Boxing-based fitness classes have become one of the most popular ways to train, and once you have done one it is easy to see why. A BoxFit class at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading blends pad work, bag rounds and conditioning into 45 coached minutes with no sparring and no experience required, and it delivers a workout that is hard to match on a treadmill. Here are five reasons to add it to your routine, and what to expect when you walk in.
1. It is a full-body workout
BoxFit works every muscle in your body. Punching drives from the legs through the hips and core into the shoulders and arms, footwork keeps you moving, and the conditioning between rounds ranges from planks and push-ups to squats and burpees. You leave having trained legs, trunk, upper body and heart in one session. See why boxing rates among the best types of cardio.
2. It melts stress
Boxing is cathartic. Hitting pads and bags is the perfect outlet for stress, frustration and anxiety, and it is done in a safe, controlled environment with a coach. Members who train BoxFit two or three times a week consistently describe it as the best part of their week for their headspace. Read how the gym improves anxiety and stress.
3. It builds confidence
Punching mitts and bags is good for the body and even better for the mind. Learning to throw a clean combination, feeling your power grow week by week and holding your own in a room full of people builds a confidence that spills into the rest of life. It is one of boxing’s most underrated benefits.
4. You learn a real skill
Unlike a machine circuit, BoxFit gives you something to get better at. Stance, guard, footwork, the jab, cross, hook and uppercut and how to string them together keep your mind engaged, and research on learning new, technical skills shows real cognitive benefits. Boredom is the enemy of consistency; a skill you are improving is the cure. Curious about the martial arts side? See Muay Thai for beginners.
5. It changes your body composition
Because BoxFit is interval training in disguise, it burns a lot of energy and keeps your metabolism elevated for hours afterwards, while the loaded conditioning builds lean muscle. Just as importantly, it is far easier to work hard in a class with a coach and a room full of people than to summon the same effort alone. Read boxing for weight loss.
What to expect in your first BoxFit class
- Warm-up: skipping, shadow-boxing and mobility for the shoulders and hips.
- Technique: the coach walks you through stance and the basic punches, with plenty of repetition.
- Rounds: alternating pad work with a partner, bag work and short conditioning blocks.
- Cool-down: stretching and breathing.
Bring water and a towel; gloves and pads are provided for your first session, and hand wraps are available at reception. Everyone in the room was a beginner once, and coaches scale every drill to your level.
How to fit BoxFit into your week
Two BoxFit sessions a week alongside two strength sessions is a superb general fitness program, and boxing pairs naturally with lifting; see strength training for martial arts. If you only have time for one class a week, this is a good one to pick.
Try BoxFit at Hammer’s Gym
BoxFit classes run several times a week at Hammer’s Gym in Nunawading, included in membership and open to all levels. Check the timetable, claim a free trial class and come and hit something. We are minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster.