To embark on this boxing journey, you’ll need some essential gear:
- Boxing Wraps: Your hands are your weapons, and these wraps are their armor. About 120 inches per hand should do the trick.
- Boxing Gloves: These bad boys cushion the impact of your punches and shield your knuckles and fingers from bruises. Beginners, start with a snug pair weighing 14oz-16oz.
- Focus Mitts: Consider these padded targets as your punching GPS. They help you perfect your accuracy, speed, and power.
- Jump Rope: This classic tool is a killer for warming up and working on your footwork, coordination, and stamina.
- Dumbbells: Weights are a great way to up the resistance of your workout and sculpt your upper body and core. A pair of 5-10lb dumbbells will work well.
Warm-up Routine
Jumpstart your workout by warming up your muscles and joints to avoid any nasty injuries and prep for your session. Here’s what your 15-minute warmup should look like:
- Jump Rope: 5 minutes of moderate pace skipping should have your heart rate up and your muscles ready for action.
- Shadow Boxing: Slip on your wraps and gloves and spend 10 minutes throwing air punches. This will not only warm you up but also help you practice your boxing posture and techniques. Mix it up with different punches and combos to keep things interesting.
Workout Drill
Your workout will comprise three rounds of three minutes each, separated by a minute of rest. Each round targets different aspects: power, speed, and endurance. Gear up with your gloves, punching bag or a buddy with mitts, and a timer.
Round 1: Power: This is all about unleashing your might. Warm up with light jabs and crosses before ramping up your punches’ intensity and force. The aim is to deliver as hard punches as you can for three minutes.
Round 2: Speed: In this round, the focus is to punch as fast as you can for three minutes. Start by picking up your jabs and crosses’ pace and then progress to combinations. Stay loose and keep those punches unpredictable with varying angles, directions, and footwork.
Round 3: Endurance: Here, you aim to punch for as long as you can for three minutes. Maintain your speed and frequency from the previous round, and gradually push your combo’s volume and duration. Stay steady, maintain your posture, and keep your hands from dropping.