For most women, Boxing most certainly won’t be their first choice when it comes to finding a way of staying fit and healthy. However, aside from the obvious, there are multiple reasons why some women do choose boxing as a form of exercise. In this article, I will explain some of the associated benefits of learning how to box and why more women are taking lessons than ever before.
Boxing For Self-Defence
In my opinion, this is the main reason that anyone should take up boxing and this tends to be the main reason that most women do. There is no denying that if you regularly attend boxing classes or boxing workouts you will increase your ability to be able to defend yourself better in times of danger.
In addition to your new Rocky moves, regular training also helps to raise your overall alertness and reflexes. Being alert of your surroundings is an excellent way of spotting a potentially dangerous situation.
Having the quick reflexes to react both physically and mentally quicker means you are less likely to put yourself in a dangerous situation and if you do then you at least have some skills to deal with any would-be attacker. Combining all of these skills together will lead to your self-defence capabilities being much greater than they previously were.
Boxing Gives A Full Body Cardio Workout
Boxing exercises, workouts and training programs all have the added benefit of providing a full-body cardio workout. The high intensity involved in boxing training puts it on par with running and cycling as a form of cardiorespiratory fitness. From jumping rope (skipping for girls lol) to working the heavy punch bag all aspects of these workouts place a heavy emphasis on building cardiovascular strength and overall stamina.
Most noteworthy and definitely worth a mention is a fact that boxing gives you both an aerobic and anaerobic fitness workout.
What Does This Mean?
When the body lacks the required oxygen needed to replenish itself during aerobic exercise it enters the anaerobic mode. Anaerobic exercise helps to build strength, power, speed and stamina by pushing the body to its limits.
Burn Those Calories With Boxing For Weight Loss
Obviously boxing will burn calories, but how many?
Well with there being so many training options associated with boxing this question depends on a few things, but below is a quick list of some boxing exercises and the calories they burn.
Jumping rope – Up to 15 calories per minute
Heavy punch bag workout – Up to 10 calories per minute
Sparring session – 10+ calories per minute
Shadow Boxing – 8+ calories per minute
Boxing Combats Stress
If you didn’t already know that beating the living daylight out of a punching bag was good for stress relief, well you do know. Furthermore, there is scientific evidence to back this up. The Japanese society of physical education and sport science recently published a report confirming that boxing does indeed lower stress levels. In the study, both male and female participants were put through boxing workouts and various scientific tests. Results indicate that boxing training as a form of exercise helps to decrease anxiety, tension, anger and depression.
It Never Gets Boring
One thing that makes boxing for fitness stand out to me is the wide variety of workouts and exercises that go with it. If you do decide to incorporate boxing into your fitness regime you won’t be able to say that you are bored.
Another good thing about some exercises is that they can be done anywhere. For example, if you don’t have time to travel to the gym one day, you can always do a quick 15-minute jump rope routine at home with maybe a little shadow boxing in between to mix things up.
Final Round
As you can see there is a lot more to boxing than just punching someone in the face. The benefits associated with the sport are numerous and more than likely the reason why many women are choosing to put on a pair of gloves.
For more boxing guides and information head over to fitnessfighters.co.uk for the best boxing how-to guides and equipment reviews.