Tag Archives: fitness boxing

Posted on 11/03/2019

Whether you are training for a fight or just a boxing enthusiast, there are several mental benefits of fitness boxing that will help optimize your day, and who wouldn’t want to punch their way into a better day?! Workout your brain and your body with fitness boxing. 

Mindfulness

When fists are coming at your face or a coach is shouting instructions, there is not much time to daydream. Boxing training forces you to be in the moment. This mental presence is also called “mindfulness.” Meditation is one way to become more mindful. On the flipside, so is boxing!

Focus

Jab – cross was easy enough, but as your skills continue to advance, punching and defending combinations tend to get harder. Having to remember a high number of moves in a specific order is a mental exercise, which is really just as important as the physical aspect of boxing. 

Multitasking

Do you feel like you have a lot going on? Learning to punch and defend simultaneously is a whole other level of multitasking. Boxing can make talking while sending an email, corralling the kids, running a business while cooking dinner (or whatever else you are doing) seem easy.

Awareness

Whether you are training in a group class filled with other students or in a boxing ring with your coach, space is not endless. Because of this, you are forced to be aware of your surroundings. This mental task of doing drills while using your peripheral vision to know where others are is valuable in many areas of your daily life. 

Mental Benefits of Fitness Boxing 

The physical benefits of working out are great and include weight loss, strength, stamina and much more. But paired with the mental benefits of boxing, you might be on a different level. Way to work out your brain!

Posted on 11/29/2018

By Bryanna Fissori 

Functional fitness is a hot topic in the world of workouts. The concept behind the term is exercise that conditions all the muscles in the body to work in preparation for daily life.  Functionality simulates and expands on common movements that occur or may occasionally arise in everyday life. 

Fitness boxing fits well into this idea of functional movement. No, no one is anticipating that you will be in a fistfight. Here is a look at some of the ways boxing promotes a better, faster, stronger, more efficient you. 

Hand-eye coordination

It is very fundamental for the body’s visual system to process information through the eyes and use it to direct movements of the hands.  Developing hand-eye coordination through boxing can assist in balance and reaction time. It can even increase the speed and accuracy of your typing and texting. Practicing blocking or slipping punches and hitting focus mitts are two ways to work on the hand-eye coordination portion of functional fitness. 

Cardiovascular tolerance

Sometimes just going up the stairs or chasing a dog down the street can mean huge spikes in heart rate. This can make it more difficult and exhausting to complete these types of tasks. The intense cardio workout from constantly moving during boxing works the heart and it becomes more conditioned to stress, thus resting heart rate is lowered. 

Muscle Endurance

Even simple tasks like carrying in boxes of groceries from the car to the house, or lifting kids up and down can be daunting. Boxing encourages muscle endurance, which can make holding up your end of the couch much easier. Punching repetitively and keeping your hands up consistently builds strength and endurance the carries over to the rest of your day. 

Stress Management

Yes, stress is a part of our everyday lives. Boxing training does not encourage you to punch someone when stressed but instead inspires you to react methodically. Dodging punches is stressful. Swinging back wildly is not a good option. Boxers learn to quickly relax and respond in stressful situations. This is functional fitness for the brain. 

Functional Fitness with Boxing

Do not underestimate the application of your boxing training in daily life. The balance and athleticism you are developing have applications far beyond the ring. This is one of the reasons people of all ages have started taking boxing classes. They are using the sport to increase focus, strength, body composition and mental stimulation, thus making it easier to maintain functional fitness in daily life. 

Posted on 11/11/2018

 By Bryanna Fissori 

Heavy bag workouts are an important part of any boxing routine. They allow the body to develop muscle memory for specific combinations with varying rhythms and intensity. Bag work also helps to build endurance, strength, and speed. This workout is designed to work both sides of your body without excluding your core and lower body. Enjoy! 

Warm Up:

• Two minutes of shadowboxing without gloves on
• Two minutes of shadowboxing with gloves on

Round One (Two Minutes):

Your combination for Heavy Bag Workout round one is: 

• Jab
• Cross
• Hook 
• Cross
• Double jab as you back away from the bag before coming in for the next combination. Repeat for the entire two minutes
• 15 Push-ups

Round Two (Two Minutes) 

Your combination for Heavy Bag Workout round two is: 

• Double jab (two jabs in a row)
• Cross
• Lead Hook
• Rear Hook
• Circle out to the side the last hook came from and repeat
• 25 crunches with legs crossed. Switch legs top to bottom. 25 crunches with legs crossed again 

Round Three (Two Minutes):

Your combination for Heavy Bag Workout round three is

• Jab
• Cross
• Jab
• Cross
• Hook 
• Pivot (take one step to move outside the front of the bag) 
• Cross
• Circle out to the side the hook came from
• 20 squats in a normal fight stance. 20 squats in the opposite fight stance. 

