Cardio Boxing: A Total-Body Workout
Just by the title, you know that cardio boxing involves cardio and boxing. That is a given – but what you might not know is that cardio boxing is one of the best workouts available! Contrary to what most think, you actually don’t need equipment to cardio box – shadowboxing at home will give you an intense full body workout.
Cardio boxing provides a total-body strength and conditioning workout that shapes your mind body with each punch you throw.
HOW IT WORKS
Cardio boxing gives you the opportunity to engage different parts of the body that will enhance your overall health. Here are a few ways you can benefit from cardio boxing.
- Gain the knowledge of a new sport
- Increase balance and coordination
- Destress and meditate
- Change your body composition
- Burn more calories
The cardio shadowboxing class on BoxUnion Digital offers all body weight exercises and you will throw hundreds of punches and burn up to 700 calories in 45-minutes.
INTENSITY
Cardio boxing trains the body in intense intervals of speed, power and endurance. There are three energy systems for your body during a workout.
- ATP System (Adenosine Triphosphate) – think quick and explosive movements
- Glycolytic System– think interval training with short burst exercises (1-2 minutes)
- Oxidative System– think endurance training through an entire workout
With cardio boxing you are engaging in all three energy systems throughout an entire workout giving your body the opportunity to lose weight, build lean muscle and increase your endurance all in one workout. Here’s a bonus, due the interval training you will continue to burn calories even after the workout is over!
AREAS CARDIO BOXING TARGETS
Core: Boxing engages the core and continuously relies on your abs and obliques to increase the power in each punch. Your defensive moves also use the core muscles as you pull back into your fighters’ stance
Back: Every punch you throw will involve your lats, traps and back. One of the benefits of boxing is that it attacks the lower back muscles, which can help prevent injury in the future.
Arms: There is no doubt that cardio boxing will involve your arms with every punch you throw. In addition, bodyweight exercises use your chest, arms and shoulders.
Legs: Boxing starts from the ground up! Cardio boxing uses different plyometric exercises, which features jumping exercises and working big muscle groups to increase heart rate and give you a total body workout.
Glutes: Cardio boxing also utilizes Plyometrics. Using big muscle groups help increase heart rate and build/strengthen muscle to lean and tone the body.
All areas of the body are used differently depending on the workout you choose. Cardio boxing has the opportunity to be a high impact or low impact workout based on the design of the class/workout.
TYPES OF CARDIO BOXING
High-Impact Training: Plyometric training is a huge way to increase your heart rate while using big muscle groups to burn more calories faster. A high impact cardio boxing workout would most likely involve equipment such as weights, a jump rope or heavy bag.
Low-Impact Training: Low Impact Cardio boxing is a beneficial workout for your heart rate and joints. We remove the jumping from the plyometrics, and you replace it with squats, plank holds and more. Shadowboxing is a perfect example of a low impact cardio boxing workout.
WHAT ELSE YOU SHOULD KNOW
Is it good for beginners?
Start with shadowboxing! The best way to learn any workout or sport is to start with the fundamentals.
Check out a 30-minute class on BoxUnion’s YouTube to get a taste of a tough combo combined with a high intensity interval training workout
Where can you train?
Cardio boxing with no equipment can be done anywhere, anytime. The nice thing about BoxUnion Digital is that you have access to 100s of classes that require little space and you don’t need equipment, but if you have the equipment, add them to your workout! The coach will tell you what you need when.
Is okay to do if I have a health condition?
Modifications for all exercises are a great way to still engage with a workout if you have a health condition, nursing an injury or your body is telling you that just doesn’t feel right. Always reach out to your health provider before engaging in any form of exercise. Check out our blog on benefits of boxing for more information on how boxing can help you with your long-term health.