"The groundwork of all happiness is health." - Leigh Hunt

Build your workout routine with Fitness Boxing

Fitness boxing gives you the advantages of a conventional boxing workout without the risks of punches or head trauma.

Image: Thinkstock

This adapted version of the game can assist improve your strength, endurance and balance.

Fitness classes

Unlike traditional boxing that requires you to spar with a partner, fitness boxing for older adults often involves punching within the air or on a punching bag in school. There are two primary sorts of these exercise classes. In one, you follow a frontrunner and do a series of boxing moves all choreographed to bouncy music, sort of like an aerobics class. The moves include a mixture of huge, sweeping punches (crosses, hooks, uppercuts). small punches (jabs); squats (duck); and short, quick steps forward and backward. Other sorts of exercise classes include strength training, stretching, and hitting the punching bag. Don't have the strength to do boxing moves while standing up? Both sorts of classes can be found for individuals who need to stay seated while punching within the air or on a punching bag.

Benefits

There is not any evidence that fitness boxing is superior to some other type of exercise, nevertheless it has many health advantages. There is an influence. “You're swinging your arms, moving your arm and shoulder muscles, increasing your upper body strength. And as you bend your knees slightly, do the boxer crouch with a wide stance. “If you're in, you're strengthening your core. Muscles, back and legs,” says Arslani. Strong muscles make it easier to stand up from a chair or carry a bag of groceries.

Fitness boxing can also be a wonderful aerobic exercise. Aerobic exercise gets your heart pumping and helps reduce the chance of hypertension, heart disease, stroke and diabetes. It can strengthen bones and muscles, burn more calories, and boost mood. Aerobics may increase your endurance, helping you climb stairs or walk further.

In addition, aerobic exercise is related to improvements in certain brain functions. Arslanian says boxing is especially well-known for improving hand-eye coordination, especially if you happen to're fighting on the bag, hitting padded targets, or simply “shadow” boxing. . “There are studies that show that trying to hit a target with your hands improves hand-eye coordination and possibly makes you feel more alert and focused,” she explains. ” she says. Better hand-eye coordination may translate into a neater time picking up a tablet or pen.

And one final advantage of fitness boxing, if you happen to're in a position to stand while doing it: improved balance. “You're changing your position and challenging your balance. The more you do it, the better your balance response will be,” Arslanian says. “If you encounter a crack in the pavement, you may be more successful at saving yourself, because your strength and reaction time may be better.”

What must you do?

Fitness boxing shouldn't be for everybody. “I might say you could have to be very careful if you could have osteoporosis or osteoarthritis of the hands. In that case, you need to only consider shadow boxing, and be certain that your hands are tar-gate. Don't contact, says Arslani. Also, with any activity that's potentially aerobic, you need to check along with your doctor before starting.

If you're serious about trying this exercise to alter up your routine, you'll likely find classes at health clubs, community centers, or your local YMCA. And if you happen to do start a category, remember to take it slow.

“You want to start at a comfortable level of intensity and gradually increase, and stick with it,” Arslanian says, “It's not about high intensity. It's about consistency. is about.”

Key Benefits of Fitness Boxing