Repeat Rounds One Two and Three exactly as explained with each round containing two minutes of bag work and an additional exercise. These will be rounds Four, Five and Six. 

Round Seven (Two Minutes):

Freestyle on the heavy bag using whatever combinations desired. 

Cool Down: 

• Two minutes of shadowboxing with gloves on
• Two minutes of shadowboxing without gloves on

Posted on 11/11/2018

By Bryanna Fissori 

Blocking and evading are the two general ways to defend yourself when boxing. Blocking involves allowing the punch to touch you in a controlled way to minimize damage. Evading is the act of avoiding contact altogether. There is a time and a place for both methods of defense, and both are crucial to being successful in boxing. In this article, we will give you some tips on how to practice your evasive boxing head movement techniques on your own. 

Slip Drills – Used to avoid straight punches by moving head out of the way

Slips are an important part of boxing head movement. Stand in front of a full-length mirror. Most gyms will have a mirror somewhere in the facility and often for this purpose. Choose a spot in the middle of the mirror or place a piece of tape on the mirror. Stand in your fighting stance with your hands up and knees slightly bent like you are ready for action. Lean or “slip” to one side of the tape. Your elbow should touch your hip as if you were doing a side crunch. Repeat to the other side. Continue to do this for a certain period of time or number of slips.  

Duck Drills- Used to duck lower than a straight punch thrown to the head

Stand in your fighting stance, hands up and knees slightly bent like you are actually getting ready to fight. Essentially all you are going to do is a squat. Do not transition out of your fight stance. There is no need to drop all the way down (a** to the grass), but you should since down at least six inches. 

Roll Drills – Used to avoid hooks to the head

Use an extra hand wrap or a rope of some sort to tie from one point to another. The rope or wrap should be positioned approximately six to eight inches below head level to encourage proper level changing. If there is a fixture such as a pole or heavy bag to use as anchors, that would be helpful. 

Stand on one side of the rope, in your fight stance with your head close to the rope. Dip down and roll yourself underneath the rope so that your head is all the way to the other side. Step forward as you roll under the rope. Repeat, stepping forward with each roll. You may also do this same drill walking backward. 

 

Posted on 10/21/2018

By Bryanna Fissori

Defense is often underrated, especially in fitness-oriented boxing classes. This can often give a false sense of security. Just because you can punch effectively, does not mean that you can effectively avoid punches. Step one of any defensive boxing lesson should be keeping your guard up. The hands serve to block or “guard” you from incoming strikes. The position of having your hands blocking your face is often referred to as “the guard.” You may here coaches yell at their boxers to “Keep your guard up!” This is what they are referring to. 

Keeping your guard up sounds like a simple task, but after a few moments of moving around with your hands at the level of your face, the arms will begin to fatigue or lose focus. This is why it is imperative to develop muscle memory and take the thinking element out of the equation. 

Here are a couple of drills and suggestions to help develop the muscle memory to keep your guard up without conscious effort. 

Defensive Shadowboxing

Shadowboxing is an important element of any boxing regiment. Start off your workout with one round of shadowboxing defensively with no punches thrown. Keep your hands up the entire round. If a mirror is available, do this in front of a mirror. In your next round add defensive blocking techniques such as parrying and blocking hooks and straight punches. Do not start throwing any punches until you have been shadowboxing defensively for at least 3 or 4 minutes, more if possible depending on the length of your rounds. This will help you remember to keep your hands up once you start offensive work. 

Rope Slipping Drill

Use an extra hand wrap or a rope of some sort to tie from one point to another. The rope or wrap should be positioned approximately six to eight inches below head level to encourage proper level changing. If there is a fixture such as a pole or heavy bag to use as anchors, that would be helpful. Keeping your hands up the entire drills walk forward in your fight stance, moving your head from one side of the rope to the other in a slipping motion. Do this going forward and backward. Do not drop your hands. This should help you get use to keeping your guard up.

Heavy Bag Blocking

This drill will require a partner, heavy bag and a foam pool noodle if available. The actual combinations thrown to the bag are not important. The focus is on returning your hands to your face after each punch. Your partner will stand on the opposite side of the heavy bag. While you are throwing punch combinations they will intermittently hit you with the noodle. (These are cheap and can be purchased at most stores that have a toy section. Some boxing gyms keep them on hand for these types of drills.)

If your hands do not return to the guard position you will be smacked with the noodle, which is not painful but will remind you to keep your guard up. 

Advanced Pad work Drill

If you have a pad holder, it is a good idea to incorporate defensive work into your pad feed. Most boxing pad holders will use small rounded focus mitts rather than square Thai pads. This means that they are fairly mobile. Encourage your pad holder to throw back at you occasionally to make sure you are returning to the guard position in between combinations. A strike from the pad holder will sting a bit more than the noodle if not blocked. 

