Boxing. It’s probably the best way to burn calories and reduce stress at the same time. Thanks to celebrities like Adriana Lima (Victoria’s Secret model), Karlie Kloss and of course Floyd Mayweather, boxing has become a very popular and trendy sport lately. If you feel like this would be intimidating, you’re not alone. Adriana Lima only started boxing because she hated every other form of exercise and in 13 years she hasn’t done anything else! She tells Time Magazine,
“It’s very empowering because you learn how powerful and strong you can be. It’s the best exercise that exists because you can get really ripped, but not too big.”
image via Instagram
So what are the benefits of this kick-butt sport?
Weight Loss
It’s an intense sustained workout that burns a lot of calories. Classes usually last an hour or two and although it might seem slow in the beginning (depends on where you take your classes), soon enough you’ll be sweating like you never have before. A one hour class can burn anywhere from 500-1000 calories!
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Learn Self-defense Skills
Boxing teaches you tons of kick and punch combos. If you ever find yourself in a dangerous situation you’re going to be happy you know how to defend yourself.
Elite Sports boxing headgear
Full Body Strength
Because boxing involves bouncing, ducking, pivoting, punching and kicking, it requires repetitive motions of your entire body. Doing these moves over and over again provides strength to your arms, shoulders, legs and core.
Stress Reliever
Ever get so mad or stressed out you just want to punch something? Well this is the perfect way. Boxing is completely therapeutic. Research shows that people who box regularly are more cheerful, getting rid of stress and tension with every punch.
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Builds a Stronger Heart
Boxing is great for the heart. It’s a great way to exercise your cardiovascular system and keep it healthy. It’s also amazing for building up your stamina. Good stamina is necessary for more advanced training so you can train for longer periods of time. But even beginner classes can be quite demanding especially if you’re new to it!
Provides Strong Bones and Muscles
Boxing improves the strength and flexibility of all muscle groups in the body. It also helps to develop and strengthen joints. This is because punching provides a fast repetitive action that produces tight and toned muscles, in contrast to the slow and controlled movements involved in body-building or weight-lifting. Boxing gives you the skills in footwork, body coordination and agility.
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What do you think of the boxing trend? Would you try it?
Awesome article. I’ve always wanted to try it but am reluctant to get in the ring with anyone. I looked into classes at some of the gyms near me and they tend to want you to get into sparring after a little bit of training. Is this something you recommend? Or can you do a good boxing workout without actually squaring off with someone?