The Numbers Don’t Lie
Depression and anxiety are the most common mental health conditions on the planet, and the standard treatment playbook — medication and therapy — doesn’t work for everyone. Side effects from psychiatric medication drive many patients to look for alternatives. What the research is now showing is that one of the most effective alternatives has been sitting in plain sight inside boxing gyms for decades.
A scoping review published in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine in 2022 examined 16 studies on boxing as a mental health intervention. The findings were striking. Non-contact boxing exercises produced significant reductions in symptoms of anxiety, depression, PTSD, and even the negative symptoms of schizophrenia.
Depression
Multiple studies in the review demonstrated that boxing training reduced depressive symptoms across very different populations. A German randomized controlled trial involving inpatient psychiatric patients found statistically significant reductions in depressive symptoms after just three weeks of boxing exercise — 45-minute sessions, three times per week. The intervention used a simple format: 10 minutes of warm-up, 25 minutes of boxing circuits, and 10 minutes of cool-down.
A separate study using the Rock Steady Boxing program with Parkinson’s disease patients found statistically significant improvements in depressive symptoms over 12 to 36 weeks of weekly training. Even a virtual reality boxing study with university students showed statistically significant reductions in depressive symptoms after six weeks.
The consistency of these results across different study designs, populations, and countries makes them difficult to dismiss.
Anxiety
The anxiety findings were equally compelling. The same German trial that showed depression improvements also demonstrated statistically significant reductions in anxiety scores for patients with major depressive disorder, with reductions also observed in patients with schizophrenia.
An Australian study found significant anxiety reduction after a single 60-minute boxercise session. One session. The researchers measured state anxiety before and after, and the drop was statistically significant.
The broader cross-sectional data is even more powerful. Analysis of 1.2 million Americans showed that people who engaged in boxing exercises had a mental health burden 20.1% lower than those who did not exercise — one of the strongest associations of any exercise type studied.
Why Boxing Hits Different
The researchers identified several mechanisms that may explain why boxing outperforms other exercise types for mental health. First, boxing naturally combines high-intensity interval training with mindfulness elements like body awareness and deep breathing between rounds. Both HIIT and mindfulness have independently been shown to improve mental health, and boxing delivers them simultaneously.
Second, multiple studies in the review described what researchers called a cathartic release of anger, aggression, stress, and anxious energy. Participants across studies consistently reported that hitting a heavy bag or working pads provided an emotional outlet that running on a treadmill simply cannot replicate.
Third, the group training format used in most of the studies created a sense of community and purpose. Participants described less rumination, improved concentration, and a feeling of having something meaningful to work toward.
A Tool, Not a Replacement
The researchers were careful to note that boxing exercise should be viewed as a complementary intervention, not a replacement for professional mental health treatment. But they also argued that the preliminary evidence is strong enough to warrant serious consideration as part of a comprehensive treatment approach.
For anyone dealing with depression or anxiety who hasn’t responded well to medication, or who wants a non-pharmacological option to add to their treatment plan, the evidence suggests that getting into a boxing gym might be one of the most productive things they can do.
Read the full study in the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine
