Here’s Why Boxing Is About to Be Your New Favorite Workout (If It Isn’t Already)

You don’t need to be a pro fighter to get the benefits of boxing. In fact, boutique studios are popping up all over the country, and the sport has even found a celebrity fanbase: Model Adriana Lima has been boxing for over 15 years, Jennifer Aniston added it to her workout rotation, and Hailey Baldwin and Kendall Jenner have taken turns at the bag. We talked to Rumble’s Founding Trainer Erika Hammond on why boxing fitness class is more than just throwing punches, and why it will be your new favorite exercise routine.  The benefits of a boxing workout are plentiful: says Hammond, “You can expect to walk out feeling exhausted, feeling stronger, and feeling more powerful.” Here’s why you should get ready to, well, rumble.

1.No experience is required. Even if you’re not Rocky Balboa or have never picked up a pair of gloves, anyone can sign up for a boxing class. Studios cater to all fitness levels and Rumble, for example, takes you “through the basics and teach you everything you need to know to get a safe and killer workout in,” Hammond explains. Rumble’s studios are dimly lit so you don’t have to be self-conscious of how you look doing an uppercut in a room full of other people, and before the class, the instructor briefs everyone on the six main punches, as well as the correct form and stance.

2. You’ll get in both cardio and strength training in one session. Why choose between cardio and strength training when you can have both at the same time? Swinging your arms and hitting a bag builds strength, and the constant movement of boxing also gets your heart rate up and provides intense cardio (try doing a jab-cross combo non-stop for 60 seconds and you’ll quickly see why). At Rumble, the class is broken up into 10 rounds, half on the bag and half at a bench doing strength training exercises with weights.

3. It’s a full-body workout. It’s not just your arms that are getting a workout, though they definitely will get an amazing one. Using proper boxing stance and shifting your weight into the various punches also works your core, back, and legs. When asked what parts of your bod boxing works, Hammond simply states, “the whole dang thang.” 

4. Your body and your mind will be challenged. Staying on your toes, keeping your balance, remembering the different punches, and following hit combinations and sequences require some serious concentration. This isn’t a class where your mind can wander off to what emails you forgot to answer at work or what you’re going to have for dinner that night. Boxing requires you to be present and have complete mental focus, a nice break from all the multi-tasking you probably do the rest of the day.

5. It’s empowering. There’s something to be said for being able to hit something as hard as you want, with no judgment or risk of hurting someone or being hit back. Everyone has those days where they can’t even, and during those times, boxing could be the healthy outlet you need. Says Hammond, “You get to let some steam out and let that inner badass shine through as you punch the bag!” Plus, the confidence you’ll get after finishing a class will carry over even after you leave the studio.

6. It’s a fun way to relieve some stress. Exercise, in general, is a great way to relieve stress, but add some killer playlists, a new challenge, and a room full of other people throwing left and right hooks, and you’ll forget you’re even breaking a sweat. Hammond says of Rumble, which is often been referred to as the SoulCycle of boxing classes, “The curated music, the lights, the energy from our instructors is just one of a kind: The ambiance makes you feel like you are in a club, not a workout, and 45 minutes feels like five!”

Have you tried boxing as a fitness routine? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!