Learn How to Box – Boxing Basics for Beginners
Looks like you are curious about learning how to box huh?
If the thought of boxing jumpstarts you out of bed before everyone else in the house, this is the post for you. As such, boxing is a not a sport of ease and convenience, but it can offer one an abundance of glorified experiences to cherish. In this technological world, when we are getting worse at using our brains and body, boxing is a nice outlet for effective use of our mind and body for long-term and far-fetched health benefits.
So, would you like to give it a try? Do you really have it in you to learn the boxing basics for beginners and learn how to box? For those who think that boxing is not worth their time and energy, don’t skim through the content below without a proper read because you guys might just change your mind.
Why Should You Learn to Box?
Benefits of Boxing Workouts
-Makes You a Tough Nut
Boxing is clearly not a nerdy sport. In other words, it’s not for the faint of hearts. The potential physical harm can scare most people from entering into a boxing ring. It takes guts to conquer the scary fears related to potential physical harm. But the more religiously you train, the better you get at it. With regular training, a person’s pain threshold level increases beyond his/her wildest imaginations. Not to forget the fact that boxing provides one with the ability to defend themselves against street brawlers and other troublemakers from the neighborhood. In essence, a person develops the mental and physical toughness to defend, persist, and fight.
-Lets You Wear the Best Outfit- ‘Confidence’
By all means, self-confidence is a rocking outfit. Even a financially broke boxer glorifies confidence in his walk and talk. Boxing does that magic for the boxer. There is something about boxing that spells self-confidence in a person like an ingrained boon. In other words, it breeds confidence like nobody’s business. As a result, you believe in yourself and your abilities more than ever before. Scores of underdog success stories in the recent times is a perfect example of the glorified confidence that boxing emits into a person’s life.
-Offers a Killer Workout
Let’s face it, most people in the boxing ring sweat like a pig. Of course, all the hustle and sweat provides them with a full-blown workout like nothing else in the market. The best part is that the intense sparring and heavy bag workouts offer a good blend of cardio and muscle building to your workouts.
Why is boxing such a great workout? Why should you learn to box? If these questions are still on the forefronts of your mind, then you owe it to yourself to read some of the pointers given below. You will surely be blown away by the myriad of benefits that a boxing workout has in store for just about anyone out there who is willing to try out the boxing gloves.
Stress-Buster: There is no other equally capable outlet than a punching bag to release all your frustration for the day. Because punching your boss (who doesn’t let you go home early) is not possible, you can take all your anger, stress, and frustration on the punching bag without any remorse. The punching bag will take all your assault like a matured, grown-up buddy.
Sculpt Muscles: Apart from a cardio blast, a boxing workout can tone your body from head to toe. Not to forget the fact that boxing improves strength and power in your upper as well as the lower body. As a result, you will be able to lift heavier than usual. Of course, muscle building is not the sole objective of boxing, but it’s a nice side effect of a boxing workout that you won’t regret on any given day of the week.
Co-ordination Improver: As you might already know, good hand-eye coordination is a must in the sport of boxing. It requires focused movement at all times to dodge and to hit punches like a pro. Initially, it’s a challenge for most people to maintain proper hand-eye coordination, but as one gets better at it, the mind-muscle connection improves like crazy. Therefore, most people who commit themselves to boxing end up being a sharp individual.
Healthy Weight: It’s no secret that boxing workout is challenging by nature. One is required to maintain a healthy body weight to be good at the sport. This isn’t to say that all boxers carry an ideal body weight. But, proportionate body weight does offer an upper edge in the game. Industry experts reckon that those who learn the basics of boxing generally feel inspired to make healthy choices in their lives. As a result, they are able to maintain a good body weight without the usual elbow grease involved in the process.
Bonus Benefit: The benefits of a boxing workout aren’t limited to the boxing ring. Frankly speaking, it can help one in other areas of life as well. The mental and physical toughness gathered during the training process can help one get better in all areas of life. As a result, a person may be able to fulfill all his/her dreams. Who in the right mind wouldn’t love to fulfill all his/her dreams?
