What are the benefits of boxing and how to get started?

If boxing remains a combat sport, its practice has become more democratic and many of us now use our fists to maintain our shape. Yes, gone are the days when it was considered a sport reserved for men! Like any physical activity, boxing is obviously good for our health since it makes us move, build muscle and burn calories. But this sport practice not only allows us to maintain our body and our silhouette, it also promotes well-being by doing us good for the mind.

Today, more and more boxing classes are accessible to everyone, regardless of level or physical strength. Moreover, it is a sport that comes in a multitude of sub-disciplines able to correspond to all profiles and to everyone’s wishes, such as punch boxing – a very fashionable new approach to boxing – or aeroboxing. Benefits and new ways to practice boxing in 2022, we take stock.

Boxing, a discipline with multiple variants

There is not only one way of boxing, on the contrary, this sporting discipline is available in various types of boxing. Among the best known and most practiced, we can retain 4 of them including English boxing, French boxing, Thai boxing and kick-boxing which are not practiced the same and teach us to give blows according to very different rules.

• english boxing : the one called the noble art is one of the most popular because only the fists are used to strike and all blows are carried above the belt.
• French boxing : the one that is also called French boxing savate is a version of boxing which includes the strikes of English boxing and which adds those with the feet. In short, instead of just using your arms and fists, you’ll also be kicking with your legs and feet. That’s why we talk about a kickboxing.
• thai boxing : also called muay thai, it is a type of boxing which has long been considered more violent while it ultimately only allows more types of blows and is more codified. It is indeed practiced with the fists, the feet but also the elbows and the knees which is much rarer.
• kick boxing : this mixture of French boxing and English boxing, is a boxing foot-fist boxing which also includes elements of martial arts such as karate kicks for example.

The benefits of boxing: 6 good reasons to get started

Arms, legs, thighs, back, stomach, buttocks… There is no area spared from work during this sport which solicits and tones the whole body. It is therefore a smart sport to strengthen overall.

• Boxer acts as a stress reliever on the mind

The benefits of regular physical activity on well-being no longer need to be proven. But if all sports can secrete endorphins that act as natural anti-stress, boxing has the added advantage of helping us channel the negative energies that parasitize us when we have a stressful life. It allows us to evacuate frustration through physical exertion.

• Boxing helps to lose weight

Intense, boxing is a practice that solicits all areas of the body and requires constant effort. Thus, it helps to burn a lot of calories, on average more than 300 calories for 30 minutes of practice. It is therefore clearly an ally if you want to lose weight.

• Boxer improves our posture

If spending calories doesn’t matter to you, you should also know that boxing works the muscles of the abdominal belt and back a lot, those that help you improve your posture. They are essential to allow the boxer (or the boxer) to give blows at full power and to maintain his defense. Enough to save yourself some back pain every day!

• Boxing improves cardio

When we box, our heart and lungs have to adapt to physical exertion and pump blood faster from our veins to replenish oxygen so they can function well. This organ training that improves cardio will benefit you in the gym and in life because you will have much less trouble recovering, and a better response to stress.

• Boxing improves self-confidence

Becoming aware of your body and your strength, strengthening your muscles and knowing that you can have the upper hand on the opponent, are all things that help you gain self-esteem and confidence.

English, French, Thai, kick-boxing… As we have seen, there is no shortage of ways to practice boxing, but they are reinventing themselves! Among these new ways of boxing, the punch boxing and aeroboxing are two interesting options to know.

the punch boxingthe most trending boxing in 2022

Combining boxing and bootcamp, the punch boxing is a whole new way to get into boxing that allows you to let off steam thanks to sports training on a background of lively music, combined with the practice of boxing solo against a bag to “puncher”.

What is it about ? Count 50% boxing 50% bootcamp for intense sessions of about fifty minutes during which there is no fight but everyone multiplies the exercises. Taking punches will therefore no longer be an obstacle to getting into boxing since your only opponent during the punch boxing, it’s you! You don’t need to upgrade to come punch with your two fists against a bag, you don’t need to know how to box to punch.

Benefits :
– it’s a good mix of muscle strengthening and cardio exercises which therefore offers us an ultra-complete sports session.
– punch boxing is practiced in a lively atmosphere and the rhythm of the music invites you to surpass yourself.
– the duration of the session (50 minutes) is ideal for letting off steam and working all the muscles.
The downsides:
– expect very intense lessons rather reserved for athletes or people in very good physical condition (even if it is always possible to adapt the exercises offered to your level).
– boxing only consists of half of the session, which can be a bit disappointing for those who love boxing.
– finally, we benefit from little personalized advice from the coach (on posture or movements) because he is more present to motivate the room, set the pace and communicate his energy to us.
Where to practice? At the Punch Boxing Studio Louvre, 3 Rue de Richelieu, 75001 Paris.
Price of a session: 29€.

