3 Basic Boxing Tips

We often get asked what our boxing tips would be for someone who wants to learn or is learning to box. I know most people might assume it’s something like “turn over your punches when you throw,” but it’s actually a lot more simple than that (although that is still a very good tip for beginners). Here are our 3 tips for beginners: 

1. Keep your knees bent.
2. Keep your body relaxed. 
3. Keep your breathing controlled.

Let me elaborate…

1. One of the biggest challenges with some people is keeping their knees bent while they’re boxing. Keeping your knees bent allows for you to maintain balance and stability while you’re moving around, throwing punches, pivoting, rolling and slipping etc., which consequently allows for solid footwork, movement, and power. While it sounds easy enough, keeping your knees bent is often a challenge because 1. people aren’t used to staying in that position for long periods of time or 2. their legs get tired and so they straighten back up as they box. But even if you’re short, it’s important to remember to keep your knees bent and sit low in your stance. 
2. Oftentimes people don’t realize that they’re tense until a trainer points it out to them. They tend to tighten up when they’re focused or nervous, so it takes some awareness and conscious effort to try to keep your body relaxed when hitting the bag or sparring. It also takes some experience and time, so don’t be too hard on yourself if you struggle with this. Being relaxed when you’re boxing means that you’re able to move more fluidly and quickly without wasting energy. It might sound counterintuitive, but being loose and relaxed will result in more power and speed. In order to float like a butterfly and sting like a bee, relax your body. 
3. Boxing is very much a full-body cardiovascular workout. Controlling your breathing is key because beginners often either stop breathing while they throw punches or their breathing gets out of control while they’re boxing and risk fatigue, hyperventilating, lightheadedness. It is especially hard for people to remember to breathe with control when they’re sparring because they’re focused on fighting, and not on something that we often take for granted. That’s why when you’re training, you should always be aware of your breathing and coordinate it with your movements. 

These tips might seem really basic, but they’re so important when you’re just starting out. Most people quickly forget to keep their knees bent and don’t understand why they struggle with keeping balanced. And many people find themselves wondering why they’re gassing out after a round in the ring even though their conditioning and cardio is strong. Don’t overlook these tips and keep them in mind next time you’re boxing! Even people with a decent amount of experience need to remind themselves every once in a while.