If All Else Fails

If you are just a chronic hand dropper, some coaches will literally tape an athlete’s hands to their head. It is hard to say whether this is actually effective or just a solid and embarrassing disciplinary measure. Either way, it gets the point across. 

Posted on 09/30/2018

By Bryanna Fissori 

There are a number of boxing training myths about the proper way to improve and stay in shape. Some of this is from watching too many old-school boxing movies and some is just from a general lack of knowledge. Here are some things you should know:

Six Packs are not built on 1000 crunches a day

Having a strong core is crucial for boxers and also aesthetically pleasing. The concept of completing 1000 crunches a day is helpful, but not the best way to achieve visual results. The appearance of abs heavily dependent upon body fat percentage. The lower the body fat, the more evident the abs. This is why even people who are undernourished may have evidence of abs without the gym time. This does not mean that abdominal exercises are not important for core strength. They are very much so, but this also involves targeting different areas of the core to promote stability rather than focusing on the short movement of crunches. Essentially, six packs are made in the kitchen. 

Shadowboxing with dumbbells

It sounds like a good idea. Adding weight to your punches should make them faster and make you stronger. Unfortunately, this is a boxing training myth. The torque and strain that the extra weight places on the shoulders and lumbar spine have been known to result in injury. There are a number of other strength and speed building exercises that have been shown to produce results with significantly less risk. Boxing can already be painful enough. Don’t make it worse by unnecessarily wearing down your joints and tendons. 

Long Slow Distance is the best roadwork

Roadwork is the cardio based effort that is put in to complement training in a specific sport. Many people are under the assumption that the more miles you run, the better your conditioning will be. Though endurance training is helpful, it is not the end all be all. Energy systems used for boxing are primarily anaerobic, comprised of short bursts 70 to 80 percent of the time. This means that high intensity training is crucial for affective roadwork.

Weight Training will make you slower

Some athletes are naturally gifted with muscular genetics. Fighters like Mike Tyson may not need to hit the weight room because their power and physique does not require that specific training, but for the vast majority of athletes, weight training provides a significant advantage. If two fighters have the same skill level and one is stronger, the stronger has a higher chance of victory. Weight lifting will not hinder speed unless the fighter does not train speed and flexibility.  

Hitting hard all the time makes your punches more powerful

Building power from just hitting stuff hard is a boxing training myth. Technique is key for improving punching power. That is all there is to it. You can stand in front of a heavy bag and throw everything you have at it, but unless you are using proper technique, your power will not increase. 

Posted on 09/24/2018

By Bryanna Fissori 

Jumping rope is one of the best exercises you can do. It builds cardio endurance, agility and strengthens the calf and supporting muscles to allow you to stay on your toes. Being able to stay on your toes is really important for boxing. This is why jumping rope is such a staple exercise for the sport. 

Though jumping rope has a number of benefits some people report having pain in their arches when jumping. This is not uncommon and there are a couple of things that could be happening. 

Weak Supportive Muscles

Sometimes the arches of the feet may drop because the foot has not been trained to support weight properly. The act of moving around on one’s toes is not a natural movement that people tend to do when not engaged in an athletic activity. If this seems to be the issue, then making sure to rest and stretch in between jump rope workouts is important. Start with short periods of jumping as your feet catch up. 

Bad Insoles or Need to Wear Shoes

There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the concept of wearing shoes or jumping rope barefoot. Ideally, you should be able to do either depending on the surface of the floor. If you are jumping on concrete put some shoes on. If you are training on a padded mat, you probably don’t need them. When this starts to get specific to the individual jumper is if you find yourself having pain when jumping. Again, this is usually in the arches. 

•  If you are a shoe-wearer, the first step would be to re-evaluate your shoes. Specifically your insoles. You may need additional arch support to jump comfortably. Adversely, you may want to try jumping barefoot if you are on a padded surface. Both corrections stem from the concept of changing the level of support on your arches. 

• For those that typically go barefoot, it may be beneficial to try wearing shoes. The important part is the insole. If you can get custom insoles made, that is ideal. No two feet are exactly the same. Not even your two. 

Plantar Fasciitis

This is a much more serious situation and will require medical treatment. Plantar fasciitis refers to inflammation of the arch-supporting ligaments that extend from the heel to the back of the foot. This pain is usually targeted more in the heel rather than the arches. According to The Feet For Life Podiatry Center, more than 95% of heel pain is caused by plantar fasciitis. This is not something you want to just work through. 

Balance and Weight Distribution for Jumping Form

Yes, there is good form and bad form in jumping rope. Just because you aren’t stubbing your toe every 10 jumps does not mean your form is correct. Here are some tips on how to perfect your form through balance and weight distribution. 