Aeroboxing: boxing accessible to all

Doing a combat sport without fighting anyone is also the principle of aeroboxing, this practice inspired by a boxing technique called “shadow boxing” or “combat contre ombre” in French. If there is one form of boxing that will reconcile you with classic boxing if you don’t like contact sports and you don’t know what to do with a bag, it’s aeroboxing!

What is it about ? As its name suggests, it invites you to perform the characteristic kick-and-fist movements of boxing, but in a vacuum rather than against someone or a bag. Solely focused around improving physical condition, this type of boxing that can be practiced indoors to upbeat music is ideal for you if hitting an opponent and/or getting hit is what puts you off the most in boxing.

Benefits :
– we don’t take any hits
– this type of boxing does not require any special equipment, and therefore allows you to save money on equipment if you have a tight budget.
– group practice is stimulating
– aeroboxing is accessible to all regardless of physical condition.
– it’s a good way to relieve stress and boost your cardio while having fun.

The downsides:
– less challenge because no opponent
– it will not suit those who like contact sports
– it is not the most suitable practice for people with joint problems because the movements can become traumatic in the long run?.

Where to practice? Curial Boxing Team, 84 Rue Curial, 75019 Paris
Price of a session: €200 per year for one session per week, i.e. less than €5 per session.

What you need to know before starting boxing

How fast to train? It all depends on your physical condition and your goals. If you want to get a very good level of boxing, you will of course have to work on your cardio as much as possible and train 2 to 3 times a week. If you just want to keep in shape and tone your figure, a class once a week is a good start.

Mistakes not to make
Choosing classes that are too intense for you right from the start is one of the worst things you can do because you could run out of steam very quickly and become demotivated, which will not allow you to fully benefit from the benefits of boxing. . It is indeed necessary to conceive the practice as a progress and to go there step by step to gain in endurance gradually and to be able to increase the intensity of your sessions as you begin to recover better after the effort.

Essential equipment to buy

Everything will of course depend on the type of boxing you want to practice but here is the most common equipment you will need whatever your type of boxing.
-gloves : you can easily find boxing gloves for less than 50 €. The first price pair is offered at 12€ at Decathlon, only €9.90 at GoSport.
–mittens or bands : to be worn under gloves, they have the same purpose: to protect your hands by helping to distribute the shock of punches to limit the risk of injury. The advantage of mittens is that you just have to put them on. Practice ! They are, however, a little more expensive than the tapes. Count a little more than 10€ on average for a pair of mittens against 6€ or less for tapes.

If you opt for a variation of boxing that includes a fight against an opponent, invest in a mouth guard will also be needed. You will find it from 4€.

Otherwise, you can also invest in a special beginner boxing kit like the one from addidas which combines bands, gloves and mouth guards for 40€.

For warming up, a skipping rope will also be useful to you: you can find them for barely ten euros in stores specializing in sports.

If you opt for the boxing option at home and want to punch in a bag, you will obviously need a punching bag. You can find them from €45 at Decathlon.

What app for boxing at home?

Offered at a more affordable price than a subscription to a gym or a boxing club, mobile applications are an interesting alternative to getting into boxing. Thanks to them, you can exercise whenever you want from home, whenever you are available, saving you the journey to the gym. Super practical when you have a busy schedule!

– PunchLab: Home Boxing Workouts is suitable for all female boxers regardless of their level. From warm-ups to performance monitoring, through a wide variety of classes, it helps you cook up good boxing sessions at home. Highly rated, it has the advantage of having been updated recently.

Good plan: how to pay less for your boxing lessons?

• do free “test” sessions : if you want to take advantage of a few free classes or be sure of your choice before registering, be aware that some gyms offer a first free class. Take the opportunity to test several types of boxing and several gyms before registering, you will see, you will do sports for free for a while.
• take part in group lessons : they are less expensive than those provided by a private teacher.
• book your group lessons : you can also book a boxing class via a site like Groupon to take advantage of a preferential group rate.
• buy your sports lessons in batches : many are the rooms to offer lesson packages whose prices are decreasing compared to sessions paid for one by one.