Blog: Musings of a Boxing Fitness Coach

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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.

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Cornerman Kit

A well-prepared cornerman needs a comprehensive kit to handle a boxer's physical needs and injuries during a match, organized for quick access and efficient care. Essential equipment includes protective gear like a Cornerman Jacket and Latex Gloves, medical supplies such as Petroleum Jelly, Gauze Swabs, Nasal Plugs, and Bandage Scissors, along with hydration and cooling tools like a Water Bottle with Straw, Ice Bag, and Sponge.

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Boxing History and Culture Deniz Ates Boxing History and Culture Deniz Ates

London Prize Ring Rules

Learn about the London Prize Ring Rules and their significance in the history of boxing with this informative post. Discover the origins of these rules and how they influenced the development of modern boxing regulations. Whether you're a fan of boxing or simply interested in its history and culture, this post is a must-read for anyone looking to understand the roots of modern boxing.

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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.

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Voted Top 100 Boxers of All Time

Discover the top 100 boxers of all time as voted by fans in this informative post. From Muhammad Ali to Sugar Ray Leonard, explore the greatest boxers to ever step into the ring. Whether you're a fan of the sport or simply interested in learning more about boxing history, this post is a must-read for anyone looking to understand the impact and influence of the sport's most legendary figures.

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Exercise Library: A Comprehensive Guide to Unlocking Your Full Potential with Bodyweight Workouts

This Exercise Library is a comprehensive reference detailing effective bodyweight and suspended exercises for unlocking your full potential. It systematically covers all major muscle groups with exercises categorized by muscle and equipment type. Use this resource to build a balanced, full-body routine with detailed movements like the Rear Neck Bridge, Pike Press, Inverted Row, Suspended Fly, and Single Leg Squat.

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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.

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Units of Fitness

Fitness is measured across several specific components, with quantifiable units used to track and assess progress in areas like Strength, Speed, Stamina, and Suppleness (flexibility). Strength is measured in weight (e.g., kilograms or 1RM), Speed as distance over time (e.g., km/h), Stamina as time duration or repetitions, and Suppleness in degrees of joint range of motion (often using a goniometer), while Skill is judged subjectively based on sport-specific criteria like clean punches and ring generalship.

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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.

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The Circulatory System

Explore the incredible world of the circulatory system with this informative post. Learn about the different components of the circulatory system, including the heart, blood vessels, and blood, and how they work together to transport nutrients, oxygen, and waste products throughout the body. Whether you're a personal trainer or simply interested in learning more about the human body, this post is a great starting point for understanding the fundamental principles of circulatory physiology.

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Groups of Boxing Techniques

Explore the different groups of boxing techniques and how they are organized with this informative post. Learn about the various types of punches, footwork, and defences that make up the arsenal of a boxer. Whether you're a trainer or a boxer, this post has something for everyone looking to improve their technique and expand their knowledge of the sport.

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The 10-Point Must System for Boxing

Learn about the 10-point must system for scoring boxing matches with this informative post. Discover how judges score rounds, and how the winner of a match is determined based on the final score. Whether you're a fan of the sport or simply interested in learning more about the rules of boxing, this post is a must-read for anyone looking to understand the dos and don'ts of scoring boxing matches.

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‘Southpaw’? Uncovering the History and Meaning Behind Boxing's Most Famous Stance

Where does the word ‘southpaw’ come from? The term 'southpaw' in boxing refers to a fighter who adopts a stance with the right hand forward and the left hand in the rear (often a left-handed fighter), which is the inverse of the conventional orthodox stance. While the two-word term "south paw" (a person's left hand) was used in boxing slang as early as 1848, the widely popularized use of "southpaw" to denote a left-handed pitcher emerged later in baseball, often attributed to the typical layout of baseball fields where the pitcher's left arm faced south.

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Alphabet Soup

The governance of professional boxing is split among several groups, collectively known as "alphabet soup," but the four major sanctioning bodies are the World Boxing Association (WBA), the World Boxing Council (WBC), the International Boxing Federation (IBF), and the World Boxing Organization (WBO). The proliferation of these bodies, which each sanction titles across 17 weight classes, began with the WBA (est. 1921/renamed 1962) and continued with breakaways forming the WBC (1963), IBF (1983), and WBO (1988), making undisputed championships a rare feat.

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Weight Classes

From flyweight to heavyweight, explore the different weight classes in this comprehensive guide. Whether you're a fan of the sport or simply interested in learning more about boxing, this post is a great starting point for understanding this important aspect of the sport.

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Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PARQ)

Personal trainers minimize risk to clients by using a standardized health screen, such as the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q), which determines whether a client needs medical clearance before beginning an exercise program. If a client answers 'yes' to any question, the trainer must use professional judgment to decide if a sensitive, documented referral to a medical professional is necessary to ensure the client receives appropriate guidance, contraindications, or specialized exercise referral.

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How to Run a Group Induction

Fitness professionals conduct a group induction to introduce new clients to the gym environment and equipment safely, focusing on six key objectives: preparing the space, welcoming the group, conducting a verbal health screen, providing essential health and safety guidance, outlining the workout, and maintaining professionalism. The induction involves a structured session that guides clients through the five stages of a workout while checking for prior injuries or conditions via a verbal screen.

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The Art of Control: A Comprehensive Guide to the 10 Types of Control in Boxing

Control in boxing is an advanced method of moving that subtly or explicitly influences an opponent's behaviour, with the primary purpose of setting up an attack or a counter-punch. These techniques range from non-contact methods like Distance Control (using footwork) and Stance Control (using feints) to contact-based methods applied to the opponent's body or guard, such as Hand Control, Head Control, and the most basic, Clinch Control.

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