•  Keep your knees either over your feet or rotating outward to avoid inward collapsed arches
•  Face feet straight ahead
•  Weight should be evenly distributed around outside of foot and toes. Imagine a tripod of support from your heel to pinky and big toes.
•  Play with balance points and weight distribution by raising all your toes off the ground and holding tight for 30 seconds
•  Bring just the big toes off the ground while following the same guidelines mentioned earlier
•  Lift just the four smaller toes off the ground

Stretches and Recovery for Feet

Lacrosse Ball – Foam rolling and myofascial release are important for muscle recovery and this does not exclude feet. Sit on a chair with your feet on the ground. Put the lacrosse ball under your foot and apply enough pressure to stretch the muscles and fascia in the foot. 

Towel Stretch– Sit on the ground with your feet straight out in front of you. Place a towel around your toes and pull the towel back toward your body, stretching the feet. Move the towel lower or higher on the foot to change the stretch. 

Yoga Stretch – From a standing position reach your hands down toward your toes and touch the ground. You do not have to be flexible enough to touch your toes. Walk your hands out to a comfortable position so that they are flat on the ground and both your arms and legs are straight, creating a triangle with the ground. Your butt should be the top of the triangle. In yoga, this is called “downward dog.” 

In the position focus on stretching your feet by lowering your heels to the ground to achieve a stretch and then raising up to your toes. You can also pedal your feet to achieve a stretch. 

Posted on 09/16/2018

By Bryanna Fissori 

A pre-workout is some form of a consumable substance that is formatted to boost your performance during your workout, or at least get you motivated. 

There are a plethora to choose from, all complete with unique colors and flavors.  There are natural foods that will help boost energy and performance, but the term “pre-workout” typically relates to powder that you mix into water and drink 15 to 30 minutes before a workout session. 

What is in Pre Workout Powder?

Caffeine

The big boost of energy that comes from a pre-workout is highly instigated by caffeine. The compounds in caffeine work by blocking the neurotransmitters for adenosine, which serves the purpose of making the body tired. Caffeine has also been found to have some effect on promoting weight loss. The amount in pre-workout differs for each brand but typically ranges between 150 and 350mg per dose. Because of this, it is a good idea to adjust your scoop of pre-workout to your desired level of caffeination. 

Beta-Alanine

This is the substance responsible for the “tingly feeling” you may get shortly after taking a pre-workout supplement. The good news is that the tingles are relatively short-lived. Beta-Alanine is a naturally occurring amino acid that helps to delay the onset of muscle fatigue, meaning you can train at a higher intensity longer without your muscles getting tired. 

Niacin

Having enough niacin (Vitamin B3) in your system is important for general good health. Niacin helps the dilation of blood vessels for an extra “pump” during hard workouts. It also promotes energy, potential weight loss and is proved to be beneficial for skin health, prevention of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. Niacin may also be the culprit for the warm feeling on your face after taking a pre-workout. 

Creatine

A staple for most bodybuilders, creatine is known to hydrate muscles, increasing size and strength. There are also studies showing improved performance with shorter workouts, but less variance for endurance athletes. Creatine may also assist in muscle recovery after a hard workout session. 

BCAA

Branch Chain Amino Acids (BCAA’s) are the building blocks for protein synthesis. They also assist in reducing the rate of protein breakdown. Increased protein synthesis and reduced breakdown means more muscles and less body fat. That sounds pretty awesome. Another positive thing about BCAA’s is that they are also available in a non-stimulant form and can be added to your drinking water any time during the day. 

These are the most common ingredients that make up powdered pre-workout, but each brand boasts their own unique formula. 

Other key ingredients may include L-Arginine, Citrulline, Agmatine Sulfate, Theanine, Glycerol and Taurine to name a few. 

Deciding and Dosing a Pre Workout 

The important thing about deciding on a pre-workout is determining what your body is going to react to the best. Sometimes too much of one ingredient can cause undesirable effects. For example, if you are sensitive to beta-alanine, you will find that having a full serving of a pre-workout that is high in the substance will result in an uncomfortable level of tingling throughout the body. Too much caffeine may cause jitters. 

We recommend you start your pre-workout supplementation by using only half the recommended dose for the first workout or two, in order to evaluate how your body responds. 

Posted on 09/16/2018

By Bryanna Fissori

When watching people hit the heavy bag there are a couple of factors that determine who looks like they know what they are doing and who does not. Details are crucial! Here are a few boxing details you can use to clean up your technique and box like a pro.

No Chicken Wings!

It is important to keep your elbows from flaring out when you punch. It is common for beginners to start their punches by lifting the elbow. Doing this leaves you vulnerable to body punches and takes longer for your punch to reach its destination. There are several ways to correct this using some serious mental focus.

