Why Boxing Fitness was an Easy Choice

I have been jogging, biking and weightlifting for the last couple of years to try and fight off old age. While they were proper approaches to fitness, I felt like I was missing something. About a month ago I decided it was time to try something new and started researching my options. Whatever it was it had to be enjoyable, not repetitious and of course, burn fat! Every year it gets harder and harder to stay in shape. Well, I settled on something new and different from what I have ever done in the past. I chose Boxing as my new avenue to fitness.

Boxing Fitness versus Jogging

I think the most straightforward fitness routine to start is jogging. You don’t need any special equipment (well good shoes help) and you can go. That is also why after a while it does get monotonous and somewhat mundane. When something gets boring, it saps you of your energy and motivation to keep going. That has happened multiple times in my running career. Boxing is the absolute opposite. No day is ever the same, no routine repeats day after day, and you are motivated to take on the next workout. My energy is revitalised because I am enjoying working out which drives me to want to do more. That feeling along with the physical benefits of having both aerobic and anaerobic exercise makes it a giant step up. I love the fact that 1/2 the time is spent on strength and conditioning and half the time on boxing.

Boxing for Fitness versus Weightlifting

Weightlifting is similar to boxing in that it not only burns calories but also improves muscle mass. On top of that, weightlifting is a great stress reliever as well. The big downside to lifting is the aerobic exercise that is missing. In boxing fitness, you work a lot on strength and muscle mass to throw your punches harder. You also work on the conditioning side of it as well to last in the ring. It is this combination that makes you burn more calories and feel in better shape. Throw in the fact that your abs are one of the most important muscles and you can have a beach body in no time.

Boxing’s other Great Benefits

There are plenty of more reasons to choose boxing as your fitness plan. For me, the first and best non-fitness reason is stress reduction. To be honest, nothing feels better than to punch a bag until you can’t punch anymore, to get rid of the negative stress of the day. For those that consider themselves uncoordinated, you will be happy to know a big benefit of boxing is hand to eye coordination. While boxing for fitness is the primary goal you can’t really help but learn how to protect yourself. If forever reason you need to fend off an attack boxing is a great way to hurt the other person or protect yourself. Finally, the last kind of under the radar benefit is the vast amount of confidence and self-esteem you will gain. You will be a different, more confident person when you have fought in the ring and trained with other humans.

I could honestly keep going on, there are so many reasons to use boxing for your fitness but do I really have to? As Nike would say “Just Do It!”