Hello again Warriors! Have you ever asked yourself if you should train for boxing every day of the week? Are you serious about pursuing a career as a boxer? Or are you like me, using boxing simply to get in really good shape? Well, I will tell you what I’m learning in my experience training as a boxer and what I would recommend to you.
Now, I am speaking from my own experience. I’m not an expert when it comes to boxing, but I can tell you what I recommend based on my past training sessions at Title Boxing.
Right off the bat, you have to remember that boxing is an extremely demanding sport. It will take everything you’ve got to be in peak condition for when you step in the ring. So, if you want to get the most out of your boxing training experience, you’ll have to ask yourself the following questions.
- HOW LONG SHOULD YOU TRAIN IN A DAY?
- HOW MANY TIMES A WEEK SHOULD YOU TRAIN?
- WHAT KIND OF EXERCISES CAN YOU EXPECT?
About How Long Should You Train in A Day?
In my experience at Title Boxing, training sessions are 1 hour long. And might I add, the intensity level is at an all-time high. It’s the epitome of the ultimate workout. We’re talking extreme cardio and extreme total body at the same time. So, based on my experience with boxing training, I would recommend you train for no more than an hour, and no less than 30 minutes.
About How Many Times a Week Should You Train?
Personally, my advice is you don’t train more than twice a week. After doing one session for an hour, I was completely drenched in sweat and very sore from all the HIIT training that came with it. You know how you’ll feel sore after a workout from working so hard? Trust me when I say, you will be that sore once you complete 1 hour of boxing training. And you’ll be so drenched, you’ll look like you just took a shower.
What kind of training exercises can you expect in an hour of boxing, exactly? More on that below.
What Kind of Exercises Can You Expect?
Like I said earlier, one hour of boxing training is a combination of cardio and total body, at very high intensity. Once you get a feel for each exercise and understand how intense they can be, you can judge for yourself how often you should box in a week.
- PUSH-UPS: One of the best exercises there is. It can help build your upper body, especially your arms, back and chest. At Title Boxing, we would do regular push-ups as well as other variants of push-ups. For example, you might have to do partial push-ups, where you go down only halfway. It’s really good for building up your core strength.
- SIT-UPS: You’ve heard me talk about how good sit-ups are on this site before. But for those who are new here, sit-ups are one of the best abdominal exercises of all. Not only will they help you build towards a 6-pack, but they’ll also help to build strength in your lower back. That way your back won’t overcompensate, which will lead to pain.
- PLANKS: If you really want to be a good boxer, you’ll need a strong core. And planks are one of the best ways to build strength in your core, and to help get that 6-pack rocking. Just remember to breathe while doing it.
- RAPID PUNCHES: Here’s the real bread and butter of boxing. If you don’t want to get hit by your opponent, you have to throw fast punches. But beware, you have to do them right otherwise you could injure yourself. For more information on proper punching technique, check out my post on the different boxing punches here: What are the Different Punches in Boxing?
- JOGGING: Jogging is another classic form of cardio that can help get your heart rate up and your blood pumping. There was one time where my trainer had us go outside and jog around the entire perimeter of the building in 2 laps. I was getting winded after a while, but it was still a good workout.
- BURPEES: From a standing position, drop to a push-up position, then stand up and jump. Repeat for reps. This exercise will work your total body.
- JUMPING JACKS: Classic cardiovascular exercise. Helps to boost your stamina.
- WEIGHTED PUNCHES: You take lightweight dumbbells (3 to 5 pounds) and you hold them in your hands as you punch.
- OTHER ABDOMINAL EXERCISES: These can include lying leg raises, variants of planks, and other exercise variants. Be prepared to put your core to work with these.
Final Answer?
All things considered, my final answer to whether or not you should box every day is…it varies from person to person. We’re all wired differently. For some people, boxing may come naturally to them. It might be a much greater challenge to others. My advice, just listen to your body and train until you can’t train anymore.
As for what I would recommend? I train in boxing once a week, for one hour. If you feel you can train multiple times a week, I would say you should train no more than twice a week. Take it from me, you’ll be so sore after an hour of training. So you’ll need time to recover. In my time doing any kind of athletic training, optimal recovery time should be between 24 and 48 hours.
I hope my words of advice helped you out in deciding how often you should box in a week. As long as you listen to what your body tells you and know your limits, you’ll get the most out of your boxing experience. The last thing you would want is to overwhelm yourself with overtraining. Some trainers don’t believe in overtraining, but I do. I’ve suffered injuries from not having enough recovery time.
So, if you’re ready, get gloved and step in the ring! LET’S GO INTO BATTLE!