Benefits of Boxing and Beyond…
Ever put on a pair of boxing gloves and just WAILED on the bag? I have recently found a new love for boxing, it’s health benefits, and beyond. It’s something I never would have thought I would get so into. Both physical and emotional pains are things I try to avoid.
My personal trainer had mentioned a few times prior what a great stress reliever it would be for me… but I just blew him off each time. One day, I noticed him and one of his other clients smacking the pads and dancing around the room, which intrigued me. And that was the moment I chose to just go for it. My trainer was so excited, he went as far as buying a pair of pink boxing gloves just for me to use (which was pretty cool). 
For me, boxing has been a huge way to relieve stress, but more importantly… it’s a release of all pent-up emotion. I feel I have been able to “break the masks” that I’ve been hiding behind. I feel the pieces of me (that were no longer serving me) start to fall away with each jab and cross. Every time I hit the pads and hear that “POP,” a little more of the anger, resentment, self-doubt, and sadness leave my body! All the self-loathing, lack of motivation, internal conflict, and negativity that used to eat me up…. gets left in the ring. I am one notch closer to who I want to be with every single punch. If you haven’t tried it… I suggest giving it a go.
And even if it’s just for exercise, you can consider boxing your all-in-one cardio/strength workout. I find that you are so focused on the technique and punching combos, that you don’t even realize your heart rate climbing into that fat-burning zone. And Harvard Medical School agrees with me… they published this list of benefits in an article in November 2015.
KEY BENEFITS TO BOXING:
- Improves balance
- Helps posture
- Strengthens upper- body and core
- Boosts endurance
- May increase alertness
- Enhances mood
- improves hand-eye coordination
I encourage you to make a switch to your current routine. If you know you have some built up anger, resentment, hurt or stress… this could be a great therapeutic choice. Like two-birds-one-stone really: You get the stress out and get stronger and leaner all in the same hour. You might be putting your therapy sessions on pause while you deliver your own “treatment.”
I leave each boxing session a little bit taller. The gloves come off and I walk away feeling renewed. I feel as though I am one step closer to the powerhouse woman I want to become. Creating that person I envision myself to be has truly been the hardest battle I have ever had to fight. The fact that I was struggling with all these negative voices was bringing me down rather than up. These voices were putting up this invisible barrier that stood between who I was and who I wanted to become. Boxing, to me, is about defeating that voice that tells me I can’t do something. It is my way to conquer and crush my invisible opponents; to hold up my arms in victory and announce confidently, “That’s one more demon I have defeated… WHO’S NEXT!?”
Ding… freaking… Ding