Great boxing workouts to get you in shape

One great way to lose those pesky flabs is having a workout that matches boxing-inspired cardio with strength routines. Below are three simplified boxing workouts to maximize calorie burn and increase your metabolism, even as you improve your cardiovascular fitness, courtesy of sports training enthusiast Ryan Shephard.

Image source: mensjournal.com

Jab Cross Power Drill
To do this, get into a standing position with your right foot forward, elbows bent in front of your ribs, and hands in fists. Do a jab punch with your right arm, your palm facing the floor, then quickly draw your elbow back into a guard position. Throw a cross punch with your left arm, palm toward the floor, rotating your right hip into the punch and lifting your left heel. Continue the alternating jabs for one minute, switch sides, and repeat.

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Side Shuffle Cross
Go into a split stance, with your left leg forward and your arms on guard. Throw a cross punch with your left arm, extending your arm and turning your palm toward the floor while rotating your left hip into the punch and lifting your left heel. Bring arms back quickly to guard position and do a single-side shuffle sideways to the left before immediately cross-punching with your left arm. Alternate sides and do as many reps as possible for two minutes.

Rock and Roll Stand Up
Stand with feet hip-width apart and your arms on guard, then lower into a squat. Drop your hips to the floor, sitting down and rounding back while you roll backward, your knees tucked into your chest and your arms on guard. Get back to a standing position, rising up through a squat with your arms kept on guard, explains Ryan Shephard.

Ryan Shephard is a University of Michigan student studying to become a certified sports and rehabilitation specialist. His education allows him to get to work with the best therapists and trainers in the field. More on Ryan and his interests here.

Boxing 101: Things to remember other than the punches

Boxing 101: Things to remember other than the punches
I’m Ryan Shephard, a student of sports training and rehabilitation. For this blog, I want to take a moment to write about a sport that’s pretty close to my heart. You could even say this sport was my first love.

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I’ve been a fan of boxing ever since I was a kid and I was obsessed with the sweet science of it. I still box from time to time, and I’ve seen young individuals getting into the sport, which I find rather heartwarming.

However, many people who first enter boxing have this mistaken belief that it’s all about punching. While punching takes up a huge part of the sport, boxing is so much more than that. Enter a boxing gym and you’ll realize that on the first day.

 

One of the first things your trainer will teach you is footwork. Yes, there is a proper way to move in the boxing ring. You shouldn’t let your feet cross as much as possible, when moving forward or backward, or side-to-side.

As you progress, your trainer will teach you how to defend yourself past the “hands-up” routine. You’ll learn to block body shots as well as bob-and-weave. You’ll learn to slip punches and throw counters.

Finally, your trainer will build up your cardio like no one else has before. After which, you’ll be a happy puddle of sweat and soreness, and you’ll realize it’s all worth it.

Hey, there. I’m Ryan Shephard, a student at the University of Michigan taking up Athletic Training. Thankfully, my courses allow me to learn anatomy, physiology, nutrition, and pharmacology, as I hope to be a professional sports trainer someday. More on me and my interests here.