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 that you can include during your boxing workouts at home or in the gym to get a better leg workout. Keep in mind that these are all authentic boxing moves, not star jumps, squats, or “stuffing.”

1 – Float like a butterfly

The great man said it, but what does it mean? For physical boxing it means getting on your toes and moving in and out. That is how. Get into boxer’s stance, on your side, with your guard up, left foot forward (for righties). Then lift your heels and walk in and out, in and out, on the balls of your feet. Do this between combos, 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 early 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 strike on their toes, but that connection to the ground is the first step to engaging the legs in every strike.

3 – releasethen drive

Before throwing a punch, bend your legs. Just bend over a bit, keeping your back straight, as if you were 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 with your legs. A good hit has leg drive behind it. You want to get your whole body in shape, right? Then use it! That is how. When you throw a left jab, PUSH into the ball of the back of your foot. When you throw a right crossover, TURN your right foot until it points at the target (punching glove or punching bag), as if you were putting out a cigarette. For the hook, turn the ball of your foot so that it points in the direction of the target. If it’s a left jab, turn 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’d like a demo, email me and I’ll send you a video clip.

Get in shape to fight.

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