The common perception of boxing is broken noses and sometimes fatal injuries, but the sport is much more. It’s an art form or way of life that enhances your physical techniques and builds your character. The benefits of training in boxing are endless, and we recommend that anyone interested get started on their journey right away! Therefore, in this article, we will go through 5 incredible benefits of training in boxing.
1. Get in Shape
If you want to get in shape and build muscle while having fun, boxing might be a suitable activity for you! Boxing uses a combination of high-intensity cardio exercises with some serious resistance training to shape its practitioners.
The emphasis is on building endurance and footwork to become a competent fighter. Some drills you might expect to learn to include striking techniques on heavy bags, training with focus mitts, jump rope, and sparring with partners. Over time you will see an increase in your overall fitness and skill.
2. Self-defence
Boxing is a martial art; the root of martial arts training stems from self-defence against others. That being said, boxing classes will likely include components of both self-defence and exercise-based activities.
In boxing, you will develop a fighter’s mentality and the Confidence to stand up against others in potentially dangerous or aggressive situations. The skills learnt in class can be valuable if you are in a less-than-ideal circumstance. The hope is that you can avoid a fight, but it’s always better to be prepared!
3. Stress Relief
We are constantly forced into stressful situations or environments in today’s societies. The stress can stem from concerns about money, work, or school. Regardless of the source of your stress, it’s essential to find activities or ways that you can relieve some of the build-up worry or frustration.
Boxing is a high-intensity sport, and cardio works to release hormones such as dopamine and serotonin from your body. These hormones work to not only relieve stress but increase happiness and joy. It helps that you can relieve stress by ‘hitting the bag’ and using your punches and kicks to get out any unneeded aggression.
4. Builds Confidence
A good boxing coach will emphasize self-confidence and help their students to persevere through the different challenges in life. When you feel good about yourself, the same emotions will be seen in your behaviour and how you conduct yourself inside and outside the gym.
It’s empowering to know that you can protect yourself and have the skill to throw solid punches or dodge attacks from an opponent. It’s a psychologically rewarding experience and one that builds on your self-confidence.
5. Improves Heart Health
A number one cause of death is heart-related issues. The exercise involved in a boxing session will not only help you to lose weight but also get your heart rate up. This will help your body control blood pressure and reduce the risk of different heart diseases.
You can also expect to lose weight when training in boxing, and healthy weight loss will lower cholesterol and improve your heart health.
6. Build strong bones
A sedimentary lifestyle is one of the number one reasons why people suffer bone mineral loss and have weak joints. A boxing session can get your joints moving and stretching in a safe and fun way! A regular boxing routine keeps your body active, improves mineral density, and promotes healthy joints.
7. Meet Lifelong Friends
People often claim that martial arts are individual sports, and you won’t foster the same relationship as you would in a typical team sport. However, this could not be further from the truth.
A boxing gym is full of friendly coaches and hard-working students looking to accomplish their goals and make lasting friendships. The only thing standing in the way of building these relationships is your desire and willingness to reach out and become a part of the community.
Boxing is an incredible way to improve physical and mental health while meeting new people and learning valuable life skills. So, don’t wait to start your boxing journey; find a gym and get the necessary gear!
Fortunately, boxing isn’t like hockey, and the initial investment required to get started is not nearly as high.
Here is a helpful checklist to use:
- Boxing Gloves
- Hand Wraps
- Boxing Headgear
- Boxing Mouthguard
- Groin and Chest Protectors
You can get all this gear for a great price by going to the minotaurfightstore and checking out all the equipment they offer!
