HELPS YOUR CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

Cardio is important for protecting yourself from heart disease, burning calories and lose/ maintain your weight. What comes to most peoples minds when they think cardio is hopping on a treadmill or the bike for an hour or two (yeah right, like any one wants to do that – BORING!) Cardio is meant to place a moderate amount of stress on your heart and lungs so that they’re challenged enough to make beneficial physiologic adaptations to support the higher level of physical activity. How your choose to place stress on your heart and lungs is up to you. If you manage to keep your heart rate up during your workout then absolutely you can punch, kick and jump your way to a healthy heart in your Fight Club classes!

IMPROVED TOTAL – BODY STRENGTH

To punch, kick and jump requires a decent amount of strength. During a boxing workout you may punch or kick hundreds or even thousands of times which requires your upper body, lower body and core to engage. In our Fight Club classes we also like to add in a few strength and HIIT exercises into the workout. Resistance training strengthens your bones and reduces the progression of osteoporosis. Using your body weight can also help you maintain or increase your lean muscle mass which is critical to keeping your metabolic rate burning at maximum capacity.

IMPROVED HAND – EYE COORDINATION

Hand- eye coordination and its affect on total health can play a very important role in a persons fine and gross motor skills. People with good hand- eye coordination tend to have better physical coordination as a whole. This can become particularly important during ageing, as coordination and balance become compromised, increasing the risk of falls. When you’re paired up with a partner and tasked with a drill you must be able to see the target, react to the target and hit the target, all while the target is moving an changing position. But with practise, your hand- eye coordination improves big time!

DECREASED STRESS LEVELS

Almost any form of moderate/ vigorous physical activity can decrease stress. Exercise increases endorphins, boosts mood and works as a form of meditation which then improves sleep – all of which helps to reduce stress. Boxing is a option to let off some steam because you transition between high intensity bouts of exercise and moderate intensity recovery periods. When you’re pushing yourself through a couple of minutes of high intensity punching or kicking, you don’t have much mental power left to worry about your daily problems and dramas, you’ll be focused on breathing and mentally preparing for the next round.

IMPROVED BODY COMPOSITION

Boxing is an incredible method for improving your body composition because it combines muscle- building strength training moves and high amounts of cardio which burns through calories. Improving your body composition is a goal for most people who want to lose weight or just increase their overall fitness levels. If you are regularly participating in a boxing program and following a nutritious eating plan – there’s no reason you won’t see changes in your overall shape.