Isn’t it amazing how winded you get with just some basic shadow boxing. Of course, if you have a heavy bag you can kick it up a notch but even just shadow boxing can give you an excellent all body workout. Go down to your local sporting goods store and buy yourself a jump rope which will run you under 10 dollars. Use this for a nice warmup and begin by jumping rope for 5-10 minutes to get a nice sweat going.
There are several guides for making your own heavy bag which can be found on the Internet. This is great if you’re trying to save money and you want to prepare everything so that you have a bag ready for when you are ready to advance with your boxing workouts. There are also great deals on heavy bags from all the people who bought a bunch of boxing equipment and just don’t use it any longer or for the people who are moving and need to get rid of everything. I suggest looking on CraigsList as a place to start for some killer deals. You can also checkout Ebay but the shipping costs will probably be pretty expensive so look for deals in your local area first.
If you have sore joints which do not appreciate the impact of jumping rope then try doing it on a track surface or soccer field which will soften the impact. I also suggest you do not jolt or jerk the joints during your punches and try to keep them controlled while always making sure to avoid locking out your joints.
For shadow boxing, you will focus on combining 5 basic movements on the left and right side. Make sure to alternate sides frequently to keep your training balanced.
- Jab
- Cross
- Punch
- Uppercut
- Body Shot
A jab is a short fast compact punch compared to a punch which comes from the power of a full extension. Jabs are used to confuse and distract so you would normally precede any punches with some jabs, alternating them from the left and right side. The arm never really fully extends with a jab and it’s like a fast punch with a quick pull back.
A cross is thrown wide from the side with the elbow out. During all punches, the other hand is up protecting the face and between all punches you are protecting the face, with your elbow in and your head tucked like a turtle. Use your obliques when you throw your crosses.
A punch is thrown from the core muscles with the body coming forward and driving the hips. Your stance will always be positioned with one leg forward and one leg back while being set in a comfortable lunge style position. Always be aware to switch them up and keep moving at all times. Your knees should always be softly bent which will allow you to swivel and duck.
Uppercuts come from the legs. Squat with your fist driving upward focusing on impacting the chin or gut. Your shoulders will bob up and down on these and you will be targeting the core muscles and also working the middle back.
Body shots are lower shot variations of the above, which were all head shots. With body shots you want to drive with the lats (back muscles). Breathing properly through this type of training is essential. Drive the body shots as if your fist is going straight through the person.
Now try combining these with one of each movement or you can pick 4 while trying one of each per side, 2 of each per side, and other combos. You can repeat combos at least 5 times each per side consecutively. You will be surprised how quickly time flies when doing these combos. Before you know it you will have completed an intense workout in 20 minutes and you will have a shirt soaked in sweat! Make sure to stretch thoroughly after your session and hydrate throughout your workout by drinking lots of water.
