Blog: Boxing Fitness
15 Essential Training Methods Every Personal Trainer Should Know
Discover 15 training methods that every personal trainer should know. These methods will enable you to design effective and engaging workouts for your clients. From high-intensity interval training to resistance training, you'll learn about the benefits of each method and get tips for incorporating them into your training sessions.
Southpaw Strategies: Tips for Left-Handed Boxers
Calling all southpaw boxers! Improve your game with these expert tips and strategies designed specifically for left-handed fighters. From footwork and angles to power punches and defence, learn how to make the most of your natural advantages and dominate in the ring.
Should Boxing Adopt a Belt System Like Martial Arts? An In-Depth Look
Should boxing adopt a belt system like martial arts? Explore this controversial topic in-depth with this informative post. Discover the pros and cons of a belt system in boxing and what it could mean for the future of the sport.
Building Better Bodies through Reflective Writing: A Guide for Personal Trainers
Help your clients build better bodies with this innovative approach to personal training - reflective writing. In this brief guide you will learn how to incorporate reflective writing into your personal training practice to help yourself set goals, track progress, and overcome mental barriers for long-term success.
The Mental Benefits of Boxing for Fitness
Boxing isn't just a great physical workout - it's also a powerful mental workout. Discover the mental benefits of boxing for fitness, from stress reduction and improved mood to increased self-confidence and mental toughness. Whether you're a seasoned boxer or a beginner looking to try something new, this post will show you why boxing is one of the best workouts for your body and mind.
8 Common Mistakes in Boxing (And How to Fix Them)
Improve your boxing technique and avoid common mistakes with this informative post. Learn about the eight most common mistakes in boxing, from improper footwork to telegraphing punches, and how to fix them. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced boxer, this post has something for everyone looking to improve their technique and get better results in the ring.
The 4 Stages of Learning
Whether you're learning to box or mastering a new skill, understanding the four stages of learning is crucial for success. This post breaks down each stage - from unconscious incompetence to unconscious competence - providing expert insights and practical tips for navigating the learning process. So, get ready to improve your skills and achieve your goals with this comprehensive guide to the four stages of learning.
Creating Winning Workouts: A Quick Guide to Effective Session Planning
Effective session planning in boxing coaching requires a flexible, advanced approach where the coach prepares multiple versions (e.g., Version A, B, C) for each workout phase, including the warm-up, main workout, and cool down. This "versioning" allows the coach to smoothly adapt to common issues like equipment failure, participant confusion, or location changes, ensuring a safe, effective, and continuous training experience.
Footwork Programme
A comprehensive footwork programme for boxers develops skills through a progressive eight-stage sequence, starting with foundational stance and basic Half-Steps before advancing to Full Steps, Skipping, and Switching stances. The later stages focus on combining these movements into complex Footwork Combinations, integrating them with defensive and offensive layers (Layer Defences and Layer Attacks), and finally mastering dynamic movement within the Boxing Ring.
Counter-Punch Development Programme
A boxer develops counter-punching skills through a progressive, staged program that begins by mastering defensive actions like the Catch, Block, and Elbow (Blocks Only), followed immediately by offensive responses. The core of the program involves increasing complexity by progressing from Block and Single Punches (Stage 1) to Block and Two Punches (Stage 2) and Block and Three Punches (Stage 3), training the boxer to immediately and effectively retaliate using the hand that just defended.
Boxing Lesson Plan for Large Groups
This 60-minute boxing lesson plan for large groups (24–30 participants) focuses on improving fitness and skills by splitting the class into three groups that rotate across three locations: Punch Bags, an Indoor Circuit, and an Outdoor Partner-work area. After a skipping warm-up, the main content involves three 16-minute segments, each with four structured routines (3-minute rounds/1-minute intervals) focusing on different skills like single-hand bag drills, bodyweight circuits, and specific defensive/offensive partner combinations before concluding with a cool-down.
Fitness Boxing Lesson Plan
This 60-minute fitness boxing lesson plan for small groups (2–10 participants) is structured to prioritize individual attention and high-intensity, skill-focused training, with timing adjusted based on class size. The workout follows a robust warm-up with skipping and shadowboxing, dedicates the bulk of the time to 8–12 rounds of themed Bagwork and individual Padwork with the coach, and concludes with a targeted Conditioning circuit before the cool-down.
Session Plan Template
This simple lesson plan template is structured to guide a boxing coach through the four core phases of a training session: Warm Up, Skills, Conditioning, and Cool Down, ensuring a balanced and effective workout. The template requires the coach to pre-define the session's Aim, necessary Equipment, Timing (duration), and the key Coaching Points for execution, concluding with an Evaluation section for post-session reflection.
HIIT Boxing Lesson Plan
This 30-minute High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) boxing lesson plan for intermediate to advanced participants utilizes ten 3-minute rounds (30 seconds work/30 seconds active recovery) alternating between high-intensity bodyweight exercises and punch bag routines to maximize fitness. The workout follows a Warm Up (Rounds 1–3) that integrates basics with squats, a Build-Up (Rounds 4–6) adding defensive slips and push-ups, a high-intensity Peak (Rounds 7–9) introducing rolls and burpee variations, and concludes with a core-focused Cool Down (Round 10) and static stretches.
A Sample Boxer’s Workout
A sample boxer's workout is structured in five phases, beginning with a Warm-Up (Ropework) and Movement Preparation (Dynamic Stretches and Shadowboxing) to prepare the body for high-intensity work. The Main Workout focuses on developing skill and power through Padwork, Bagwork, and Floorwork (legs, arms, and core exercises), concluding with a Cool Down (Ropework) and Tissue Restoration (Static/Dynamic Stretches) to ensure recovery.
Smart Goals Made Wise
The SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound) model is a valuable, instrumental framework for transforming vague fitness aspirations like "get fit" into concrete, actionable steps. However, to address its limitation in guiding intrinsic values like "goodness" or "happiness," the post suggests adding WISE criteria: Why is it valuable, are your Intentions sincere, are you willing to Strive for it despite limitations, and is it based on Endless timeless values.
The Training Session
A typical training session follows a cyclical structure, moving from low to high intensity and back again, which mirrors the principle of periodization. This structure is segmented into five key phases: a Warm-up (cardiorespiratory), Movement Preparation (dynamic stretches), the Main Workout (resistance exercise), a Cool Down (cardiorespiratory), and Tissue Restoration (static stretches).
Periodization: A Beginner's Guide to Training Cycles and Progression
Take your training to the next level with periodization, the practice of dividing your training into cycles to maximize results. Discover the benefits of periodization and how to apply it to your own training programs in this informative post. From macrocycles to microcycles, explore the different types of cycles and how to progress over time for long-term success. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced athlete, this post is a must-read for anyone looking to optimize their training.
