A BOXING WORKOUT TO SUIT YOU

When you think of a boxing workout, you wouldn’t be alone in thinking that it involves someone aggressively shouting in your ear whilst you do press-up after press-up or punch a bag until your knuckles are raw, surrounded by old sweaty towels and deep heat. Well, luckily for you, and for us, boxing workouts have a totally new look now. And the choice is all yours.

We’re confident that we have a boxing workout especially for you, and whats better, you don’t even have to go anywhere near a gym! That's right, you can choose what sort of workout you want, and where you do it!

“But, boxing workouts require being in a gym or a studio sweating it out on the pads with someone else, surely?” Not anymore because we have created a boxing workout around shadowboxing and light hand weights that allows you to do a boxing workout in your own time at home, in your office or on holiday!

We have approx. 40 different boxing workouts or videos, carefully curated under 8 different categories to suit all moods and all abilities. There are no old towels, shouty coaches or busy gym studios with other sweaty human beings. Just you but with the same intensity and same level of commitment.

If you want to dive straight in then check out our boxing workouts or begin your 10 day free trial today. If you’re not quite ready, read on as we take you through everything you need to know about boxing workouts.

Boxing workouts for beginners

If you are new to boxing, don’t worry, we’ve got your back! All of our trainers are experienced experts in what they do, and they are determined to get you through the rounds with them. They will talk you through each step of the way, incorporating warm ups and cool downs into each class.

The best thing about our boxing workouts are that, if you want, then there doesn’t have to be anyone else in the room with you. Which means no unwanted eyes, no unwanted judgement, no unwanted competition. Just you, and our trainers. It’s the perfect platform to perfect your jab and start to build those knock out combinations.

Most of our boxing workouts are based on shadow boxing techniques and you won’t require any additional equipment. However, there is the option of building in some light weights to the workouts which we will come onto later. If you’re keen to get on with our boxing workouts then you should look at purchasing some light dumbbells. Apart from that you’re good to go!

So now you’ve thought about getting involved, where do you actually start? Don’t worry, if you don’t know your jab from your hook or your uppercut from your cross, we’ll take you through it. We’ve enlisted expert help from our resident boxing workout instructor, Louis Rennocks to put this in-depth article together.

The perfect boxing technique

Our boxing expert and absolute legend, Louis, has expertly broken down each element of the full boxing technique to get you from armchair novice to ring side leader in, well, approximately 5 minutes! That’s probably quicker than it takes most people to have a shower, drink a coffee or scroll through their Instagram feed. So what are you waiting for?

Get on your feet and start practicing!

It’s all about the technique… we would recommend going through these super quick demonstrations if you are new to boxing, it will help you to find your most natural stance and approach each move in the right way when taking part in our boxing workouts.

Below, we have taken each part of the boxing technique to give you a broad understanding to begin with. Check out all of our videos dedicated to the boxing technique.

The stance

 Perfecting your stance is the first and one of the most important factors to consider when starting out. Why? Because it can not only improve and affect your speed and mobility but also determine how effective your boxing workout is. The correct form will ensure you are engaging all the correct muscles and give you that full body workout.

Your ‘perfect’ boxing stance is likely to differ from others as everyone tends to vary stances slightly, with some people preferring a slightly wider or narrower stance. It is therefore important to find your own ideal position. However, that said, there are still some basic guidelines which you should aim to follow to ensure you are maximising your strengths.

Orthodox or southpaw?

Another major consideration when setting up your stance is which foot and hand should you lead with. Typically, in the professional world of boxing, boxers will lead with their left foot and left hand. This is known as the ‘orthodox stance’ and has been taken up by many past boxing champions, including Anthony Joshua, Wladimir Klitschko, Lennox Lewis, Floyd Mayweather Jr and Muhammad Ali.

The opposite to this is leading with your right foot and your right hand, often reserved for left hand fighters, but not exclusively. The ‘southpaw stance’ is sometimes deemed unorthodox and has sometimes been viewed to give fighters an advantage over their opponent due to a lack of understanding about how ‘southpaw’ boxers build their combinations. Successful ‘southpaw’ boxers include Manny Pacquiao, Joe Calzaghe, Marvin Hagler and Victor Ortiz.

Louis wouldn’t necessarily recommend a stance to anyone as its all about what you feel most comfortable doing. Perhaps try the following short videos on technique in both stances and see which you prefer!

The jab

The jab is any boxers first and basic punch. The jab can be great for blocking, punching, pushing or distracting an apponent. There is nothing necessarily fancy or over-the-top about the jab, however it is a punch which is both fast and long. It's simplicity makes it easier to be accurate.

If you master the jab early then it builds a great platform for starting to think about boxing combinations.

The cross

The cross is similar to the jab, except you punch with your rear arm. It is a straight punch, like the jab but the advantage the cross has over the jab is that it often holds more power as you are able to put your full body behind the punch. It is a great option to set you up for other punches, as well as being useful on it's own.

