Women are capable of more than just cooking, cleaning, and raising children. As seen in women boxing, they can also hold their own in the ring. As a sport commonly downplayed, women’s boxing has been frequently overlooked. Now, thanks to boxers such as Laila Ali, the sport is becoming more popular with the mainstream. But, you do not have to be a professional knock out to use boxing as a form of fitness and well being. Women are hopping in the ring the way men hop in the ring, for a fast, fun, high-energy challenging work out. Women, like men use boxing as a way to get in the ring and let out a day or maybe even a week’s worth of aggression. The upside to all this aggression turned to punches is that it is all channeled into positive energy. You leave the ring feeling released of stress, tension, and even feel more fit than when you started.
Believe it or not, throwing punches is a great cardiovascular workout. Even when you are not working out in the ring, punching bag exercises help strengthen the cardiovascular system. Imagine all the muscles you could work out just by substituting one hour of shopping with an hour a boxing! With boxing you are constantly moving your feet in a running motion. This works out your calves, hamstrings and buttocks. With each punch you throw you are working your biceps, triceps and cardiovascular system. Boxing helps you work all of your muscles without struggling, straining, or even trying. Boxing also promotes better eye hand coordination and posture stability.
With the proper training and management, boxing can be a safe, effective form of exercise for women. Because boxing works on the development of so many different areas of the body, women are now replacing exercise classes such as yoga, tae bo and spinning for lessons in the ring. Boxing works on speed and agility, strengthens the cardiovascular system, helps with the fitness of the heart, and even promotes mental awareness and strength.
As with an exercise it is important that you first warm up. Jumping rope for 10 minutes should get your heart pumping. Don’t try to look professional this first go round! You’ll hang of it soon enough. After you warm up, you should learn the basics of boxing and the proper technique and form so that you get the most out of your workout. A trainer is the best way to learn the proper techniques of boxing, however there are various instructional DVDs on using boxing as a form of fitness. After your work out you should cool down for 3 minutes. This cool down process can include shadow boxing, preferably in front of a mirror, to work on your form. A few boxing workouts will leave you with an improved for and technique as well an improved state of health and confidence.