1. Imagine you are throwing your elbow rather than your fist. This boxing detail should help propel your elbow forward rather than to the side.
2. Focus on pinching your elbows to your sides until the last second of your punch.
3. Pretend you are Superman and someone tries to attack you in your phone booth (There is a chance you may be too young to know what a phone booth is). The space is too small to flare your elbows. Focus on punching the bad guy straight ahead of you in your limited space.

Be So-FIST-icated

You are high class and that includes in boxing. Sophisticated people drink tea with their pinky finger up. When you punch, keep your fist closed, but angle that pinky finger up like you are sipping a cup of tea. This will help straighten out your punches and allow you to connect with your first and second knuckles, which is ideal. This angling of the wrist also assists in splitting someone’s guard (punching between their gloves). This technique may also help correct the chicken winging because if you were to bring your elbow out before throwing with the pinky up, it is going to feel kinda weird.

Keep Your Hands Up

The number one sign of a newbie is that their hands do not return to their face after each punch. It is an EXTREMELY obvious indicator of inexperience and not difficult to correct. There should never be a time when one of your gloves is not touching your face. This would mean that you were punching with both hands at the same time. That’s a no-no. Please don’t do that. As far as boxing details go, this might be the most important. 

Keeping your hands up is not only crucial for defense, but also for proper punching technique. Your punches should never start from your hip. (Yes, there are exceptions to this, but until you can move like Floyd Mayweather you better keep your hands on your face!). Your punch should initiate from the defensive position against your cheek, extend out to your opponent and then come right back. A punch is a great toy to play with, but we have to put our toys back where we got them.

Flat Stance

In order to generate power, you have to be able to engage your hips and core while maintaining stability. Standing with both feet parallel to the heavy bag is going to leave you powerless and off balance. In a fight, it will get you knocked out faster than you can say “jab-cross!”

Your specific stance will strongly depend on whether you are right-handed or left-handed. If you are right handed you will generally stand with your left foot forward. This is an “orthodox” stance. Left-handed people generally stand with the right foot forward and this is called the “southpaw” stance. The front leg should be facing forward and the rear leg angled slightly (45 degrees or so) to the outside. Your weight should be on the balls of your feet for ease of movement.

An easy way to check your stance and balance is to have a training partner push you (not hard) from each side, as well as front and back. You should be able to easily adjust to not fall over or stumble.

Posted on 09/10/2018

By Bryanna Fissori

What is Shadowboxing?

Shadowboxing is the act of moving and throwing punches in a way that mimics fighting or sparring an opponent without an actual opponent present. Punches are thrown to the air as if there is an imaginary person to hit. 

Why is Shadowboxing Important? 

Having the ability to practice lifelike movement repetitively without an actual threat is instrumental in developing muscle memory. From proper footwork to solid technique, it is important to drill these movements to the point where they are fluid and natural. Getting comfortable with new combinations, defensive styles and general movement can be done through shadowboxing. This is not just a drill for beginners. Professionals at the very highest levels of boxing still shadowbox every practice to reap the benefits of training movement. 

The Basics of Boxing to the Air

The overall point of shadowboxing is developing proper muscle memory for solid boxing technique. That being said, shadowboxing can also be a great cardio workout. It is important to remember that when you are moving you should always use proper fundamentals such as keeping your hands up, elbows in and moving your head. Shadowboxing is mostly a freestyle activity and a way to figure out how your body is comfortable moving. 

This can be done virtually anywhere! 

• In the kitchen while waiting for your morning cup of coffee: shadowbox 
• Standing in line at the bank: shadowbox
• At the park with the kids: shadowbox
• In the shower: not recommended

Suggestions For a Better Shadowboxing Session

Stand in Front of a Mirror:

If you have the availability of a large mirror to stand in front of while you shadowbox, you should use it. This is a good way to keep yourself in check. If you look goofy, if you drop your hands, if you are slouching it will show in the mirror. This allows faster adjustments and less propensity for bad habits to develop.

Upbeat Music for a Better Cardio Burn:

Boxing is like dancing. There is a certain rhythm to the movement. Everyone is different, but we recommend listening to something you can dance to, and we don’t mean slow dance. Put on something that inspires you to keep up with the tempo and you will see the sweat start to fly. 

Don’t Skip the Defense:

It is fun to throw punches, but it is important to practice your defensives skills as well. Starting out with one or two minute of just blocking and evading imaginary punches can be crucial to rounding out a solid shadowboxing session. By placing the heavy defensive work in the beginning of your rounds you are more likely to remember proper footwork and blocking throughout the rest of your session. 

Use a Place Marker as an Opponent:

A cone or a piece of tape can make a great opponent for shadowboxing. Having a place marker to represent a person can help with distancing and angles. Try and stay within punching distance of your marker. This will also encourage lateral movement and angles rather than just in and out attacks. 