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is Boxing a Good Form of Cardio? Yes!
As hinted above, a boxing training can offer you a cardio blast. It can keep your heart pumping and your calories burning like no other training regime out there. The arsenal of punches along with the constant foot movement can build your stamina, endurance, and the overall cardiovascular system like a boss.
- Can you lose Weight with Boxing? Duh!
For those who don’t know, several studies have highlighted the fact that boxing is one of the highest calorie burning activities out there. Yes, it can help one burn an insane number of calories in a short amount of time. In other words, it can melt fat and give you the lean looking body much faster than other training regimes out there.
Essential Boxing Equipment
Before you jump into the boxing ring for an absolute battle, you should be prepared to train perfectly with the right boxing equipment. Frankly speaking, boxing basics for beginners is incomplete without the right fitness gears. After all, you cannot be involved in a bout without getting punched. So, let’s dig into the list of essential boxing equipment. Luckily for your wallet, the cost of these equipment isn’t too high unless you choose to spend money like crazy.
1. Protection: Boxing Gloves
Since we are talking about boxing, how can we forget the boxing gloves? Because you will be punching most of the time, boxing gloves are a necessary evil. You can get a set of boxing gloves from anywhere between $30 to $300. Goes without saying, expensive ones will have better brand backing and quality, but you can get good ones for little over $50 as well. So, there are ergonomically friendly boxing gloves in the market too. Remember, the goal is to get functional over flashy boxing gloves. As an expert advice, choose a light pair of gloves if you are a beginner at the sport. If you are learning how to boxing on a punching bag and you are mainly training on a heavy bag then you will want to pick up a good set of heavy bag gloves that will protect your hands from the constant beating that a heavy boxing bag can put on your knuckles.
2. Protection: Hand Wraps
As they say, hand wraps are the first line of defense for a boxer. It’s worn underneath the gloves for support and protection. It protects one’s hands and wrists from potential injuries by taking away the impact from the blows. They also absorb most of the sweat to promote the life of the gloves. Serious boxers generally keep more than a single pair of hand wraps in their training kit. Over here, you can go for any commercial grade hand wrap. Anything that comes with a Velcro fastener will make it easier for you to wrap it around your hands properly.
3. Protection: Mouth Guard
Can you imagine your face without the front teeth? If you value your 32 jewels, you better wear a mouth guard before entering into a boxing ring. This isn’t to say that you have to be involved in a fight to wear a mouth guard. It pays to wear a mouth guard during a training session too because a misjudged punch can cause a great deal of dental damage, especially if you are boxing with braces. Also, exchange of punches can loosen some teeth over a period of time. So, make sure that your mouth is fully protected by a mouth guard.
4. Protection: HeadGear
The headgear is a pragmatic solution to save your head from all the repeated blows coming your way. Of course, you can still get knocked down, but a headgear will prevent a lot of cuts and bruises. You will definitely be able to survive longer than usual in a fight. As a beginner, get a headgear that protects most part of your head as opposed to something that offers minimal head coverage. Of course, keep in mind that the headgear should not affect your sight or breathing ability.
5. Training: Punching Bag
To learn boxing at home, there is no better equipment out there than a heavy punching bag whether it be a hanging or free standing bag. A punching bag workout can help you gain the stamina and coordination needed to help you get better at the sport without any external help. Not to mention heavy bag workouts are some of the most intense workouts you’ll ever do! The most common bag is a hanging heavy bag but if you are looking for something that you don’t have to hang, you can check out the top free standing punching bags. If you are training outdoors then check out our outdoor punching bag guide or if you are a teenager give our best teenager punching bags guide a read.
