Why you should start boxing too

Boxing is not necessarily about fighting actual people or becoming the next Muhammad Ali. You can also pick up boxing or kickboxing as a great full body workout, much more fun than just doing a series of exercises. It also has multiple additional benefits.

1. Boxing gets you in a good mood

Like doing almost any sport (except chess maybe), boxing gets your body moving. Most of us usually spend a lot more time sitting in front of a screen every day than moving our body, which can create problems. Physical activity is proven to be good for mental health – and who doesn’t need a little positive push? Exercising can help reduce anxiety and depression and can help improve self-esteem and cognitive function. As a combination of cardio and muscle training, boxing is a great way to really get your heart rate up, the sweat flowing and your endorphins kicked. Simply put, it just gets you into a good mood.

2. Boxing improves hand-eye coordination and reflexes

Boxing can help you boost your hand-eye coordination, simply by practising the different punches. It is always a good idea to try the punches out in front of a mirror to see what you are doing and how you could still improve your technique. When starting to box, you might feel awkward, especially while shadowboxing, but just give it some time and practice and soon you will feel empowered by your trainings. If you need guidance on the different punches, check out our guide here. When doing the different moves while they are shouted out to you, you will also enhance your reflexes and alertness, which can come in handy in many other situations life throws at all of us.

3. Boxing is a full-body workout

As already mentioned before, boxing is a great combination of cardio and muscle training. It does not only strengthen upper-body and core muscles, but it also boosts endurance. With punches being a rather intense form of movement, boxing is a tiring activity and you will push your limits of endurance. Boxing works your chest, shoulders, arms, abdominal muscles, back and legs. It really is a full-body workout. Also don’t underestimate shadow boxing – the footwork can leave you feel sore in your calves days after your training. With all of this in mind, it is crucial to warm up the right muscle groups before the training to avoid injuries, so especially if you are just picking up boxing, check out how to warm up in our example home workout session.

Other benefits can be improved balance, especially when you are kick-boxing, improved self-confidence and boxing can also be a great and healthy way of escapism as it requires you to really focus and concentrate on the way you move – almost like yoga, just a little more exciting.

If any of this sounds good to you, give it a try! In our humble opinion, Shadowboxing.app is of course one of the best ways to start including a little bit of boxing or kickboxing in your home workouts, but really, just do what’s best for you and box on.