12th January 2017. The ring of the bell, the roar of the crowd, and suddenly, nothing matters more than the two souls in the ring duking it out for the title of victor! We're talking, of course, about boxing. A popular sport for centuries now, boxing is an incredibly exciting activity whether you are a participant or a spectator. Its popularity is such that it's even infiltrated our popular culture with films like Raging Bull and the Rocky franchise. Have you ever considered what it would be like to lace up a pair of gloves and step into the ring, though? Believe it or not, ladies, but boxing can be an excellent workout and a fun fitness activity for you to try! While most women might not necessarily view a combat sport as the path to fitness, boxing has a whole host of benefits in store for your body. That's not to mention the immense stress relief that accompanies landing a strike on your opponent in the ring. However, boxing isn't all about the actual bouts. There is tonnes of training and practice that go into honing your body before it's ready for a match. Whether you ever participate in a fight, the training alone can be a significant boost to your fitness. So, what are some of the reasons women should try boxing? Let's look at a few of the best reasons.
- It's going to be incredible for your overall fitness
No matter which way you slice it, boxing and the training it requires offer a truly intense fitness regimen. We'll discuss some more of the specifics in a moment, but overall, you'll find that it can help you improve your entire body. From cardiopulmonary fitness to your strength and even your overall agility and flexibility, you'll discover that boxing as an activity is nearly an all in one package. It's a more exciting way to get fit, too. When you're just going through the same motions every week at the gym, it's easy to get bored. However, boxing training gives you a goal towards which to strive. If you're tired of the spin machine, why not pick up the boxing gloves instead?
- Boxing will boost your heart and lung health
Just what kind of a workout can you expect from boxing training? Well, it's a solid form of cardio, that's for sure! You'll spend a lot of time on the same machines in the gym to build up your cardio endurance. However, that's not all. You'll need to spend time practising the actual sport, too, and that means sparring. You'll find that sparring with a partner is a taxing workout on its own, getting your heart rate way up and forcing you to learn how to breathe correctly. Over time, that translates to better endurance. It also means you're doing your organs a big favour; exercise like this definitely contributes to a healthier overall state for your heart. Of course, all that cardio has another big benefit in store as well.
- It's a hardcore way to burn tonnes of calories
Why struggle with a fad diet when you could be using good old fashioned exercise to burn the calories it takes to reduce the fat on your body? Boxing and its related activities is a seriously excellent way to tackle that task. In just an hour of boxing, you could be burning up to 700 calories. Talk about intensity! When you factor in the other exercises you'll be doing in the meantime; you have a recipe for really slimming down to a lean and mean fighting machine! In combination with a healthy and balanced diet, you can lose weight and improve your overall health at the same time. Of course, while you're shedding weight from fat, you might add some of it back in another department ? muscle.
- Finally develop some sexy, toned stomach muscles
Look at any pro boxer, man or woman, and one thing is easy to see right away: they're pretty ripped! While you might not reach Floyd Mayweather levels, boxing is still going to help you build up muscles. Have you always wanted to be one of those ladies sporting six pack abs? With your boxing regimen, you could be well on your way. After all, strength is a big component to success in boxing. You'll want to focus on training with weights and pounding the bag, but there are many ways to build muscle for boxers. No matter how you approach it, boxing will help you build muscle with motivation more than just trying to pump iron by itself.
- You can train at home if you want
Who says you need to join your local boxing club just to try this sport out? You could just as easily begin your journey at home. Purchasing gloves and some punching bags won't set you back much. The advantage of being able to work at home without concern for keeping to a schedule can be very convenient. Of course, many people also find it less stressful to set their own pace too. If you're a self-starter, learning to box at home is entirely doable. You'll want real practice eventually, but if you just want the workout benefits? No problem. You can even try training without fancy equipment to get yourself started.
- You can benefit from instruction in a gym
That doesn't mean there are no benefits to be found at your local women's boxing gym, though. Quite the contrary! If you're serious about the sport, you can benefit a lot from the skilled instruction of someone else. Best of all, a gym geared specifically towards women interested in the sport provides a safe and comfortable space to practice. A coach or other boxers can offer invaluable tips. They can help point you in the right direction for improving your fitness. At the same time, they'll be a source of encouragement and also a challenge against which you can test yourself. With instruction in reach for many people, it's a top reason to give boxing a try.
- Relieve all the stress you build up during the week
Do you end the week feeling like a big ball of nerves and tense muscles? That's what stress can do to your body. Luckily, boxing is one of the best ways to let all that stress go free. When you think about it, it makes sense, doesn't it? When you can focus on pounding your punches into the resistance of the training bag, you can imagine you're letting go of all your anxieties. Exercise has also been shown to reduce your level of stress and anxiety overall. Therefore, you're getting a lot out of just one sports activity. Ask any boxer, and they'll tell you: there's nothing like the feeling of being spent after giving it your all. Your worries can just melt away.
- Feel happier at the end of the day
Stress isn't the only thing boxing can reduce. You can take pride in your boxing accomplishments as you work on bettering your skill. When all is said and done, and you hang up your gloves at the end of a session, you'll feel happy knowing you're working so hard. You may not feel quite the same way when you're just cycling the same few kilometres every day, or not even exercising at all. From the thrill of victory to the punishing training, boxing is a very well-rounded activity for women.
Boxing isn't just for men and pay-per-view watchers
We hope these eight reasons have given you plenty to think about, because boxing has so much potential to offer those who participate. One only needs to look at women?s' Olympic boxing to see that there are plenty of fierce ladies competing in the ring, too. Whether you just want to work out with a boxing routine or you're interested in trying to rise the ranks of your local boxing club, make today the day you start a new fitness routine. You might even interest some of your girlfriends in joining in; after all, who would be a better sparring partner than someone you know? Plant your feet firmly on the mat and find out what boxing has in store for you. Follow @SportNessUK