|
Boxing training
“Move like a butterfly and sting like a bee.” That was Mohammed Ali’s most
memorable quote, but do you have to have rocks thrown at you as a kid to become
a boxer. Fortunately no is the answer, you just go for boxing training or a
boxing workout.
So where do you start. Well firstly there are lots of different boxing workouts
and boxing training methods.
A good boxing training method is outlined below:
Stretching:
Stretching before a work out is essential in keeping you in the fight. Every
muscle in your body needs to be stretched so that they are warm and ready for
use
Shadow Boxing: Shadow boxing consists of combining punch combinations, feet
work, visualization of opponent, and breathing. With Shadow boxing you should
start out with very slow movements and then progress into movements that are
quick, under control, and carried out with great concentration. Keep on the
balls of your feet as this will give you balance and allow you to absorb any
punches from your opponent better
Arm Twirls: Arm twirls consist of holding arms straight out from your sides.
Rotate your arms in a small circular motion until they tire, then tire move
them in larger circular motions. Always remember to alternative directions
Waste Bends: Waist bends consist of four bends in a circular motion. Begin
by bending forward, then to the right side, then to the back, then to the left
side, and then back to the front. This will help to strengthen your abdominal
muscles, and coordination.
Jump rope: Jumping roping is an important part of any boxing workout. Jumping
roping increases stamina, improves coordination, and strengthens leg muscles.
Start off by jump roping on one spot, then when you are more confident begin
to move forward and then backwards and eventually side to side, and finally
in a circular pattern.
Slips: A slip is the term used for ducking a punch and is both a physical and
mental exercise. To slip a punch, you twist at the hips, bend at the knees,
and bend slightly forward always keeping your eyes on the person throwing the
punch. Staying on the balls of your feet is vital for this exercise.
Punching bag: The punching bag can be the most fun part of a boxing workout.
This is where you can really imagine your opponent and what you want to do to
them.
There are many important things to remember when using a punching bag.
- When throwing a punch, keep muscles loose and snap your punches out. Don’t-tightened
your muscles.
- Keep your power at the end of your punches. This means that when your fist
strikes the bag your arms are fully extended.
- Hit the bag with your top knuckles and not your finger knuckles. This will
give you a solid punch and reduce chances of injury.
- If you know what handed your opponent is, being left or right handed, you
need to circle your bag in the direction away from their power hand. For example,
if your opponent is right handed, circle to his left. This will keep you out
of his power range and keep you from getting knocked out.
- Keep on the balls up your feet. Never rest on your heels, because if you
receive a solid blow you will be knocked backwards or even down.
- Always mix up your combination of punches. When a boxer throws the same
combination each time, his or her opponent can figure them out and remedy
a counter combination.
- Always keep your hands up.
Speed Bag Learning to use a speed bag takes patience. The speed bag will help
you to increase your punching speed, hand-eye coordination, and timing. With
the speed bag start by hitting the speed bag with one hand, letting the bag
make one complete repetition, and then hit it on the way back. This technique
will give you the rhythm you’re looking for.
Crunches Crunches will strengthen and harden your abdominal area helping you
when your opponent hits you in that area.
Pull-ups
Pull-ups help to build your upper body muscle. Using a pull up bar (chin-up
bar) to a set number of repetitions, increasing the number of reps each time
you perform the exercise
Push-ups
Push-ups help to build strong chest and shoulder muscles, for better punching.
Try to do 3 sets of 15-25 push-ups. If you find that’s too comfortable increase
the number of reps
Roadwork
Roadwork is simply running on a road. Running on a road is better than a treadmill
as the varying gradients and different types of tarmac make your body and leg
muscles work harder. Roadwork will increase your overall fitness level and stamina,
helping you to go more rounds, if needed, against your opponent. Try and aim
for between 1 – 5 miles of running per session.
|
