Boxing for weight loss: effectiveness, training programs, exercises

Any woman always wants to look attractive, and for this she needs to have a beautiful figure. In modern society, certain concepts of an ideal figure have developed, which we must strive for. Many girls try different diets and play sports to lose weight. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to achieve a positive result and after several unsuccessful attempts, many give up. Today we want to talk about an unusual way to combat excess weight, and at first glance it may seem like a joke. Today we will talk about how you can use boxing for weight loss. It is now becoming the norm that women are actively involved in many sports that were previously considered purely male. No one is surprised by women’s football or hockey anymore; girls do weightlifting, etc.
At the same time, boxing for weight loss will seem like a strange combination to many. However, we are not talking about professional boxing. Let men continue to perform in the ring. We are only interested in boxing for weight loss. Now more and more girls are starting to engage in fitness. Moreover, every fitness center has boxing sections. It is quite obvious that the best option is individual lessons. If you decide to take up boxing for weight loss, then tell your trainer the purpose of your training. It is on improving your figure that you should focus.

Efficiency

Boxing is effective for weight loss, as it involves both fairly powerful strength training and high-intensity cardio. Forces you to be on the move throughout the entire lesson. Increases heart rate and starts the fat burning process. Along the way it helps:

build muscle mass evenly throughout the body;
accelerate basal metabolism;
burn up to 500 kcal in 1 hour (with high activity);
remove visceral fat on the abdomen (especially important for women);
carve out a beautiful figure (pumping your hips, buttocks, abs and arms);
increase the production of endorphins, which eliminates stress, normalizes sleep, improves mood, and therefore does not suffer from psychogenic overeating.

Depending on the pattern and intensity of your training, weight loss results may vary. On average, 2-3 kg per week. This should not be surprising: fat that is fairly light in weight is replaced by heavy muscle tissue, so you shouldn’t expect fantastic numbers.

But from boxing you can get a lot of pleasant bonuses, in addition to losing weight:

improvement of physical indicators: strength, endurance, coordination;
simultaneous pumping of all muscle groups;
tone;
strengthening the immune system;
optimization of heart and lung function;
feeling of self-confidence;
development of intelligence (boxing teaches you to think through your opponent’s moves and your own blows).

Another undeniable advantage of boxing is versatility. With its help, not only a man, but also any girl can achieve weight loss and a beautiful figure. These days this won’t surprise anyone.

What's stopping?

Not every woman wants to go to classes, because losing weight while swinging your fists and trying to dodge your opponent’s blows seems like too much of a sacrifice. Abrasions and bruises will not make you more attractive! A “lantern” under the eye, a shabby hairstyle and knocked out teeth...

It must be said that all of this is misconception. Boxing for weight loss for a girl follows a completely different pattern, and the results if all the trainer’s instructions are correctly followed are completely different.

Yes, traditionally boxing is a sport for men. But recently it has become popular among representatives of the fair half of humanity.

Which to choose?

Professional

Parents who know that excess weight is a hereditary problem can send their child to the boxing section with peace of mind. Extra pounds will no longer be a sword of Damocles, and over time, reaching a professional level can become a lifelong endeavor.

Amateur

You can come to amateur boxing at any age, so it is suitable for losing weight. There are sections in almost every city. Moreover, groups of both men and women are recruited. Goals can also be different: getting to know the basics of this sport, improving physical performance, and losing weight.

Classical

Ideal option for weight loss. Practicing basic kicks will allow you to constantly be in motion and burn maximum calories.

Thai boxing / Muay Thai

The oldest sport, which is more than 2,000 years old. Came from Thailand. As in the classic one, there is a jab, a swing, a hook, and an uppercut. But blows are delivered not only with fists, but also with feet, shins, elbows and knees.

Quite traumatic, therefore it is an extreme way to lose weight. The only plus for weight loss is the enormous load on muscles (building up occurs faster) and even greater calorie burning.

Kickboxing

Something between Thai and classical boxing. Knees and elbows are prohibited, but kicking and cutting the opponent is allowed. Suitable for those who dream of thighs without cellulite and pumped buttocks. Visceral fat disappears quickly.

Women's boxing

Girls are often embarrassed to sign up for boxing in order to lose weight, because they consider it not a female sport - and completely in vain. Since the early 1990s. it is officially approved and is quite popular today. Firstly, this is a slender, sculpted figure. Secondly, training in self-defense techniques.

Women's boxing is not much different from men's: the round lasts a minute less, is more delicate, and due to the specifics of the equipment, the body is hit less often.

Girls should not worry about pumping muscles. Amateur level, correction of training programs to suit the personal characteristics of the body and the help of a trainer will not allow this. Plus, you can stop at any time.

Stars who chose boxing for weight loss

Many women are afraid that by choosing this sport, they will lose all their charm and fragility, which so reliably affects men. But you shouldn’t worry about this, because there are a huge number of examples where girls, while practicing boxing, remained as cute and graceful as before. There are quite a few such examples among celebrities.

The top model of one of the largest companies selling lingerie, Victoria's Secret, Adriana Lima, has been involved in this “masculine” sport for more than 10 years. It is unlikely that anyone will want to reproach this girl for her lack of femininity, just look at her photographs. In all the pictures she is in excellent shape, and her figure has the smoothest outlines. The model admits that it was boxing that helped her get herself in order after giving birth.

Just 5 weeks of regular training - and she again has a slender, fit figure, which you can easily show off on the podium.

