When people join my Fitness Boxing classes, many wonder if boxing is a good exercise for the legs. So I show you how great boxing is for working out your legs, when you do it right. Here are 5 quick tips you can include during your boxing workouts at home or at the gym to get a better leg workout. Keep in mind that these are all authentic boxing moves, not star jumps, squats, or “fill-ins.”
1 – Float like a butterfly
The great man said it, but what does it mean? For physical boxing it means standing on your toes and moving in and out. That’s how. Get into a boxer stance, sideways, guard up, left foot forward (for right-handers). Then lift your heels and in and out, in and out, on the balls of your feet. Do this between combinations, so you’re always moving or floating. This will give you a much better leg workout.
2 – Feel the ground through your feet
One of my first trainers used to tell me that power comes “from the center of the earth.” he would tell me that connect with the ground, really feeling the ground through the balls of my feet. Too many people hit on their toes, but that connection to the ground is the first step to engaging your legs in every shot.
3 – releasethen drive
Before throwing a punch, bend your legs. Just squat down a bit, keeping your back straight, like you’re about to pick up a box of groceries. This forces you to engage your thighs and will create a much better punch with more leg muscles involved.
4 – Put out the cigarette
This tip isn’t about smoking, it’s about kicking. A good shot has leg drive behind it. You want to get your whole body in shape, right? Then use it! That’s how. When you throw a left jab, PUSH into the ball of the back of your foot. When you throw a right cross, TURN your right foot around until it points at the target (boxing glove or punching bag), as if you were putting out a cigarette. For the hook, rotate the ball of the foot so that it points in the direction of the target. If it’s a left jab, swing your left foot to the right.
5. Try the North, South, West, East footwork drill
This is a great warm up exercise. Get into your boxer stance. Start floating like a butterfly (tip #1). Go Forward (North), Back (South), Left (West), Right (East) and repeat for one minute. This is a difficult exercise to try to explain in a written article, however I hope you get the idea. It’s like a dance, so try it with music if it helps. Make it a double step in each direction, like a double bounce on the balls of your feet. If you want a demo, email me and I’ll send you a video clip.
Get in shape to fight.