The hook

The hook requires a slightly more complex technique for correct delivery. Although it can be thrown with either arm, a hook is generally thrown with your front or leading arm. This means if you are

The hook is a close or mid range punch. If you are hitting a target, whether that be a pad, bag or your opponent, ensure you are standing close enough for it to have the right impact. And remember to continue to keep your guard up and your knees bent. Your offensive combinations start with a well organised defence.

The uppercut

The uppercut is a powerful, potentially knockout punch, however it comes with risks in a fight. Throwing an uppercut means you have to take your guard down for a second, leaving you vulnerable, so make sure you’re aware of that before unleashing an uppercut. If your opponent is aware that it's coming, you might be in trouble!

When performing an uppercut, all your power is generated from your hips. Use the full power of your body to throw this powerful punch. Uppercuts are best followed with a hook.

The kicks (not used in boxing)

Kicking is not a part of any traditional boxing discipline, however some of our workouts will incorporate kicks and it is important to follow basic technique.

Follow the link above to watch Esmee Gummer talk you through how to perform a front kick and side kick.

Mixing boxing and cardio workouts

We think our boxing workouts are slightly different to other more traditional methods. This is because we have a whole series dedicated to mixing boxing and cardio for that ultimate workout. We know that everyone is so time poor now and that’s why combining cardio with boxing is great, you’re getting double the intensity in half the time. That means more time for emails, for coffee with friends or spending time with your little ones!

HIIT training, known as ‘high intensity interval training’ isn’t a new fad, it's been an effective method of training for some time now, and it's no wonder we’ve incorporated an element of HIIT into our boxing workouts. We want you to feel fit, strong and lean - all wrapped into one session!

Our boxing workouts range from 15 to 30 minutes but we’re confident thats enough to really get you pumped up and feeling it! Do the rounds with our Boxx trainers and you’ll soon find out!

We have 23 different boxing workouts designed in a unique way to mix traditional methods with HIIT training. These workouts are designed around 5 different categories to inspire and motivate you to be the best you can be. Explore all of our boxing HIIT workouts below;

• Full body - 12 boxing workouts
• Upper body - 2 boxing workouts
• Lower body - 4 boxing workouts
• Core - 3 boxing workouts
• Low impact - 2 boxing workouts

Boxing weight training

Boxing and weight training often go hand-in-hand, but they don’t have to, and they certainly don’t need to be what you might imagine… big hefty grunts as you shift huge tyres around a room or suffocate yourself desperately trying to get one more rep out on that huge squat rack!

Historically weight training has supplemented boxing training, as well as additional cardio exercises such as running and skipping. We know, however that you just don’t have the time to do all of that, that’s why we’ve also combined boxing and weight training.

In some of our classes, our instructors are encouraging you to incorporate weights. But, no don’t worry this doesn’t mean you need to invest in a squat rack or a bench! It simply means shadow boxing with (light) weights in your hands. By adding small weights to your Boxx workout it aids muscle growth and strength without the need for huge bench presses. Alternatively, some of our workouts also include resistance bands, these can be particularly effective for improving strength in your legs, again, without the need for big weights!

Because we’re only using small weights and combining that with a HIIT boxing workout, your body can truly be transformed into that toned, shaped, defined look that you’re after! Louis suggests using 1kg or 2kg dumbbells just to turn up your strength a little with each workout.

Boxing workout routine

The easiest way for you to explore a real boxing workout routine would be to jump in and meet Louis on our Boxx HIIT full body 30 minute workout. If you’re not quite ready to commit then here’s a taste of what it might look like to go through the rounds with our resident boxing expert!

Warm up

This is a crucial part of any workout in any discipline and shouldn’t be overlooked. This is all about raising the heart rate and loosening all of your limbs and muscles. Start with the upper body by drawing large circles with your arms - in a forward and backward motion. Now swing them from your sides and across each other in front of your chest. Loosen up your hips by holding your hands on them, legs spread wide and moving your hips in a clockwise and counterclockwise fashion. Finish off by rolling your shoulders towards your chin.

Round 1

Start off at 50-60% power and launch a straight jab, hold your guard up at the same time, use your feet and stay light. Repeat jab after jab for 1 minute.

Round 2

Take the intensity up a little to 60-70% and now start to bring in a mini-combination. Round 2 is time for jab, jab, cross, hook! Jab, jab, cross, hook! Jab, jab, cross, hook! Repeat for one minute...

Round 3

Join Louis in the class to take your boxing workouts to the next level!

Thanks for taking the time to read this article, all about a boxing workout to suit you. We hope you’ve learnt something and perhaps feel inspired to join us for a workout. You’re welcome anytime and anywhere you want.

If you’re a Boxx member then check out all of the boxing workouts we have in our library below. If you’re not yet a Boxx member but you’re keen about boxing or would like to start getting into boxing workouts then start your 10 day free trial now.

All Boxx boxing workouts. All Boxx boxing technique videos. All BoxxHIIT (full body) boxing workouts.