Ever get bored with different cardio training and other hip high-intensity interval training? You’re not alone; that’s why many gyms in the world are now starting to schedule boxing circuit training sessions.
Boxing circuit training is a crank-up cardio training that develops cardiovascular fitness while building your lean muscles. It’s a form of HIIT that combines boxing, bodyweight exercises, and endurance training.
These circuits are a fun (and exhausting) workout that will surely burn those calories.
Forget the treadmill for now and step into the ring. This article will guide you through some of the best boxing-inspired drills that will leave you invigorated and ready to take on everything.
Circuit Training and Boxing Work Hand-in-Hand
An optimal workout means that you’re able to have an efficient training session without doing unnecessary exercise. This is the core idea of circuit boxing. Circuit training alone combines a series of exercises done at a rapid pace with very minimal rest.
The goal here is to push your body to go into an anaerobic state by increasing your heart rate. While in this, the body will use your stored energy (a.k.a fats) to perform. Not only does it burn so much, but it also mimics what boxers do in real life. It requires power while maintaining energy exertion for multiple sets or rounds.
When combined with boxing drills, this creates high-level-high-intensity training. Both maximize the calories you burn and work different muscle groups, building strength and endurance at the same time.
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Top List of Boxing Exercises to Mix in for a Circuit Training Routine
Now that you understand the magic behind it, let’s get to the nitty-gritty and see the best boxing circuit training ideas you can incorporate into your next sessions:
Shadowboxing
If you’re just starting out, this is the best workout for you. You won’t need any equipment or gear to do this. However, it’s not as simple as it looks. It’s the cornerstone of every boxer’s training regime for a reason. It’s a great warm-up for any circuit training as it’s light and focuses more on your form.
Just stand on your feet, hands in guard position, and bend your knees a little. Throw a combination of punches while moving around the room, incorporating different footwork basics like shuffles, slips, and pivots.
Skipping
Here, all you need is a jump rope. This exercise is a fundamental cardio workout that you can do for at least 3 minutes per set. You’ll have a hard time at first, but when you get your rhythm—it’ll be as easy as dancing.
Stand strong with feet hip-width apart, hold the rope’s ends in each hand, flick your wrists to spin the rope, and jump confidently as it crosses under your feet.
Dumbbell Jabs
This boxing drill improves cardiovascular endurance and shoulder strength. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and jog in place. Punch forward with fully extended arms and rotate your arm to twist the dumbbell. Do ten reps on each foot and switch to overhead punches. Alternate reps of ten until the time is up.
Push-up Renegade
For a full-body workout that targets your chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps, and back, try this exercise. Start by assuming a high plank position with your hands on dumbbells shoulder-width apart.
Lower your body towards the floor while keeping your elbows close to your sides, and then push back up. Next, shift your weight to your right hand and pull your left dumbbell towards the ceiling by rowing with your left elbow. Repeat on the other side.
Pad Work
Improve your boxing skills by doing pad drills with a friend or coach. These exercises refine technique and provide motivation. Try this partner drill to improve reaction time and coordination: stand in a staggered stance with hands by your chest, and follow your partner’s instructions for which pad to hit and with what type of punch quickly.
More Typical Boxing Circuit Activities
Looking for a few more exercises to bulk up your routine? You might want to try something outside of the typical inclusions. Here are some other boxing circuit training exercises you can add to your regime:
- Speedbag
- Planking
- Mountain climbers
- Knees-to-elbows
- Hook punches with medicine ball slams
- Squats
- Box jumps
- Burpees
- Lunges
There’s no perfect routine, so create a series of exercises you’ll enjoy and will be physically challenged by.
How Many Calories Does It Burn?
Boxing circuit training takes advantage of the MET, or Metabolic Equivalent of Task. It’s a measurement of how much energy you spend. Boxing alone falls into MET 8+, categorized as high-intensity, burning around 600-800 calories per hour.
Combining cardio with circuit training can create an EPOC (Excess Post-exercise Oxygen Consumption) effect, causing your body to continue burning calories even after you’ve stopped exercising.
Boxing Circuit Workouts Can Include Cardio, Calisthenics, and Strength Training
Boxing circuit training is a full-body workout that combines cardio, calisthenics, and strength training into one dynamic session. It boosts your cardiovascular endurance, sculpts your physique, and builds functional strength.
Let’s break it down:
- Cardio: Boxing drills elevate the heart rate to the high-level zone, leading to an anaerobic state that burns calories. It can burn 600-800 calories per hour, making it ideal for weight loss and cardiovascular health.
- Calisthenics: Boxing circuit training involves bodyweight exercises like squats, lunges, push-ups, and planks that target various muscle groups, build strength, improve coordination, and enhance calorie-burning potential. Developing lean muscle mass through calisthenics increases your resting metabolic rate (RMR) which boosts overall calorie expenditure.
- Strength: Exercises like medicine ball slams and shadowboxing with focus mitts can improve your functional strength by engaging your core and rotational muscles. Bodyweight exercises like squats and lunges are great for building lower body strength, which is important for explosive movements.
Boxing Workouts are Very Tough
Boxing workouts can be incredibly demanding, both physically and mentally. Combining high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with strength, endurance, and technique drills to provide a comprehensive workout that improves cardiovascular health, muscle tone, agility, and coordination.
Boxing is truly a full-body workout as it requires the coordination of your arms, legs and core. You need to have your legs moving you into position, your core stabilizing your movements, and your arms delivering punches; every part of your body is engaged, leading to overall muscle development and toning. Furthermore, learning combinations, improving reaction times, and staying focused while fatigued challenges the mind and sheer will power.
Bottom Line
Circuit training can help you excel in boxing by building stamina, power, and agility. It’s a training method that complements the physical demands of boxing with high-intensity intervals and core strength focus. Adding circuit training to your routine can take your boxing skills to the next level.
Boxing workouts are intense, but they’re certainly fulfilling. They test your limits and improve mental clarity while shaping your body.
And the beauty lies in its versatility. It’s a great way to get a full-body workout. It targets multiple muscle groups at once, from building explosive power to enhancing core strength. By incorporating a variety of punches, footwork drills, and bodyweight exercises, you can ensure that every muscle group is properly engaged.
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