When I got into boxing as a way for fitness at home and to get that boxers body. There were plenty of reasons as to why it was a good fit. For one, I wanted to learn a fight skill not for any particular reason other than just knowing how to and have my body develop the movement and reactions time/speed that is associated with boxing.
Without getting in too deep to the reasons, one of the main factor and high on the priority list was having the healthy body.
For me, a boxers body is a great balance between strength and speed. Understandably it’s what they would want to strive for given their chosen profession. To get to that goal, planning out your workout routine would be the first step.
Finding the exercises that are well diversified and on your fitness level is actually quite simple. If you’re a beginner its probably best to start with the basics and work your way up to more advanced techniques.
Some Tips For Getting The Boxers Body At Home
The good news is, working out like a boxer can be done anywhere. You don’t have to join a fancy gym or a boxing gym to get the workout you’re looking for.
Can you do it with no equipment at all? Of course you can, many of the workouts are generally bodyweight exercises and cardio. You may want to invest in some boxing equipment for your home gym. Because is it really a boxing workout if you’re not doing any boxing?
Other than gloves, punching bag and a little bit of space. That is really all you need to start. Building on that and getting more items to fill it all out can come later as you progress.
Starting and building out your space is often overlooked and in fact – should be given a lot of thought. You will be spending a lot of time there so why not make it a place where you are motivated and happy to go to and be in.
This can be a spare bedroom, a den, or even carve out a space in your living room. Whatever you have to work with, maximize the space and make it your own. You only need to account for your boxing equipment and a sufficient amount of floor space for bodyweight exercises.
Do You Need Weights?
Although having weights is a nice to have, there really isn’t any necessity to it if it’s something you’re on the fence about.
One of the many benefits of a boxing workout is not only the boxers body but also the agility or functional mobility that comes with it.
Being focussed on using weights or loading your workout with it, in a way takes away from your mobility. Lifting weights builds muscle which is great. But the exercises are typically low in movement. Meaning you are usually bringing the weight up and down in order to complete the exercise.
Instead, using bodyweight movements or calisthenics is the perfect complementary workout to boxing. The workouts you will be doing are all bodyweight exercises. Finding functional movements and using your own bodyweight as resistance. It is a great way to build muscle, joint strength and get a full body workout.
We will look at some calisthenic exercises for boxing later on in this article. Another type of exercise is shadow boxing with weights. This helps tone your body as well as builds endurance, read more about that in our article here.
How Often Should You Workout
Like anything else in life, anything worth doing would take time and effort. Nothing “great” comes overnight and it shouldn’t. Something you work so hard for should be cherished and you should be proud of going through the process and achieving the end result.
Doing a boxing workout every other day or 4-5 times a week is pretty sufficient for most people. It’s not something you should set in stone, but one day on and one day off of your workout is a good balance depending on how intensive you plan on making it.
To clarify, we’re doing about the full boxing workout routine. So you would be covering cardio work, core work, boxing, strength training all in the same workout. You want the boxers body, you gotta put in the work.
Listening to your body and taking a break when needed should also be taken into account. Especially in the beginning. Early on, your body is likely not going to be use to the intensity you will put it through so taking your time and building up to it is a good way to prevent injury and allow yourself some momentum to grow.
Best strategy would be to plan out your week or month in advance. The beauty of a boxing workout is that no 2 workouts need to be the same. Covering the basics of cardio, strength, core and boxing is pretty typical throughout and finding exercises to fill those needs are plentiful.
Training Like A Boxer
There are a few things to include when planning your boxing workouts. And keeping the proper balance will help get the results of a boxers body. Keeping in mind that most boxer train hard to build strength and speed finding workouts to hit those areas and are complementary to each other would be the perfect start.
So what are the areas we want to focus on?
- Cardio
No balanced workout is ever complete without cardio. It’s no different with boxing, in fact its one the focus points for a workout. Being able to go 12 rounds is no easy feat and conditioning for that is extremely important. Although you may not be training for a professional fight, the health benefits that come with it are just as beneficial. Running or jump rope are common ways a boxer would warm up or cool down before a workout. - Strength
There are various ways to encounter strength training. Like we mentioned earlier, using less weighted exercises and more bodyweight exercises is something not to overlook. A boxers body is lean yet strong, keeping intact their speed and strength. During your exercise, complementary functional strength training workouts can help keep you agile while building muscles. - Agility
Agility training improves flexibility, balance and control. Part of what makes boxing style workouts enticing is how healthy you could make your body. Regular cardio and weight training can keep your body fit but for me it lacks the flexibility and movability of what I would prefer. - Speed
While working on speed for boxing, you’re actually getting other benefits as well. Some interesting to note are hand eye coordination, cardiovascular exercise, muscle toning and foot work agility. The purpose of these exercises is to get faster, and in order to achieve that, is by going through the actual motions. - Endurance
Boxing demands incredible endurance. And boxing training is designed with that in mind. Like mentioned earlier, going through 12 rounds is one thing. Being able to commit 100% in each round is another. Having great stamina requires a lot of work, and luckily is something you would get with a proper boxing routine.
Conclusion
Working out like a boxer will get you a boxers body. The key is staying consistent and giving everything you got in every workout. Half effort work will give you half the results you are looking for. Make sure to include the different elements discussed in this article to keep it well rounded and balanced.
A way to keep your workouts well managed and in true boxing. Try structuring them similar to a boxing match. 3 minutes of workout and 1 minute rest all the way through. If they are body weight exercises you can keep them at one set on with a rest period.
