fast, sharp thrusts.

Round 3: Jab/cross and hooks.

Use combinations of three or four punches, with a jab/cross followed by hooks. You can use a left hook, a right hook, or both. Again alternate between quick punches, thrown with little force, and slow punches, thrown with as much force as you can muster.

Round 4: Jab/cross and uppercuts.

Use combinations of four punches, where a jab/cross is followed by uppercuts to the left and right, just like the hooks in round three. You can use a left uppercut, a right one, or both.

Optional Calisthenics Round

If you still have energy for a fifth round, calisthenics are a traditional way to end a boxing workout because they provide extra strength and conditioning. Aim for three minutes of pushups, triceps dips, or situps, with a punch/cross each time you sit up.