Boxing bags are beneficial for your heart; in other words, boxing workouts can enhance your fitness. Cardio is short for Cardiovascular. “Cardio” comes from the Greek word “kardÃa,” meaning heart. Cardio exercise increases your heart rate for a longer period, causing faster breathing than normal and elevating the oxygen in your blood for your heart to pump to the rest of your body. Cardio is also referred to as ‘aerobic exercise.’ Some cardiovascular exercises include:
- Cycling
- Running/Jogging
- Swimming
- Hiking
Why Cardio is Good for You
Sufficient cardio exercise elongates your life. Regular cardio exercises maintain a good level of cholesterol and lower blood fats. It protects your brain as you grow older, improving memory and thinking ability and guarding against Alzheimer’s disease. Cardio decreases your chances of hip fracture. Cardio increases circulation, leading to clearer and healthier skin. It reduces stress levels. Increased oxygen supply during exercise to the whole body allows all the muscles to work harder and more efficiently, adapting your muscles and making ordinary activities easier. Staying active helps improve blood sugar control and reduces your chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes.
What is Boxing? Types of Boxing?
Boxing is a combat sport between two people, both wearing protective gear. Different types of boxing include:
- Amateur Boxing
- Professional Boxing
- Kickboxing (Combines traditional boxing with kicks)
- Muay Thai (incorporates punches, kicks, elbows, and knee strikes. It is known as the “Art of Eight Limbs.”)
- Boxercise (fitness routine based on boxing principles)
- Shadow Boxing (Practicing alone)
- Sparring (Training with a partner)
- Cardio Boxing (Primarily for fitness)
- Bare-Knuckle Boxing (Fights without the use of gloves)
- Sanda (Sanda combines traditional Chinese martial arts with modern kickboxing techniques)
- Adaptive Boxing (For individuals with physical or cognitive disabilities)
Boxing for Cardio
There are different exercises to try when it comes to cardio like boxing or running. Other exercises are good, but when it comes to boxing, it offers more variety. It involves hitting the bag, shadowboxing, core exercising, jumping the rope, and so on. There are many advantages that boxing offers, but without the right gear, you might not enjoy complete benefits (for which you can visit our website). It is mistakenly believed that boxing focuses only on arm strength or the upper body, but the reality is that it engages the whole body. According to Jessica Matthews:
In addition to boosting your strength and cardio, boxing improves several skill-related parameters of fitness, including balance, coordination, reactivity, and agility.
Boxing improves your muscular endurance. Boxing will keep you focused and hooked.
Some Other Cardio Training Exercises Include:
- Running (Start off easy and build your way up. After a certain point, high-intensity runs are good from a cardio perspective)
- Skipping (Boosts footwork and coordination. Improves cardio)
- Spinning (With a positive effect on the lower body, it strengthens muscles that can serve you in boxing)
- Swimming (Helps in relaxing your muscles)
Equipment for Boxing
You will need the following equipment for boxing:
Boxing bag:
If you are alone, you can shadowbox or use a boxing bag (also known as the punching bag). There are two types of boxing bags: hanging and standing.
Hand Wraps:
If you choose the boxing bag, you will need hand wraps to protect your hands and wrists. Hand wraps go under your gloves.
Boxing Gloves:
Boxing gloves are worn over the hand wraps to protect the knuckles from the impact of punching. Choose gloves made of high-quality material that fit your hands.
Shoes:
You can buy any training shoes or boxing-specific shoes.
Jump Rope:
Skipping rope is not necessary but can help in skipping, which is good for boxing.
Boxing Injuries
Some boxing injuries are listed below:
- Concussion (Due to repeated blows to the head)
- Facial injuries (cuts, broken bones in the nose)
- Wrist sprain
- Hand fractures
- Finger sprain
- Boxer’s knuckle (fracture in your metacarpal bones)
- Bennett’s fracture (break in the forearm or wrist’s radius bone)
- Dislocated shoulder (humerus bone comes away from the scapula)
- Strain Injury (most common wrist injuries come from strain injuries)
Boxing-Cardio Moves
Following are some cardio moves inspired by boxing:
- Jumping Ropes
- High Knees
- Heel tap
- Sprawl
- Sprinter hops
- Jump squat
Final Words
Boxing not only promotes cardiovascular health but also improves overall physical fitness. It engages multiple muscles, improves coordination, and contributes to mental focus. Adhering to safety measures and investing in proper equipment is important. Be aware of potential injuries. Boxing can really improve your fitness life.
