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Boxing: 15 Powerful Benefits and Advantages (…Outweigh the Risks?)

Boxing horror stories are all over the internet about people who died in the ring or had Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s disease years after retirement. Many people are drawn to the sport even though they know what could happen in the ring because they want to reap the benefits boxing gives them.

Some of the benefits and advantages of boxing include fat loss, stress relief, self-confidence, improved reflexes, greater eye-hand coordination, and better mental awareness. Also, as teamwork is required, boxing can help you build your social skills. 

If you want to start boxing and are wondering if the benefits outweigh the risks, read on!

These are 15 benefits and advantages of boxing.

1. Relieves Stress.

Punching something, even a training bag, can relieve tension and stress. Plus, a high-intensity workout is proven to relieve stress and release endorphins that help you feel good for hours after the workout. 

2. Builds Muscle.

Boxing uses a variety of muscles while hitting or kicking the 100-pound training bag. Besides boxing, the studio or gym where you workout will likely incorporate strength training exercises to go with boxing techniques, as this helps improve your performance in the ring.

3. Great Cardio Workout.

Boxing is a full-body workout that increases your heart rate, gets your blood pumping better, and works out your lungs. Also, boxing classes often include jumping rope and other warm-up exercises to get your muscles warmed up and ready.

4. Burns Fat.

Because it is a full-body sport, boxing can burn fat even after the workout is over. Partly because you’re also building muscle during the exercise, and more muscle burns fat. Besides, during a single boxing season, you can burn more calories than a regular cardio routine, such as jogging. 

5. Improves Coordination.

When you’re sparring with another person and trying to avoid getting hit while trying to strike the other person at the same time, this action improves your eye-hand coordination, which spills over into the rest of your life. You’re also more aware of where your arms and legs are at any given moment. So your body awareness increases as well. 

Remember to use footwork drills and speed bag training to increase your coordination.

6. Boosts Self-Confidence.

Not only will you feel better mentally, but you will also begin to look better physically, which can boost your self-confidence. You’re also learning self-defense techniques, which may be helpful in a situation that calls for it. But, because you know you can hurt someone, you will be more likely to try resolving conflicts peacefully.

7. Teaches Self-Defense Methods.

If you’re ever in a situation where you need to defend yourself, you will have the necessary skills to do so. However, although you may be able to protect yourself standing up in the boxing stance, you may be entirely caught off guard if the person knocks you down, and you are fighting on the ground. With that being said, remember that even the most trained and skilled boxer should always use caution if the other person pulls out a weapon.

8. Improves Reflexes.

You need to have super-quick reflexes when you’re in the ring, avoiding punches or delivering punches. Therefore, boxing, whether you’re sparring with a partner or working on the speed bag, will help you improve your reflexes, as well as think on your feet quicker. 

9. Boost Stamina and Endurance.

A typical pro boxing match lasts for 36 minutes, broken up into 12 3-minute segments, so they need to be able to last that long, or they will be counted out and disqualified for the match. 

Boxing classes will help you increase how long you can be on your feet, training for boxing fights. Not only will you be able to last longer in the ring, but you will also find more energy to last throughout your workday without resorting to junk food during that mid-morning or afternoon slump.

10. Accessible for Newcomers.

Anyone who has the motivation to follow through with classes, even though they may have never boxed before, can participate in the sport. Beginning boxing classes will walk you through the beginning steps, the correct techniques, and get you on your way to sparring in the ring. While you may not have experience with boxing, you might be able to get up to speed pretty quickly.

11. Promotes Respect.

When you know that you have the skills to fight and defend yourself from another person, you begin to feel responsibility and respect for yourself and others. Also, when you lose in the ring, you learn to appreciate and respect that all people have talents and skills that you may not have. 

The other part of this is that you become respectable in others’ eyes. They might see you as a completely different person once they know you participate in boxing and know your way around the ring.

12. Builds Social Connections.

If you have a difficult time making friends or building social connections that last, give boxing a try. When you’re in the ring sparring with your partner, you begin to talk and develop that friendship bond that you otherwise wouldn’t have in any other setting. You may find lifelong friendships because of the boxing sport. 

13. Increases Mental Awareness.

Being constantly aware of your body (and others’) can have a secondary effect on becoming more mentally aware. Boxing might brings awareness about yourself that you never knew was there. As a boxer, you are taught to notice your thoughts and fears that hold you back from accomplishing more in the ring; this can definitely translate in other parts of your life.

If, for example, you have a fear of speaking in public and compete in a public fight, your worries may dissipate as you connect both a public match and public speaking. You will have the confidence to try things you otherwise would be too afraid to try.

14. Requires Patience.

Society and media teach us to want everything right now without going through the proper steps to get it. Boxing forces you to slow down and learn the right techniques, so you don’t injure yourself or get hurt when you’re in the ring. It might take a few years before you get to fight your first boxing match; therefore, it is essential to practice patience. 

Besides, the patience learned in the ring can translate to being patient in life. Once you know that good things come in their own time, you are more willing to wait for it.

15. Teaches How to Lose and Win Gracefully.

No one likes to lose, and those who win often gloat about it. Boxing is a sport that humbles everyone. Even if you’re at the top of your game, someone may come along and beat you while defending your title. In the ring, you will learn respect and humble winning, as well as graceful losing.

Last Word

While boxing may come with certain dangers and risks, there are also many benefits that you reap, including improved physical and mental health. But you don’t need to train daily to reap the benefits. Boxing is best if it is done two to three times a week, so you have plenty of time to rest and recover. 

If you have any health conditions that could worsen with intense physical exercise, please check with your doctor before starting any workout program. You may still be able to compete, but you need to make sure you’re in good health to start.