6. Training: Speed Bag
Speed Bags are used to create and improve speed and coordination in the hands as well as the feet. Speed bags also help with improving the rhythm of your punches. Speed bags are mounted on a speed bag platform and swivel and can easily be installed in your home or garage without any trouble! Mixing in speed bag workouts with your other training workouts is a great way to improve your strength and stamina as well as keeping your self agile and coordinated!
7. Training: Double End Bag
The Double End Bag, also known by some as the floor to ceiling bag is essentially a bag connected to both ends of the floor connected by an elastic cord. Double end bags provide you with a different style of training that is very similar to training with a real opponent. Workouts on the double end bag can be some of the best training you can get and offers a style of training that allows for many different combinations.
8. Boxing Shoes
Don’t make the mistake of jumping into the boxing ring in your regular sneakers. You will look like a fish out of water if you do so. Boxing basics for beginners involves a lot of footwork. Therefore, it helps to invest in a good pair of boxing shoes to maintain good contact with the ground. Not to forget the fact that a good pair of boxing shoes will also absorb a lot of sweat. As a result, you will be moving faster than usual. As a common-sense tip, go for a lighter pair of boxing shoes for quick movements and agility.
9. Training: Jump Rope
Boxers generally have a special bond with a skipping rope. It has been in use for boxing training for decades. From Mike Tyson to Floyd Mayweather, all of them possess amazing jump rope skills. A jumping rope builds speed, endurance, stamina, and quickness like nothing else in the market. In other words, it gives them the confidence to move faster in the ring. Simply put, it’s a great training tool if you are looking to out-maneuver an opponent in a match.
10. Hygiene: Grab a Towel! & Keep Your Gloves Clean
Boxing is a sweaty affair. Some boxers sweat a lot and there are others who sweat like they are going to get drowned in their own sweat at some point during the match or training session. In any case, one should keep a clean and soft towel in their training bag at all times. In fact, it helps to have more than one towel if you are the type who sweats a lot. You can use a regular towel to wipe all the sweat from the gym equipment and the second one to dry yourself after training. The gym owner and your gym mates would be glad to see you arrive with a towel.
So How Can Beginners Start to Learn to Box?
All the boxing essentials will give you more confidence than usual to step into the boxing ring to do your boxing moves and techniques with great ease. Believe it or not, the difference in confidence can be like night and day for the majority of the first-timers out there. So, once you are geared up with all the necessary boxing equipment, you should familiarize yourself with some of these boxing fundamentals to learn how to box properly. So, let’s dive into the topic in detail to prove that anyone with an internal drive and hunger is a potential boxing candidate.
Boxing Basics & Fundamentals:
Proper Fighting Stance and Footwork: Proper foot distance and stance is of paramount importance at any level of boxing. One should maintain a shoulder-width distance between the feet with the dominant leg on the front. The knees should be slightly bent for the sake of agility.
Guard: Bring both your fists close to your chin. Make sure that your elbows stay tucked to your body. Keep in mind that the elbows should point towards the floor. The idea is to protect your face and body. Of course, don’t take your eyes off your opponent at any time.
Breathing: Inhale while you prepare to throw a punch and exhale quickly while landing a punch. You will exhale through your mouth and not your nose to get more power while striking. Basically, you will breathe out through your mouth after every punch.
Boxing Footwork & Tips: If you want to float like a butterfly, you better get your footwork right. Maintain a shoulder-width distance with the feet slightly inwards. Instead of standing square on, point your shoulders towards the opponent to minimize as much as the target area as you can from the opponent.
Jab: Boxing for beginners should start with the jab because it takes the least amount of power and energy. Also, it can be fired from any position. To get the most out of every jab, you should throw your jab quickly with your arms fully extended (non-dominant hand). Also, keep your body relaxed before throwing a jab to reserve energy. Check out some Basic Boxing Combinations here.
Cross: The cross will be your strongest punch because you will bring your dominant hand into play. You will take leverage from your back while throwing this punch. On the return, bring your fists back to your face as quickly as possible for the guard.