Posted on 09/10/2018

By Bryanna Fissori

Boxers have to maintain a consistently healthy diet to perform to their highest potential. This is true for most athletes. If you have watched the movie classic “Rocky,” rest assured that it is not necessary to drink raw eggs. One of the differences between boxers and many other athletes is that they must also maintain weight their within a certain division in order to compete.  Heavyweight fighters are the exclusion, as they don’t typically have a top weight cap. 

The three components that make up the majority of a standard boxer diet are:

1. Carbohydrates

2. Proteins

3. Fats 

Carbohydrates

Carbs are essential for maintaining sufficient energy levels. The correct carbohydrates gradually release energy over the course of the day, replenish depleted glycogenic levels and increase stamina for workouts and competition. Carbs have a negative connotation in the fitness and diet world, but they are essential for a number of things including processing protein. More on protein later, but generally the body requires a 2 to 1 carb to protein ratio to adequately process protein. There is a strong distinction between good carbs and bad carbs, which is based heavily on their effect on blood sugar levels. 

Bad (Simple) Carbs

Simple carbs cause notable fluctuations in blood glucose and are considered high glycemic. They assimilate too rapidly which floods the body with excessive amounts of sugar. Insulin is then released to regulate the sugar, which triggers a tired feeling commonly known as a “food coma.” Going to sleep instead of burning off that sugar will result in it being stored as fat. 

•  Anything with a White/Wheat flour base
• White bread
• Pastries

Good (Complex) Carbs

Carbs that are complex are low on the glycemic index because they have little immediate effect on glucose and insulin levels. They take longer to absorb, which is by they provide long-lasting energy. Complex carbohydrates can also reduce cravings, help in weight loss or maintenance and reduce the chance of diabetes and heart problems. 

• Sweet Potatoes
• Beans
• Lentils
• Wholegrain Bread
• Oats and Rice
• Honey
• Fruits and Vegetables 

Protein

Protein is crucial to the foundation, construction and care of muscles, which are not only important for training and competition, but also for functioning in daily life. Boxers specifically put a lot of wear and tear on their bodies. Injuries, muscle fatigue and occasional pain are often a factor in a boxer’s overall health. 

Protein work to prevent long-term muscle damage through regeneration of cells and tissue as well as increasing muscle mass. Will you get big and bulky and veiny by eating protein? No, that takes a whole other level of training and nutrition, so fear not. In general, nutritionists recommend boxers consume between 35-60% of their daily intake as protein. The large variance is primarily due to the body fat percentage a boxer must maintain to make their specific weight division. 

When preparing meat, avoid options for frying or breading in order to achieve the best results. Also remember to have adequate carbohydrates, fiber and hydration levels when consuming higher amounts of protein. 

• Lean Chicken
• Fish
• Shrimp
• Eggs
• Lean Beef
• Dairy (Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese)
• Peanut/Almond Butter
• Beans
• Protein Supplements: Whey, Cassin, Hemp, Pea, Rice 

Fats

Yep, you read that correctly. Not all fats are created equal and “good” fats are important to a boxer’s diet. Fats help the body maintain energy, promote cell building functions and assists in vitamin and mineral absorption. 

Unsaturated fats are usually considered good fats. There are also fats that cannot be made by our bodies and are considered “essential.” Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids can be obtained through proper nutrition and are also important in stimulating brain health. For competitive boxers who take frequent punches to the head, these should be a crucial part of the diet. Even good fats should be consumed in moderation. Some sources of good fats include:

• Seafood
• Olives
• Avocado
• Walnuts
• Almonds
• Flax Seed
• Oils: Macadamia, Coconut or Canola
• Fish oil or Flax oil supplements 

Water

Water is not often considered part of a “diet,” but it is absolutely crucial to overall health, weight loss, performance, energy levels and so much more. Your specific hydration needs are dependent on your energy exertion and size, though it is very difficult to drink too much water. We recommend carrying a water bottle with you as often as possible. 

Standard Boxer Diet

This is the basic diet that helps most boxers stay in healthy, athletic form. A specific diet will change with each person’s individual needs and goals, just as it changes for boxers as they get closer to competition, depending on their necessary weight loss requirements. 

Take a look at your current diet. Are you getting enough protein? Maybe you are getting too much without enough carbohydrates to process it. Do you feel fatigued? Maybe you should add in some good fats. We hope these guidelines help you find the diet that is right for you. 

Posted on 09/02/2018

By Bryanna Fissori

Just because there are no kicks in boxing does not mean you get to skip leg day. Power starts from the ground up. Follow this boxing workout to build beautiful calves and generate power in those punches.