Adriana Lima

Another supermodel from the Netherlands, Doutzen Kroes, chose boxing as a tool for losing weight. She is especially fond of the “shadow boxing” exercise, that is, without the participation of a living partner. The girl spends quite a lot of time practicing the technique, as well as keeping herself in good shape - devoting at least an hour a day, 4 times a week.

As it turns out, boxing is quite popular among models. Fans of this sport include Shay Mitchell, Gigi Hadid, and Martha Hunt. None of these girls can definitely be called masculine. They all retained their fragility and true femininity.

Looking at all these slender, beautiful models, you can safely follow their example and take up boxing if you want to lose weight quickly. And you certainly shouldn’t be afraid that as a result of hard training, female attractiveness and charm will disappear. On the contrary, flexibility and endurance will develop, and the lines of the silhouette will become smoother.

We recommend reading about callanetics for weight loss. You will learn about the advantages and differences between callanetics and other activities, a set of exercises for beginners, and contraindications. And here is more information about exercises for weight loss.

There is no need to think that boxing can ruin an elegant silhouette and dispel the charm of femininity. This is the same type of training, but many times more effective for weight loss than the others. Boxing will not affect femininity in any way; on the contrary, it will only help improve your figure. The main thing is to maintain regularity and choose suitable exercises. It's also a great way to combat negative emotions.

Training programs

Basic program for beginners

Training program for women

Training program for men

Contraindications and precautions

Boxing is not recommended if you have physical limitations. These include:

spinal injuries;
arthritis;
glaucoma;
pathologies of the central nervous system;
heart diseases.

To avoid health problems due to training, you must adhere to the following rules:

Gradual increase in load. You should make your workouts more difficult after your body has fully adapted to them.
Study the technique with an instructor. Beginners should learn the basic strokes, poses and steps. At the initial stage, you need to practice at a moderate pace. In this case, it is worth abandoning intense blows. They switch to them when the body has become flexible enough.
Technique development. At home, you should practice techniques near a mirror.
Refusal of a large number of repetitions.
Correct execution of movements. During training, you need to monitor your posture.
Drinking enough water. It must be drunk before, during and after training. With enough water, healthy weight loss occurs, because... metabolic rate increases.

Exercises

Hitch

Jumping Jack

Stand up straight. Connect the legs together. Place your arms along your body. Jump. While jumping, raise your arms above your head and clap, and spread your legs as wide as possible. Return to starting position.

Climber

Do an emphasis while lying down, as if you were going to do a plank. Straighten your arms. Place your palms under your shoulders. Tighten your stomach. Tighten your abdominal and buttock muscles. The body should form a straight line. Pull one of your knees towards your chest. Return to starting position. Repeat for the other knee. First imitate walking, then switch to jumping running, intensively changing your knees.

Basic hits

Recommended primarily for training for men.

Hook

A side blow is applied with a hand bent at the elbow.

In this case, you need to lift the heel of your back leg and push off with your toe as hard as possible. Move your right shoulder forward slightly, turning your body. The striking hand is parallel to the floor at the moment of impact. The head is bent to the chest, the shoulders are raised, the chin is turned towards the front shoulder. The gaze is from under the brows, only the forehead is exposed.

A long-range, swift blow is delivered with an outstretched arm.

Get into a boxing stance. Take a step forward. The leg left behind is the push leg for the whole body. As you exhale, make a punch, extending your arm straight in front of you and twisting your fist so that your palm faces down. Bring it back, press it to the jaw. At the same time, pull your back pushing leg forward.

Uppercut

The classic blow is delivered along an internal trajectory.

Knees are bent. Point your hips down. Rotate your feet and push off from your shins. The heel drops to the floor. When twisting the body, rotate the hips. At this moment, a blow is made from below with a fist with the palm turned upward. Bring it back, press it to the jaw.

Cross

Counterattack cross strike.

Applied at the moment of attack. The striking hand moves over the opponent's hand. The target is the head. From the starting position, make a sharp fist break. At the same time, push off with your back leg, tilt your body forward, and transfer your weight to your front leg.

Useful video

Watch this video about boxing training for women:

Consolidate the result

Over time, a person will be able to lose weight, but the resulting effect still needs to be maintained. In this case, training is no longer so important as proper nutrition. During intense exercise and prolonged cardio exercise, the body actively loses fluid. To prevent dehydration, an athlete should drink water during and after training . You need to reduce the amount of flour, you are allowed to eat pasta and rice 1-2 times a week. Fast food is strictly prohibited.

Reduce the amount of sweets as much as possible, this applies not only to sweets, but also to juices and fruits. Add more chicken, seafood and fish (baked or stewed, boiled) to the menu. The last meal should be 3-4 hours before bedtime. This will facilitate the digestion process and ensure a restful, sound sleep. It is recommended to adhere to the following rules:

If you really want to eat before bed, you can snack on some vegetable or low-calorie cottage cheese.
Drink more water throughout the day, the recommended volume is 1.5-2 liters. Reduce the amount of simple carbohydrates.
Make portions smaller and increase the number of meals. 5-6 meals will be optimal.
In the morning, the body needs to get a boost of energy, so most of the calories should be received in the first half of the day.
Weight loss will begin only when calorie expenditure predominates over consumption.
It is forbidden to go on a strict diet or starve yourself. You will not have enough strength to train, and your body will begin to absorb muscle mass.
Provide your body with vitamins from vegetables and fruits or vitamin complexes.