Cardio boxing is the perfect workout for burning calories. Cardio boxing is also a great way to lose fat and build shoulder strength and cardiovascular endurance. According to The American College of Sports Medicine "Resources for the Personal Trainer," boxing not only helps build shoulder strength but can help improve coordination and balance.
Shadow Exercises
There are many ways to do shadow exercises and each one has its own focus. The basic shadow exercise is a great way to work on your accuracy and coordination. Start by standing in front of a mirror so that you can see most of your body in the reflection. It's important to be able to see your hips so you can practice telegraphing---a technique that lets you predict how and where your opponent will strike by observing your own patterns. Stand in a basic fighting stance. Your head will be facing forward and your body will be facing 45-degrees to the right or left depending which side your dominant limbs are on---typically if someone is right handed, they will turn 45-degrees to the right so the left part of their body is toward the front. To execute the movement, throw two jabs, aiming directly at the center of your face. Then follow up with a right cross. Observe how your hips move before you throw the jab and then before you throw the cross. Keep doing this for 1 minute then take a break for 1 minute. Repeat this entire process five times.
Speed Exercises
According to the American Council on Exercise, boxing speed drills are perfect for agility and dexterity development in the shoulders and arms. Much of the speed exercise depends on being accurate as well as quick with the hands. Begin this exercise by standing in a fighting stance facing a heavy bag. Throw as many jabs as you can for 30 seconds. Next throw as many right crosses as you can for 30 seconds. Then rest for 1 minute. Next, throw two jabs as fast as you can, drop your jab---lower the arm completely---then throw two more. Repeat this cycle for 1 minute. This will develop pickup strength with your jab so you can lift it up and use it faster. Repeat this entire process three times.
Combo Exercises
Like shadow exercises, combo exercises can be done a variety of ways, but the premise is the same. Combo exercises help you develop muscle memory so you can pull off any given combo without having to think about each move individually. Combo exercises can be done using a mirror like the shadow exercise or by using a heavy punching bag. To perform a simple combo exercise get in your fighting stance and start with the basic double jab, right cross combo. Do this for 1 minute and then rest for 1 minute. Next, change the combo up so that you throw one jab and then one cross. Do this for 2 minutes and then rest for 1 minute. Next, throw a double jab, duck, and then throw a right cross as you come up from the duck. Do this for 3 minutes and then rest for 1 minute. Try to do this drill every other day until you are no longer sore the day after.
Posted in: Cardio Boxing