Warm Up:

Jog around your boxing workout space or outside if necessary.
1 minute: Jog normally
30 seconds: High knees- raise your knees to at least waist level as you jog
30 seconds: Butt kickers- kick the heels of your feet toward your butt as you jog
30 seconds: Shuffle to the inside (keep legs wide and hips low)
30 seconds: Shuffle similarly to the outside
30 seconds: Skip like you are bigfoot. Jump high and swing your arms freely
30 seconds: Jog normally
30 Seconds: Shoot hoops- Plant both feet and jump up as high as you can, swinging your hands upward just like as if you were shooting a basketball. Take several jogging steps between shots.
30 seconds: Jog normally
30 seconds: Job backwards (carefully)
30 seconds: Walk/recover

Use this 1-3 minutes of rest time to stretch out your calves. This can be done by placing your hands on the ground (like downward dog in yoga) and shifting your weight from one heel to the other, causing a stretch in the calf of the downed heel.

2 minutes: Jump Rope (jump rope is often used as part of a boxing warm up but for this workout it is part of the exercise routine)

1 minute: Frog jumps – start standing with your feet parallel. Jump forward as far as you can, landing in a low squat position to absorb impact. These will assist in explosive boxing movement.

1 minute: Inch Worms- Place your hand by your feet as if you were touching your toes. Leave your feet planted on the ground and walk your hands as far forward as possible without falling on your face. Then walk your feet up to your hands and repeat. This serves as an ab workout as well as a stretch to increase mobility in the legs, primarily calves and hamstrings.

*This is a low intensity move and should also serve as a recovery period.

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2 minutes: Jump Rope

Try and stay on the ball of your foot
30 seconds: Hop back and forth on one foot
30 seconds: Switch and hop back and forth on the other foot
30 seconds: Hop side to side on one foot
30 seconds: Switch and hop side to side on the other foot
10 second: break
30 seconds: With both feet together hop front to back
30 seconds: With both feet together hop side to side
These will assist in balance and endurance

1 minute: Inch Worms

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2 minutes: Jump Rope

1 minute: Bounding:- Standing on one foot in a fighting stance or with feet even. Leap with one foot as far as comfortably possible either at an angle or side to side depending on your space. Once you land on you lead foot, quickly regain balance push off in the opposite direction leading with your other foot. This should create a zigzag pattern if moving forward at 45 degrees per leap, or side to side if space does not a lot forward motion. This will help with explosive lateral boxing movement.

1 minute: Inch Worms

Posted on 08/25/2018

By Bryanna Fissori 

Take a minute to enjoy that fresh smell of new boxing gloves. Without proper care, it will not last long. With some conscious effort, you may be able to keep your boxing gloves from smelling. Here are some tips to avoid being the “stinky glove person.”

Wash Your Hands

It sounds simple enough, and possibly even irrelevant given that you are about to get super sweaty. Hands carry a lot of bacteria, and though it may not seem like a big deal now when that bacteria is introduced to the awesome environment of a hot and sweaty glove, they flourish in odorific ways. Keeping a travel size bottle of hand sanitizer is a quick way to help keep your gloves boxing gloves from smelling as a precaution before you even put them on. 

Wear Wraps

Before we even get to gloves, let’s address wraps. If you think you are too tough for wraps, we assure you are not. Not only do wraps provide crucial protection for the hand and wrist, they also serve sanitary purposes. Think about a pair of shoes that is repeatedly worn without socks. Ewww… That smell is hard to get rid of and the same can be said of gloves worn without wraps. 

Like feet, hands also sweat and profusely so during any intense boxing class. Wraps help to soak up a lot of that sweat and are much easier to wash than gloves. They can easily be thrown in the washing machine with the rest of your workout clothes. If using traditional cloth wraps, in order to keep them from getting tangled you can purchase small mesh bags that allow the wraps to get fully cleaned without strangling the rest of your clothes. 

Glove Care

Once your gloves get stinky it is hard to go back, so pay heed to the warning. Air your gloves out before they are past the point of no return. 

The moisture in the gloves is the biggest contributor to smell because it provides a great environment for bacteria to breed. Ensuring that gloves are fully dried out between workouts is crucial. The keys to achieving dry gloves without too much time consumption is to take them out of your gym bag as soon as humanly possible. If you can avoid even putting them back in your gym bag, that is even better chance that you can keep your boxing gloves from smelling.  

Folding the Velcro back so that the glove is as open as possible will also be very helpful. Hanging them up in an open area with a lot of airflow is also ideal. You may even stuff them with newspaper to help soak up the sweat. 

Tricks of the Trade

There are some tricks that may help reduce smell and keep those gloves fresh and clean. They take a little more of a conscious effort, but if you have high-quality gloves that you aren’t looking to replace any time soon, you may want to take notes.