Hook: Hooks have an incredible knockout ability. Unlike a regular punch, the power for the hook will come from the twisting of the hips. Basically, you will perform this move at a close angle with a bent arm along with a rapid rotation of the core and hips. For absurd power, don’t throw your punch at the target, but through it.
Uppercut: The uppercut can be a devastating punch. It can be used in close or mid-range with great effectiveness. An uppercut will travel on the opponent’s chin in an upward motion. An uppercut often misses the opponent’s eyesight so it can cause more damage than usual.
Combinations: Once you master these fundamental boxing punches, move on to combinations by involving all the above punches. As some of you guys might already know, there is no rule etched in stone with regards to combination punches. So, you can throw whatever punches you want in any order you want. Practice is the only key over here.
Word of Advice:
Whether you are looking to do the sport for self-defense, fitness, or to compete, join an actual boxing gym. Yes, find a gym in your locality that’s exclusively made for boxing. There are a lot of gyms out there that ‘also’ teaches boxing. Clearly, boxing would be a secondary activity in these gyms. So, the chances are high that you might not get the well-rounded knowledge and training you are seeking. To hone your craft like nothing else and to prevent undesirable injuries while training, join a boxing gym only. As mentioned earlier, don’t enroll at any other gym where boxing is a secondary or complementary form of training.
For those who don’t know, most coaches won’t let you train in the ring right off the bat. As they say, you need to learn how to walk before you start to run. Generally speaking, most coaches won’t let you spar until you have trained for few months because sparring is the closest thing to a real fight. Also, a coach won’t throw you in the ring with an experienced fighter to be butchered from the head to the toe. It will be like throwing a sheep to a herd of wolves. So, you don’t have to be scared of anything. Slowly and gradually, you will develop the mental and physical toughness to combat even the toughest puncher in the gym. The key is to start, and the rest will automatically fall into place.
Beginners Boxing Defense Techniques
Every trainee needs to work on his/her defense skills to block, deflate, and evade the toughest fighter in the ring. A great degree of focus would be needed over here because the punches that you don’t see will hurt the most. So, you cannot afford to take your eyes off your opponent at any time during the bout. More than often, you will have to step back to move out of the opponent’s punching range. You will also have to watch out for the occasional big punches thrown your way out of nowhere.
A lot of practice hours would be required to pull your hands back to the face or your elbows to the body to guard your face and body effectively during a fight. You will also have to learn how to slip or duck the punches. Keep in mind that you won’t be able to attack while running away from the onslaught of punches. To fire counter attacks, you will have to block the punches instead of running away from them. By blocking the punches, you will protect yourself without being outside the opponent’s range. As a result, you will be able to attack back when the opportunity arises.
Of course, boxing isn’t about spending as much time as possible in the ring in a defensive shell. Sometimes, you might have to do it to wear your opponent down. But, you will have to fire attacks back at some point. Basically, spend a lot of training hours to be the best judge over here. Every fight and opponent is different. Different defensive techniques will work against different opponents. So, the more you practice, the better you will get at the sport. You will be able to handle different fighters and situations more comfortably than usual by practicing a lot.
Final Words:
Whether you are into boxing for recreational or professional reasons, do know that it’s a crazy sport. Even the best strategy faces the risk of premature death once you receive the first blow in your head. On the flip side, even an underdog can turn the tide in his/her favor in the final rounds of a bout. Basically, expect a lot of craziness, fun, and beating too. You could be a winner but more badly bruised than the loser. Nevertheless, it’s still worth a shot. Even if you are a less skilled and less confident fighter at the moment, you could end up being a podium level player in the near future. As hinted before, the sport of boxing is as crazy as it can get. Give it a shot, learn to box, and see where it takes you in life. Even if you don’t get a million-dollar contract down the road, you won’t regret your decision to box. It’s automatically linked to a lot of physical and mental benefits.
Recommended Reading:
Boxing Techniques for Beginners
