Boxercise combines high intensity boxing, cardio and circuit training techniques, based on the training concepts of professional boxers. You will get grips with padwork, boxing circuits, and cardio and resistance exercises for a high energy workout that will tone, improve agility and blitz those calories.
Boxercise are often long—at least an hour—to fit in a warm-up, conditioning, and drills. And when preparing for a match, sessions are five or six days a week. Rest is very important, but you need to be able to perform under pressure. The training gets your mind prepared for it, too.
When doing a boxing workout, the boxing stance is crucial to your success—it sets you up to both throw and dodge punches, and puts you in the best position to take a punch should your opponent land one. If you’re right-handed, your left leg will be in front, so your more powerful arm is further back to maximize the force it can generate. “Southpaw” or lefty stance is the opposite.
To find your stance, start with your feet shoulder-width apart, with your feet standing on the same imaginary line. To get a good stagger, righties should move the left foot forward so your heel is now touching that imaginary line, and shift the left foot back so the toe is on the line. (Lefties do the opposite.) Bring your weight onto the balls of your feet and soften your knees. Bring your dominant fist up so you’re just touching the side of your chin with your index finger, and bring the non-dominant fist up to about cheek height. Keep your elbows in close, touching your ribs.
Now, onto the punches. The three basic ones are the jab, the cross, and the hook.
Jab: This is the lead hand punch thrown straight ahead with your non-dominant hand. It’s not a power punch but instead is used to set up other punches. “When in your boxing stance, it’s the closest hand to your opponent so you will use it the most,” Need an example? Boxers with a good jab include Larry Holmes, Ike Quartey, Muhammad Ali, and Gennady Golovkin.
Cross: The cross is thrown with the rear, dominant hand, which is farthest away from your target. It’s also thrown straight but much more powerfully, using your legs and torso to generate force. You rarely lead with the cross unless you’re countering an opponent’s punch. Boxers with a good cross include Thomas Hearns, Sergey Kovalev, Deontay Wilder, and Manny Pacquiao.
Hook: These can be done with either hand, but you should focus more on the hook done with the lead (non-dominant) hand (hooks done with the other hand can leave you more vulnerable). Unlike the others, this isn’t a straight punch: Its aim is to come at your target from the side, using your hips and legs for power. The hook travels out from your shoulder and turns in toward your target halfway through the punch. Don’t let your elbow travel out wider than your shoulder, nice and compact, and return it the same way you throw it. Boxers with good hooks include Joe Frazier, Felix Trinidad, Oscar de la Hoya, and Mike Tyson.
Once you’ve got the individual punches, you need to put them together. Common combinations include:
- Jab-cross
- Jab-cross-hook
- Jab-jab-cross
- Jab-hook-cross
- Cross-hook-cross
- Hook-cross-hook
- Jab-cross-hook-cross
- Jab-cross-jab-cross-hook-hook