Help me establish a boxing workout

June 2, 2021 5:25 PM

I would like to start an at-home boxing routine (not going to the gym). Looking for youtube channels or workout guides for doing so. Details inside.

For many reasons I am unable to go to a gym to box right now, but I really miss the heavy physical activity so I would like to set up a routine for myself at home that I can stick to. Important details:

1. I am super busy and have ADD and laziness that means I will be much more likely to stick to something that has been planned and laid out for me, and I don't have to make decisions, I just Do The Things. (This was the major benefit of the gym, for me; someone would just shout things to do and I would do them and didn't have to think). So this is what I would like to find. My ideal would be a series of workout videos on like youtube that actually feature the people shouting, maybe with music during rounds of punching or whatever; but something like written routines that vary punching with situps with jumping rope or whatever is also fine. Basically I need to offload the decision-making part of this because if I have to use executive function to work out, it just will not happen.

2. I have boxed before, several times in my life, so you can assume I know all of the basics. I don't need something that teaches those. I'm not like advanced level or anything but it doesn't need to explain basic technique or punches or whatever.

3. I have a heavy bag, gloves, wraps, mat, and some small weights at home. Am willing to spend small amounts of money for something that would be useful, e.g., a jumprope or if there is a video series I have a pay a bit for or whatever. Do not want to spend major $$.

4. I am 43 and in acceptable shape for that age. i.e., starting working out won't be a health hazard, I could run a mile without stopping (but it would hurt the next day), that level of fitness. So I need something that will start reasonably slowly and/or be adjustable, but I'm not at like couch-potato levels.

5. Ideally the workouts should be 20-40 minutes, although as I get fitter I hope to be up to an hour or so. Aiming to do them 3 times a week or so.

6. BONUS: If anyone has great playlists for working out to share, I'm also keen to find those! Another nice thing gyms give is good music, and I'm too lazy and busy to spend a lot of time assembling those things myself, so I always listen to the same five songs or so.

posted by forza to Health & Fitness (2 answers total)

Best answer: Using a deck of cards as a workout guide allows for consistency and flexibility. You assign a different exercise to each suit and do the number of repetitions on the card, with 10 reps for the face cards. Of course you can change the reps as you like, but the cards give you a framework for a workout routine and take away the decision-making part, at least during the workout if that's what you're looking for.

It'd require a little thought up front but you could tailor the workout to boxing- maybe a different type of punching for each suit? I don't know much about boxing but am just gonna assume you're a badass.
posted by jumanjinight at 9:40 PM on June 2, 2021

Best answer: For heavy bag workouts I use an app “Box4Fitness Heavy Bag Workout” (I play it through my headphones.) You can choose number of rounds / length of rounds / length of breaks. It’s my favorite because it’s a real guy shouting out commands to someone you can hear punching a bag.

Second favorite is CyberBoxing Pro. Very customizable including putting in exercises in the breaks. I set it up once and then leave it until I want a change (for me that covers 6-8 weeks.)

There are probably newer ones — I check every so often — but these ones have stood the test of time for me.
posted by profreader at 5:04 AM on June 3, 2021 [1 favorite]