Vinegar and Water Spay

First of all, the fun smelling stuff like Fabreeze or body spray may seem like a great idea in the moment, but it does not address the underlying bacteria and it may cause the fabric of the glove to harden and crack. Using a 50/50 mixture of water and vinegar has been used for decades to get rid of smell and bacteria. Either white vinegar or apple cider vinegar would be appropriate. Put the mixture in a spray bottle so that it is easily available for multiple uses. Spray your magic potion on both the inside and outside of the glove. Wipe it down and air it out. Vinegar is also a great additive to your laundry when washing stinky gym clothes. 

Baking Soda

Known universally for its odor-killing power, a sprinkle of baking soda in you DRY gloves should help alleviate some of the remaining odor. Let the powder sit for a couple of hours and then remove by holding the gloves with the open side down and clapping them together. 

Dryer Sheets

They will not do anything to assist in the drying process, but they will make your dry gloves smell fresh and clean. You may wipe out the glove with a dryer sheet or just leave one in each glove. This method of odor mitigation can be paired with any of the other tips we have given to help keep your boxing gloves from smelling. 

Cedar Chips

Take a pair of clean socks and stuff them with cedar chips like the kind that can be used for smoking food or for animal bedding. Tie the socks at the end and stuff one in each glove. Not only do they smell great but they help soak up moisture and bacteria. 

Posted on 08/24/2018

By Bryanna Fissori

There are a lot of fitness trends that may sound good but are just not a good fit for all levels. Basketball may look like fun, but for those who aren’t naturally coordinated, it may prove to be a bit of a struggle. Running can be a great way to zone out and get fit but quickly wears on joints and ligaments. Fitness boxing is perfect for a number of reasons.

Train at your own pace

If you are new to putting on the gloves, there is no real pressure to have to keep up. The heavy bag is not going anywhere. You will not get “left behind.” There is certainly technique to punching, but really all you are expected to do on day one is put leather to leather… or leather to air. Shadowboxing is awesome. 

Uses the whole body = Plenty of Options

There is more to fitness boxing than just arm strength; much, much more. Boxing uses the whole body, literally from head to toe. Let’s say your shoulder is feeling a bit sore. That’s a great opportunity to work on footwork! Knee a little tight? Sounds like it is time to work on your straight punches to the head, with a little less bend. With options for core strengthening, legs, arms and even head movement, there is always something that can be done.

Progressive Intensity

Regardless of age, gender or fitness level, you start where you start. Your level of intensity is dependent completely on your personal progression. If you would like to prioritize technique without power punching, that is up to you. Working out on your own, you have the ability to set your timer for one minute rounds or five minute rounds. You can build at your own pace, easily keeping yourself accountable with the help of a timer or boxing app (yes, that is a thing).

Literally EVERYBODY

There are old grandmas who take boxing fitness classes, and there are children who are running circles around some of the adults. From professionals to those who have never even seen a heavy bag, the learning curve for basics is not steep. Even those in wheelchairs have been known to get work in with a partner or a coach holding mitts.

The moral of the story is, drop the excuses, grab your gloves and let’s do this.

Posted on 08/24/2018

By Bryanna Fissori

 

Ok, let’s be real for a minute. If you are taking a fitness boxing class, you are probably primarily hitting things that aren’t hitting back. There is nothing wrong with that at all, but you may be tempted to slack on your defensive technique. We at BoxingInsider.com strongly urge you to make a conscious effort to keep your hands up regardless of if someone is punching back or not and here is why:

Arm Strength and Tone

Returning your glove back to your face can simulate a lot of movements that are crucial to building epic muscle tone in the upper body. Pulling the arm back from a jab or cross simulates the act of standing row workouts. Bringing the arm back up from a body shot or uppercut is much like a bicep curl.

The extra 8-16 ounces that the gloves carry may not feel like much, but that weight is serving as added resistance to your workout routine. The various angles from which to retrieve your punch can mimic resistance training in numerous ways, rounding out your overall physique. If you don’t bring your glove back to your face, you are letting the glove beat you. You are better than that! Show those gloves who’s boss.

Building Natural Defensive Reactions

Heaven forbid that you may actually ever be in a physical confrontation where you are required to defend yourself. If that does occur, having the natural reaction to place your hands correctly to avoid taking damage could be crucial. Even without the gloves on, protecting yourself with your hands and arms is an important part of self-defense. Instinct can be learned, even from fitness boxing. Train yourself to be ready at all times.

You Look Goofy

No one wants to be that person that is obviously just there for a sweat. Fitness boxing is great, but it is an immediate give away that you are either non-competitive or untrained if you cannot return your hands to your face. You can hit the bag as hard as you want, but without putting your toys (gloves) back where you got them, you are going to be noticeably awkward amongst others also hitting the heavy bag. Seriously, we are just trying to help. Don’t be that person.