Question about my boxing routine

kiannarb

So I've decided to get back into boxing (not to compete but for the workout). I've developed a good routine that involves three days of bag work and two misc/ cardio days. On the bag days I do the following: 3 rds of jump rope, 2 rds of stretching, 2 rds of shadow boxing, 3 rds of heavy bag, double end bag, and speed bag each, and then 40 push ups and situps. On the two misc/ cardio days I will do the following workout: 20 min jog, stretch, 40 situps, pushups, weighted back extensions, assisted dips and pullups, Kettlebell squats, and Kettlebell swings each, and of course stretch. I was wondering if this routine seems excessive? I love the exercise,and before I get into lifting heavy, I want to loose about 60 lb of excess weight. I beleive boxing will help me reach this goal, as it got me close to it a few years ago. Thank you for your thoughts. :flowerforyou:

MrsGriffin67

Interested in the responses...I use to love kickboxing. Great cardio workout!

ttippie2000

Some thoughts, in no particular order, from an old timer.

Your routine is not excessive. But it is more a question of HOW you do your workout than whether to tweak it. To put it another way, I would encourage you to not use volume as your only metric. Boxing is built around bursts of anaerobic exertion off of an aerobic base. To get that you'll need to do interval type training in most of your primary exercises.

- kettlebell: Measure how many snatches you can do at a specific weight in 6 minutes. Write it on the wall and set a goal of exceeding that goal for a new personal record. Then do the same with your maximum heart rate.

- Abdominals: Don't just on the edge of the bed and talk about how good it's gonna be...OR admire your work on your crunches. Get in there and dig deep. Get a light dumbbell (5 lb) and put it in your hand, then get a light kettlebell (5 lb) and put it on your opposite foot. Then suspend the other leg while you bring the weighted hand and foot together. Personally, I find that harder than swinging a 70 lb kettlebell. THEN do planks. Tons and tons of planks. Side planks, front planks. Hell, we even do focus mitts 1 handed while holding a side plank.

- Running: Since boxing has 3 minute rounds that winds up working out 800 meter interval workouts. Take a day or two where you do intervals at the track: A short warmup followed by some hard intervals will get you in shape to do your boxing workouts like they are meant to be done. You'll still be tired, but you'll be in better shape and expending more energy and losing more weight.

- Shadow boxing. Get some of them Barbie weights (2-5 lbs dumbells) and then do your shadow boxing rounds. At my gym we follow that with rounds where we have to jog in place and punch straight up (shoulder work) for minute at a time. Sounds easy? LOL. When you put down the weights it'll feel like you're flying.

- Heavy bag. Start each round with 50 punches as fast as you can. This will get your heart rate up and also work your speed. Also set a bell to tell you to go balls-to-the-wall on the last 30 seconds of the round. Do be complacent and turn this into steady state cardio.

- Ladder. Buy one of those rope ladders and practice your footwork at the end of your workouts. Footwork matters. And you can train it at the high end of your cardio range if you hit it hard. Um, the specifics are complicated to explain...buzz saws, icky shuffles, Ali shuffles, scissors, cross behinds. There are books that will tell you all you need to know though.

THEN, work in some active recovery in which you are doing slow shadow boxing for form. Do some in front of a mirror and watch for bad habits like dropping your hands, boxing with a tall head & lazy footwork, etc.

You can also go for an easy jog to get your muscles going.

Take a day off when you need to if you are not competing. Have a recovery day in which you go easy but then hit it hard the next day. And if you are smart you will make rest and recovery line-item training goals right along with your boxing skill and fitness.

Now, Volume. Volume can be useful for weight management, which you're working on. But don't get caught up into the diminishing return trap of steady state cardio. Those people plodding away day after day at the health club at a slow steady pace aren't in shape are they?

Also, make use of your downtime. If you watch TV in the evening with your wife and/or kids, fine. Put a mat down and get some abdominals in.