In line with our current campaign to “Get Fighting Fit For 2020”, fitness expert and Manager at Welcome Gym Southend, Kirsty Michael, and personal trainer, Johnny Stratford, who are both keen advocates of combat training, outline below the top five benefits of Boxing Fitness classes (the photographs are from one of Johnny's recent boxing workshops at the club): -

1 Full body conditioning workout

Boxing provides a useful balance between cardio and resistance training. With a combination of steady cardio and high-intensity blasts, your heart rate will be increased as you punch and move. During a boxing workout, you may punch a bag hundreds of times, requiring your upper body, lower body and core to engage as you make contact with the bag, which uses a massive amount of strength. A boxing class is a perfect all-rounder!

2 Improved hand-eye co-ordination

Individuals with good hand-eye coordination tend to have faster reflexes and reaction times, and demonstrate better physical coordination as a whole. This is particularly important as we age, when coordination and balance become compromised, increasing the risk of falls. When you’re paired up to spar with a partner (practise punching your partner’s padded mitts), you must be able to see the target, react to the target, and hit the target, all while that target is moving and changing position. It’s tough, but with practice, your hand-eye coordination improves considerably.



3 Reduction of stress and anxiety

Any type of exercise releases endorphins, which boost your mood and increase your energy levels. Boxing is an excellent choice if you are feeling the need to counter stress. Punching a bag or pads helps release muscle tension and can be used symbolically to take out your frustrations harmlessly and leave you feeling refreshed and stress-free!

4 Increased Motivation

Motivating yourself to exercise alone can be difficult. One of the greatest things about boxing is that it almost always involves more than one person. Whether you're sparring together, doing pair work with the pads or even just holding someone's feet whilst they do sit-ups, more often than not, you'll be training with others. Working out in a group is a great motivator and gives you the driving force to work hard and be more competitive. It’s fun too!

5 Basic self-defence techniques

Boxing classes can give you the techniques you need to defend yourself in the event of an attack. You learn to generate knock out power in both hands through boxing, and you are shown how to block, slip, parry and dodge to help escape any possible attacks. Although we hope you’ll never need to use them, a few basic self-defence skills could be useful to protect you from harm.